Abstract: Providing traceability in a Virtual Business Object (VBO) may include generating a VBO comprising components and actions that may be performed using the VBO, attaching traceability information regarding an avatar to the VBO and providing the VBO to the avatar. Also, a network entity configured to access a virtual world environment may include a network interface configured to provide access to the virtual world environment and a controller configured to perform a transaction with an avatar in the virtual world environment, generate a Virtual Business Object (VBO) related to the transaction, attach traceability information regarding the avatar to the VBO, and provide the VBO to the avatar.

Abstract: Collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing that may include generating a VBO responsive to an avatar performing a transaction, and providing access to the VBO to other avatars desiring access. Access to the VBO may be provided by registering information regarding accessing the VBO in an inventory of the avatar, registering information regarding accessing the VBO in a centralized registry, allowing some portions of the VBO to be searchable, or uploading a modified copy of the VBO to a centralized VBO data upload facility. Portions of the VBO may be identified as private or public and access provided to only the public portions. An apparatus for collaborative virtual business object (VBO) social sharing may include an interface configured to access virtual world and a processor configured to generate a VBO responsive to a transaction in the virtual world and provide access to the VBO.

Abstract: Mapping of a universal resource locator (URL) to a virtual world location may include receiving a URL for access to an entity, accessing a mapping of the URL to coordinates of a location of the entity in a virtual world, and providing access to the entity in the virtual world. A device that may include a network interface, the network interface being configured to receive a URL and provide access to a virtual world, and a memory, the memory containing at least one mapping of a URL to coordinates in the virtual world.

Abstract: Generation and synchronization of offline three-dimensional (3D) virtual world content that include hosting 3D virtual world content, providing access to a portion of the 3D virtual world content, allowing storing offline of a copy of the accessed portion of the 3D virtual world content, and receiving changes made in the stored offline copy of the accessed portion of the 3D virtual world content and synchronizing the received changes with the hosted 3D virtual world content. The accessed portion of the 3D virtual world content may be recreated offline using a rendering engine on a processing device offline from the hosted 3D virtual world.

Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) virtual world wormhole includes hosting a 3D virtual world, and creating a wormhole at a selected location in the 3D virtual world for automatic transport of an avatar from the selected location to a selected destination in the 3D virtual world. Policies may be defined for the wormhole where the wormhole operates in accordance with the defined policies. An avatar may be automatically transported from the location to any one of a plurality of destinations based on a current capacity of each of the plurality of destinations.

Abstract: A system and method for providing third party secure hosting of an application. The system and method includes providing a host system with a main memory and a third party secured memory, the third party secured memory storing third party information; encrypting the third party information stored on the third party secured memory upon access by a user, the encrypting being via a security key, the security key being held at a customer location; and, enabling access to the third party information only to users having the security key.

Abstract: A method for amending a contract in a virtual world may include presenting an online chat option in response to another user's avatar coming within a predetermined proximity range of an avatar of the user and in response to the other user's avatar and the user's avatar having previously entered into a contract in the virtual world. The method may also include recording the online chat between the users to define an amendment to the contract in response to the online chat option being selected. The method may further include appending the amendment to contracting terms in a contract object in response to acceptance of the amendment by the users.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically increasing a capacity of a virtual space in a virtual world. It is determined if an allowable number of avatars are currently in the virtual space, and a capacity of the virtual space is increased when the allowable number of avatars are currently in the virtual space. The capacity of the virtual space may be increased by spawning a replicate new virtual space. The capacity of the virtual space may also be increased by expanding a size of the virtual space. The virtual space may include any type of virtual space such as for example, a store, a business, an arena, a building, a land area, a room, etc. The allowable number of avatars may be a maximum avatar capacity for the virtual space, or may be an ideal avatar capacity for the virtual space.

Abstract: A system and method for access control key administration in a virtual world that includes identifying an action to be performed on a key provided to a user controlling an avatar in a virtual world. The key provides the avatar access to a virtual space, a service, or an item in the virtual world. The action is applied to the key. The action is applied to the key to modify one or more access parameters on the key. The action applied to the key may be, for example, an update action, a revalidate action, or a remove action.

Abstract: A method for appealing a decision in a contract dispute in a virtual world may include receiving a rejection of the decision in the contract dispute in the virtual world from at least one of a contractor and a contractee. The decision in the contract dispute may be made by a single arbitrator. The method may also include providing a mechanism to appeal the decision by the single arbitrator in the contract dispute in response to receiving the rejection from at least one of the contractor and the contractee.

Abstract: A method for generating a virtual object in a virtual environment that includes performing a business transaction in a virtual environment, completing the business transaction, and generating a virtual object responsive to the completing the business transaction. The virtual object contains information related to at least one of a product or a service related to the business transaction. The virtual object may be stored in a storage mechanism accessible by the virtual environment and/or accessible by a user or avatar. A visual representation of the virtual object may be generated from the completed business transaction.

Abstract: A method for virtual business object processes in a virtual environment that includes presenting at least one process for selection by an avatar in a virtual environment, the at least one process being encapsulated with a virtual business object (VBO) associated with a completed business transaction in the virtual environment, selecting a process from the at least one process, and executing the selected process. The processes encapsulated in the virtual business object may be interactively updated by a remote process.

Abstract: Aspects for a heterogeneous computer network system with unobtrusive cross-platform user access are described. In an exemplary system aspect, the system includes a plurality of computer systems coupled in a network, each of the plurality of computer systems operating according to one of a plurality of operating system platforms, each operating system platform having an associated security mechanism. The system further includes an enterprise directory included on at least one server system of the plurality of computer systems, the enterprise directory configured for security interception to allow an authorized user access among the services of the plurality of computer systems without affecting the associated security mechanisms of the plurality of operating system platforms.

Abstract: Method of, system for, and computer program product for providing a central repository for information regarding run time library usage and a run time subsytem for using the run time libraries in accordance with the information contained in the central repository. The run time subsystem loads run time libraries when initialized and when requested to do by requests from application programs in accordance with the information contained in the central repository. The run time subsystem's use of the central repository provides improved application program performance, improved system utilization, and improved migration.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for generating a remotely-invokable computer procedure in an arbitrary language. The method comprises the steps of describing a computer procedure interface in an arbitrary server program language, translating the computer interface from the arbitrary language to an interface definition language, compiling the translated procedure interface to produce a client stub and a server stub, and compiling and linking a client and server program to the respective client and server stubs. The apparatus comprises a computer network implemented system for performing the foregoing steps, and the article of manufacture comprises a program storage medium, tangibly embodying instructions for performing the foregoing method steps.

Abstract: An extension of the two phase commit protocol allows distributed participation among physically distant agents independent of the communications mechanism being used in a data processing system. An extra stage of processing is added to the two phase commit protocol called End Phase One Processing (EPOP) which enables a distribution of the coordinator function across systems using any communication mechanism. EPOP is an extra stage in which a participant can receive control. In this extra stage, a participant flows two phase commit protocol sequences to distributed systems. The communication mechanism is used in such a way that it becomes part of a distributed coordinator. The coordinator itself does not need knowledge of other systems. The extra stage of processing is enabled by an operating system service called Enable End Phase One Exit Processing (EEPOEP). EEPOEP causes an extension of two phase commit protocol to be used on the issuing system.

Abstract: A desk apparatus for use as a desk or easel is arranged, wherein the desk plate is mounted upon an underlying rectangular framework, including a forward pivoting of the plate and a rear telescoping leg to orient the desk plate at a predetermined angle. A forward tray is selectively and pivotally mounted relative to a forward end of the desk plate, with container drawers slidably mounted orthogonally relative to opposed side edges of the desk plate. A modification of the invention includes indicator members arranged for indication of desired orientation of each container drawer relative to the desk plate utilizing fiber optical cables selectively alignable relative to the container and desk plate.