Abstract: Techniques and articles of manufacture are provided comprising computer readable programs that, when executed on the computer, cause the computer to delete a leaf from a patricia tree having leaf keys and pattern search control blocks containing a prefix and either an end-of-trail leaf or a pointer to another of the pattern search control blocks, by placing each of the prefixes in a tree prefix table; searching for a key in the tree; searching for the key in the prefix table if the tree searching does not find the key in the tree; confirming that the key is deleted if the key is not found in the prefix table; deleting the key from one of the pattern search control blocks; and collapsing the patricia tree by eliminating the left most pattern search control block from the patricia tree if the patricia tree searching finds the key.

Abstract: Provided is a method for enabling a mobile device to subscribe and acquire services, including the steps of: detecting available services/connections or service/location tags which are selectable by the mobile device within the short-to-medium range from the mobile device; triggering the mobile device to connect to a corresponding service/connection provider and/or to issue related commands thereto based on the detected result; performing other actions required to be triggered to acquire services in the mobile device, so as to acquire services from the service/connection providers. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for enabling a mobile service to subscribe to and acquire services, and a mobile device capable of subscribing and acquiring services.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and program product for sensing and tracking vehicle fluid replacement in a vehicle by sensing information indicative of a first fluid draining from a fluid reservoir and/or a second fluid entering the fluid reservoir, recording fluid drain and fill events based on the information, and generating a fluid replacement history based on the recorded events.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are provided for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe by defining a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe. A virtual universe user avatar engages the conduit and a user indicates a subject matter expert search term. A data storage is searched for a tag relevant to the search term, and an expert-avatar is identified and located through the relevant tag. The user is enabled to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe, without requiring the user to engage a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage an interface outside of the virtual universe.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.

Abstract: A database system and method combines the ability to concurrently utilize LDAP based authentication and operating system-based authentication. The database authentication tries both methods of authentication, both at the database layer and at the application layer. Security authentication of the user then occurs by whichever mechanism is first to return a successful result. Database administrators can, if desired, configure the system to prefer one mechanism (LDAP or operating system) over the other. With the present invention, a large end user population can be managed using standard LDAP tools, in an automated, administered, or “self-service” manner, as preferred. Thus, system accounts, such as the database owner, can remain within the operating system, easing installation and maintenance of the database product itself.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for configuring a chameleon avatar in response to data associated with a target avatar within a virtual universe. In response to determining that an engagement of a chameleon avatar with a target avatar is indicated, it is determined whether the chameleon avatar should maintain an initial appearance or be auto-morphed for engagement with the target avatar. Auto-morphing may be accomplished by reading an attribute from metadata associated with the target avatar, selecting a baseline avatar template and auto-morphing the baseline template to incorporate the read attribute. Target avatar attributes include gender, interests, outfits attribute, ethnic data, language and preferences, as well as others. The chameleon may mimic an appearance of the target avatar.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, program products and systems are provided for sensing vehicle loads and responsively and automatically configuring a vehicle. Vehicle-mounted load sensors sense vehicle loads, a vehicle processing means calculating a load imparted to the vehicle and comparing imparted loads to load capacity ratings or thresholds and responsively adjusting a vehicle cooling, transmission, braking, suspension or engine system into a revised operating mode. Modifying a component may entail revising a load capacity rating or threshold and repeating sensing, calculating, comparing and adjusting until the revised rating or threshold is met, or progressively adjusting in proportion to a change in a historic sensed load. Adjusting of the vehicle system may be biased to a performance characteristic or a load distribution. A supervisory entity may override automatic adjustment.

Abstract: A method includes checking a first parameter that indicates whether parity generation and checking for a at least a sub-portion of a cache line is disabled, setting at least one parity bit, corresponding to the sub-portion, in the cache line with a second parameter that indicates an action to perform when the first parameter indicates that parity generation and checking is disabled, passing the at least one set parity bit with the sub-portion to a processor for processing, and performing the action when the sub-portion is processed by the processor, wherein the processor performs the action.

Abstract: A variety of sensors, such as mechanical triggers, light sensors and motion sensors, magnetic sensors, and radio frequency identification tags, are strategically placed throughout a motor vehicle to detect service and maintenance activities relating to the vehicle during the lifetime of the vehicle. A sensed activity then activates a suitable recording device, such as a video recorder, to record the activity. The completion of the activity likewise is sensed and causes deactivation of the recording device. The recorded activity is typically retained in a non-erasable, indexed storage device from which it can be easily retrieved. The sensors may also be used for tamper detection and vehicle motion detection.

Abstract: Images captured in a digital form are stored in a digital storage device with already-stored images by determining if a percentage of a finite storage capacity of the digital storage device needed to store the captured and already stored images in the storage device exceeds a pre-set threshold value, wherein storage used of the finite storage capacity to store images may exceed the pre-set threshold value. If the percentage of storage space needed to store the captured and already stored images in the storage device exceeds the pre-set threshold value, then at least one of the captured and already stored images are compressed and all of the captured and already stored images, including all of the compressed images of the captured image and the already stored image, are stored in the storage device.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and product for reducing resource footprints for printer operation outputs, comprising: specifying a print job rendering criteria; receiving a request to print a print job having a page number amount; and automatically selecting and printing a portion of the print job as a function of the print job rendering criteria, wherein the portion has a page number amount smaller than the print job page number amount. The print job rendering criteria may comprise a set maximum number of pages to print during one printing session, where the portion to print is less than or equal to the maximum number of pages. Where the print job comprises a plurality of document components, automatically selecting and printing a portion of the document may comprise selecting a subset of the plurality of components as a function of the identified component relevance to each selected component and printing the representation.

Abstract: Computers are caused to provide a hash table wherein each entry is associated with a binary key and indexed by a selected portion of a hash value of the associated key, and points to a data structure location for storing non-selected portions of, or the entire hash value of, the binary key, and action data corresponding to the value of the binary key. Content addressable memory entries store a binary key, or a value unique to it, and an association to a corresponding action. Pointers to the data structure use selected portions of binary key hash values as an index when not selected portions of hash values of other binary keys, and associations are established between CAM entry and associated data structure locations when selected portions of the hash values of the binary keys are the same as selected portions of hash values of one or more other binary keys.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products are provided for scheduling vehicle maintenance by identifying a future location at which a vehicle is available for a service and electronically providing at least the future location, a time and time duration that the vehicle is estimated to be at the future location, and an identified service, to a mechanic.

Abstract: Systems, methods and program codes are provided wherein an analyzer analyzes input from a terminal device; ascertains human-like behavior; and terminates an active session, generates a time-out warning, manipulates an idle session timer or presents a challenge in response to a humanness likelihood determination or to a challenge result. In one aspect a keystroke analyzer and a command sequence analyzer determine whether the terminal device input is likely from a human user or from an automaton. In another aspect a Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart challenge is presented. Timing characteristics include maximum generation rate, burstiness, and keystroke sequence delays, and command characteristics include a no-action-required characteristic and a query characteristic. A command sequence analyzer may have an affinity for a command line interface. Weighting algorithms or artificial intelligence routines may be applied to humanness likelihood outputs.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for charging travel fees or awarding benefits as a function of vehicle occupancy. Variable travel fee schedules include a plurality of different rate values, each rate value associated with ride-sharing service points of a vehicle infrastructure and vehicle occupancy counts. Occupants within a vehicle traveling via a vehicle infrastructure are counted, the counting generating discrete occupant counts correlated with the ride-sharing service points. Subsets of variable travel fee schedule rate values are selected as a function of association with discrete occupant counts and correlated ride-sharing service points. Owners, occupants or other parties associated with the vehicle are accordingly charged a travel fee or awarded a benefit as a function of the rate value subset and an amount of the vehicle traveling.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices provide a policy engine framework. A consumer policy request for a web service is mediated through a functional web service or a policy web service. A single unified method call is made to policy adapters in response to the mediated customer request, each of the policy adapters in communication with a policy server. The policy adapters transform the single unified method call into formats acceptable by each associated policy servers and place the transformed requests to the associated servers. Results from the policy servers are formatted by policy adapters and a policy is selected from a policy registry repository as a function of the formatted results and returned to a requesting consumer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, processes and devices are provided for optimizing throughput and quality of service of a presence enabled managed service. The method includes at least a first entity requesting from an aggregator of presence services presence information of a second entity. The method includes looking up a profile of the aggregator stored in a cache of a presence server hosted by the presence enabled managed service. The method includes determining from the profile an aggregator level of service the aggregator has subscribed to from the presence enabled managed service, wherein the aggregator level of service is one of high level service, medium level service, and low level service. The method includes storing presence information of the second entity on a presence document on the cache and returning the presence information to the first entity based upon the aggregator level of service.

Abstract: An advanced generation interspecific hybrid of Cornus kousa and C. florida that is distinguished by its exceptionally high vigor, attractive foliage, very floriferous display of white floral bracts, high level of winter hardiness, tolerance of drought and shade, and high resistance to the incitants of Powdery Mildew and Dogwood Anthracnose.