Abstract: A control surface is enabled that is flexible to provide a tactile-detectable graphical representation of graphical output from a data processing system. Application of external force to the control surface is detected. Closed-loop force feedback through the tactile-detectable graphical representation is controlled, in response to detection of external force applied to the control surface. In addition, adjustment of a view element is detected. The magnification of the graphical output that is represented by the tactile-detectable graphical representation is controlled, in response to detection of adjustment of the view control element.

Abstract: A mock translation method and system is provided which converts base-language data and performs a mock translation on it to produce internationalization test data. The mock translation data is created by inserting additional characters, such as a tilde (˜) into each of the text strings from the user interface of a software program. The additional characters are used as a placeholder to accommodate the additional space needed for later translating the text into a different language. In addition, field boundary characters, such as brackets, are used to designate the beginning and end of the text with the placeholders. This data is stored in localization files and displayed in a software application in place of the English or foreign-language text. By visually inspecting each screen, the programmer or proofreader is able to easily recognize many internationalization errors, without requiring the ability to read any foreign language.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling use of a communication device in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a plurality of internal vehicle sensors, the vehicle sensors adapted to provide internal information. A receiver is provided adapted to receive external information from an external source and a controller is provided adapted to receive the internal information and the external information. The controller is adapted to assign a risk value to each of the internal and external information and compare the assigned risk values to a predetermined risk threshold and is adapted to disable the communication device when any of the risk values exceeds the predetermined risk threshold.

Abstract: For languages requiring bidirectional (left-to-right and right-to-left) text display support, a multi-field text string object encapsulates both a normal logical ordered version of the text string entered and a reverse ordered version in separate fields. A bidirectional-support property of the multi-field text string object is set based on whether the host system supports bidirectional text displays. In response to a display request, the multi-field text string object checks the bidirectional-support property. If bidirectional text display is supported, the multi-field text string object sets the field containing the normally-ordered character sequence for the text string as the display field. If bidirectional text display is not supported, the multi-field text string object sets the field containing the reverse-ordered character sequence for the text string as the display field.

Abstract: User interface text for dialog boxes, menus, and the like is “localized” with respect to human languages is achieved at run time by transmitting a translation request containing a text string to be translated, an identification of the source language, and an identification of the target language to a Web server providing text string translation services. The response from the Web server contains the translated text string, which is employed by the user application within the user interface. Text strings for all of the user interfaces of a particular user application may be translated in this fashion as a group at the time an unsupported human language is first requested, or text strings may simply be translated on-the-fly during operation of the underlying user application on an as-needed basis. the translated text strings may be preserved locally for future use, until a translation of the user interface text to the requested human language is provided by the user application developer.

Abstract: Language, locale, and display change system messages are defined which contain language or locale codes for changing a display language in a user interface. An operating system language or locale property may be altered, or merely the language and/or locale property of a user interface for a specific application or dialog. When received, all subscribers registered as listeners for such language, locale, and display change system messages are notified. The system message may originate from a control dialog or from another application, and may be passed from one application to another or to dialogs associated with the receiving application. User interface dialogs or applications notified of the system message may reload the contents of displays, updating the user interface display to contain the contents of menu labels, help text, or dialog messages in the new human language or display text formatted in accordance with the new cultural convention.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a position of a vehicle is detected by a receiver at the vehicle from a global positioning system. A speed limit associated with the position is determined from a centralized database accessible via a wireless network. An actual speed of the vehicle at the detected position is compared with the determined speed limit for the detected position, such that if it is determined that the actual speed exceeds the determined speed limit at the detected position, the driver may be alerted.

Abstract: A three-field text string class is employed for data entered in a language which does not employ the latin alphabet or latin character set, but does employ a character set which may be readily sound-mapped to the latin character set. The entered text is stored in a first field of the text string class, while an automatically transliterated representation of the data entered is stored in a second field. The transliteration is generated utilizing a character-mapping resource file table specific to the language in which the text was entered and the language employing the latin character set. The contents of the second field thus provide a recognizable representation of the text string to users unfamiliar with the character set of the language in which the text was entered. The second field's contents also provide a pronunciation key for the entered text string for nonspeakers.

Abstract: Current health parameters for a user are monitored at a personal health monitoring system. Current health parameters include multiple monitored physical parameters and multiple monitored environmental parameters. The current health parameters are compared with health allowances for the user. A control signal for transmission to a health control device that controls at least one parameter from among the multiple physical parameters and multiple environmental parameters is determined in response to determining that at least one of the current health parameters exceeds at least one of the health allowances, such that the at least one current health parameter that exceeds the at least one of the health allowances is adjusted by the health control device according to the control signal in order to balance the comprehensive health of the user.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for reducing false sharing in a distributed computing environment, and in particular to a multi-processor data processing system. A method is proposed to define a virtual address range, within the system memory available to the processors, which will have a finer granularity than the default page size. These smaller sections, called “sub-pages,” allow more efficient memory management. For example, a 64 Kilobyte range may be defined to have a 512 byte granularity rather than 4 Kilobytes, with each 512-byte sub-page capable of being separately managed.

Abstract: A mock translation system, method, and program is provided which converts single-byte base-language data and performs a mock translation on it to produce internationalization test data, which incorporates double-byte expansion characters having a second byte as “5C”, such as a double wide dash character. These expansion characters are used as a placeholder to accommodate the additional space needed for later translating the text into a different language. In addition, field boundary characters, such as brackets, are used to designate the beginning and end of the text with the placeholders. This data is stored in localization files and displayed in a software application in place of the English or foreign-language text. By visually inspecting each screen, the programmer or proofreader is able to easily recognize many internationalization errors, without requiring the ability to read any foreign language.

Abstract: Transforms are used for transcoding input text, audio and/or video input to provide a choice of text, audio and/or video output. Transcoding may be performed at a system operated by the communications originator, an intermediate transfer point in the communications path, and/or at one or more system(s) operated by the recipient(s). Transcoding of the communications input, particular voice and image portions, may be employed to alter identifying characteristics to create an avatar for a user originating the communications input.

Abstract: According to the present invention, physical health indicators computed for a particular user are received in a common transmittable data format at a portable computer system associated with the particular user, wherein each of the physical health indicators is computed by an electronic health measurement device from among multiple diverse electronic health measurement devices monitoring the physical health of the particular user. Each of the physical health indicators is analyzed at the portable computer system in view of determined acceptable health levels for the particular user. Output of an indicator of acceptability of the physical health indicators for the particular user is controlled from the portable computer system, in response to the analysis of each of the physical health indicators, such that a single portable computer system monitors the physical health of an individual from multiple physical health indicators received from multiple diverse electronic health measurement devices.

Abstract: The system, method, and program of this invention enables a developer to write a platform independent program that can read, create, modify, delete, and enumerate registry type of information regardless of whether or not a targeted operating system supports a registry or registry equivalent functionality. More specifically, as disclosed herein, in a first preferred embodiment, there is a global registry object for carrying out, i.e., mapping, registry functions or registry equivalent functions across multiple operating systems. In a second preferred embodiment, the global registry object is used to read, create, modify, delete, and enumerate registries for the Windows operating system in a simplified manner. In a third preferred embodiment, the global registry object is used to map registry equivalent functions in an OS/2 operating system environment. In a fourth preferred embodiment, the global registry is used to map registry equivalent functions in an AIX operating system environment.

Abstract: According to the present invention, physical health indicators computed for a particular user are received in a common transmittable data format at a computer system, wherein each of the physical health indicators is output by an electronic health measurement device from among multiple diverse electronic health measurement devices monitoring the physical health of the particular user. Each of the physical health indicators is analyzed at the computer system in view of acceptable health levels retrieved at the computer system from a personal storage device proffered by the particular user. Output of an indicator of acceptability of the physical health indicators for the particular user is controlled from the computer system, in response to the analysis of each of the physical health indicators, such that a computer system monitors the physical health of an individual in view of acceptable health levels retrieved from the personal storage device.

Abstract: A card structure provides an existing card having an associated card service and further having at least one associated service of at least one other card that is used by a card user. A display is coupled to the card structure for displaying desired information on the overloaded card. The overloaded card display comprises a silicone sheet display having embedded thereon an array of electrostatically chargeable balls. An electric charge is applied to each of the balls so that each of the balls is in a desired position to display the information on the overloaded card. The card is read by a reader at a card terminal, and an array of electrodes that charge and manipulate the balls face the display to charge them so that images programmed at the electrodes are left thereon.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, absent items from an intended inventory are monitored at a computer system. Search requests for the absent items are automatically transmitted from the computer system to multiple independent product databases each respectively associated with one of multiple retailers. Offers are returned from multiple retailers to the computer system, such that inventory purchases for the particular household are managed by the computer system.

Abstract: A system and method of providing and using an overloaded card with overloaded card services. A card terminal reads a host card, and a server system determines whether or not to overload the host card with a card service of one other card. The server system overloads the host card with the other card services by associating the other card services with the host card within the server system such that no additional information must be encoded within or maintained by the host card.

Abstract: A system and method for managing an overloaded card with billing/clearing house services to a user of the card. The host card is set up as an overloaded card to which a card provider server system provides the overloaded card services. The overloaded card with the overloaded services is managed such that card transactions are tracked, and the user is respectively billed for the transactions. The transactions are cleared before billing the transactions to the user. All information relating to the transactions are consolidated on a single statement that is provided to the user. The overloaded card manager is used to manage the overloaded card and its services and provide the billing/clearing house services.

Abstract: A mock translation system, method and program is provided which converts single-byte base-language data and performs a mock translation on it to produce internationalization test data which takes the form of the corresponding base-language data transliterated into and displayed using a double-byte character set to create double-wide characters. The double-wide characters take into account the spacing, i.e., field length, needed to perform an actual translation. This data is stored in localization files and displayed in a software application in place of the English or foreign-language text. By visually inspecting each screen, the programmer or proofreader is able to easily recognize many internationalization errors, without requiring the ability to read any foreign languages. These errors include truncation, alignment, or other formatting errors, and programming errors such as text that is hard-coded, localization files missing from the program build, and text missing from localization files.