Abstract: An apparatus and method provide simple and secure financial transactions in an instant messaging (IM) environment. Two users may engage in an IM session (chat session), with negotiations for a product or service taking place during the chat session. One or both of the users may activate an IM financial transaction mechanism during the chat session. The IM financial transaction mechanism analyzes the chat text, and presents a draft transaction to both buyer and seller, with options based on the analyzed chat text. The draft transaction may be modified by both buyer and seller, who both confirm the draft transaction when all of the details are correct. The confirmed transaction is then sent to a web server that includes an interface to the buyer's online account, and payment is made by transferring the funds for the confirmed transaction from the buyer's online account to an account for the seller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for processing abstract rules with limiting criteria. In one embodiment, limiting criteria may specify requirements for characteristics of sets of input or output values of processing abstract rules. For example, limiting criteria may specify requirements for statistical validity of a set of input values, such as a minimum record count. In one aspect, limiting criteria may include input criteria applied to input data prior to being processed in a rule engine. In another aspect, limiting criteria may include output criteria applied to an output of a rule engine. In the event that limiting criteria are not satisfied, the processing of the abstract rule may be terminated.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product are provided for using watermarks to embed security features on avatars in a virtual world. A watermark engine receives security information for an avatar in a virtual world. The watermark engine creates a watermark for the avatar using the security information and associates the watermark with the avatar. The watermark may comprise at least one of: security preferences for the avatar, contact information for an owner of the avatar, and graphical information to cause alteration of the avatar when the avatar is recorded.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for injecting parameter conditions to reduce a size of a data set to be processed. A data set may be received to be processed by an analytic routine. The data set may include results from executing a first query. Further, input may be received from a user, the input specifying a parameter specific to the analytic routine to be performed on the data set. At least one condition associated with the specified parameter may be identified. A second query may be generated from the first query and the identified condition. The second query may be executed to generate a reduced data set. The analytic routine may be performed on the reduced data set to generate an output to the user.

Abstract: A client-server computing system suited particularly for clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention store log event records in a secure database log by encrypting information in a query, or in query results, that would otherwise be subject to unwanted disclosure (either from within or without a given organization). For example, an organization (e.g., a research institution) may allow a database administrator to review log event records to diagnose and correct system performance issues, without being forced to trust the administrator with sensitive medical data (e.g., medical records related to participants in a research study). Thus, the security of sensitive information may be maintained, while at the same time, the database administrator may still access the information needed to maintain a working system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally related to data processing, and more specifically to processing data retrieved from a database. A GUI screen displaying query results may provide for the selection of a data standard to be applied to the query results. An analysis routine may identify specific results that comport with a selected data standard and visually identify the specific query results that comport with the selected data standard.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface. The method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on the particular logical field. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, where each logical field corresponds to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input and a web service output of a particular discovered web service are associated with particular logical fields of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. The method further includes automatically initiating execution of the discovered web services and displaying one or more values resulting from execution of the discovered web services.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules. In general, the results of executing an abstract query may be used as data inputs for processing an abstract rule. In one embodiment, query results may be sorted according to input field values required for processing a deterministic abstract rule. If a record of the sorted query results includes the same input values as a preceding record, then the rule output of the preceding record may be reused, rather than processing the abstract rule again. Accordingly, the demand load placed on a rule engine may be reduced.

Abstract: A client-server computing system suited particularly for homogenous clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules included in rule set containers. In one embodiment, a first abstract rule may be identified as having an effect on a second abstract rule of the rule set container. A predicate and an action of the first abstract rule may be used in translating the second abstract rule into an executable rule. The executable rule performs the functionality included in the first and second abstract rules, while only requiring one rule execution in a rule engine. In another embodiment, the first abstract rule may be translated into a rejection query configured to return a rejection set. The second abstract rule may be translated into an executable rule that includes a condition that excludes any records included in the rejection set.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product initiate generation of a metafile at a client computer. The metafile is evaluated at a network server for a potential viral risk. Program code executing at the server may correlate the evaluated potential risk to a risk level stored in a database. The program code may attach a color designator or other assignment indicative of the assessed risk level to the data. A user at the client computer may act on the data based on the attached risk level.

Abstract: A client-server computing system suited particularly for clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules. In general, the results of executing an abstract query may be used as data inputs for processing an abstract rule. In one embodiment, query results may be sorted according to input field values required for processing a deterministic abstract rule. If a record of the sorted query results includes the same input values as a preceding record, then the rule output of the preceding record may be reused, rather than processing the abstract rule again. Accordingly, the demand load placed on a rule engine may be reduced.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product are provided for using watermarks to embed security features on avatars in a virtual world. A watermark engine receives security information for an avatar in a virtual world. The watermark engine creates a watermark for the avatar using the security information and associates the watermark with the avatar. The watermark may comprise at least one of: security preferences for the avatar, contact information for an owner of the avatar, and graphical information to cause alteration of the avatar when the avatar is recorded.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for injecting parameter conditions to reduce a size of a data set to be processed. A data set may be received to be processed by an analytic routine. The data set may include results from executing a first query. Further, input may be received from a user, the input specifying a parameter specific to the analytic routine to be performed on the data set. At least one condition associated with the specified parameter may be identified. A second query may be generated from the first query and the identified condition. The second query may be executed to generate a reduced data set. The analytic routine may be performed on the reduced data set to generate an output to the user.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture and apparatus for graphically summarizing the data in an initial query result set, including when rows are removed from the result set by applying a data quality standard is disclosed. When a user selects to change the data quality standard, a group of target rows are identified and removed from the user's display. A bitmap is generated to graphically represent the location of each row in the initial result set, including removed rows. A bitmap to summarize the data values for one or more columns in the initial result set may also be created. Thus, a user may quickly obtain an intuitive view of what the data looks like, without the need for complex analysis or graphing packages.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product for tiered, multi-state intelligent detection and enforcement of security on a pervasive device is provided. The method/apparatus first monitors the pervasive device for the presence of a security identifier, then establishes a current security level chosen from a plurality of security levels for the pervasive device based on the presence of the security identifier.

Abstract: An apparatus and program product initiate generation of a metafile at a client computer. The metafile is evaluated at a network server for a potential viral risk. Program code executing at the server may correlate the evaluated potential risk to a risk level stored in a database. The program code may attach a color designator or other assignment indicative of the assessed risk level to the data. A user at the client computer may act on the data based on the attached risk level.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a technique for finding anomalous values for fields with temporal autocorrelation, without resorting to complex query writing. When composing an abstract query a query interface may be provided for a user to input a temporal correlation conditions. The temporal correlation conditions may include a type of change, a delta value, and a time frame within which two data values must occur to be identified as an anomalous value. The time correlation conditions are then passed to a query builder configured to generate and execute a database query configured to identify anomalous values based on the time correlation conditions.