Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product is disclosed that enables a user to customize selection elements of a GUI. For example, menu entries in a GUI can be customized so that the user can specify the font, the language, character sets, color, and other attributes of the text of one menu item (or less than all menu items); to have the ability to selectively activate multimedia options associated with selected menu items (e.g., to play a sound whenever the cursor/pointer passes over a particular menu item); and/or to assign an animation sequence that is unique to selected menu items. The menu item properties are defined by the user, using, for example, a dialog box that allows specification of the attributes. When the application is installed, a default set of menu item properties is defined by the software manufacturer, which can be further customized by the user.

Abstract: A method and system for accessing a public network on a party's cellular phone after a call is established between a plurality of parties on a cellular network is disclosed. The method and system comprises providing a command over the cellular network from an initiating cellular phone to at least one of the plurality of the parties cellular phone that causes the at least one party's cellular phone to access a public network. The method and system further includes loading content from the public network to the at least one party's cellular phone based upon the command. The system and method in accordance with the present invention makes it possible for one of the parties on the call to cause the other cellular phones to automatically access the desired web content.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for bookmarking a section of a Web page are provided. When a Web page is being bookmarked, if the user so chooses, the user may store in conjunction with the URL of the page the size of the window within which the page is displayed, the location of both the horizontal and vertical scroll boxes in the window and the font attributes used to display the page. This allows the section of the page that was displayed when the page was bookmarked to be displayed whenever the bookmarked Web page is re-accessed.

Abstract: A method of rapid access to resources on a computing system is provided that differentiates between applications, data and devices that require password protection and those that do not, enabling those applications, data and devices that do not require protection to be accessed without entry of a password. In one embodiment, application programs include an option that enables a user to specify whether or not the application, or specific operations within the application, can be initiated without first entering a password. In a second embodiment, the protection is provided at an operating system level by protecting designated resources. Another embodiment employs two passwords—the second of which is required to access rapid access applications or operations and may or may not timeout. In this manner, an authorized user can gain access to particular applications, data or devices in less time than otherwise necessary with a standard password protection scheme.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of auto-completing a pre-stored number being manually dialed by a user to make a phone call are provided. When a first digit of the number is entered, the digit is compared with first digits of pre-stored numbers to determine whether there is a match. If there is a match, the number whose digit matched the digit entered is provided to the user. The user may use the provided number to make the phone call or may continue to enter digits of the number. If there is not a match, the user will have to continue enter the number. When the number is used, it is automatically stored for future use. Instead of entering digits of a number, the user may enter letters of a name. As before, if the first letter entered matches a first letter of a pre-stored name, the name will be provided to the user. If the user indicates that the provided name is the desired name, a number associated with the name will be dialed to complete the phone call.

Abstract: Minimizing the damaging effects of loud music but with minimal reduction in aesthetic quality of the music. When music presented through an audio is sampled in order to determine average frequency, music having very low average frequencies is predictably likely to be played louder than sampled music having higher average frequencies. This unexpected observation is based upon a human factor, i.e. rock and related music that is ordinarily composed and presented at relatively low frequencies, e.g. 500 to 1000 Hz is likely to be played on the audio system at very high volume because of the tastes of its listeners. An audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music with a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising an implementation for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented in combination with measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period.

Abstract: The E-mail sender's address book is safeguarded from computer virus intrusion with only minimal interference with normal E-mail distribution from the sender. Complete encryption of the address book create interference with the send function in that before any E-mail function may be started, the address book must be accessed and decrypted even when the E-mail being sent does involve the address book. However, the address book may be safeguarded from the computer virus with minimum E-mail interference if only a part of the address book is encrypted. There is stored the unencrypted data representative of a plurality of aliases for plurality of addressees of electronic mail, and separately stored encrypted data representative of the electronic mail addresses of said plurality of addressees. In response to a request to send electronic mail to one of said aliases, the entry of the key to decrypt the encrypted data is required to thereby provide the address of the addressee having said alias.

Abstract: A view controller, such as a scroll bar, for a first application which is currently displayed within an inactive window is detached and remotely displayed within an active window in addition to the view controller associated with the content of that active window. A Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) link is then established between the remotely displayed view controller and the first application such that user inputs to the remotely displayed view controller can be utilized to modify the display of the first application without requiring the user to activate the inactive window. In this manner data within the first application can be scrolled and visually accessed by the user while the user is working within an active window, without requiring the user to toggle the focus back and forth between two windows.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptively controlling a plurality of automotive control system (ACS) nodes of a vehicle is disclosed. In a first aspect, the system comprises a global position system (GPS) receiver for receiving a GPS signal indicating a geographic position of the vehicle. The system further includes a processor for receiving the indication of geographic position and geographic-based control data provided to the processor. The processor provides data to and controls the plurality of ACS nodes used based upon the geographic control data. In a second aspect, the method comprises receiving a GPS signal and determining the location of the vehicle based upon the GPS signal. The method further includes controlling at least one of a plurality of ACS nodes based upon the location of the vehicle. A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows a user to expand upon the position data stored in the ACS by entering customized data.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for allowing a device to be shared among partitions of a logically partitioned computer system are provided. A table is used to cross-reference a list of devices with a list of partitions that may share the devices. When a partition needs to use a device, it sends a request to a control node. Upon receiving the request, the control node consults the table to determine whether the partition has permission to use the device. If so and the device is currently idle, the control node will reassign the device to the requesting partition. If the device is busy, the control node will so notify the partition. After the requesting partition has used the device, the device will be reassigned to the partition to which it was originally assigned.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for limiting the use of an application program by a user are provided. A cross-reference table containing a list of all users authorized to use a computer system as well as a list of all application programs installed on a computer system is used. The cross-reference table includes an amount of time that each user is authorized to use an application program. When a user tries to execute the application program, a check of the table is made to determine whether the user is authorized to use the program. If the user is authorized to use the program, the program will be allowed to execute and a timer will be activated. The timer is used to ensure that the user does not spend more time using the application program than allowed. Another check may be made to ensure that the user is not using the application program more often than allowed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for mitigating the mobile phone nuisance factor. The present invention causes a mobile phone to activate an “In-Public-Use” profile when in a public establishment, which has a policy for mobile phone usage. A transmitter in the public establishment broadcasts an external control signal that contains an encoded command. The circuitry, or processor instructions, in a mobile phone decodes the command and activates the profile with the identified settings from the command. When the profile is activated, an icon is displayed indicating that the profile is active. Additionally, the “In-Public-Use” profile is deactivated when the mobile phone leaves the range of the signal and the previous settings of the mobile phone are enabled.

Abstract: A wireless telephone system comprising a mobile wireless telephone for receiving and sending a plurality of data telecommunications including an implementation for storing the quantity of times of said plurality of data telecommunications, a telecommunications service provider for transmitting said plurality of telecommunications to and from other telephone terminals, facility in the service provider for keeping track of the quantity of times of said plurality of telecommunications together with a facility in said service provider for automatically sending tracked times to said means for storing the quantity of times in said mobile wireless telephone. At the completion of each of the plurality of communications, the facility for sending tracked times automatically sends the tracked times for each of said plurality of communications.

Abstract: When resources are reported missing within a system they are logged in a system error log. Specifically, resources that are missing because they have been reassigned from one logical partition (LPAR) within the system to another LPAR are tagged. When diagnostics are run to resolve missing resources, the resource reconfiguration database is queried for all resources that were assigned to LPARs and now are reported as missing and a missing resource List is created. The system error log is searched for resources that are tagged as missing because of reassignment. Any tagged resource and associated child resources of the tagged resource are removed from the missing resource List thereby updating the List. Normal missing resource resolution procedures are run against the updated missing resource List.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reporting a posted speed limit to the driver of a vehicle is disclosed. The position of the vehicle is determined using a GPS receiver or triangulation of cellular telephone signals. The position is used to retrieve speed limit or other information from a database. The information is then reported to the driver. A technique is also disclosed for comparing the actual speed of the vehicle with the posted speed limit and issuing a warning to the driver when the posted speed limit is exceeded.

Abstract: A method for providing an electronic business card to a contact via a cellular phone is disclosed. Several business card menu options are provided to a user of a cellular telephone. The cellular phone user enters business card information/data into the cellular phone utilizing the business card menu options. The business card data is stored locally on the cellular phone or in a service provider database. When the user is in communication via cellular phone with someone he wishes to provide his business card to, the user selects a menu item that activates the transmission of the electronic business card to the desired recipient's cellular phone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reporting a posted speed limit to the driver of a vehicle is disclosed. The position of the vehicle is determined using a GPS receiver or triangulation of cellular telephone signals. The position is used to retrieve speed limit or other information from a database. The information is then reported to the driver. A technique is also disclosed for comparing the actual speed of the vehicle with the posted speed limit and issuing a warning to the driver when the posted speed limit is exceeded.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program product for automatically generating directory entries based on caller-id information are provided. When a call is received from a calling party, the caller-id information is obtained from a caller-id database. Either before, during or after the communication connection is established between the calling party's communication device and the called party's communication device, the called party is given the option to store and/or update the caller-id information as a directory entry in a local directory of the called party's communication device. If the called party elects to have the calling party's caller-id information stored in the called party's directory, the caller-id information is transmitted to the called party's communication device and stored as an entry in the called party's local directory and is used for further processing such as call block and the like.

Abstract: A method for delivering coupons to consumers via mobile communication devices, based on location. The present invention includes an electronic database of merchant coupons. Users can then access the database by means of mobile phone, laptop computer, personal digital manager (PDA) or other mobile device. The user receives a menu of service preferences such as retail, dining, automobile service, lodging and entertainment and selects the desired services. Discount coupons for merchants in the user's vicinity are then sent to the user. The coupons are chosen based on the selected preferences and the user's location, which is determined according to the remote transmitting tower through which the user's signal is being sent.