Abstract: A data processing system includes a multitude of client computers and server computers, of various platform types, interconnected by a network. A batch processing engine permits an application resident on a client computer to specify processing to be performed by one or more of the computers connected to the network, regardless of the platform type of such computers. The batch processing engine is implemented in part by middleware.

Abstract: Users call ONE telephone number from their computer communication link-up. The call goes into a computer which has a large database of the many providers' access numbers. The computer identifies where the user is calling from via any identifying feature included in the invention. The computer figures out the most appropriate (e.g. cheapest/proximal/etc.) number the user should use to connect to the “Net”, which includes cost of the phone call and of the services provided by service providers. The computer then transmits this number back to the remote user, and electronically dials the local (and probably free) number to connect the user to the Net. The user may set up an account, or purchases one temporarily and gets charged for the service provided to him. Users are connected to information networks by providing a central processing station with a database including an index of network access numbers and associated charges for using the numbers.

Abstract: A multi-service network switch capable of providing multiple network services from a single platform. The switch incorporates a distributed packet forwarding architecture where each of the various cards is capable of making independent forwarding decisions. The switch further allows for dynamic resource management for dynamically assigning modem and ISDN resources to an incoming call. The switch may also include fault management features to guard against single points of failure within the switch. The switch further allows the partitioning of the switch into multiple virtual routers where each virtual router has its own wet of resources and a routing table. Each virtual router is further partitioned into virtual private networks for further controlling access to the network. The switch supports policy based routing where specific routing paths are selected based on a domain name, a telephone number, and the like.

Abstract: A system and method for employing multiple editors in the creation of self-presenting multimedia documents that include real-time video and time-insensitive media such as graphics and text. The real-time and time-insensitive media may be synchronized or otherwise driven by timing information. The real-time video may be recorded in a studio, at a workstation, or via other facilities, edited there or elsewhere, and brought together with separately authored time-insensitive media (such as graphics and text) created with a entirely different and unrelated editor dedicated to such media. In addition to such formal information presentation, the multimedia document may also accurately record an ad hoc video teleconference involving datasharing. Further, the multimedia document can take the form of a multimedia mail message.

Abstract: A distributed computing system includes a number of computers, workstations or other computing machines interconnected by a network. One or more service managers are introduced that provide a management interface to corresponding middleware services. The service manager monitors the corresponding middleware service, as well as the underlying distributed computer environment on which an application process that utilizes the middleware service is executing, and allows the middleware service to operate more efficiently, in response to run-time environmental conditions. A fault-tolerance service manager is provided as a management interface to a fault-tolerance service. The fault-tolerance service manager monitors the fault-tolerance service, as well as the underlying distributed computer environment, to make globally optimal decisions, based on run-time environmental data, and to provide the resulting information to the fault-tolerance service.

Abstract: A real time chat server (610) not only maintains the chat session but also synchronizes the browse and chat functions by dynamically linking the browser and chat applications to allow the contents of the browser window and the chat window to change in a coordinated manner. The chat server is built from a number of core software objects, namely user objects (616, 618), connection objects, and room objects (612, 614). In this way, multiple users' browsers may be connected into one powerful distributed chat/HTTP server and all such users are able to fully interact with one another in a coordinated manner via type-written messages, HTML web documents, and file transfers.

Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a medium for providing and processing information, whereby users of a chat system send easily and rapidly to one another a URL for uniquely designating the location of a file on the Internet. A hard disk drive of a WWW server records predetermined keywords and addresses for uniquely designating the locations of information corresponding to these keywords. A CPU of the WWW server receives any one of the keywords which is included in text data from an information processing apparatus, and translates the keyword into data with a tag related to the address corresponding to the keyword in question.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include a platform that employs a client/server architecture to provide an extensible set of real time and messaging communication services to a plurality of users. The platform allows the clients to configure and activate the services as each user wishes, thereby providing individual control over the communication services a user receives. The platform includes a server that allows a user to select how the user will participate in a communications event. This can include control over the end points and media over which the communications event occurs. The systems described herein additionally provide a framework for developing integrated voice and data services that can be deployed on the platform for extending the services available to the plurality of clients.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring data files from a sever entity, such as a server computer, to a client entity, such as a client process running on a remote client computer. The data files are stored in a frequency domain form by the server entity. The client entity can specify certain characteristics for the transfer that may be represented as one or more parameters. Parameters may include a compression ratio and certain data enhancements. Default or computed parameters may be used by the server entity when no client-specified parameters are available. Upon receiving a request for a data file, the server entity retrieves the frequency domain form of the data file, quantizes frequency domain coefficients included in the frequency domain form of the data file according to the parameters, compresses the quantized frequency domain coefficients into a compressed data file, and transfers the compressed data file to the client entity.

Abstract: A data cartridge to caddy referencing system for a data cartridge handling mechanism within an autochanger. The referencing system provides X, Y and Z referencing for the data cartridge handling mechanism or the picker of the autochanger as it tries to insert a data cartridge into the data cartridge caddy.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling access to a server. Instructions are sent to a forwarding agent that instruct the forwarding agent to forward packets to a service manager from clients attempting to establish a client connection to the server. A client connection is established with the client. A server connection is established from the service manager to the server and data is transferred from the server connection to the client connection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling document transfer between a web server coupled to a wide area network, such as the Internet, and a client coupled to the wide area network. The method includes the steps of monitoring the number of documents requested by a client in a current session, placing a document requested by the client in a file cache according to a caching algorithm that is based, at least in part, on the number of documents requested by the client in the current session, and accessing the document in the file cache when the document is requested subsequently by the client. The file cache may be associated with a proxy server that couples a local area network to the wide area network.

Abstract: Provided is a system and method for integrating a cable modem with a host customer premises equipment, such as a computer or set top box. An interface is provided which receives data packets from the cable modem of any manufacturer and transmits the data packet to a media access control layer. The media access control layer determines the destination of the data packet and forwards it to that destination, which may be the cable modem or may be the host computer of the cable modem or any other customer premises equipment networked with the host computer. The interface also receives data packets from the media access control layer and transmits the data packets to the cable modem for transmission upstream. The interface abstracts the control of the cable modem to the media access control layer. The system maintains a protocol stack for the cable modem that is separate from the protocol stack associated with the operating system of the host computer.

Abstract: An image communication system including electronic-mail apparatuses each having a function to add image-file processing information to an image file attached to an electronic mail. The image processing capability of each apparatus is examined in advance. In a transmitting-side apparatus, an image file is generated in accordance with the capability, and an electronic mail, to which the image file is attached, is transmitted to a receiving-side apparatus. Further, if the image file attached to the transmitted electronic mail cannot be processed by the receiving-side apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus notifies the transmitting-side apparatus of clarified cause of processing failure, further, transmits its image-file processing capability and the unprocessed transmitted electronic mail to the transmitting-side apparatus. Thus, efficient image-file transmission/reception can be performed.

Abstract: Information is conventionally downloaded from a computer network to a computer operated, by a user, such as when the user is surfing the Internet. Downloading of information is enhanced by downloading addictional information selected by the user during idle times when the conventionally downloaded information is not being downloaded. The additional information may comprise web pages or other information previously selected by the user, which is downloaded in the background during the idle times. A graphic user interface is provide for accepting user selections of the addictional information, which may be displayed in a browser connected to the graphic user interface. The additional information is cached at the user's computer and can be displayed at time selected by the user.

Abstract: A Media Gateway proxy receives a message and parses the message. The message contains an attribute, sub-command, and a destination address. The proxy stores the message and the attributes. Each of the attributes corresponds to a selected one of a plurality of Media Gateways. Each of the gateways has an address. The proxy finds in the memory the address of the selected Media Gateway using the destination address and the attribute. The proxy then forms a message using said sub-command, said address, and said attribute and transmits the message to the destination Media Gateway.

Abstract: A method and a system for improving communication performance between nodes in a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes routers, switches, and a communication interface. The communication interface detects a communication flow between a source and a destination in response to a flow criteria. Upon detecting the communication flow, the communication interface issues a resolution request for identifying data path. After receipt of a response to the resolution request, multiple connections between switches are established in response to levels of quality of service (QoS).

Abstract: A data processor being provided with a data register having a double width of the width of a general purpose register for inputting/outputting data with respect to the operand access unit, and a data transfer path which is composed of a plurality of buses between the register file and the data register and which simultaneously transfers two data, in which, in the case where an LDCTX instruction which is the instruction for loading data to more than two register is executed, a combined data of two data each of which is to be loaded in different register is transferred from the operand access unit to the data register, and high order 4 bytes of data and low order 4 bytes of in the data register are simultaneously transfers to two register through two data transfer paths, respectively, and in the case where an STCTX instruction which is the instruction for storing data from more than two register is executed, contents of the two registers are simultaneously transferred to a high order 4 bytes and a low order 4 b

Abstract: A method and system for network address maintenance in a data-over-cable system. The method includes determining whether a network device, such as a cable modem, responds to a request in a timely manner. When updating network address tables, such as Address Resolution Protocol tables, an Internet Control Message Protocol (“ICMP”) echo message is generated and sent to the Internet Protocol (“IP”) address of a network device. If an ICMP echo reply message is not detected within a pre-determined time, the network address is deleted from the network address table. The deletion of the network address ensures that the device is isolated from the network. The method and system provide for the rapid removal of stale network addresses, freeing valuable memory space, and increasing security in a data-over-cable system.

Abstract: The system and method is disclosed for remotely controlling an application program over a network. The system includes an application interception module and remote display module. The remote display module is transported across the network and executed on the user system in response to a user's request to provide on-demand remote control of an application program. The application interception module captures an I/O stream generated by an application program, converts it to remote control protocol messages and transports them across a network to the remote display module executing in the user system. The remote display module converts the remote control protocol messages to system calls compatible with the operating system environment for the users computer. Likewise, the remote display module converts system calls to the local resource interface in the user's computer to remote control protocol messages which are transported across the network to the application interception module.