Abstract: A tool that enables a user to easily and automatically create a photo gallery of thumbnail images on a Web page. A user selects a group of original images, and the tool automatically produces a corresponding group of thumbnail images on the Web page, with hyperlinks to the corresponding original images. Four predefined templates are included, each defining a different format for the thumbnail images including a vertically oriented gallery, a horizontally oriented gallery, a slide show gallery, and a montage gallery. Captions and descriptive text can also be entered and displayed for the thumbnail images in most of the style galleries. An edit function enables a user to add or delete images to existing galleries and to automatically modify the appearance of a photo gallery by selecting and applying a different template.

Abstract: A system and method that evaluates privacy policies from web sites to determine whether each site is permitted to perform operations (e.g., store, retrieve or delete) directed to cookies on a user's computer. Various properties of each cookie and the context in which it is being used are evaluated against a user's privacy preference settings to make the determination. An evaluation engine accomplishes the evaluation and determination via a number of criteria and considerations, including the cookie properties, its current context, the site, the zone that contains the site, and any P3P data (compact policy) provided with the site's response. The user privacy preferences are evaluated against these criteria to determine whether a requested cookie operation is allowed, denied or modified. A formalized distinction between first-party cookies versus third-party cookies may be used in the determination, along with whether the cookie is a persistent cookie or a session cookie.

Abstract: An information collecting system and method for providing information to members of the audience at theaters where movies and theatrical productions are presented, collecting information from the members of the audience, and compiling the information from the members of the audience.

Abstract: A client-server system for recording web site activity by web users and dynamically customizing web display apparatuses for optimal information presentation based on the users' prior activity history. The system assigns each user a user identifier that allows the system to track the user's web sessions. The system also assigns every web site an application identifier that allows the system to track the user's activities at a particular web site. The system then records the user's activities as they visit different web sites via the user and application identifiers. The system determines how the user prefers to view each web site based on their prior activity, their preferences, the web site, and various other factors. As the user surfs from web site to web site, the system dynamically configures the user's web browser and the web page information for optimum presentation based on how the user prefers to view the web site.

Abstract: A method of rendering a graphical component of a web page on the display of a computer is provided. The computer has an appearance manager that is adapted to render a graphical component upon receiving a request for the graphical component. The method includes a request by the web page for a graphical component to be rendered on the display. Next, it is determined whether a defined theme META tag is present in the web page. If the theme META tag is present, the rendering request for the graphical component is routed to the appearance manager of the computer. Upon receiving the rendering request, the appearance manager assigns themed appearance characteristics to the graphical component and renders the graphical component on the display.

Abstract: A technique to navigate through one or more menus of a handheld computer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique uses a handheld device having a first button to cause a cursor to navigate through a plurality of menu items and to highlight a desired menu item. The device also has a second button to cause the cursor to navigate through a plurality of menus when the cursor is highlighting one of the menus or a first menu item, and to cause the cursor to highlight a previous menu item when the cursor is highlighting a menu item other than the first menu item.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed whereby the look and feel of the OS/2 operating system is added to the Swing application program interface (API), in an enhanced version of the API, referred to herein as AWTSwing. A further disclosure is the creation of a thread-relative setLookAndFeel method, which only accepts calls from a particular thread to adopt a prescribed look and feel. This makes it possible for an application to have a look and feel distinct from that of the platform, or of other concurrently executing applications. This capability is not present in the conventional version of the Swing API, which treats look and feel settings as global.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention automatically provides dynamically generated completion information for facilitating user input of email addresses or contact information. This completion information is developed from a “data store” comprised of multiple data sources such as previously sent or received email, and other types of electronic files such as word processor or spreadsheet files. The present invention monitors and uses the information in the data store to automatically store, track, maintain, and organize data entries in a dynamic “resolution list”. As a user begins to input an email address or contact, the present invention can either automatically complete the entry using a most probable result from the resolution list, or can display a list of likely matches from which the user may select the desired email address or contact.

Abstract: A computer implemented supply chain analysis apparatus permits user to create a supply chain map for analyzing a manufacturing operation. A template forms a workspace to depict a supply chain related to a manufacturing operation. Supply chain icons are predefined to depict specified aspects and relationships of an automotive supply chain function. The stencil stores icons which are related to a manufacturing area. The icons which are related to a manufacturing area are grouped together on a stencil.

Abstract: The present invention involves a new system and process for automatically and dynamically laying out elements within an overall window of a graphical user interface by using dynamically resizable frames, i.e., “FlowFrames” disposed within the window. FlowFrames are automatically and dynamically sized and positioned within the window, while one or more other frames, i.e., “child frames,” representing one or more conventional controls, nested within the FlowFrames are also sized and positioned within the window as the window is generated or resized. In particular, each FlowFrame arranges its children horizontally in a row, but dynamically wraps them to one or more additional rows and positions them in accordance with predefined relationships between the children, where they cannot all fit into the same row. Further, the size of each FlowFrame is computed hierarchically from its children up to the overall window and then back down to the individual children.

Abstract: On a device having keys with multiple values, a user may perform either an iterative directory filtering operation or a direct-dial operation, without specifying which of the operations is intended. The invention thereby allows the user to perform any of a number of different operations to specify a number to be dialed or to identify a directory record, without requiring the user to specify a mode. The invention determines which of the operations the user intends by analyzing the entered keystrokes, and activates the appropriate feedback and functionality for the determined operation. The invention further performs iterative directory filtering on multiple fields concurrently, including derived fields and combination fields.

Abstract: The implementation of the invention involves a conventional display window and a system for displaying a portion of said hierarchical tree within the borders of the window in combination with an implementation enabling a user to expand each nested displayed category into a displayed list of items in said category, and to collapse said displayed list back to each displayed category. There are means for scrolling said displayed hierarchy through said window. This invention provides for a set of displayed indicators, each representing a hidden expanded category in the hierarchical chain of a list of items displayed within said window. There is a further implementation associated with each displayed indicator enabling a user to select the indicator to collapse the hidden category represented by said indicator and thereby enable the display of the collapsed category within said window.

Abstract: A multimedia information arranging apparatus that utilizes various feature values contained in multimedia information, carries out a flexible retrieval and classification and displays the information in an information set arrangement space is provided. An information set obtaining portion 10 obtains information sets. An axis setting portion 20 assigns the feature value of the media information to an information set arrangement space axis so as to set the information set arrangement space. A feature value extracting portion 30 extracts the feature value from each of the media information of the obtained information set, and an information set arranging portion 40 arranges the information sets in the information set arrangement space according to their feature values. An information displaying portion 50 displays the information set arrangement space in such a manner as to be seen from a predetermined display viewpoint.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for retrieving and editing the data structure of a HTML UI Control, such as a treeview. The system and method have the capability to synchronize the data structure of a displayed HTML UI Control in a Web page with its corresponding data structure stored in an information system at a server, without refreshing said Web page. The present invention utilizes JavaScript to temporarily store the data structure of a displayed HTML UI Control. The JavaScript also has the capability to search and modify a corresponding information system at a server. One way to achieve this capability is by utilizing a browser-based Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and specialized business logic at the server to carry out server-side tasks on said information system.

Abstract: Method and system to enable a user to view large collections of hierarchically linked information on a computer based display. A tree structure visualization is created which presents a representation of the complete collection of information on the display. The visualization fits completely within a fixed area of the computer based display, negating the need to scroll information into the display area. The visualization is based on identified focus nodes and through calculation of a Degree of Interest (DOI) for each of the nodes based in the structure. Layout and presentation of the visualization structure is based on the DOI values in combination with considerations of available display space. A user may dynamically manipulate views of the structure by selecting one or more focus nodes, thus causing a recalculation of the degree of interest.

Abstract: The present invention permits textual data to be exchanged between a Web page displayed in a standard Microsoft Web browser window and a server, utilizing a non-persistent HTTP connection. Traditionally, each time textual data is received to the displayed Web page a record is added to the history list. This is problematic as it clutters the history list, compromises the functionality of the browser “Back” and “Forward” buttons, and results in undesirable server operations to be executed. The present invention utilizes several methods for loading textual data to a displayed Web page, without adding a URL to the history list. In one aspect of the invention, a <xml> element is used to transmit a HTTP request for new data and receive the HTTP response. The present invention can be used to build a lightweight Web page that offers real-time data and interactivity.

Abstract: A computer-based lecture recording and reproducing method includes: executing a lecture recording and reproducing pragram; recording the lecture, including: storing information from an information inputting unit and information relating to the input information in a memory, with time information and storing voice information in the memory; writing pre-stored information in a lecture file and the input information on an assigned area in the memory, with a graphic tool by using the pre-stored information and the relating information so as to be equal to a configuration displayed on a screen; and displaying the written information on the screen; and reproducing the lecture, including: storing the lecture file information and the related information in the memory; writing the lecture file information on the assigned area in the memory, with the graphic tool by using the related information; and displaying the written information on the screen and outputting the voice information.

Abstract: A method for maintaining consistent unit relationships during graphical pharmacological computational model construction is disclosed. A graphical user interface is presented through which a user may place and connect objects representing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic elements. The user may specify units definitions for variables and constants using unit expressions. As the objects are converted into an internal format representing the statements of the corresponding computational model, the unit expressions are included in this internal format as multidimensional data type information. This multidimensional data type information is regularly and automatically propagated for each statement in the internal format to identify inconsistent units. When such inconsistent units are identified, a warning message is generated to notify the user, substantially immediately after the inconsistent units are created.

Abstract: A system and process for capturing and implementing handwritten gestures is described. A user may use gestures to quickly command a pen-based input device to perform operations. Using the described embodiments, users may edit text or handwritten ink using a pen in a pen-based computing platform and have the edits affect the text or ink.

Abstract: An automatic channel generator and a method for generating a channel based upon the utilization of a device and activities occurring on the device. A device is connected to a local network hub, which may be integral to an information appliance. The information appliance is capable of searching the Internet for data associated with media being delivered by a device on the local network system. The aggregates of content can be collected automatically, and its presentation may be customized by a user.