Abstract: A method and a system is presented for pruning a peer-to-peer network such that a peer-to-peer search within the peer-to-peer network is initiated beginning with those nodes on which relevant content has previously been found for particular search keywords. For each completed search, a peer node gathers client rating results and then forwards the rating information to a rating server; these results reflect the degree to which searches successfully located content for keywords in a search using particular peer nodes. A rating server maintains a database of results received from nodes. Prior to initiating a new search at a peer node, the peer node consults one or more rating databases to retrieve a set of initial nodes to which the node should initiate the new search in order to maximize the speed and success of finding relevant content. The node then performs the new search using the set of initial nodes.

Abstract: Accessibility insurance coverage management is provided. An insurance server receives a coverage request from a requestor that includes a user identifier corresponding to a user (i.e. policyholder). The insurance server matches the user identifier with a stored policyholder identifier and retrieves accessibility data corresponding to the matched policyholder identifier. If required, the insurance server updates the policyholder's accessibility data by receiving accessibility data from an accessibility database server. The insurance server identifies the policyholder's coverage using the user's accessibility data along with the user's policy information. The insurance server sends a message to the requestor which indicates an amount of the particular item corresponding to the coverage request the insurance server covers. The insurance server receives accessibility service bills on a frequent basis, such as monthly.

Abstract: Accessibility insurance coverage management is provided. An insurance server receives a coverage request from a requester that includes a user identifier corresponding to a user (i.e. policyholder). The insurance server matches the user identifier with a stored policyholder identifier and retrieves accessibility data corresponding to the matched policyholder identifier. If required, the insurance server updates the policyholder's accessibility data by receiving accessibility data from an accessibility database server. The insurance server identifies the policyholder's coverage using the user's accessibility data along with the user's policy information. The insurance server sends a message to the requester which indicates an amount of the particular item corresponding to the coverage request the insurance server covers. The insurance server receives accessibility service bills on a frequent basis, such as monthly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of maintaining state information on a client. In response to a client request for a file located on a server, the file is transmitted from the server to the client. An unmodifiable cookie which specifies state information from the server is also transmitted to the client. The client then stores the unmodifiable cookie. A user is unable to alter the unmodifiable cookie on the client machine.

Abstract: A web browser magnifies the content of the whole page in memory and displays the relevant portion in a magnifier with hyperlinks. The web browser then maps the magnified display to the original document. Thus, manipulation of the mouse in the magnified display may result in an action with respect to the original document. The user may then select a link for navigation within the magnified display. Alternatively, the web browser may analyze the original web page and construct magnifier contents on the basis of either the document object model, extensible markup language (XML), or hypertext markup language (HTML) representation of the magnified portion.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for restricting a fan-out type search of a distributed database. A search request is received indicating that a requesting node originating the search request desires to avoid receiving search results including inaccessible nodes. Responsive to receiving the search results from other nodes, the search results are filtered to remove search results from inaccessible nodes to form filtered search results. The filtered search results are passed to the requesting node.

Abstract: A method for maintaining confidentiality of personal information during E-commerce transactions. The method includes: (1) compiling a profile of personal information within a depository for at least the buying party to an E-commerce transaction; (2) providing the buying party with a unique identifier linked to his profile for use during subsequent E-commerce transactions; and (3) in response to the buying party providing the identifier to a merchant, completing the E-commerce transaction at the depository without providing any of the buyer's personal information to the merchant.

Abstract: Facilitating customs planning and clearance including creating in an international customs server, in response to a signal communicated through a client device coupled for data communications through at least one internet connection to the international customs server, a master customs planning record; creating a related customs planning record wherein the related customs planning record is related to the master customs planning record; calculating duty on the goods described in the related customs planning record; storing the amount of the calculated duty in the related customs planning record; incrementing the total amount of duty stored in the duty total field in the master customs planning record; submitting, to the destination country, payment of the duty; creating, in dependence upon the related customs planning record, a customs declaration form for a destination country; and submitting the customs declaration form to a customs declaration forms database for the destination country.

Abstract: A web browser magnifies the content of the whole page in memory and displays the relevant portion in a magnifier with hyperlinks. The web browser then maps the magnified display to the original document. Thus, manipulation of the mouse in the magnified display may result in an action with respect to the original document. The user may then select a link for navigation within the magnified display. Alternatively, the web browser may analyze the original web page and construct magnifier contents on the basis of either the document object model, extensible markup language (XML), or hypertext markup language (HTML) representation of the magnified portion.

Abstract: A method, system and program for ensuring the authenticity of electronic documents generated during E-commerce transactions. The method, means and program function include: (1) creating an electronic depository for storing electronic documents generated during an E-commerce transaction, (2) enabling an automatic receipt at the electronic depository of an electronic document created during an E-commerce transaction; (3) storing the electronic document in the electronic depository; (4) providing each party to the transaction with a document ID for later access to the electronic document; and (5) allowing later read-only access to the electronic document and preventing any modifications to the document once it has been stored.

Abstract: A method, system and program for specifying message outputs in a messaging session are provided. A message entry is received in association with a particular topic from among multiple available topics from a particular user from among multiple users participating in a messaging session. Output attributes are assigned to the message entry according to receiving user specified output preferences for the particular topic individually specified by each of the receiving users participating in the messaging session, such that output of the message entry is uniquely specified for each of the receiving users participating.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for augmenting the mail header of a message with a list of digital signatures representing the chain of contributors to the message. The augmented header may also encode the actual contributions corresponding to each digital signature. The list is appended every time a message is forwarded. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly. Furthermore, a mail server or client may discard a message if the number of digital signatures exceeds a threshold to filter out unwanted messages, such as e-mail chain letters.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for augmenting the mail header of a message with a list of digital signatures representing the chain of contributors to the message. The augmented header may also encode the actual contributions corresponding to each digital signature. The list is appended every time a message is forwarded. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly. Furthermore, a mail server or client may discard a message if the number of digital signatures exceeds a threshold to filter out unwanted messages, such as e-mail chain letters.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implementable instructions for insuring delivery of an electronic document in a data processing system. A request is received from a requestor to insure delivery of the electronic document. In response to receiving the request, a payment amount to insure delivery is identified based on network characteristics of a network in which the electronic document is to be transmitted. An acknowledgment of the electronic document is sent to the requestor, wherein the acknowledgment includes the payment amount. The electronic document is delivered in response to receiving a reply to the acknowledgment from the requestor accepting the identification of the payment amount. The requestor is notified of a successful delivery of the electronic document in response to receiving an acknowledgment from the recipient.

Abstract: Facilitating customs planning and clearance including creating in an international customs server, in response to a signal communicated through a client device coupled for data communications through at least one internet connection to the international customs server, a master customs planning record; creating a related customs planning record wherein the related customs planning record is related to the master customs planning record; calculating duty on the goods described in the related customs planning record; storing the amount of the calculated duty in the related customs planning record; incrementing the total amount of duty stored in the duty total field in the master customs planning record; submitting, to the destination country, payment of the duty; creating, in dependence upon the related customs planning record, a customs declaration form for a destination country; and submitting the customs declaration form to a customs declaration forms database for the destination country.

Abstract: A microbrowser such as web-enabled wireless telephones and personal digital assistants allows a user to configure types of objects to be blocked from download including object memory consumption, display area, download time, and restrictions on animated images and executable scripts. Microbrowser state conditions such as battery level and network connection mode are considered when providing said limitations such that more restrictions may be placed during low battery periods to maximize battery life. For example, during low battery conditions or analog connection mode, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser not to download advertisements, run scripts or animated objects in order to maximize remaining battery life. In another example, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser to block the download of objects containing audio, or which will occupy more than a certain percentage of the available display area.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for presenting text from multimedia data to a user is provided. In one embodiment, multimedia data containing associated text data is received by a data processing system. The associated text data is extracted from the multimedia data. The associated text data is then outputted without outputting moving images from the multimedia data.

Abstract: A method, system and program for maintaining confidentiality of personal information during E-commerce transactions. The method, means and program function include: (1) compiling a profile of personal information within a depository for at least the buying party to an E-commerce transaction; (2) providing the buying party with a unique identifier linked to his profile for use during subsequent E-commerce transactions; and (3) in response to the buying party providing the identifier to a merchant, completing the E-commerce transaction at the depository without providing any of the buyer's personal information to the merchant.

Abstract: A microbrowser such as web-enabled wireless telephones and personal digital assistants allows a user to configure types of objects to be blocked from download including object memory consumption, display area, download time, and restrictions on animated images and executable scripts. Microbrowser state conditions such as battery level and network connection mode are considered when providing said limitations such that more restrictions may be placed during low battery periods to maximize battery life. For example, during low battery conditions or analog connection mode, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser not to download advertisements, run scripts or animated objects in order to maximize remaining battery life. In another example, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser to block the download of objects containing audio, or which will occupy more than a certain percentage of the available display area.

Abstract: A copyright server receives a copyright request from a requester, such as a portal server. The copyright request corresponds to a user requesting a particular content to be transcoded. The copyright server identifies content copyright permissions associated with the requested content that indicate whether it is permissible to transcode the requested content. If the copyright server does not locate content copyright permissions associated with the requested content, the copyright server identifies the owner of the content and sends a message to the content owner requesting content copyright permission. The copyright server receives a response from the content owner, stores the response on a local storage area, and forwards the response to the requester. The content copyright permissions may include an amount of a transcoding fee that the content owner requires in order to transcode the requested content.