Abstract: Authorized priority alerts are permitted to “pop up” on top of a running screensaver in a computer display without suspending operation of the screensaver. A windows manager monitors for priority alerts from applications. If the screensaver is active in the display, the windows manager determines if the alert issuing application and alert type are permitted to breakthrough the screensaver. If so, an alert notification window identifying the content of the alert is generated and displayed in z-order on top of the screensaver, without interrupting the operation of the screensaver displayed underneath. Some notification windows implement security features by displaying only a portion of the content of the corresponding alert or completely obscuring the content of the alert and only notifying of the presence of the alert. An additional security feature requires the user to enter a password in the notification window before the content or type of alert is displayed.

Abstract: A means by which possession of a credit card can be validated in transactions over the Internet is presented. As part of the payment transaction, a vendor instructs the user to use an electronic camera to take a picture of the credit card in a specific situation, such as being held in the user's hand or held against a generated computer screen. The resulting picture is emailed to the vendor, who forwards the image to the credit card company for verification.

Abstract: Screensaver functionality is provided at the individual window level. A windows security module monitors the windows displayed by the computer to detect when a window becomes inactive in the display, for example by the user clicking and working within another window in the display. Upon becoming inactive, the windows security module overrides the application data being sent to a secured window and displays a predetermined screensaver-type image in its place, thereby hiding sensitive information from being displayed by the window during periods of inactivity. The windows security module can implement any user selected security type to hide or obscure the windows content such as blanking the individual window, displaying a text message or other graphic in the window, or minimizing the individual window upon becoming inactive. A time delay can also be set to delay the assertion of the security feature until a specified time following the window becoming inactive.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for multiple dialing by phone. The method for multiple dialing includes: programming the phone with a configurable software algorithm that provides the phone with a multiple dialing feature; triggering the multiple dialing feature; and, causing the phone to place calls to each phone number in a set of pre-programmed phone numbers by sending a transmission to each of the numbers. Calls to each of the pre-programmed phone numbers in the set may be placed by sending a transmission to each of the numbers either serially or in parallel.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying a caller status. A status for a selected entry in an electronic phone book in a communications device is retrieved. The status of the selected entry is presented prior to initiating the call for the selected entry in response to a selection of the selected entry for a call by a user.

Abstract: Several encoders at a broadcast system encode the same audio content. Packets from the resulting streams are immediately decoded and compared against the packets of the original audio stream. The broadcast system dynamically selects the codec that performs the best for the audio in any given packet. The packet produced by the encoder of the best-performing codec devices is selected to be broadcasted/transmitted.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method of displaying images based on image content are provided. To do so, a database of offensive images is maintained. Stored in the database, however, are hashed versions of the offensive images. When a user is accessing a Web page and the Web page contains an image, the image is hashed and the hashed image is compared to hashed images stored in the database. A match between the message digest of the image on the Web page and one of the stored message digests indicates that the image is offensive. All offensive images are precluded from being displayed.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of importing data arranged in a table on an electronic whiteboard into a spreadsheet displayed in a computer system are provided. Generally, the spreadsheet and the table each include a plurality of grid cells. To determine where in the spreadsheet to display the data in the table, the location of the cursor in the spreadsheet is first established. This grid cell is used as a reference point. That is, data in the left-most/top-most grid cell on the table is displayed in the grid cell of the spreadsheet in which the cursor is located.

Abstract: An improved electronic whiteboard is provided. The improved electronic whiteboard includes a plurality of toggle switches along a vertical side for drawing vertical straight lines across the electronic whiteboard and a plurality of toggle switches along a horizontal side for drawing horizontal straight lines across the electronic whiteboard. When some or all the switches along the vertical side are turned on, vertical straight lines are drawn across the electronic whiteboard. Likewise, when some or all the switches along the horizontal side are turned on, horizontal straight lines are drawn across the electronic whiteboard. The intersections of the vertical straight lines with the horizontal straight lines form a plurality of grid cells. The electronic whiteboard contains means for determining the location of these cells.

Abstract: A mechanism for determining a probabilistic security score for a software package is provided. The mechanism calculates a raw numerical score that is probabilistically linked to how many security vulnerabilities are present in the source code. The score may then be used to assign a security rating that can be used in either absolute form or comparative form. The mechanism uses a source code analysis tool to determine a number of critical vulnerabilities, a number of serious vulnerabilities, and a number of inconsequential vulnerabilities. The mechanism may then determine a score based on the numbers of vulnerabilities and the number of lines of code.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for user controlled anonymity when evaluating into a role are provided. An anonymous authentication controller enables a user to control anonymity of the user's identity for role based network accesses to resources, without requiring reliance on any single third party to maintain user anonymity. First, a role authentication certificate is received from a role authenticator, wherein the role authentication certificate certifies that the holder of the role authentication certificate is a member of a particular role without allowing the role authenticator issuing the role authentication certificate the ability to track an identity of a user holding the role authentication certificate.

Abstract: A system for managing security index scores is provided. A security index that rates the security level of a portion of code is associated with the code. Development tools, such as packaging utilities, compilers, integrated development environments, and the like, may warn the user if the security level of the portion of the code is low. Source code repository tools, such as concurrent versioning systems, may deny submitted source code if the security index is below a threshold or below a previous version. Installation tools may warn a user or refuse to install a software package if an associated security index is low. Security index scores may be maintained and digitally signed by a trusted third party.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to display time-segmented descriptions of events that have happened in a currently airing television program. In this invention, the program is divided into segments. The present invention generates a description of the events that occur in each time segment. Each time segment will have a unique time designation that will identify the time range for that segment.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are described for logging off a user from a website, including detecting through a browser a predefined exit channel for a website; detecting a user's leaving the website outside the predefined exit channel; and guiding browser operation toward the predefined exit channel.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and a data processing system for distributing attendee information for use in a physical encounter involving multiple attendees is provided. An identifier assigned to a first data processing system associated with a first attendee is received by wireless transmission. A query including the identifier is formulated. The query is executed on an attendee database. A record of the database including an identity of the first attendee is wirelessly transmitted to a second data processing system associated with a second attendee responsive to execution of the query.

Abstract: A web browser plug-in supports a team approach to Internet research. An initial search, preferably by a web robot, generates an initial plurality of potentially relevant URLs, which are stored in a shared URL database. Team members are notified when new URLs are added to the database. Team members, optionally through an access control system, evaluate and rank the URLs for relevance. URLs are managed based on their rank, such as ordering their display and deleting non-relevant URLs. The rank of a URL may be indicated visually in a web browser, such as by displaying graphic icons adjacent its title. The method may be iterative, with additional searches conducted, preferably via additional web robots, with the additional URLs returned being evaluated, ranked, and managed in the URL database.

Abstract: A method and system for searching source code of computer programs using parse trees are provided. With the method and system, a search query is provided in terms of the utility desired from source code meeting the search query. For example, a series of functions or operations to be performed by source code, that are indicative of the source code that is desired to be found by a user, may be entered as a search query. The search query is converted to one or more parse trees which are then compared against parse trees of source code maintained by the source code search engine database. Parse trees that have nodes matching the parse tree(s) of the search query are identified and a ranking of the extent of the matching between the parse trees is generated. Ranked search results are then returned identifying the source code that matches the search query.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system that adjusts the contents on a display screen based on the distance of the user from the screen. This invention comprises a display screen with a distance approximator mechanism either attached the display screen or positioned in close proximity to the screen. This distance approximator detects user movement and calculates the distance that the user is from the screen. As the distance of the user from the screen increases or decreases, the method of the invention adjusts the contents of the screen. The screen adjustments can comprise enlarging the size of the information on the screen as the user moves further from the screen. The contents can also be reduced as the user returns to a local distance to the display screen.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system that determines the connection availability of a mobile or cellular device to the communication network in the current location of the mobile or cellular device. The system of the present invention comprises a communication tower containing a means to monitor the current connection capacity of the tower. This monitoring process would involve establishing the maximum call connection capability of the tower. This process also maintains a current count of the number of calling devices that are connected through the tower. As the number of connections increases toward the maximum number of connections, the tower will begin to broadcast messages to mobile and cellular telephone devices in the area of the tower the current connection capability to that tower. The mobile or cellular devices would receive the message and display the information to the device user.

Abstract: A system, system, and program for facilitating navigation of voice data are provided. Tokens are added to voice data based on predefined content criteria. Then, bidirectional scanning of the voice data to a next token within the voice data is enabled, such that navigation to pertinent locations within the voice data during playback is facilitated. When adding tokens to voice data, the voice data may be scanned to detect pauses, changes in voice inflection, and other vocal characteristics. Based on the detected vocal characteristics, tokens identifying ends of sentences, separations between words, and other structures are marked. In addition, when adding tokens to voice data, the voice data may be first converted to text. The text is then scanned for keywords, phrases, and types of information. Tokens are added in the voice data at locations identified within the text as meeting the predefined content criteria.