Abstract: A method of identifying grouped toolbar icons. An application program displays a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes multiple toolbar icons. The application iteratively determines whether or not a graphical cursor is in proximity to a first toolbar icon. If the cursor is in proximity to the first icon, the application identifies one or more additional related icons, which are currently displayed and are included in a same pre-defined toolbar icon group as the first icon, and displays a graphical border that surrounds the first icon and the related icons. If the related icons are not adjacent to each other, multiple separate borders are displayed. The application displays a first identification tab in close proximity to the border. The first tab includes a toolbar group name and an icon name of the first icon. The application may also display a second tab that includes descriptive properties of the first icon.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution to add a user selectable lock to a GUI control, such as a close button. The lock can be imposed on an individual window. After being applied, a user will have to explicitly unlock the control before the control can be selected, which prevents inadvertent selections of the locked control. For example, a lock can be placed on a close control to prevent accidental closing of a window. Locks can be manually or automatically applied. Automatically applied locks can be associated with a set of user configurable rules, which can also establish rules for automatically unlocking GUI controls. An applied GUI control lock can be unlocked in a user configurable manner, with any level of security.

Abstract: A technique for limiting remote control of a computer system includes receiving user input via an input device associated with the computer system. The user input is encoded, at the input device, using a first coding procedure to provide an encoded signal, which is communicated to an input queue of the computer system. The encoded signal is then decoded, at the input queue, using the first coding procedure to provide the user input.

Abstract: A method of enveloping a group of toolbar icons. An application program displays a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes multiple toolbar icons. If a graphical cursor is in proximity to a first toolbar icon, the application displays a graphical border that surrounds the first icon and one or more additional related icons included in a pre-defined toolbar icon group. The application displays a first identification tab that includes a toolbar group name and an icon name. The first tab includes a graphical thumbtack icon that generates a moveable hover window that includes the border, the toolbar icon group, and at least the first tab. The first tab also includes a graphical close icon that removes the moveable hover window from view. The application also displays a second identification tab that includes an icon attribute field corresponding to a current setting of a function of the first icon.

Abstract: The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided by securing display of sensitive messages to prevent third parties from viewing sensitive content. For one or more incoming messages designated as sensitive, substitute content to be displayed in place of sensitive content is received from a message recipient. Alternatively or additionally, an indicia to be displayed with any incoming message designated as sensitive is received from the message recipient. A message having sensitive content is designated as sensitive by a sender, a recipient, or an intermediate system. Upon receipt of a message designated as sensitive, a message window is displayed that includes substitute content different from the sensitive content. The substitute content includes an indicia that the sensitive content is not displayed.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing preallocated disk space are presented. The method includes placing a plurality of requests for preallocated disk space on a disk space request queue, wherein each preallocated disk space is preallocated for a fixed amount of disk space and a fixed length of time, and wherein an application using an issued preallocated disk space for more than the fixed length of time results in the application being barred from further current use of the issued preallocated disk space. The requests are sorted in the disk space request queue according to a priority algorithm that establishes a priority level for each of the requests, and preallocated disk space is allocated to requesters according to the priority level established by the priority algorithm.

Abstract: A method for managing sleep modes in an ecosystem of components, the method includes: receiving an inactivity signal from at least one component in the ecosystem of components, the inactivity signal indicating that a predefined period of inactivity has been exceeded for that component; sending a sleep command to one or more components in the ecosystem in response to the inactivity signal, thereby establishing a sleep mode in the one or more components; subsequent to establishing the sleep mode, detecting activity in one or more of the one or more components through an awake signal received therefrom; sending an awake message to the one or more components in response to the awake signal, thereby terminating the sleep mode in the one or more components; wherein the sleep mode shuts off defined non-essential features within the one or more components, while maintaining defined essential processing tasks associated with of the one or more components placed into the sleep mode.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for protecting RFID encoded content based upon a spin rate of a media within which an RFID tag containing the content is embedded. The solution can include a step of securing tag encoded content stored on an RFID tag embedded in an optical media. A spin rate the optical media can be determined. The tag encoded content can be selectively unprotected when the detected spin rate is approximately equal to a previously established rate or is between a previously established range of values. The spin rate can be based upon a rotational velocity of the optical media and/or a rotational acceleration of the optical media.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for protection of optically encoded content using one or more Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags embedded within one or more optical medias. The solution can include an RFID tag embedded within an optical media that can manage the use of the optically encoded content on the optical media. Protection can include access control of optically encoded media by an optical media drive, progressive content based protection, selective content access and the like. In one embodiment the embedded RFID tag can act independently or in concert with hardware/software security mechanisms associated with an optical media drive to provide security.

Abstract: A system and method for managing non-user initiated focus changes in a computing device detects, in one embodiment, an operating system generated message indicating a focus change from a first window to a second window. Once detected, user input is inhibited for a predetermined time. The predetermined time is configurable by the user. After the predetermined time elapses, subsequent user input is permitted to be sent to the second window, which has the focus.

Abstract: Software and hardware user preferences of a communication device are automatically adapted for different networks. Communication is initiated between a communication device and a first network. The communication is detected, the first network is identified, and the software and hardware preferences are automatically set in the communication device, as predetermined by the user for the first network. For communication with a second network, the communication between the communication device and the first network is suspended, and communication is initiated between the communication device and the second network. The communication between the communication device and the second network is detected, the second network is identified, and the software and hardware preferences of the communication device are automatically adapted to software and hardware preferences, as predetermined by the user for the second network.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for improving management of user information in instant messaging systems. Expiration criteria are defined, whereby one or more users or user groups may be considered as having “expired” from consideration by instant messaging functions such as presence determination. In particular, instant messaging activity is preferably used as an expiration criterion. Absence of inbound or outbound messages for a specified amount of time (or since a particular date/time) can therefore be used as a trigger for treating a user or group of users as expired. As a result, efficiency of an instant messaging system is improved by omitting the expired users and groups from subsequent management operations. Optionally, an expired user or group may be revived upon occurrence of certain events (such as a newly-arriving instant message from, or a change in presence status of, the user or group). “On-demand” expiration and revival are preferably provided as well.

Abstract: A set of desktop icons on a graphical user interface (GUI) desktop can be selected, which marks the icons as being associated with a desktop container. In the GUI, a visual depiction that the selected desktop icons are associated with the desktop container can occur. The desktop container can be a GUI object for grouping a set of desktop icons and for manipulating a grouped set of desktop icons as a group. A user interaction with the desktop container can be received, which results in a container action being performed. The container action can affect each of the selected desktop icons and/or can affect targets to which each of the selected desktop icons point.

Abstract: A method for providing sponsored advertising based on interaction of a user with a user interface, such as a web browser, can be provided. The method can include providing a plurality of search results based on parameters received from the user via an online search engine or an e-commerce web site. A search result may include a link to a web page. The method further includes detecting at least one search result displayed on a viewable area of the user interface. The method further includes matching the at least one search result with at least one sponsored ad, such as by matching the content of the at least one search result with the content of the at least one sponsored ad. The method further includes providing the at least one sponsored ad for display in the viewable area of the user interface.

Abstract: Virtual stacking is utilized in a virtual machine environment by receiving a data element for storage to a shared memory location and writing to the shared memory location. Writing to the shared memory location may be implemented by reading the shared memory location contents, encoding the received data element with the shared memory location contents to derive an encoded representation and writing the encoded representation to the shared memory location so as to overwrite the previous shared memory location contents. The method may further comprise receiving a request for a desired data element encoded into the shared memory location, decoding the shared memory location contents until the desired data element is recovered and communicating the requested data element.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention can include a communication system that includes at least one optical fiber, a hue encoder, and a hue decoder. The optical fiber can convey digitally encoded information that has been encoded in an optical carrier wave. The hue encoder can digitally encode a set of bits of information in a single pulse of light having a characteristic hue, wherein values for the two or more bits are determined from the characteristic hue of the pulse. The hue decoder can digitally decode a set of two or more bits of information from a single pulse of light having a characteristic hue, wherein values for the set of bits are determined from the characteristic hue of the pulse.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system that enables a portable media device to automatically capture presentation data for the automatic configuration of a media presentation device. Such a system can include a portable media device, and a presentation configuration manager. The portable media device can be configured to store media files and interface with media presentation devices. The presentation configuration manager can be configured to automatically capture user-modifications to the presentation settings of a media presentation device during the presentation of a media file. The user-modifications can be stored as media presentation data associated with the media file and the media presentation device. The media presentation data can be used to automatically configure the media presentation device for subsequent presentations of the media file.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for managing preallocated disk space are presented. The method includes placing a plurality of requests for preallocated disk space on a disk space request queue, wherein each preallocated disk space is preallocated for a fixed amount of disk space and a fixed length of time, and wherein an application using an issued preallocated disk space for more than the fixed length of time results in the application being barred from further current use of the issued preallocated disk space. The requests are sorted in the disk space request queue according to a priority algorithm that establishes a priority level for each of the requests, and preallocated disk space is allocated to requesters according to the priority level established by the priority algorithm.

Abstract: A method, gaming system, and computer program storage product are disclosed. At least one unique identifier is received from a remote processing system. The at least one remote unique identifier is associated with a remote software package that is on the remote processing system. The at least one remote unique identifier and a local unique identifier associated with a local software package on a local processing system are compared. The local software package corresponds to the remote software package. The at least one remote unique identifier indicates that the remote software package is one of a parent copy and a child copy of a software package executable. The local unique identifier indicates that the local software package is one of a parent copy and a child copy of the software package executable. An operation of the local software package is authorized based upon the comparing.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution to add a user selectable lock to a GUI control, such as a close button. The lock can be imposed on an individual window. After being applied, a user will have to explicitly unlock the control before the control can be selected, which prevents inadvertent selections of the locked control. For example, a lock can be placed on a close control to prevent accidental closing of a window. Locks can be manually or automatically applied. Automatically applied locks can be associated with a set of user configurable rules, which can also establish rules for automatically unlocking GUI controls. An applied GUI control lock can be unlocked in a user configurable manner, with any level of security.