Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that enable an application to prioritize its traffic in an application-specific manner, such that traffic which is most important to this application can be prioritized over traffic that is less important to this application, where this prioritization information is reflected in differential treatment of the traffic within the network. An application conveys relative priority information for its traffic to a Web proxy or edge server, and this device then consults stored policy information to determine how the traffic should be prioritized in the network. The Web proxy also ensures that usage of network resources is balanced among multiple applications. Cookies are used for transmitting priority information between the edge server and application in an efficient manner.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for predicting and adjusting future working hours and calendar events for users of electronic calendars. Predictions may be made based on historical calendar data (e.g., a user's scheduled working hours/events and that user's actual working hours/events); based on updates to working hours or events; and/or based on external information. Rules are used in preferred embodiments to indicate the actions that should be taken when a particular condition occurs.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for efficiently analyzing measurement data for business processes (for example, in a service provider environment). Business process-aware modules or “cubes” are created from the measurement data, using features of a spatially-enabled database system. A “drill-down” approach is provided for investigating underlying information for a cube (including lower-level linked cubes). Data types other than cubes, such as planes from which a cube is constructed, may also be analyzed. The disclosed techniques may be used to provide autonomic systems, which are self-aware, at a business process level. That is, based on results of analyzing data represented by a cube, autonomic adjustments may be made. In a service provider environment, the analysis and/or the autonomic adjustments may be directed toward enabling the service provider to avoid jeopardizing commitments in service level agreements (and the revenue loss that may result when the commitments are not met).

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for improved handling of alternative content selection. Using these techniques, content designers specify alternative content views that are designed for use under different conditions, and a particular alternative view is programmatically selected (according to applicable conditions) when preparing content for delivery to a target. Preferably, the alternative views are provided on a component-level basis, where the selected component view or version then forms part of a larger view (such as a Web page). Optionally, more than one component may be designed to vary simultaneously. In this case, the components may vary independently of one another.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for enabling message senders and event creators to convey time-sensitivity of their messages and events (such as electronic mail messages, electronic calendar entries, and “to-do” items), and for handling such messages and events at a receiver. A message sender marks messages as to whether they are time-sensitive, and may also identify a starting and ending time and/or date during which the time-sensitive status applies. When such a message arrives at a recipient, it is evaluated and if the time-sensitive period has been reached, the message is automatically displayed to the recipient. Preferably, the recipient must handle the displayed message before continuing on to other messages. The disclosed techniques enable messages to be viewed in a timely manner, according to the sender's representation of the time-sensitivity of the message. As a result of these improvements, communication between senders and receivers may become more effective.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for organizing and viewing electronic objects (such as incoming electronic mail messages, documents, and so forth) according to relationships among the objects. Objects may be organized according to user-selectable, node-specific criteria. These criteria may be dynamically learned, based upon a particular user's behavior, using the disclosed techniques.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for efficiently updating rendered content (such as content of a Web page) using a “slow-loading” content element, such as a slow-loading image. A reference is embedded within the markup language notation for the content to be rendered, where this reference identifies the source of the slow-loading content element. Delivery of the slow-loading content therefore begins automatically, when the content is rendered. Event handling attributes are specified with the reference, where values of these attributes identify client-side logic to be invoked when the associated event occurs. If the server determines that the rendered content, or some portion thereof, should be asynchronously updated, it abruptly terminates delivery of the slow-loading content. This termination triggers an event handler, which operates to automatically request reloading of the content.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business whereby programmatically-generated byte code insertion is used to perform run-time tracing of code that potentially encounters a wait during execution. The byte code insertion is performed at load time, and inserts byte codes before and after a located (potential) wait point. The inserted byte code functions to gather execution statistics, such as a time stamp before invoking a located wait point and a time stamp after invoking the located wait point. Preferred embodiments allow this tracing to be selectively activated/deactivated.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for detecting shoplifting or theft, particularly in a retail environment, using radio-frequency identification (“RFID”). Preferred embodiments leverage RFID tags on merchandise and RFID data that is written at the point of sale on the merchandise-borne RFID tags themselves, on the customer's receipt, or both. Some embodiments also leverage RFID tags on customer identification or “loyalty” cards. After writing RFID data on the merchandise-borne tags and/or receipt, a matching operation is performed at an RFID reader when the shopper and his merchandise exit the premises, in order to determine whether the shopper has paid for the items in his possession.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for writing data directly onto a product to record each ownership transfer. As a result, the product itself now carries a traceable, auditable, non-forgeable, non-repudiable proof of ownership (and, optionally, ownership history) that can be used in a variety of ways. This recorded ownership transfer information provides an electronic receipt, which may be used by the present owner to prove his or her ownership. (Optionally, other types of transfers may be recorded in addition to, or instead of, ownership transfers.) A transfer agent or registrar creates a unique transaction identifier to represent the transfer, and preferably creates a cryptographic signature over fields representing the transfer. This information is then recorded in a repository that is external from the product.

Abstract: Improvements in intrusion detection are disclosed by providing intrusion event filtering and/or generic attack signature processing. These services may be integrated into a system or server that is the potential target of attack, or alternatively may be implemented in a network device. Filtering may be provided using sensitivity levels and suspicion levels. Generic attack signatures describe relatively broad classes of intrusions. Intrusion detection policy information may be used to direct the actions to be taken upon detecting an attack.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by using a meta-editor to generate components (e.g., a specification of a rules language that restricts editing operations on structured documents, a specification of rules according to this language, and a graphical user interface editor that operates according to the specified rules) for use in controlling or restricting the changes that can be made to contents of a structured document (e.g., a document encoded in the Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”). A Document Type Definition (“DTD”) is generated as a “bounding DTD”, based on editing choices made using the meta editor, and one or more structured documents containing editing restrictions are generated according to this DTD and these editing choices. An editor (or editing component) is generated that programmatically determines which elements of another structured document can be edited, which elements should be hidden, and so forth.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for serializing objects (such as Java™ objects), and deserializing those objects, in a manner that enables contents of the objects to be preserved following changes to definitions of the object structures. Objects are serialized using documents encoded in a markup language (such as Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”). The serialized objects thereby capture class definition information for the class definition which was in effect when the object was serialized. Subsequently, if the class definition is changed, techniques disclosed herein enable deserializing the information from the markup language document to an object that uses the new class definition, without requiring access to a programming language specification of the now-obsolete class definition.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by caching dynamic content fragments in a distributed cache and assembling requested content using these fragments. The disclosed techniques are non-invasive, and enable the benefits of distributed fragment caching to be extended to more applications, without regard to the programming model used when designing the application. An application developer specifies dependencies among content creating components (or, in alternative embodiments, it may be possible to infer this information), and if one of these components may be called upon to generate a content fragment dynamically, correlator data is programmatically created and attached to a message that references the component. A subsequent content generation request to the component then automatically carries the correlator data, and that data is programmatically restored.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for programmatically serializing complex objects (such as JavaBeans™). In contrast to prior art techniques, a manually-specified data type mapping specification is not required as input to the serialization process. Instead, the present invention programmatically generates this type mapping, responsive to encountering run-time exceptions during the serialization process. The serialization process is therefore “self-healing”. This approach is especially advantageous when serializing complex objects that may include complex data types and/or embedded objects. The programmatically-generated type mapping information is preferably used to generate a serialized version of the complex object, and can also be used during deserialization. In addition to improving serialization techniques, this type mapping information facilitates dynamic integration and transformation of data between heterogeneous formats.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for classifying nodes into broadcast tiers to reduce traffic in decentralized networks. Persistent identifiers are defined for nodes, allowing nodes to be identified across sessions and invocations, even though they re-enter the network with a different network address. Paths taken by content resources as they traverse the network (e.g. which nodes forwarded the content) are persisted, along with reputation information about nodes (e.g. indicating how successful they are at answering queries from peers). Trust relationships can be derived using the persisted information. Preferred embodiments leverage a web services implementation model.

Abstract: A communication system that enables an operator to remotely query and control the process sections in an industrial plant by exchanging data with a central computer that controls the process sections. The operator communicates with the process sections through a mobile wireless device remotely connected with one of the multiple wireless access points on a data network. This data network is, in turn, connected to the central computer that controls these process sections. The central computer stores the location of the process sections and the operator profiles. When requested, it collates and processes this data and presents it to the operator. Further, if the need arises, the central computer tracks and interacts with the operator.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a heuristics service using a generically-consumable, reusable heuristics manager object. This heuristics manager object provides a “black box” approach to statistically-triggered heuristics, and eliminates the need to write application-specific code for compiling statistics and performing complicated analysis of those statistics within each application program. In one embodiment, the heuristics manager object is provided as a web-accessible service, which may be registered in a network-accessible registry such as a UDDI registry. Enterprises may subscribe to this service for monitoring and analyzing statistics pertaining to one or more of the enterprise's applications, thereby providing a novel method of doing business for the provider of the heuristics service.