Abstract: Unauthorized access to a computer is disclosed by providing information to an authorized user to evaluate accesses to the computer. The computer or other information equipment increments a value in a storage area of the number of power-on times Furthermore, the equipment displays the number of power-on times after the increment on an LCD. Then, if a supervisor password is not entered, the equipment locks a block previously storage contents from being rewritten.

Abstract: A system and method for tuning TCP/IP acknowledgments is provided. The system and method reduces the number of acknowledgments sent by a TCP/IP receiver by determining whether the connection state with the sender warrants using minimal acknowledgments. If minimal acknowledgments are used, the receiver sends fewer acknowledgments to the sender in response to received packets. The number of packets that are received before an acknowledgment is returned is increased until the delay value reaches a threshold value. The threshold value can be determined based on the size of the buffer setup to receive packets from the sender during the session. If errors, such as TCP/IP timeouts or duplicate packets, are detected, the threshold is changed to the last delay value that did not cause errors. If further errors are detected, the system is programmed to revert to sending traditional acknowledgments for the session.

Abstract: Calibration factors determine how topograpy components are designed and built in order to support the management philosophies and methodologies. A marketing analysis may be used to identify the calibration factors that are needed to support a large market. In this manner, many calibration factors may be applied to a single topography requirement so that multiple operating environments and multiple management philosophies are supported by the topography. The components are stored in a component library and calibration factors corresponding to the components are stored in a data store. A customer's management philosophy, methodology, and operating environments are compared with the component metadata in order to identify suitable topography components which are installed on client computer systems to form to topography. Topography-neutral application components are adapted for installation on any topography regardless of the customer's management characteristics and operating environments.

Abstract: A system and method for programmable high precision quantization of analog variable is provided. A signal conversion circuit includes a digital switch subtractor, an ADC, and a counter/adder. During the ADC's first sampling stage, the digital switch subtractor activates a bypass switch that allows the ADC to sample an original analog input signal and generate a first digital value using the original analog input signal. During the ADC's second sampling stage, the digital switch subtractor configures resistor network switches based upon the first digital value, thereby creating a voltage drop across the resistor network when the original analog input signal is applied. As a result, the digital switch subtractor's output is a modified analog signal, which the ADC samples and generates a second digital value. The counter/adder combines the first digital value and the second digital value to produce a digital output that a computer system processes.

Abstract: A system and method for improved matrix management of personnel planning factors is provided. In modern organizations using matrix management, one employee may be managed by several managers. Each employee has an employee profile data area that is used to store planning data and actual data corresponding to the employee. Planning data includes risk analysis data, compensation data, and development planning data. Actual data includes current compensation data and performance data. Managers' input regarding a common employees performance and planning factors is converted to a single performance evaluation and single set of planning factors by weighting the evaluation and factors by a percentage corresponding to each manager. Online collaboration between managers is provided to discuss employee contributions and revise planning factors and evaluations as needed. Revised data is displayed on each of the manager's systems in response to the revisions.

Abstract: A system and method for recording a telephone conference and replaying a portion of the recording during the conference. Users participate by connecting through different types of networks using a device having a communication line connection. The recording can be in audio format, text format, or both. Thus, users can recall and replay textual information in addition to the recorded audio. Other information-such as time and user data-may also be recorded along with the audio and text. Users in the conference are identified to enable the association with them each user's contribution to the conference. The user or the user's device can assist by providing identification information. User identification may also be accomplished by associating each user's contribution with the particular line the user is calling from. Caller ID information may also be used to identify the user. Voice analysis may also performed to accomplish user identification.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically determining a CRL location and protocol. CRL location names and protocols are retrieved from a digital certificate data structure which includes a network servers that contain the CRL file. A determination is made as to whether any of the servers reside in the current domain, in which case the server is used because the data is more secure. If no locations are within the current domain, Internet servers outside the current domain are analyzed. Security parameters may be established that restrict which Internet servers can be used to retrieve the data. The security parameters may also include which access methods may be used to retrieve data since some access methods provide greater security than other access methods. A security parameter may also be based upon both the access method and the name, or address, of the Internet server.

Abstract: A system and method for calibrating low vision devices is presented. Image processing presents views that include information based upon a user's vision impairment. The user provides feedback corresponding to the views and image processing generates calibration settings based upon the user's feedback. The user selects which calibration setting to load into a vision enhancement device and also whether to load the calibration settings onto a removable storage device for use in other vision enhancement devices. The user is able to reconfigure the vision enhancement device using previously generated calibration settings or the user may generate new calibration settings based upon the condition of his vision impairment.

Abstract: A system and method for developing custom programmable tags. A user specifies custom programmable tag attributes and actions using a user interface. Code is generated to handle actions, attributes, and Java beans. Actions include whether the tags the user is creating include nested objects, such as JSP tag, expressions, and scriptlets. Actions also controls how many times the tag processes its content and whether the tag accesses the results from processing the tag's content. Attributes are specified including the attribute name, type, whether it is required, and whether an expression is allowed for the attribute. Code is generated to handle the attributes. Code is also generated to handle Java beans that may be used in conjunction with the tag. The user's specification are processed and a package of custom tag files (tag handler, tag extended info (TEI), and tag library description (TLD)) are returned to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying layered data, such as data with a hierarchical relationship is provided. A flat tree view control is provided that indicates the level corresponding to individual data items without indenting data items. Colors or grayscale shading is applied to each data item to indicate the item's level within the hierarchy. Items within the same level use the same color or shading. When an item is selected by the user it is expanded or collapsed depending on whether the layers below the selected item already appear on the display screen. Additional level indicator values and level indicator bars can be used to further indicate the level of data items. A data item can also be highlighted to indicate a particular attribute corresponding with an individual data item.

Abstract: A system and method for processing data through a network firewall is presented. A more secure computer system initiates connections to one or more less secure computer systems. The more secure computer system and less secure computer system are separated by a firewall. The more secure computer system queries each less secure computer system periodically to see if there is event data or requests that the more secure computer system should respond to. The less secure computer systems store event data and requests from clients in a storage location until queried by the more secure computer system. When queried, the less secure computer system sends the event data or request information to the more secure computer system through the firewall. The more secure computer system either sends a response to the less secure computer system or sends the event data to an event console for a system administrator to analyze.

Abstract: A system and method for designating and deleting expired files includes a means for storing expiration dates along with file identification data maintained by the file system. An earliest expiration date is stored in data maintained by the file system pertaining to each directory. In this manner, a check of the directory data indicates whether one or more expired files exist in the directory. The system date is compared to the earliest expiration date for a directory, for example when a “list contents of directory” command is received. If the earliest expiration date is earlier than the system date then a comparison is made with the files in the directory and individual files with expiration dates earlier than the current date are deleted. The earliest expiration date is then update to the correspond to the next earliest expiration date falling after the current date.

Abstract: A system and method for heuristically optimizing a large set of automated test sets is presented. An automation control engine is used as a front end to a system automation engine. The automation control engine provides a set of input parameters, such as a buffer size and queue size, to the system automation engine. The system automation engine uses the input parameters along with a set of test sequences, to test a system under test. The system automation engine receives output variables from the system under test based upon the test, and sends the output variables to automation control engine. The automation control engine adjusts the input parameter values until the output variables meet one or more performance goals.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering application data to both constrained and non-constrained devices. In a Java implementation, the Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) is used when a client computer system is not constrained and is running the Java Virtual Machine. When the client computer is constrained and, therefore, is unable to execute the Java Virtual Machine, the server computer uses a second library called a Markup Language Window Toolkit (MLWT) with the same API names as in the AWT. The result of the Java Virtual Machine executing APIs from the AWT within a browser on the client computer system are graphics that appear on the client's browser display. Correspondingly, the result of a server executing a Java Virtual Machine executing APIs from the MLWT is HTML and/or JavaScript that is capable of being processed and displayed by a client computer system without using a Java Virtual Machine.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a password to a user using voice recognition technology. The user's voice signature is captured and stored in order to identify the user. When the user forgets or otherwise loses a password needed to log into a computer system, he telephones a password reset system. An identifier corresponding to the user is provided by the user by using the telephone keypad or voice commands. One or more random words are requested by the password reset system. The user responds by repeating the words into the telephone receiver. The received words are matched against the user's stored voice signature to authenticate the user. If the user is authenticated, one or more desired passwords are provided to the user using a number of delivery mechanisms. If the user is not authenticated, the intrusion is logged to further maintain system security.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a host computer using a service processor is provided. A shared nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) area is used to store progress information from the host computer system. The host computer system writes progress information corresponding to the initialization step being performed to the shared NVRAM and also updates a host pointer in the NVRAM. The service processor reads the shared NVRAM and compares its pointer with the host pointer to determine whether new host initialization activity has been reported. The service processor sets a timer so that if host activity is not reported during a set amount of time an error condition occurs causing the service processor to handle the host computer error. An optional service processor routine determines whether the host computer is stuck in an initialization loop whereupon the service processor once again handles the host computer error.

Abstract: A processing unit includes a read-only encryption key. Loader code image is loaded into system memory from non-volatile storage. Loader code image includes a prefix value and a suffix value. The prefix value is combined with the master key from the processing unit to create a random value that is the seed for a hashing algorithm. The hashing algorithm uses the seed value with a signature formed from the blocks of code to form a result. During the hashing algorithm, intermediate key values are generated and stored in a memory area inaccessible by the user. The intermediate key values are used by the loader code after the loader has been authenticated and loaded. The loader combines one or more of the intermediate key values with prefix and suffix values that correspond to other software modules to authenticate the software, using a hashing algorithm, and load the software upon authentication.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for illumination of a keyboard in a computing device having a display contained in a portion of the computing device which is hingeably attached to a keyboard portion, the display having a backlight. The system comprises one or more translucent elements associated with the keyboard and one or more light-conducting fibers for conducting light from the backlight of the backlit display to the one or more translucent elements associated with the keyboard. The level of illumination is varied by means of the one or more light conducting fibers transmitting light through two portions of transparent material, the two portions of transparent material have an area of contact between them which may be varied. A color adjustment mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically packaging component objects. A server receives a request from a client. The server identifies one or more objects based on the request. The identified objects may be copied from the server's nonvolatile storage area, generated dynamically, or be a result of modifying objects stored on the server's nonvolatile storage area. The identified objects are written to a package file. The server downloads the package file to the client. A dialog may be sent to the client to determine whether the client wishes to download the package file. The package file is provided dynamically in response to the client's request. The package file may include objects that include generated code, such as Java tag handler files, Java tag extra info files, and Java tag library description information. Java definitions may be included with the package file to create a Java jar file.

Abstract: A data collection program collects data from a user's workstation and captures the user environment data, including user settings and program application data. The user environment data is stored on a removable nonvolatile storage media for duplication processing. The stored user environment data is processed by a duplication process to duplicate the user environment data from the old workstation onto a new workstation or for recovery from a catastrophic system failure. A variety of user environment settings, not traditionally captured and restored by traditional backup software, are captured and restored. For example, licensing information and application personality data is identified, stored, and recovered along with other user-specific information such as hostnames, IP addresses, and the like.