Abstract: A method for providing an alert indication, the method includes: allowing a first user to define an alert to be generated in response to an availability of a second user to participate in an instant messaging session; and sending to the second user an alert indication indicative of the alert.

Abstract: A vehicle antitheft system and method detects the starting of a vehicle and starts a first timer. If the first timer times out without the system having detected a first predetermined sequence, the system actuates a vehicle system warning signal and starts a second timer. If the second timer times out without detecting a second predetermined sequence, which may be the same as or different from the first predetermined sequence, the system disables the vehicle. The system may send vehicle location information to a monitoring service or the like. The vehicle remains disabled until the antitheft system is reset.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for mitigating address book weaknesses that permit sending of e-mail to wrong addresses includes determining prior to sending an e-mail message whether one of a plurality of recipients of an e-mail message should receive the e-mail message, the determining prior to sending the e-mail message including analyzing history information of a sender of the e-mail message to determine whether the one of the plurality of recipients is ordinarily connected with the plurality of recipients and whether the one of the plurality of recipients is ordinarily connected with a subject of the e-mail message, the analyzing history information including comparing the plurality of recipients to a database indicative of recipients that received e-mail from the sender, and, responsive to the history information, determining whether the one of the plurality of recipients is one of a new recipient and an ordinary recipient, and presenting the determining to the sender.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an email application that includes a subject evaluation engine, which is able to automatically generate a subject heading suggestion for an email message based upon content contained in the email message. The subject evaluation engine can also compare a pre-existing subject heading of the email message against content contained in the email message. User selectable interface elements can be included in the email application for invoking the suggestion and comparison functions of the subject evaluation engine. Further, the subject evaluation can automatically be initiated before an email message is sent, can be used to notify a user when the message's subject is inconsistent with the message's content, and can suggest one or more replacement subject headings for the current heading.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for limiting the availability of computational resources to a device to stimulate a user of the device to apply necessary updates. Indication of the n update to the device is received and a determination is made as to whether the update has been applied to the device. The availability of computational resources at the device to use to execute processes at the device are limited in response to determining that the update has not been applied to the device. Processes are executed at the device using the limited available computational resources after the limiting of the availability of the computational resources. A determination is made as to whether the update has been applied to the device after limiting the availability of the computational resources. The limiting of the availability of the computational resources at the device is reversed in response to determining that the update to the device was applied.

Abstract: A method for providing an alert indication, the method includes: allowing a first user to define an alert to be generated in response to an availability of a second user to participate in an instant messaging session; and sending to the second user an alert indication indicative of the alert.

Abstract: A method for reaching a communications service subscriber who does not answer an incoming communications request to the subscriber's communications device, the method including detecting that an incoming communications request received at a first communications device is not answered, locating a second communications device within a predefined distance from the first communications device, and sending a message to the second communications device indicating the receipt of the incoming communications request at the first communications device.

Abstract: A method includes steps of: receiving a prompt from a user to activate a message interface in order to begin a session; activating the message interface such that said message interface is presented to the user and is able to receipt input from the user; receiving user input from the message interface, including: a user selection of at least one target correspondent; and a first message to be sent to the at least one target correspondent; identifying the session with a unique identifier; and sending the first message to a messaging system for delivery to the target correspondent when the target correspondent is available.

Abstract: A computer implemented method in a data processing system and a computer program product enable visual selection of a media signal. A set of media signals is received from a set of media providers. A subject matter and a performer of the subject matter are then identified for at least one of the set of media signals. A set of icons is then identified. Each of the set of icons corresponds to at least one of media signals. The set of icons and the set of media providers are then forwarded to a client media player.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting communication means are provided. The method includes receiving a request for communication (102) by a current user (101) with a target contact and searching data of prior communication attempts (105) by prior users with one or more prior target contacts using different communication means, wherein the current user and the prior users fall within a first defined category and the target contact and the prior target contacts fall within a second defined category. The success of the communication means of prior communication attempts is determined (104) and a communication means for the current user is recommended (103). The method includes referencing (107) relationship resource (109) to determine if users or target contacts fall within defined categories, such as, for example, an organizational structure level, a department, or a group of people with a given form of relationship to another group of people.

Abstract: A vehicle antitheft system and method detects the starting of a vehicle and starts a first timer. If the first timer times out without the system having detected a first predetermined sequence, the system actuates a vehicle system warning signal and starts a second timer. If the second timer times out without detecting a second predetermined sequence, which may be the same as or different from the first predetermined sequence, the system disables the vehicle. The system may send vehicle location information to a monitoring service or the like. The vehicle remains disabled until the antitheft system is reset.

Abstract: A system for biasing suggested room and/or resource search results based on user behavior related to rescheduling and/or canceling existing resource reservations. The system uses historical data, statistical analysis, and heuristics to generate suggestions as to which users may be willing and/or able to give up their existing resource reservations for a particular time slot. By monitoring which users reschedule and/or cancel existing reservations, and how often they do so, the system is able to provide a user in need of a previously reserved room/resource with a prioritized list indicating which other users with existing resource reservations during the desired time slot are relatively more likely to cancel their reservations, and/or to transfer their reservations to the scheduling user.

Abstract: A method of managing the entry of individuals or email groups into their intended recipient field within a sender's email is disclosed. A predefined, static association between an intended recipient or email group and a To, CC, or BCC recipient field may be created by a sender. A new email message graphical user interface having General, To, CC, and BCC fields contained within the header is provided. When an individual or group is entered into the General recipient field it is automatically delegated to the To, CC, or BCC field with which it is associated. Provisions for ensuring that recipients with multiple field associations do not exist, that recipients with a predefined association are not entered into an incorrect field, for creating a predefined association with two recipient fields, and for creating a predefined association when none exists are also provided.

Abstract: A method for providing an alert indication, the method includes: allowing a first user to define an alert to be generated in response to an availability of a second user to participate in an instant messaging session; and sending to the second user an alert indication indicative of the alert.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for automatically scheduling execution of a process using information in a calendar. Entries in a set of electronic calendars associated with a set of users are analyzed to generate expected computer usage patterns for the set of users. A low usage time interval for a computer is identified using the expected computer usage patterns. The low usage time interval for the computer is a time interval when expected usage of the computer by the set of users does not exceed a threshold amount of usage. The process is automatically executed during the low usage time interval.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for preventing a set of users from accessing a message in an instant messaging system. The process determines whether a message received by a receiving computing device from a sending computing device is undetected by a set of users associated with the receiving computing device. The process notifies the sending computing device that the message is undetected by the set of users in response to determining that the message is undetected by the set of users associated with the receiving computing device. The process prevents the set of users from accessing the message in response to receiving a request to prevent the set of users from accessing the message.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an email application that includes a subject evaluation engine, which is able to automatically generate a subject heading suggestion for an email message based upon content contained in the email message. The subject evaluation engine can also compare a pre-existing subject heading of the email message against content contained in the email message. User selectable interface elements can be included in the email application for invoking the suggestion and comparison functions of the subject evaluation engine. Further, the subject evaluation can automatically be initiated before an email message is sent, can be used to notify a user when the message's subject is inconsistent with the message's content, and can suggest one or more replacement subject headings for the current heading.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for mitigating address book weaknesses that permit sending of e-mail to wrong addresses includes determining prior to sending an e-mail message whether one of a plurality of recipients of an e-mail message should receive the e-mail message, the determining prior to sending the e-mail message including analyzing history information of a sender of the e-mail message to determine whether the one of the plurality of recipients is ordinarily connected with the plurality of recipients and whether the one of the plurality of recipients is ordinarily connected with a subject of the e-mail message, the analyzing history information including comparing the plurality of recipients to a database indicative of recipients that received e-mail from the sender, and, responsive to the history information, determining whether the one of the plurality of recipients is one of a new recipient and an ordinary recipient, and presenting the determining to the sender.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for text-to-speech synthesis with personalized voice. The method includes receiving an incidental audio input (403) of speech in the form of an audio communication from an input speaker (401) and generating a voice dataset (404) for the input speaker (401). The method includes receiving a text input (411) at the same device as the audio input (403) and synthesizing (312) the text from the text input (411) to synthesized speech including using the voice dataset (404) to personalize the synthesized speech to sound like the input speaker (401). In addition, the method includes analyzing (316) the text for expression and adding the expression (315) to the synthesized speech. The audio communication may be part of a video communication (453) and the audio input (403) may have an associated visual input (455) of an image of the input speaker.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing information regarding mailing list aliases to recipients of email messages that are sent using mailing list aliases are provided in the present invention. A method for providing information regarding mailing list aliases in an email message is provided. The method includes displaying an email message including at least one mailing list alias, and displaying a scope indicator in association with the mailing list alias, wherein the scope indicator provides a visual indication that a plurality of email addresses are mapped to the mailing list alias.