Abstract: A system for providing continuous connection between a client and a network during a session. The system comprises of a connection utility, which monitors a network session for an occurrence of a pre-defined event and/or condition. The system is particularly advantageous in scenarios where a session's connection is lost and the session has to be reconnected to the network. The system also finds applicability with several other types of events/conditions, including a connection break, a slow or congested connection or a change in the type of data being transmitted. When any one of the pre-defined events/conditions occur, the session is automatically routed from the present connection route to another connection route, and is completed on the other connection route. In order to complete the re-routing of the sessions, session information is cached on the client and the server. The session data is tagged with the original session ID.

Abstract: In accordance with the method, system and program of the present invention, at least one type of exercise indicator signal associated with exercise performed by a particular user is received from a particular exercise machine in a common transmittable data format at a portable computer system provided the particular user. Cumulative fitness activity is computed and stored for the particular user at the portable computer system utilizing the at least one type of exercise indicator signal and previously accumulated fitness activity data at the portable computer system, such that an independent portable computer system associated with the particular user monitors the real-time cumulative fitness activity of the particular user from at least one type of exercise indicator signal received from at least one exercise machine over a period of time.

Abstract: A system, method, and program enables an aggregation of opinions at a Web site by aggregating a separate hyperlink to each opinion instead of aggregating the content of the opinions. The content of each opinion remains resident at each opinion writer's Web site. Upon a request for the opinions oriented Web site, a Web page is sent to the requester which contains a description of the subject matter of the opinions, a list of at least one selectable hyperlink to an opinion at a different address site, and an input field for entering a hyperlink to an opinion. If a hyperlink is entered, the opinions oriented Web site generates a hyperlink in the Web page to the opinion. In a subsequent request for the Web page, the entered hyperlink is shown within the list of selectable hyperlinks.

Abstract: A system, method and program of the invention enables an overloaded or partially functional Web server in an Internet environment to receive an HTTP request for data from a client during a given communication session. The Web server determines whether it can satisfy at least a portion of the request at a present time. If so, then a portion of the data is sent to the client during the given session, and all of the requested data is sent at a later time and outside of the given session either by e-mail or a push technique.

Abstract: A system, method, and program for managing users, groups, servers, and resources in a heterogeneous network environment are disclosed. The network environment includes a configuration server coupled to a number of deployment servers, which each operates under a specific platform. In response to receipt of a generic command for management of a user, group, server, or resource by the configuration server, a determination is made based on pre-assignment as to which one of the deployment servers is the appropriate deployment server that is to receive the generic command. The generic command is mapped to a specific-platform command executable under the respective specific platform of the appropriate deployment server. The specific-platform command is executed by the appropriate deployment server to complete a task for performing the generic command. In a preferred embodiment, a set of generic commands for managing the users, groups, servers, and resources in the heterogeneous networked environment is defined.

Abstract: A vending machine is disclosed that has one or more compartments with a mechanism for dispensing a content of a compartment upon receipt of a payment. A receptacle can accept an item, from a member of the public, as content into an empty compartment and identify the item accepted, such as with a barcode label. The vending machine can also include a mechanism that will connect it over a network, such as the Internet, to a computing device. An appraised value of the identified item can be received over the communication network and displayed in association with the compartment containing the item. The item can be dispensed from the vending machine in response to receiving predetermined sales amount or upon specific instruction from an authorized individual. A searchable database of information relating to buyers, sellers, items and other sales related information can also be associated with the vending machine.

Abstract: Bottleneck link speed, or the transmission speed of the slowest link within a path between two nodes, is determining by transmitting a sequence of ICMP ECHO data packets from the source node to the target node at a selected interval and measuring the return data packet intervals. Rather than using statistical analysis methods, the return data packet interval measurements are input into an adaptive resonance theory neural network trained with the expected interval for every known, existing network transmission speed. The neural network will then classify the return data packet interval measurements, indicating the bottleneck link speed. Since most of the computation—that required to train the neural network—may be performed before the data packet interval measurements are made rather than after, the bottleneck link speed may be determined from the return data packet interval measurements significantly faster and using less computational resources than with statistical analysis techniques.

Abstract: A system, method, and program for providing language translators with contextual information for the text to be translated. The translator is presented with a graphical user interface in the base language, and can interactively translate each text label on the screen. Because the translation is performed on the text in the proper context, by editing the text withing the target application itself, the time and expense of Translation Verification Testing is reduced or eliminated. The ability to edit the text within the application is achieved by adding an editor function to the software application itself. Each text label in the application is stored in a localization file as a Java wrapper class component, which combines contextual information, such as the associated resource bundle name and key, with the text label itself. When the editor is activated, the translator can edit the text directly, and the contextual information is used to store the translation for later use.

Abstract: A data processing system collects video and audio samples of acceptable speech production. A video camera focuses on a speaker's face and, particularly, articulation visible in the area of the mouth or other body movements associated with speech production. Video files are used to archive acceptable and unacceptable productions. These files may then be used to provide feedback about acceptable and unacceptable ways to produce speech. A speech professional or language teacher may play a model speech production and a subject speech attempt simultaneously to compare articulation, audio analysis, and appearance of articulators. A subject may play a model speech production and record a speech attempt simultaneously to attempt to mimic the appearance of articulators. Image processing may be used to create a mirror image of a video model or a current attempt or both to avoid left-right confusion.

Abstract: A customizable touchscreen keyboard, and method, system, and computer program product for customizing the touchscreen keyboard is provided. In one embodiment, a data processing system receives customization characteristics from a user through the touchscreen interface. The data processing system then creates a customized touchscreen keyboard layout based on the customization characteristics and presents the customized touchscreen keyboard layout to a user. For example, the user may customize the keyboard such that the letters are presented in a U-shape with the letters arranged in alphabetical order, thus aiding a user in finding a desired letter. The user may later recustomize the keyboard if desired. Furthermore, the data processing system may reconfigure the keyboard based on past usage by the user.

Abstract: A system, method, and program allow the execution of a different response of an application extension manager without modifying the default response of the application extension manager. The application extension manager resides in system memory. The application extension manager allows an execution unit to execute a task or a series of tasks in an ordered list associated with an event. A task is a set of executable instructions associated with an event that may be executed by the execution unit. When an event occurs, the application extension manager acquires the task on top of the ordered list. The acquired task then becomes selected to be executed by the execution unit. The selected task returns a value which indicates whether the application extension manager should proceed to the next task. If the value indicates to proceed to the next task, the next task becomes the selected task and the above stated process is repeated.

Abstract: A data processing system with efficient facilities for transmitting a serial electronic publication to subscribers includes a status manager and a push engine. The status manager associates a vacation setting with at least one subscriber among a plurality of subscribers. The push engine identifies one or more non-vacationing subscribers among the plurality of subscribers, by reference to the vacation setting, and electronically transmits issues of the publication only to the one or more non-vacationing subscribers. In an illustrative embodiment, the data processing system includes an input module that receives a message from the at least one subscriber specifying a vacation interval for putting the vacation setting in effect, the vacation interval is stored, and the push engine identifies the one or more non-vacationing subscribers by reference to the vacation interval.

Abstract: A method, system, and program that efficiently augments and enhances the functions of a network library with new functional elements. The method, system and program provide an extension utility, which contains a number of extended library services, such as security, Reliability, Availability, Serviceability, RAS, load balancing, snooping, and logging. The extended library services also include a general network monitoring function, by which a network connection is monitored, and the conditions reported back to the client. Also provided is a control utility, which places hooks related to one or more extended library services in the library processing code of the network protocol stack. The control utility-places the hooks within a call sequence based on a priority determination. Thus, hooks are placed within the call response sequence relative to the time the standard library services are to be performed.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an exercise machine receives exercise-related data for a particular user via a communication interface with an independent computing device specified by the particular user, such as a portable computer system, personal storage device, or network system. The exercise machine specifies control of the exercise machine according to the exercise-related data for the particular user, such that a particular level of control of the exercise machine is specified according to exercise-related data for the particular user from the independent computing device. In addition, the exercise machine transmits indicators of usage of the exercise machine to a server system that may be utilized by a manufacturer to track the usage of a particular exercise machine.

Abstract: A collector for distributed data collection includes input and output queues employed for priority based queuing and dispatch of data received from endpoints and downstream collector nodes. Collection Table of Contents (CTOC) data structures for collection data are received by the collector from the endpoints or downstream collectors and are placed in the input queue, then sorted by the priority within the CTOC. Within a given priority level, collection of the data is scheduled based on the activation time window within the CTOC, which specifies the period during which the endpoint or downstream collector node will be available to service data transfer requests. The collected data, in the form of data packs and constituent data segments, is stored in persistent storage (depot). A CTOC is then transmitted to the next upstream collector node. Network bandwidth utilization is managed by adjusting the activation time window specified within a CTOC and the route employed between source and recipient.

Abstract: A data processing system, method, and program including an automated software test environment are disclosed for generating a job to be executed within the automated software test environment to test a software application. A work flow manager is established for automatically managing the automated software test environment. The automated software test environment includes multiple computer systems coupled to a server computer system utilizing a network. The work flow manager is executed utilizing the server computer system. Execution of the automated test environment is controlled utilizing the work flow manager in response to a receipt of external events generated by the plurality of computer systems. A job description is created including an identification of one of the external events. A job described by the job description is executed utilizing the work flow manger in response to a receipt of the external event.

Abstract: A central repository server contains a reference list of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for copyright infringing or disputed material located on the Internet, with an indication of whether the material is categorized as infringing or disputed. A filter/transcode program operates with the reference list to test content for infringing links, comparing the URLs for links within the content to those within the reference list. When a match is determined, the category of the link within the reference list is checked. If the link is an infringing link, the filter/transcode program may automatically remove the link from the content. If the link is disputed, the filter/transcode program may modify the link to include a warning that the link may be directed to infringing material. Comments may be added to the tested content by the filter/transcode program to certify the test results. Additions to the reference list may be submitted by the copyright owner, subject to verification.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions in a data processing system for managing processor power usage. Current processor utilization is compared to current processor spaced to form a comparison. Current processor speed is decreased in response to current processor speed being greater then the current processor utilization. Current processor speed is increased in response to processor speed being less than the current processor utilization in the comparison. In this manner processor speed is adjusted to meet the processor utilization. In addition, power management may be based on particular programs executing on the data processing system. A program is identified in the data processing system to form an identified program. This identified program may be one that is being initialized for execution or currently executing. Power usage is set based on the identified program. User input may be used to select particular programs for power management.

Abstract: A keyboard integrated with a computer with a mechanism for determining a pressure sensitivity needed to register a desired keystroke is disclosed. A keystroke is registered for a given key if a force on the given key exceeds the determined pressure sensitivity. A user configuration profile can be utilized to specify a needed pressure sensitivity. Pressure sensitivity can also be determined dynamically. A threshold amount of pressure needed to register a keystroke can be compared to a measured amount of pressure applied during the keystroke and if the measured pressure meets the threshold pressure, the keystroke is registered. A control module, which can include an alphanumeric scale, can be utilized to set a threshold amount of pressure needed to register a keystroke. Some embodiments can also include a threshold amount of pressure set for each individual key.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for network booting of a client computer is provided. The method comprises loading a special local bootstrap into a client computer and then using this special local bootstrap to save the client Interrupt Vector Table (IVT) to high memory and then passing control to a normal DOS bootstrap. From here a normal DOS boot is performed using files that contain pointers to the drivers of a network device which enables a specific network interface card. A special program is loaded which emulates a PXE application program interface and initiates a DHCP/PXE boot request to the network. In this manner, a client is able to perform a DHCP/PXE boot without specialized hardware, by relying on a software emulation of the necessary DHCP/PXE functions.