Abstract: A system for playing SMIL based multimedia contents, comprising: a plurality of SMIL engines for analyzing and interpreting SMIL documents, as well as communicating with and controlling SMIL sub engines, remote media proxies, or local media playing devices; a plurality of remote media proxies for receiving instructions from the upper level SMIL engines, starting or stopping providing media objects to the remote media playing devices, sending back events, and providing basic user interaction capabilities, wherein said a plurality of SMIL engines, a plurality of remote media proxies, and local and remote media playing devices construct a tree-link structure, of which the root node is a SMIL engine, the branch nodes are SMIL engines and remote media proxies, and the leaf nodes are local and remote media playing devices. The corresponding SMIL engines and methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution to add a user selectable lock to a GUI control, such as a close button. The lock can be imposed on an individual window. After being applied, a user will have to explicitly unlock the control before the control can be selected, which prevents inadvertent selections of the locked control. For example, a lock can be placed on a close control to prevent accidental closing of a window. Locks can be manually or automatically applied. Automatically applied locks can be associated with a set of user configurable rules, which can also establish rules for automatically unlocking GUI controls. An applied GUI control lock can be unlocked in a user configurable manner, with any level of security.

Abstract: The present invention describes a configurable risk-driven contracting service for limited capacity advanced-scheduled events for which tickets are sold. In the invention, multiple batches of tickets can be released in a time-sequenced fashion. Some of the batches can be auctioned. Dynamic per-batch pricing can be implemented that is based upon a relative market value of the tickets, which can be determined in part by captured auction data. Auction data can include, but is not limited to, bid price, bid volume, bidder diversity, ticket quantities per bid, and bidding frequency. Auction parameters and ticket prices can vary over time in accordance with seller risks and opportunity costs, which can dynamically change as tickets for an event are sold and as the time of the event approaches. Auction bids can be adjusted for bidder selectable constraints, each having a constraint specific value. The invention can utilize one or more Web services.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for providing a phonetic representation for a content item along with a content item delivered to a speech enabled computing device. The phonetic representation can be specified in a manner that enables it to be added to a speech recognition grammar of the speech enabled computing device. Thus, the device can recognize speech commands using the newly added phonetic representation that involve the content item. Current implementations of speech recognition systems of this type rely internal generation of speech recognition data that is added to the speech recognition grammar. Generation of speech recognition data can, however, be resource intensive, which can be particularly problematic when the speech enabled device is resource limited. The disclosed solution offloads the task of providing the speech recognition data to an external device, such as a relatively resource rich server or a desktop device.

Abstract: The present invention can include a solution for capturing user-defined custom elements for use in a graphical modeling application. Such a system can include a graphical modeling application and a custom element definition tool. The graphical modeling application can be configured to create semantic models that contain a static graphical elements and semantic data elements. The custom element definition tool can be configured to create a user-defined custom element for the graphical modeling application. The user-defined custom element can consist of one or more static graphical element and/or one or more semantic data element.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for event scheduling forecasting for a calendaring system using historically collected event data. In the solution, metrics collected from historic events can be utilized to compute event duration for scheduled and events being scheduled. Metrics such as number of attendees, quantity of topics being covered, and meeting duration can be collected. Metrics can be aggregated from one or more systems including, but not limited to, calendaring systems and presentation systems. A forecasting engine can utilize metrics to compute a duration for events which can be used to advise event coordinators, adjust scheduled event times, and notify of potential schedule conflicts.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system, method, apparatus, and computer usable product code adapting a media stream based upon biometric feedback. The system can include one or more biometric sensor, a media handling component, an importance inference engine, and a media processing component. The biometric sensor can be able to receive biometric feedback from at least one user. The media handling component can be a media creation component (e.g., video recorder, camera, etc.) and/or a media playback component (e.g., video player, music player, etc.). The importance inference engine can be configured to analyze biometric feedback received from the biometric sensor to determine an emotional interest level that a provider of the biometric feedback has in the media of the media handling component. The media processing component can modify the media of the media handling component based upon the emotion interest level determined by the importance inference engine.

Abstract: The invention is a computer implemented system and process for managing a threaded instant messaging conversation. The process comprises establishing an interactive messaging session for exchanging a conversation element; assigning a thread identifier to the conversation element; appending the thread identifier to the conversation element; and displaying the conversation element in a user interface based on the thread identifier.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a software development tool that includes a model development interface, an aspect design tool, and a model transformation engine. The model development interface can permit a developer to graphically design at least one software model. The aspect design tool for the model development interface can be configured to permit a user to specify at least one aspect to be applied to a model of the model development interface. The model transformation engine can transform a model of the model development interface having at least one aspect defined via the aspect design tool into automatically generated aspect code integrated with base language code.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and method for creating, editing, and posting a BLOG or a WIKI using a telephone. In the invention, a voice-based, real-time telephone communication can be established between a user and a voice response system. User speech can be received over the communication. The user speech can be speech-to-text converted to produce text. The text can be added to a BLOG or a WIKI, which can be posted to a server. The telephone communication can be terminated. The newly posted BLOG or WIKI can be served by the server to clients.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identity and role management in communication networks are disclosed. An example method for identity and role management in a communication network associates an entity with a key, associates the entity with a role, associates the key and the role with a signature, and enables the key, the role and the signature to be accessed through the communication network based on an identity of the entity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution that automatically decomposes a batch process into multiple units of work without changing code of a pre-existing batch application. In the solution, the batch application is first analyzed to identify a set of processing segments or units of work, where each unit of work is of a size that minimizes interference with other data accesses. Once each unit of work is defined, these units can execute one at a time. A syncpoint can be established for each unit before it is executed, which locks the records included in the unit. After the unit of work executes, the record lock can be released and a new syncpoint can be established for the next unit. If an execution problem occurs, execution for the unit of work can be terminated and chances can be restored to the syncpoint.

Abstract: The current invention discloses a solution for using a surface based computing device for verification of an identification document, such as a driver's license. A surface based computing device can be a device capable of scanning an identification document, comparing the scanned document against a set of conditions for a valid document, and reporting comparison results. A secured resource can be granted based at least in part upon identity verifications conducted by the surface based computing device. The surface based computing device can include a MICROSOFT SURFACE device or any other computing device able to scan an identification document and to process scanned results. In one embodiment, the surface based computing device can be used in conjunction with a human agent for added security.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for object level security on a surface based computing device that includes software objects and behavior tokens. The behavior tokens can control an extent that users are able to manipulate the software objects using the surface based computing device. Different levels of control can be established on an object-by-object basis for different users. The extent users are able to manipulate the software objects can also depends upon set of users proximate to the surface based computing device.

Abstract: One or more downloads of web content from one or more web content servers are monitored. A swarm is defined including one or more previous downloaders of the web content from the one or more web content servers. The one or more previous downloaders of the web content include one or more web content caches including at least a portion of the web content. Stored web content within the one or more web content caches of the swarm is tracked. A new downloader of the one or more web content servers is redirected to the one or more web content caches of the swarm.

Abstract: A collaborative shopping group can be established within a social networking web site. This initially established group can consist of individuals with whom the establishing user has a social networking affiliation. After an initial establishment of the collaborative shopping group, each individual within the group is able to add additional individuals to the collaborative shopping group. A shared shopping cart can be established for the collaborative shopping group. A set of different members of the collaborative shopping group can individually and independently add items from a set of different e-commerce sites to the shared shopping cart. An e-commerce purchase of items in the shared shopping cart can be completed. The completed e-commerce purchase can receive a transaction discount greater than or equal to a sum of discounts that would have resulted from discrete purchases of the items of the shared shopping cart by the individuals of the collaborative shopping group.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for managing policy artifacts using a configuration management database (CMDB). Policies can be associated with a number of information technology resources, such as servers, businesses applications and the like. The solution permits automatic tagging of the policies (auto-discovery) as they enter the CMDB. For example, when a policy is added, it can be compared against a set of tagging rules. Multiple rules can match a new policy, which results in multiple tags being added for the policy. The policy specific tags can be optionally indexed for faster searching. Once indexed, the CMDB can support policy and policy tag based queries. In one embodiment, policy artifacts can be manipulated within a CMDB tool in a manner consistent with how the CMDB tool handles configuration items (CIs).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for permitting users to customize subject headings of email subscriptions. The customizations can be applied on a per subscription basis and/or on a per sender basis. Further, the customizations can be performed by a software program that changes an original email heading established by a subscription providing source. Specifically, the solution recognizes that most, if not all, subscription emails are automatically generated in consistent fashion and inherently have a repeating structure. The disclosed solution permits a user to identity portions of these repeating structures, which are to be used to generate replacement subject headings designed to be meaningful to the user. The solution can optionally maintain the original subject heading, which can be used in many situations, such as for use when replying or forwarding an email.

Abstract: A machine readable storage can include a set of instructions for load balancing. The storage can include a plug-in receptor of a load balancer. The plug-in receptor can be compliant with a known industry standard and can be is associated with a two or more load balancing algorithms. The load balancer can utilize selected ones of the load balancing algorithms to determine which of two or more voice servers are to handle incoming speech processing requests. Selected ones of the load balancing algorithms can include a speech utilization algorithm. The speech utilization algorithm can calculate a speech utilization score for at least one of the voice servers based upon speech processing specific factors.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a chat tool including a chat window configured to permit a user to simultaneously receive chat messages for two or more different chat sessions, thereby permitting side discussions within a secondary chat session. Each of the different chat sessions can correspond to a session specific chat channel. Different chat sessions can include private and public sessions. The participants of a private chat session can be participants of the public chat session and/or can be able to view discussions occurring in the public chat session. Further, members of the public chat session can be unaware of the existence of the private chat session. Any number of private chat sessions can be spawned from a public chat session using an invitation option, which automatically establishes new private sessions for invited individuals.