Abstract: A computer-implemented method for specifying the characteristics of a desired item includes specifying a plurality of items, each of which possess at least one but not all characteristics of the desired item, selecting a subset of characteristics from each of said plurality of items, combining selected subsets of characteristics into a characterization of the desired item, and validating an availability of the desired item.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring client access to a network includes at a first port, accessing a first server on a first local area network associated with the first port. An authorized local area network other than the first local area network is determined to which an authorized connection can be properly made based on information in a client request. The first port is assigned to the authorized local area network. Communications are handled with a new client configuration in the authorized local area network.

Abstract: A method for establishing symbiotic relationships between at least one mobile computing device and at least one stationary computing device, includes steps of: interacting with a computing entity assigned to an area where the at least one mobile and stationary computing devices are located using at least one networking protocol; receiving software modules from the computing entity, each one customized for the at least one mobile computing device for establishing the symbiotic relationships between the at least one mobile computing device and the at least one stationary computing device; running the software modules to interact with the at least one stationary computing device and the computing entity to establish symbiotic relationships that enable the performing of tasks selected by the at least one mobile computing device.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for initializing, maintaining, updating and recovering secure operation within an integrated system. The techniques, which employ a data access control function within the integrated system, include authenticating by a current level of software a next level of software within an integrated system. The authenticating occurs before control is passed to the next level of software. Further, an ability of the next level of software to modify an operational characteristic of the integrated system can be selectively limited via the data access control function. Techniques are also provided for initializing secure operation of the integrated system, for migrating data encrypted using a first key set to data encrypted using a second key set, for updating software and keys within the integrated system, and for recovering integrated system functionality following a trigger event.

Abstract: In a network including a proxy server located between a wireless access point and an origin server; and a client module detecting the availability of the proxy server; a method for conserving power in the client module includes: configuring a wireless interface to promote energy savings when using a proxy server; buffering data destined for the wireless client unit at the proxy server; and releasing the data to the client module responsive to the occurrence of at least one specified condition that promotes energy savings.

Abstract: A computer program product includes instructions for causing a processor to: alert a client of the configuration of said computer program product; use a memory space for buffering the network application data destined for the client; release the network application data to the client, based on at least one occurrence of a specified condition that promotes energy savings; and purposely delay at least some of said data with an amount of time greater than zero to promote energy savings.

Abstract: A portable device for connecting to a host information processing platform includes: a digital information storage medium storing an operating system image, secure data, applications, and system state of an owner of the portable device, wherein the medium is in read only mode until a set of tests are run on the host platform; and a platform validation program for: running the plurality of tests on the host computer to determine whether the host is safe, depending on the outcome of the tests, presenting the owner with a user-identifiable message, prompting the owner to enter decryption credentials, and receiving the decryption credentials. The portable device could also optionally include subsystems that provide additional functionality to the owner such as media playback, communications, and entertainment.

Abstract: A wireless client unit for communicating with at least one apparatus for buffering network information destined for the wireless client unit includes: a wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client unit; a module for determining whether at least one of the apparatus is available for use by the wireless client unit; and a module for configuring the wireless interface between the apparatus and the wireless client in a manner which promotes energy savings.

Abstract: A data authentication technique is provided for a data access control function of an integrated system. The technique includes passing a data request from a functional master of the integrated system through the data access control function, and responsive to the data request, selectively authenticating requested data. The selective authentication, which can occur transparent to the functional master initiating the data request, includes employing integrity value generation on the requested data when originally stored and when retrieved, in combination with encryption and decryption thereof to ensure the authenticity of the requested data. As an enhancement, cascading integrity values may be employed to facilitate data authentication.

Abstract: To conserve energy, components in mobile devices have to transition less frequently between “active” and “sleep” modes, and to sleep for longer intervals. In accordance with at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is broadly contemplated herein an approach for remote discovery of wireless client and access point configurations, especially those settings associated with the power consumption of the client's wireless interface. Methods contemplated in the preferred embodiment use packet probing techniques to determine the client and access point configurations remotely. The probing techniques include sending packets to the client device, over the wireless LAN, at intervals calculated using data publicly available on the wireless LAN technology in use and results of previous packet probing measurements. Measurements from several packet probes and methods for statistical data processing are used to make a determination.

Abstract: A method (and system) for managing a distributed-memory parallel application running on multiple servers, includes dynamically moving a plurality of executable program components, where each of the plurality of executable program components are running on one of a plurality of virtual machines, using migration of the virtual machines between physical servers. The load balancing is operated based on a workload of each of the virtual machines and servers, where a virtual machine, or a plurality of virtual machines, are transferred to balance the workload between each of the servers.

Abstract: A technique for tracking a state of one or more input/output (I/O) channels associated with an application, by the application itself, comprises the steps of: (i) storing, by an operating system kernel, one or more selected elements of the state of at least a portion of the one or more I/O channels associated with the application in a memory which is shared by the application and the operating system kernel, when the one or more elements are available to the operating system kernel; (ii) acquiring, by the application, at least a portion of the stored elements through one or more memory read operations of the shared memory; and (iii) assessing, by the application, one or more of the acquired elements to determine the state of the one or more I/O channels corresponding thereto. In this manner, a need for context switching to track the state of the one or more I/O channels is thereby eliminated.

Abstract: A technique is provided for facilitating secure operation of an integrated system. The technique includes passing a request for data through a data access controller incorporated within the integrated system, and selectively qualifying the request in accordance with a security state of the controller. The security state of the controller is one state of multiple possible security states, including a null state and a secured state. In the secured state, the controller replaces a standard boot code address associated with a request for boot code with a substitute boot code address. The substitute boot code address addresses an encrypted version of boot code, which is then decrypted by the controller employing a master key set held at the controller. When transitioning to the null state, the master key set is erased.

Abstract: To conserve energy, components in mobile devices normally have to transition less frequently between “active” and “sleep” modes, and to sleep for longer intervals. In accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is broadly contemplated herein an approach to reduce energy consumption by using HTTP proxies to shape incoming WLAN traffic. Proxies contemplated herein use techniques specific to the HTTP payload to compensate for any negative impact that shaping may have. Thus, there is described herein the architecture of a “PowerAware Streaming Proxy” (PASP), built on a PowerAware x-Proxy (PAxP) framework. PASP preferably uses RTSP/RTP semantics to effectively schedule media streams across the WLAN. Herein, PASP is compared with PAWP, which is a PAxP extension for web traffic, and problem areas are identified.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and an apparatus for bandwidth efficient distribution of content over a computer network. In one embodiment, a server cooperates with clients to reduce the usage of server bandwidth, thereby reducing bandwidth-associated distribution costs. The server controls the way that content is distributed within the system, and the clients/receivers may act as intermediate forwarders of data packets. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by sending data items to a first group of receivers on a packet-by-packet basis using unicast communication. The first group of receivers then sends the packets on to a second set of receivers, and the process continues until the packet is forwarded to all intended receivers.

Abstract: An information processing system comprises first and second levels of a storage hierarchy, wherein accessing information in the first level consumes more energy than accessing information in the second level; and a processor for writing information to the second level of storage based on energy-conserving criteria. The energy-conserving criteria comprise a set of heuristics, including system state information and user preferences.

Abstract: An apparatus which reduces energy consumption in a wireless client interface by decreasing the amount of time the wireless client interface spends in the awake state and which increases the amount of time it spends in the sleep state. The apparatus comprises: at least one processor for running software configured to communicate with at least one wireless client. The software is configured to: alert the wireless client of the configuration of the apparatus; use a memory space for buffering network application data destined for the wireless client; and release the network application data to the wireless client, based on at least one occurrence of a specified condition that promotes energy savings.

Abstract: The present invention provides predictable scheduling of programs using a repeating precomputed schedule. In a preferred embodiment, a scheduler accesses an activity scheduling graph. The activity scheduling graph is comprised of nodes each representing a recurring execution interval, and has one root, one or more leaves, and at least one path from the root to each leaf. Each node is on at least one path from the root to a leaf, and the number of times the execution interval represented by each node occurs during the traversal of the graph is equal to the number of paths from the root to a leaf that the node is on. Each node has associated with it an execution interval length, and is adapted to being dedicated to executing the threads of a single activity. The scheduler first selects a current node within the accessed scheduling graph.

Abstract: A technique for tracking a state of one or more input/output (I/O) channels associated with an application, by the application itself, comprises the steps of: (i) storing, by an operating system kernel, one or more selected elements of the state of at least a portion of the one or more I/O channels associated with the application in a memory which is shared by the application and the operating system kernel, when the one or more elements are available to the operating system kernel; (ii) acquiring, by the application, at least a portion of the stored elements through one or more memory read operations of the shared memory; and (iii) assessing, by the application, one or more of the acquired elements to determine the state of the one or more I/O channels corresponding thereto. In this manner, a need for context switching to track the state of the one or more I/O channels is thereby eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention provides predictable scheduling of programs using a repeating precomputed schedule. In a preferred embodiment, a scheduler accesses an activity scheduling graph. The activity scheduling graph is comprised of nodes each representing a recurring execution interval, and has one root, one or more leaves, and at least one path from the root to each leaf. Each node is on at least one path from the root to a leaf, and the number of times the execution interval represented by each node occurs during the traversal of the graph is equal to the number of paths from the root to a leaf that the node is on. Each node has associated with it an execution interval length, and is adapted to being dedicated to executing the threads of a single activity. The scheduler first selects a current node within the accessed scheduling graph.