Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide for a computer-based notification method, apparatus and article of manufacture. In one embodiment, an alert/notification includes displaying one or more animated graphical objects in response to a user-specified event, where attributes of the animated graphical objects are user-defined.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing enlarged virtual screen using dynamic zone compression of screen content in a graphical user interface of a computer. A maximum uncompressed view window size is determined. An uncompressed area from a virtual screen is transferred to an actual screen buffer. For each zone within a compression area, a compression ratio is identified, a zone bitmap is copied and reduced according to the identified compression ratio; and the reduced zone bitmap is transferred to the actual screen buffer. The uncompressed area optionally is centered on a focus window that can change to a new window at any time, or can remain in a fixed area of the screen. Resizing the focus window optionally is restricted to the maximum uncompressed view window size. Hint text within the compression area optionally is displayed uncompressed.

Abstract: A method and system in a computer within a computer network for automatically swapping application tasks running within the computer when access from the computer to a remote network site is delayed. Initially, a link from a local network site to a remote network site utilizing a communications application while multi-tasking applications are simultaneously running at the local network site is initiated. Data retrieval from the remote network site is then initiated in response to initiating the link. Focus is then automatically switched from the communications application to a multi-tasking application simultaneously running at the local network site, in response to initiation of the data retrieval. After retrieval of the data has been completed, user notification of such completion is automatically provided. In one embodiment, that notification is provided by automatically switching focus back to the communications program.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize automated analysis techniques to assist in the determination of acceptable usages of linguistic terms (e.g., words, phrases, acronyms, etc.). In particular, an acceptable usage of a linguistic term may be determined by scanning a plurality of documents for variants (e.g., based on differing spellings, punctuation, capitalization, meaning or definition, etc.) of the term, and tracking relative occurrences of a plurality of such variants found in the plurality of documents during scanning. By tracking occurrences of linguistic term variants, users may be able to use such statistical information to select which of the available variants represents an acceptable usage, or even a most acceptable usage, of a term. Scanned documents may be retrieved from the Internet, and scanning may occur while a user is browsing the Internet.

Abstract: A service provider generates digital records of calendar events with respect to its clients using its own data, and automatically transfers these records to portable digital devices of the clients. Preferably, the service provider maintains a computer system or terminal at the point of personal contact with the client, which is also used to track service provider operations. The provider's computer system automatically generates an event record in a format for use by the client, from data in the computer system used to track service provider operations. Preferably, the service provider maintains a list of clients and their associated portable digital device interface type. The provider's computer system generates an appropriate calendar event, and formats and transmits it according to the client's interface type.

Abstract: A method, system, and article of manufacture that improves the chance of getting an answer to a broadcast chat by sending the messages in subscribers in periodically delayed groups. If a group of subscribers does not produce enough suitable answers, the present invention will then rebroadcast the inquiry to another group of subscribers. This process will continue until enough suitable answers are received.

Abstract: A mechanism for recovering from an invalid hyperlink address. In the preferred embodiment, a browser sends a request containing a hyperlink address of a file to a server. When the browser receives a message from the server indicating that the address is invalid, the browser shortens the address to the next highest directory deleting the most narrow portion of the address and retries the request using the new, shortened address. Since many servers have their files organized hierarchically, this recovery strategy provides a good alternative to the original, invalid address.

Abstract: A presentation assisting tool monitors the time remaining in a presentation in real time and dynamically adjusts the presentation to fit available time constraints. Preferably, the presentation tool is a software application program. A user generates and stores multiple frames of a presentation, assigning a numerical priority and a minimum, goal and maximum time to each frame. During the presentation to an audience, the tool monitors the progress of the presentation and the time remaining. The presentation tool dynamically adjusts goal times to fit the remaining time allotted, and if necessary, deletes entire frames using the pre-assigned priorities. The tool displays visible indicia of the time remaining, goal times, and/or need to move on to another frame, to the user. The visible indicia are preferably unintelligible to, or not easily noticed by, the audience.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide for a computer-based notification method, apparatus and article of manufacture. In one embodiment, an alert/notification includes displaying one or more animated graphical objects in response to a user-specified event, where attributes of the animated graphical objects are user-defined.

Abstract: Method for providing at least a portion of a disguised password in an undisguised form is described. More particularly, a program is described having a capability of displaying a single character at a time, more than one character at a time or all of otherwise disguised characters of a password in an undisguised form in response to a successful pre-password check.

Abstract: A method and computer program product are provided for implementing supervision functions for Internet browsing. A user profile record is maintained. A universal resource locator (URL) is identified. Approval is determined for the identified URL. The URL is displayed according to the user profile record. A view record is created and the screen is optionally captured at prescribed events and time intervals. The user profile record includes a display level, a URL history capture, and trust lists. The display level includes approved, monitored and restricted options. The URL history capture includes approved, monitored and restricted options and defined threshold values. Trusted URLs are allowed to delegate trust to links on their pages. URLs are allowed to inherit trust from a trusted URL. A supervised user may create an explanation for a bad choice to a history record. The trust lists include a list of approved web sites.

Abstract: An apparatus and method helps a user to determine parts of an electronic document that are of interest by allowing the user to define preferences for processing an electronic document, and by automatically highlighting one or more portions of the document according to the user preferences. Highlighting includes any way to enhance or alter the appearance of text, including bold, italics, underlining, change in font style, change in font size, change in color, change in background color, etc. The automatic highlighting of portions of the document attract the user's eyes to that portion of the document, which helps the user to discern whether or not the highlighted portion is relevant or interesting. The preferred embodiments also include a document generator that takes an input document and generates therefrom an output document that has one or more highlighted portions that are hard-coded into the document according to the user preferences.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing enlarged virtual screen using dynamic zone compression of screen content in a graphical user interface of a computer. A maximum uncompressed view window size is determined. An uncompressed area from a virtual screen is transferred to an actual screen buffer. For each zone within a compression area, a compression ratio is identified, a zone bitmap is copied and reduced according to the identified compression ratio; and the reduced zone bitmap is transferred to the actual screen buffer. The uncompressed area optionally is centered on a focus window that can change to a new window at any time, or can remain in a fixed area of the screen. Resizing the focus window optionally is restricted to the maximum uncompressed view window size. Hint text within the compression area optionally is displayed uncompressed.

Abstract: A method within a graphical user interface (GUI) development environment for providing cross-pane visual display correlation between widgets that reside on different visual display panes. A GUI development tool is utilized to specify a visual display relation between an influenced widget and an influencing widget. The influencing widget is displayed within a first display pane and the influenced widget is displayed within a second display pane. The specified visual display relation is encoded within a GUI development description of the second display pane such that visual continuity between the influenced widget and the influencing widget is observed when an end user traverses from the first to the second display pane.

Abstract: The mechanisms of the present invention model real life by providing subconversations through several different, yet complimentary, features. One feature is referred to as conversation separation. When enabled by a user, conversation separation is used to create subconversations by identifying groups of users that are speaking with one another. Another user configurable feature is referred to as distance recognition. Distance recognition creates subconversations by considering the logical distance between users within a groupware object. A feature that is related to distance recognition is referred to as “priority conversation.” If enabled, priority conversation maintains a user within a subconversation as the user moves away from the location of the other users so long as the user that is moving away continues to participate in the subconversation.

Abstract: The present invention generally is directed to a method of associating a label with a component in a graphical user interface panel. The method comprises: displaying an image of the panel containing an image of the component and an image of the label; receiving a set of user inputs selecting the image of the component, the image of the label, and a predefined user action configured to associate the label with the component; and associating the label with the component in response to the set of user inputs.

Abstract: An automated sales promotion selection system uses neural networks to identify promising sales promotions based on recent customer purchases. The system includes a customer information device that receives customer data relating to customer purchases of items from an inventory of items, a central processing unit having a sales promotion neural network and a storage unit containing a plurality of item identifiers comprising potential customer purchases of additional items from the inventory, wherein the sales opportunity neural network responds to customer data received from the customer information device by determining if one or more of the item identifiers in the storage unit corresponds to an item likely to be purchased by one of the customers, and an output device that receives the item identifiers of the likely purchases determined by the sales promotion neural network and produces a sales promotion relating to at least one of the item identifiers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reading a web page according to a set of user-configurable settings. In one embodiment, a set of user-configurable settings configured for reading the web page is determined. An initial reading position on the web page is determined as specified by the user-configurable settings. The web page is then read from the initial reading position according to the set of user-configurable settings.

Abstract: Communications sessions between two or more radio transceivers are synchronized automatically to conserve battery power. A duty cycle is established, and the duty cycle data are communicated from one transceiver to the other(s) along with the time of day and other information. When the on-time portion of the duty cycle indicates that the transceiver is to be powered-on from a power-conserving sleep state to a full-power active state, a microprocessor causes power to be applied to the radio transceiver circuitry. Because they are synchronized, all transceivers of the system simultaneously power-on in this manner. In the active state, there is sufficient power for radio communication between the transceivers, and the users can use the transceivers in the conventional manner during the active state. The transceivers remain in the active state until the off-time portion of the duty cycle indicates to the microprocessor that the transceiver is to be powered-off from the active state to the sleep state.

Abstract: A method, meeting scheduler and computer program product are provided for automated meeting scheduling using delegates, representatives, quorums, and teams. Meeting settings and invitees data are stored for a meeting. The meeting settings and invitees data includes invitee attendance type, delegates, representatives, quorums, and teams data. A solution time block for automated meeting scheduling including at least a subset of a plurality of selected invitees is identified utilizing the invitee attendance type, delegates, representatives, quorums, and teams data. A selection score is calculated for each potential time block for automated meeting scheduling utilizing the stored meeting settings and invitees data including the invitee attendance type, delegates, representatives, quorums, and teams data. The solution time block for automated meeting scheduling including a subset of a plurality of selected invitees is identified utilizing the calculated selection score.