Abstract: For languages requiring bidirectional (left-to-right and right-to-left) text display support, a multi-field text string object encapsulates both a normal logical ordered version of the text string entered and a reverse ordered version in separate fields. A bidirectional-support property of the multi-field text string object is set based on whether the host system supports bidirectional text displays. In response to a display request, the multi-field text string object checks the bidirectional-support property. If bidirectional text display is supported, the multi-field text string object sets the field containing the normally-ordered character sequence for the text string as the display field. If bidirectional text display is not supported, the multi-field text string object sets the field containing the reverse-ordered character sequence for the text string as the display field.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing picture mail to a frame device community is described. The present invention comprises one or more interconnected frame devices. Each frame device has a display region (e.g. an LCD) surrounded with a border region modeled to resemble a traditional picture frame. The border region may be comprised of wood, plastic, or any other aesthetically pleasing compound. Each frame device is configured to connect to an interconnection fabric to periodically obtain image data from a centralized repository and then display that data according to criteria established by an authorized user. The data repository is populated with image data via the image collection process. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the user may specify filter criteria which establishes what network addresses (e.g. picture mail address) are authorized to populate the data repository.

Abstract: Concurrently displaying a set of pages in a distributed database with a minimum of user interaction is disclosed. A set of bookmarked web pages in a browser interface are concurrently displaying a list of bookmarks in the interface, each bookmark associated with a respective one of the web pages. At least a subset of the web pages are displayed in a cascade of windows, each web page assigned to a respective window in the cascade in the order in which the associated bookmark is listed in the list of bookmarks. Each window in the cascade is arranged so that a title bar is visible and the alphanumeric content of the title bar can be easily related to an entry in the bookmark list.

Abstract: The invention concerns an improved electronic mail system, wherein incoming mail is automatically sorted into mailboxes, based on criteria defined by the user. In addition, the user can rank the mailboxes in order of importance, and the mailboxes are presented to the user in the order of rank. The user can also establish thresholds for any measurable characteristic of a mailbox. For example, one measurable characteristic may be the total number of unread messages. The user may choose to be informed when the total number of unread messages exceeds a threshold. If the threshold is set to ten, for example, then, when the eleventh message is received, the system triggers an alarm, notifying the user. The system also includes an interface which displays multiple windows to the user simultaneously, showing not only the contents of mail messages, but also other information about the user's mail, such as the ranking of the mailboxes and the criteria for triggering alarms.

Abstract: A rule-based data processing apparatus includes a processor coupled with at least first and second stores. The first store holds respective defining rule-sets for two or more groups of agents. The second store holds data defining respective objects with associated qualifier terms. The first group, of agents defined as script agents, are arranged as a sequentially enabled chain, with one or more of the script agents including references to respective objects and specified qualifier terms. The second group, of agents defined as object agents, identify objects and specified qualifier terms from the script agents, and identify each instance of that object with a correct associated qualifier in the second store. The object agents handle referential expressions in a script or process specification by standing in for objects referred to.

Abstract: A system to perform software on a remote computer system automatically over a network using a local computer system. The software being performed is placed on a storage device connected to the local computer. The local computer executes software that logs on to the remote computer as if the local computer were a remote terminal and sends a command to the remote computer to cause it to connect to the storage device through the network. The local computer then sends commands to the remote computer to cause the remote computer to perform the software located on the storage device. Each software program run on the remote computer examines the remote computer to determine the type of software that is running on the remote computer and selects the software being executed to be compatible with the software on the remote computer.