Abstract: Real-time remote monitoring and controlling of a device is described via a network such as the Internet. A virtual presence is accomplished between geographically distributed remote users and hardware platforms that allow for real-time interactive hardware operation. Using Internet based communications such as e-mail or browser based sessions, a series of remote instructions are sent from a remote computer based device to the device to be monitored and controlled. This operation of includes, but is not limited to, data monitoring, system control, system tuning, distributed learning, distributed monitoring, remote servicing and hardware reconfiguration. Furthermore, monitored data is exchanged between the device being monitored and the remote electronic-based device can be in a spreadsheet format.

Abstract: A system for record keeping that utilizes the advances in computer technology and alleviates problems such time constraints by monitoring information about a person or resource and automatically generating journal entries for that person or resource at the appropriate times. The appropriate times for entry generation can be defined for each individual through a rules-based mechanism. When an individual's rules are met, a journal entry is automatically generated according to a template defined in the computer system. The entry is placed in the individual's electronic journal, and, if desired, the individual can be notified of the generated entry or delay entry of said journal entry until receiving a notification at a later designated time.

Abstract: A method of determining well-formed web pages which are authorities on a given topic utilizing link analysis. A root set of pages is first obtained by taking a given number of the highest ranked pages returned form a textual based searching and ranking system. Each page within the set is evaluated and given a structure score which reflects how well-formed the page is. The structure score is determined by evaluating each page within the set according to a set of parameters which relate to well-formed pages. For each parameter, the page is assigned a parameter score. These parameter scores are then weighted and summed to obtain the pages structure score. Each page within the set also has corresponding hub and authority weights which are updated and maintained to determine the strongest authorities. The initial hub and authority weights of a each page are set to the corresponding structure score of the page. An iterative algorithm is then utilized to determine the strongest authorities.

Abstract: An item of value to one or more individuals in a group is tracked wherein each valuable object is tagged, and one or more members of the group carry a personal information management (PIM) device equipped with a sensor which constantly scans for the presence of a known valuable. The sensor is able to detect the type of tag(s) used by the group of individuals. Whenever a member of the group carrying a PIM device comes across a known tagged valuable, the system detects it and logs the location, valuable ID, and user ID in a database. Optionally, visual data is captured from the valuable and compared against a standard located in a database in order to locate the valuable.

Abstract: A prototype object reference for use in a distributed object computing environment is described. The object reference includes a specified object reference portion and an unspecified object reference portion. The prototype object reference is transformed into a valid object reference by insertion of specification information into the unspecified object reference portion and the specified object reference portion is not fully parsed in connection with insertion of the specification information.

Abstract: Browsing of digital video data is performed using a fast forward or fast reverse play mode. The digital video is analyzed and processed to produce a content-based variable-rate video playback sequence for fast browsing. To create the playback sequence, each shot in a video is sped-up at a relatively slow rate at the beginning of the shot by selecting many frames and then the speedup rate is increased as the shot progresses by selecting progressively fewer frames. This method and apparatus of variable-rate frame selection can be used to add and index to a video, play an original video in fast forward/backward mode or to create a new video—a fast forward playback video summary.

Abstract: A channel with sliding clamp and rod arrangement for leveling a ladder comprising a base unit of a hollow rectangular shape adapted to fit over the leg of the ladder. The base unit has interior walls spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the ladder leg. Each of the walls has formed thereon a plurality of spaced splices that slop outwardly and downwardly away from the ladder leg. A clamp member comprises a generally rectangular block that has formed thereon sloping splices that fit into the grooves or spaces between the splices of the base unit. Clamp member has a bore that adjustably and securely retains a support rod, which has a swivel foot at one end. The end of the clamp member that is to be placed adjacent the ladder leg and the opposing interior surface of the base unit have a substantially V-shaped configuration to insure slip free purchase against the ladder leg.

Abstract: An underlying schema is discovered for an HTML document or a set of HTML documents, authored in various styles. Prior domain knowledge regarding punctuation, keywords, synonyms and HTML tags is used to 1) break a document up into separate objects, 2) identify the objects corresponding to keywords, 3) regroup objects: into hierarchical layers of abstraction, 4) logically order objects at the same level of abstraction, and 5) finally remove any non-keyword related information from the document's discovered schematic structure. The discovered schema supports structural queries from search engines that locate data that are more semantically related to the requested information than data located by simple keyword searching.

Abstract: Graphical user interface (GUI) is used to represent entity matches via graphical transition of a matching object based on type of entity and match rating. First, a user requests a match determination, and this request can be queried via various means including a search engine. Next, a match rating is obtained from a source such as a search engine. Furthermore, a transition technique is selected which defines the kind of transition that is to be applied to the match object. Lastly, the graphical user interface (GUI) renders a graphical transition of the match object based on the resultant match rating. Transition techniques such as blurring, composite, and fantasy are used.

Abstract: A portable, padded chair made from X-ray transparent materials is used to comfortably support a patient while taking X-rays for medical diagnostic purposes. The use of X-ray transparent materials reduces the medical assistant's and patient's risk of repeated exposure to unnecessary X-ray levels. Also, the chair allows a patient to remain in a sitting or reclining position while X-rays are taken. A foot pedal and locking wheels allow for easy adjustment of the chair so that the patient is positioned comfortably and securely. A bucky tray, adjustable along the length and width of the chair, and a piano stand fixture, that attaches to the arms of the chair, are used to hold X-ray film cassettes. Additionally, the arm supports are adjustable and capable of being dropped to the side of the chair so a patient is easily transferred to and from a hospital bed.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser module is packaged on a mounting substrate through a thermal diffusion sheet member. The thermal diffusion sheet member is that having thermal conductivity where thermal conductivity in the surface direction is greater than that in the thickness direction. Specifically, the thermal diffusion sheet member is graphite, for example, and has a thermal conductivity of 300 W/m·K or greater in the surface direction.

Abstract: A computer-based method and system comprising three data structures: partially ordered data structure (or simply ordered data structure), contiguous list v, and vector p, is used for solving a large sparse triangular system of linear equations which utilizes only the non-zero components of a matrix to solve large sparse triangular linear equations and generates explicitly only the non-zero entries of the solution. A list of the row indices of the known non-zero values of x which require further processing is stored in the ordered data structure. Actual non-zero values of x are stored in the contiguous list v and the corresponding pointers to the location of these values are stored in the vector p. The computer-based method manipulates these three matrices to find a solution to an upper or lower sparse triangular system of linear equations.

Abstract: Digital data is preserved by archiving on a removable medium. In the long term, the save data bit stream must be correctly interpreted. For a computer program or system to be archived, the bit stream constituting the program must be archived and the code must be executable at restore time. The program that restores the data does not “see” the contents of the data itself, but accesses it by issuing a function call to an executor. A description of which methods are available to restore the information hidden in the data is always available. A text tells the client which functions are available and what their purposes are. The archiving method is based on using a virtual computer instruction set and saving the algorithm as a program written int hat virtual machine language. For machine instructions to be executed many years later, for example 100 years, an emulator of the original machine would be written on the future hardware.

Abstract: When writing to a hard disk drive, an effective track skew is used which differs from the track skew used when reading from the disk. During reads from the disk, the disk controller uses a traditional logical track layout and logical block address (LBA) numbering having a track skew value related to read settle time. A different effective track skew value, optimized for write settle time, is used, however, when writing to the disk. Logical blocks are written to the disk out-of-sequence in order to accommodate this different effective track skew value.

Abstract: A dynamic gain flattening filter is provided that offers a smooth spectral response. The filter includes an input/output port for launching a beam of light, a dispersive element for dispersing the beam of light into a plurality of monochromatic sub-beams of light, and discrete array of controllable elements for receiving the plurality of sub-beams of light. The filter is designed such that each sub-beam of light is incident on more than one element of the discrete array for selective attenuation before being recombined by the dispersive element and redirected back to the input/output port. In another embodiment, a beam-folding mirror is provided to direct the attenuated beam to a separate output port.

Abstract: Documentation of a software application is automatically generated for the classes, written in an object oriented-language, which comprise the application. The classes within the application are typically arranged in a hierarchy and contain productions of a specification grammar in Extended Backus Naur form. The automatically generated documentation corresponding to these productions are closely wired to the underlying class hierarchy by creating hypertext links between the productions in different classes. Thus, these generated hyperlinks allow browsing of the automatically generated documentation according to the hierarchical structure of the classes in the object-oriented class hierarchy being documented.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smooth ending system for an auction on the Internet. The system randomly selects an end time for the auction by picking an auction duration from a probability distribution, so that bidders have no preferences over the time of bidding. At any given time, assuming that the auction is still in process, there is a fixed probability, independent of the time that has elapsed since the beginning of the auction, that the auction will end within the next time unit.

Abstract: Upon receiving a read command, a disk drive moves a read head to target data and reads the data into a read buffer. In an action called “prefetching”, the drive continues to read nearby data into the read buffer which doubles as a data cache. When another I/O command is present and must be serviced, prefetching is preempted thereby reducing the data read into the cache. Moving the head from the current I/O command to the next I/O command creates a delay comprising two components: seek time and rational latency. Based on the relative values of these components, a time period, less than the entire delay period, is calculated in which prefetching will continue. By continuing prefetching instead of preempting it, the likelihood of cache hits is increased because more data is available in the read buffer. Furthermore, by performing prefetching during part of the otherwise unused delay period, no performance penalty is introduced.

Abstract: An initial icon is displayed as a watermark throughout related windows to represent a relationship to a particular application. As a user traverses related windows belonging to the same family, the initial icon, displayed as a watermark, is persistent throughout each of the related windows and is displayed in an area maximizing visibility, e.g. on the outer perimeter of the window workspace to maximize the likelihood of being seen when multiple windows overlap.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of creating and managing one or more interceptors. The method comprises the steps of intrinsically chaining the interceptors, and storing state information, in at least one of the chained interceptors, directed to a reference to the next interceptor. A server computer in a client-server environment that includes a processor configured to generate one or more interceptors and to intriscally chain the interceptors, and a memory associated with at least one of the chained interceptors and configured to store state information directed to a reference to the next interceptor thereof.