Abstract: A system, method, and program product, in which a stateful EJB session bean is used as the front end to client calls. In this configuration, a queue is represented by a session bean instance. “Put” and “get” are called on the relevant session bean instances. Thus, for example, a client, instead of first finding a home for a given type of OMs then calling “put” on the home to send out messages, will find a session bean home, create a session bean instance corresponding to a queue, and call “put” on the bean instance to send messages. In this manner, the message queue can be managed using standard EJB techniques.

Abstract: A broadcast receiver such as a radio, television, or web browser, which automatically tunes to a preselected signal source upon initialization for a predetermined period of time. During this period of time, the user of the system may receive useful information or directions, such as directions to exit an airport or train station, instructions to orient a new user with a rental car or rental receiver, news, traffic reports, weather reports, instructions regarding hotel facilities or check-in and check-out procedures. In an enhanced form of the invention, the receiver may be automatically tuned to a series of signal sources on a timed basis. Upon conclusion of the predetermined time interval, the radio is optionally re-tuned to a user's preferred radio station or the last signal source which was tuned prior to shut off.

Abstract: An information-handling system operable within a distributed object computing environment (DOCE) is disclosed that includes an object-based program for controlling object searching in a constraint-based filtering mode over said DOCE. The object-based program for controlling object searching further comprises means for providing hierarchical storage of a name/binding value during a search. Additionally, the object-based program includes a means for providing the addition of properties as name/value pair sequence to each node within a tree search performed by the object-based program. Further, the search mechanism includes means for providing recursive searching of the group properties as well as means for providing meta-knowledge of the class within the DOCE for attribute search.

Abstract: A computer controlled object oriented programming system for distributive program development over networks such as the internet with implement for interfacing a plurality of programming objects with each other to provide combination objects combining programming functions of said objects, each object including predetermined interface data defining a required common interface with the other programming objects as well as a framework of events and attributes and methods for manipulating the attributes. These objects may be combined with each other via their common interfaces to form combination objects, and such combination objects may in turn be further combined with other objects and combination objects to form objects of increasing complexity which function as complete programs. General purpose operations and functions are added to existent object oriented programs in an object attribute independent process. Also, this addition may be done dynamically to such existent programs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a computer system for establishing a connection between a client proxy object and a server target object. A request is received from the client proxy object to access the server target object, wherein the request includes an identification of a type of communication and type of message to be sent to the server target object. A connection object is identified based on the type of communication and the type of message. The connection object implementing the type of communication is returned, wherein the connection between the client proxy object and the server target object is facilitated using the connection object.

Abstract: A system and method allowing a consumer to make a purchase within a retail area and to remove that purchased item from the retail area without causing an alarm by an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system. The system first identifies the consumer and the product to be purchased, then validates the selected item. If the selected product is a valid selection, then the system posts the transaction to the consumer's account, optionally including a convenience charge, and commands the EAS to allow removal of the purchased item from the secured retail area, thereby allowing the consumer to make the purchase and avoid waiting for the availability of a human cashier or salesperson.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a user is able to customize pointer movements on a display screen corresponding to physical mouse movements. In an exemplary embodiment, a menu is presented on a display screen to allow a user to select and customize sensitivity settings for mouse movements. Further controls are selectively implemented to limit pointer movement along predetermined axes. Another feature enables a user to define screen areas surrounding function buttons or hyperlinks such that a user-controlled pointer movement in proximity to any sensitized area will automatically highlight the closest hyperlink or function for subsequent selection and/or actuation by the user. Another user selection enables a user to select various features regarding scroll boxes presented on a display screen within a browser program. The scroll box controls enable a user to define the size of scroll boxes as well as pointer interaction with regard to displayed scroll boxes.

Abstract: The introspection capability of Java is utilized by the described verification tool to verify validity of a target bean's Java Archive (JAR) file. The deployment descriptor class is verified first according to Enterprise Java Bean. specification rules. The remaining classes: remote interface, home interface and bean class are all loaded into a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and verified by the described verification tool through Java introspection.

Abstract: A rubber band variable-rate GUI control for use in conjunction with GUI controls, such as sliders, scroll bars, virtual joysticks, and oppositional buttons (up/down, left/right, plus/minus, next/previous, etc.). A user may place a pointer or cursor over a GUI control, select (e.g. click and hold a mouse button) and drag away from the control, and a virtual rubber band extending between the pointer and the GUI control is displayed. The further the user moves or “pulls” the pointer from the GUI control, the thinner and more elyptical the rubber band is displayed, and the faster the selections scrolls or the control operation is repeated. When the user moves the pointer closer to GUI control, the rubber band is displayed fatter and more circular in shape, and the scrolling or control operation repetition slows.

Abstract: A process and apparatus in a data processing svstem for presenting a view to a client. At an application mediator, a view event is received from a view controller, wherein the view event describes an action on a displayed container handled by the view controller. Responsive to a requirement that a change in a placement of the displaved container is required, a placement event is generated bv the application mediator. A determination is then made by a placement listener, as to whether the placement event includes an indication that an alternate view is to be generated. Responsive to a determination that an alternate view is to be generated, a call is sent to a method in the view controller to generate the alternate view.

Abstract: The disclosed method, system and computer program product converts static, fixed-count multi-row web objects in web pages, such as HTML tables and lists, to dynamic, variable-count multi-row web objects by first copying one of the row formats from the original static web object into a plurality of string variables which are preferably organized as an array, then inserting new content information into each row format definition contained within each string variable, and finally creating a new multi-row web object based upon the final contents of the string variables. This process of creating a variable row-count web object using an array of string variables supports dynamic web page content generation needs of many web server systems.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, apparatus, and computer program for, in an end-user computer environment, reversing an effect of an autonomously-initiated program action, by recognizing that the program action is to be performed, recording data representing a state change caused by the program action, providing a user option to cause the computer system to reverse the state change caused by the program action, responsive to a user selection of the user option, retrieving the data representing a state change, and reversing the state change caused by the program action.

Abstract: An enhanced web browser includes a visual history browser which allows recording of browsing sessions and visual replay or review of browsing sessions. As web sites are visited during a normal browsing session, images of the pages viewed are rendered and stored in the system's memory, and are keyed to entries in the web browser's history log. When the web browser user selects the visual history review control such as a graduated slider control, he or she may move the control forward or backward “in time” as the rendered images are displayed in a viewing window, along with optional information such as the originating web site for each address. The user may stop the control at a position in history, and select to re-point the browser to the web address selected from the history file. Thus, the user may visually browse back and forth through the history of web browser until he or she finds the page desired, and then jump to that page on the web.

Abstract: An optimizing tool optimizes a computer system's page space by basing the page size on the amount of real memory in the computer system. The optimization tool determines the amount of real memory in the computer system. The amount of memory is multiplied by a multiplier to determine an optimal amount of page space to allocate. In one embodiment the multiplier used is two (2) so that the amount of page space is double the amount of real memory. The optimal page space is compared with the amount of page space currently allocated in the computer system. If more page space is needed, the optimization tool determines where on the computer system's disk space the additional page space should be added. In a UNIX embodiment, the optimization tool determines whether a non-root volume group exists on the system. A non-root group without a paging space is examined for a new paging space addition. If a non-root group is found, the paging space needed is added to the non-root group.

Abstract: A method of providing a script for a computer application, by creating an object-oriented scripting environment which allows a user to enter separate code as a script, registering one or more objects with the scripting environment using a script macro, and instantiating the objects at runtime using a script code. The script macro may be re-used to instantiate multiple sets of objects named in the script code. Objects are registered with only names and classes, and then instantiated by determining one or more classes of the objects, and rebuilding class information. The application may be a Java applet which includes the script macro, and the instantiation includes instantiating a Java bean named in the script code. The Java bean may be instantiated by first determining its attributes, and then invoking the bean using a customizer. Since the objects are not stored at design time, objects can be scripted even if they cannot be saved (e.g., nonserializable Java beans).

Abstract: A method, system, and product are described for configuring a computer network. A database is established which includes information about multiple network products. The network products are supplied by multiple different vendors. The computer network is then configured by selecting ones of the network products to implement the computer network. The computer network is thus configured utilizing products available from different vendors. Attributes are established which are used to evaluate network products. Each of the network products are assigned a weighted value for each of the attributes. A selection of network products is made utilizing the attributes and the weighted values assigned to the network products.

Abstract: The present system and method improves the way of forwarding a reference from an importing module to an exporting module. The present system and method allow forwarding of a reference(s) through a forwarder exporting module for a specified export(s) when an explicit entrypoint(s) does/do not exist for the specified export(s) in the forwarder exporting module and still allow correlation from the importing module to the exporting module when the loader is loading the importing module during a load time. One or more implicit forwarder record(s) is stored in the exporting module by a linker. Each implicit forwarder record designates a respective target module. The loader determines whether an explicit entrypoint exists in the exporting module for the reference of the specified export. The loader resolves the reference by using the explicit entrypoint to determine a location of the specified export if the explicit entrypoint exists.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for scrolling through text contained in windows on a graphical user interface is disclosed. The invention determines whether the user is holding down a command button while the mouse pointer is either placed over the slider on a scroll bar or over one of the directional buttons. If the pointer is on the vertical slider, the invention ignores left and right mouse movements. If the pointer is on the horizontal slider, the invention ignores up and down mouse movements. If the pointer is on one of the four directional arrows, the invention ignores all mouse movements. The invention will continue along these guidelines until the command button is released. By performing these tasks, the invention eliminates the possibility that a user will inadvertently move the pointer off of the scroll bar or off of the directional buttons.

Abstract: In an object oriented programming environment, an active data object accesses its stored data (such as its property and state data) by inlining the access code at the point at which access to the data on that property or state is required. Multiple access requests to the same data result in inlining the same access code in the data object multiple times. A system is thus provided to isolate the access code from active data objects in a program, to persistent wrapper objects that are reusable by one data object or many. It is the wrapper object that inlines all of the access code in a single location. Each data object user of the access code merely inlines a method invocation on the appropriate wrapper object. This reduces the size of data objects where there is now only a proliferation of single method invocations for most access request.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling existing application programs for operation in speech recognition environments. Existing applications programs written with a dynamically linked library or object library, with no speech recognition capability, are capable of accepting input from a speech recognition without modification. An alternate dynamic library or object library is provided that supports the same interface or objects used by the original program. The alternate library is written so that it is aware of and receives input from the speech recognition system. The alternate library passes the input to the application program using the existing interfaces.