Abstract: The present invention relates to an user profile information data structure for browsing of multimedia data and a multimedia browsing method using the same. The multimedia data browsing method is characterized in that: (a) multimedia data contains a contents description scheme for indexing/browsing based on contents; (b) an user profile includes an user preference description scheme indicating an user-preferred multimedia browsing method or browsing criterion; and (c) multimedia data is browsed by analyzing the user-preferred application description scheme for user-preferred browsing in a corresponding user profile, if the user desires multimedia browsing.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention may provide TCP offload, which may include acquiring TCP connection variables from a host and managing at least one TCP connection using the acquired TCP connection variables. At least a portion of the acquired TCP connection variables may be updated and at least some of the updated TCP connection variables may be transferred back to the host. In an aspect of the invention, the TCP connection variables may be variables that are independent of bandwidth delay product. At least a portion of the updated TCP connection variables may be utilized by the host to process the TCP connection or another TCP connection. The host may push the variables onto the stack and the TOE may pull the variables from the stack. Also, updated TCP connection variables may be pushed on the stack by the TOE and pulled from the stack by the host.

Abstract: An enhanced console redirection method is provided in which only changed lines of video text data are sent from a remote computer to a local computer in a computer network. In a computer network a video buffer in the remote computer is checked for changed lines of video text data during a predetermined time interval. The predetermined time interval may be equal to the duration of a system timer interrupt in the remote computer. Any changed video text data found during the predetermined time interval is then sent from a controller in the remote computer to the local computer in the computer network. The controller in the remote computer may include a receive buffer which is checked for keyboard data sent from the local computer during the predetermined time interval. If the controller's receive buffer contains keyboard data from the local computer, then the keyboard data is stored in a keyboard controller in the remote computer.

Abstract: A system and method for establishing a private message chat between electronic devices. The method includes steps of providing an indication as to the availability of a user for receiving a private message chat; receiving an audio input message from at least one first client; and transmitting the audio input message to at least one second client over a communications network, wherein the at least one second client can receive, temporarily store and play back the audio input message. The first client may receive a reply audio input message from the at least one second client or, receive a reply text input message from the at least one second client, and subsequently may further communicate back to the second client device via one of audio or text messaging, according to that user's discretion. The transmitting of any audio input message may be accomplished via VoIP or SIP.

Abstract: In a massively parallel computing system having a plurality of nodes configured in m multi-dimensions, each node including a computing device, a method for routing packets towards their destination nodes is provided which includes generating at least one of a 2m plurality of compact bit vectors containing information derived from downstream nodes. A multilevel arbitration process in which downstream information stored in the compact vectors, such as link status information and fullness of downstream buffers, is used to determine a preferred direction and virtual channel for packet transmission. Preferred direction ranges are encoded and virtual channels are selected by examining the plurality of compact bit vectors. This dynamic routing method eliminates the necessity of routing tables, thus enhancing scalability of the switch.

Abstract: An autonomous eclone (10) comprises a plurality of interface agents (15,20,25,30) operable to interact with a person; an expert system (35) operable to process a command originated by any of the agents (15,20,25,30); and a database (40) accessible by the expert system (35) and operable to store all available information associated with a user. The eclone (10) also comprises an input authenticator and classifier (45) operable to authenticate and classify the person; a command creator (50) operable to create the command based upon a request; an output action generator (55) operable to execute the command and relay a result to any of the agents (15,20,25,30); and an activity logger (60) operable to log the request and the result. The expert system (35) is essentially a collection of rules that define how the eclone (10) reacts to each request.

Abstract: A network-connecting apparatus for a first private network having a first network device. The apparatus includes a direct connection part for providing a direct connection in response to a connection request from the first network device, said request being a request to connect to a second network device in a second private network. Further, an address change part is provided for changing subnet numbers of origination and destination addresses of a packet transferred outside the first private network through the direct connection.

Abstract: A communications network comprising at least one source unit is configured to generate messages for relay to a portal node through at least one smart node. The smart node includes a dynamic reprioritization controller capable of dynamically reprioritizing the relayed messages prior to relay transmission by a transmitter according to received programming instructions.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for processing accounting information. In use, accounting information is received over a network. After receiving the accounting information, at least a portion of the accounting information that occurs during a surge in network traffic is discarded, based on at least one attribute of the accounting information. Further, at least a portion of the accounting information is processed, based on at least one attribute of the accounting information. Still yet, after the processing, at least a portion of remaining accounting information is allowed to pass to subsequent processing. To this end, the portion of the accounting information that is discarded is done so to prevent an overload of the subsequent processing.

Abstract: In a real-time collaboration server, a control unit manages a collaboration mode. The control unit operates a virtual client that maintains a virtual screen reflecting the status of the collaboration (e.g., the contents of a shared desktop or whiteboard). The virtual client renders collaboration data within the virtual screen. New clients are synchronized with an ongoing collaboration by packing and sending them a copy of the virtual screen. The control unit maintains a queue of collaboration data to be sent to participating clients. Each client may have a pointer identifying the queued data it is processing. The queue may be collapsed (e.g., when it reaches a maximum size) by sending a copy of the virtual screen to one or more clients that have not yet consumed old data in the queue; those clients are then updated to skip the queue entries embodied in the virtual screen.

Abstract: The current structure for starting and shutting down a server is complicated and affords little administrative control. A server must be started in one long-running step and cannot be shutdown without risk of disrupting in-flight work. The ability to bring up a server quickly and bring down a server gracefully is crucial to improving availability. A server configuration in which a server that is brought up as a hot-stand by server for a running, active server can significantly reduce downtime (failover time) in the case of an outage. A server that can be suspended gracefully can be removed from service without disrupting clients. These new features require improvements to the server lifecycle to clearly articulate the distinction between an initialized server and an active server (for hot standby) and between a suspending server and a suspended server (for graceful suspend) and to simplify the lifecycle by removing circular initialization dependencies between services and clarifying the lifecycle contract.

Abstract: The invention relates to the interaction between the electronic directory and sites cataloged therein. One embodiment of a directory system includes a first and second conduit, a receiver function and a global catalog. The first conduit runs between the directory and a first site and the second conduit runs between the directory and a second site. The receiver function accepts the first local catalog of directory information from the first site and the second local content catalog of directory information from the second site. The global catalog of directory information includes the first local catalog and the second local catalog.

Abstract: An asset management server for a network of an enterprise. The enterprise has one or more assets and two or more data sources and each source has a unique name for each asset. The server determines from an incoming message from the data sources about the assets which of the other data sources needs to receive the message and the unique name for the asset used by those sources. The server prepares the outgoing message to the sources.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for managing access to storage resources. In specific embodiments, storage devices provide storage resources to users using a system of virtual addresses and virtual volume identifiers. In select specific embodiments, a storage service provider (SSP) can make volumes available to a user, which may be a company, for example, in the user's network via the Internet or other kinds of network connections. In specific embodiments, the SSP and the user's data center can conceal the identity of the storage devices, volumes, and equipment of the SSP, as well as that of the user's data center in order to provide privacy to both user and storage provider.

Abstract: A system and method for managing calendar items in a calendar software application. The method and system preserve calendar data associated with past dates. In addition, the method and system manage modification requests associated with future dates. In response to a request to modify a calendar item, the calendar item can be selectively updated by a user if the calendar item is activated and if the calendar item is scheduled in the future. A calendar item is activated if its data has been viewed by a user. The present invention also provides an interface tool for allowing users associated with a calendar item to selectively update their calendars in response to a modification request.

Abstract: To prevent system crashes, as by denial-of-service attacks, of TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) networks, this invention regulates the volume of TCP connection requests that await service at a TCP/IP connection control table. For this purpose, the usage of the system is monitored on a dynamic basis, the time-out value Tho is dynamically computed, and requests that have been awaiting service for a period of time that exceeds Tho are removed from the TCP/IP connection control table.

Abstract: A method and system for providing high-speed, satellite-based information delivery is described. Improved communication channel efficiency is accomplished by employing an asymmetric data flow. The high bandwidth channel capacity of digital satellite systems is used for the download of large volumes of data. While relatively low speed communication channels are used for upstream data requests. The use of separate channels for upstream data and downloaded data provides an increased efficiency of use for typical internet and other electronic information service subscribers. A typical user in such systems generally makes relatively short information requests. These requests are then followed by large amounts of information being transferred to the user's computer in response to the request. The volume of data being downloaded often causes a capacity overload of typically used land lines.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network includes receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the wireless network or a gateway in the network. The message includes a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device. The wireless network or gateway attempts to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network or determines whether the wireless device is capable of receiving the message, and carries out the expiration instruction by deleting the message.

Abstract: A distributed messaging method for publishing topical data messages in a communications network can include the steps of receiving in a first message router from a data consumer a request to subscribe to a message topic; responsive to receiving the subscription request, retrieving from a message topic server a location of a second message router communicatively linked to a data publisher able to provide data messages consonant with the requested message topic; establishing an interprocess communications connection between the first and second message routers; and, transmitting data messages from the data publisher over the established interprocess communications link to the data consumer.

Abstract: A method in a computer system, having a client, a server and a host, is disclosed which provides access to host-based legacy screen applications. The method includes the steps of receiving a stream of data representative of the legacy screen application from the host in response to a request by the client for data fields. Next, the data stream is parsed into its constituent elements. The constituent elements are then matched with a recognition file for the screen application. The results of the preceding step are used for retrieving a type library, which stores field information for the screen application. After this, the constituent elements are associated with data names that are stored in the type library. Finally, field objects are created based on the information retrieved from the type library and stored in the server, thereby providing access to them by the client.