Abstract: An enhanced collaboration system makes it possible for viewers of post-original video presentations to collaborate online with others who are viewing the same video presentation at the same time. A collaborate room controller establishes and maintains sets of online collaboration sessions for the post-original video presentation with each collaboration session being associated with a particular time slot in the presentation. Typically, a viewer is assigned to a collaboration session that is associated with the user's current view point; i.e., the presentation time slot the user is currently viewing. A graphical user interface conveys information about existing collaboration sessions to the user to assist the user in selecting an appropriate collaboration session.

Abstract: A technique that reduces the possibility that a message received at a computer terminal during an instant messaging conversation will become accessible to unintended viewers. One embodiment is directed to an arrangement wherein a computer terminal at a first client work station is disposed to receive chat messages from a second client work station during an instant messaging conversation. An apparatus associated with the computer terminal for limiting access to the received chat messages includes a device for attaching a security identifier to each received chat message. A display device at the computer terminal generates a window that selectively provides a specified one of the chat messages in viewable form. A concealment device coupled to the display device is operable to make the specified chat message unviewable on the display device. A component connected to the concealment device activates the concealment device when a prespecified event occurs.

Abstract: An improved technique is provided for recognizing a character based user interface having several host component types and transforming the character based user interface to a web enabled user interface. Agents are deployed to consume a character stream which composes the character baded user interface. Each agent scans the character based user interface to determine which host component types exist in the character based user interface. Each agent is specifically designed to determine the existence of a different host component type from the other agents. When an agent fins a host component type, a match region is defined containing the characters of the found host component type. Each agent renders their associated match regions to compose the web enabled user interface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for a configuration of client work stations for instant messaging, wherein a participant intending to send a particular segment of chat content can elect to send the segment in an “off the record” mode. Content sent in this mode can be viewed but cannot be copied or saved by other instant messaging participants. The apparatus usefully includes a mode select device operable by the participant at a given station to designate each of a succession of chat content segments generated at the given station to be either for unrestricted use, or for off the record use, selectively. The apparatus further includes a component for applying a first use control message to each of the off the records segments sent from the given station to one or more of the other stations.

Abstract: An enhanced collaboration system makes it possible for viewers of post-original video presentations to collaborate online with others who are viewing the same video presentation at the same time. A collaborate room controller establishes and maintains sets of online collaboration sessions for the post-original video presentation with each collaboration session being associated with a particular time slot in the presentation. Typically, a viewer is assigned to a collaboration session that is associated with the user's current view point; i.e., the presentation time slot the user is currently viewing. A graphical user interface conveys information about existing collaboration sessions to the user to assist the user in selecting an appropriate collaboration session.

Abstract: Where users of an online collaboration system are viewing a broadcast presentation having segments of non-local content interspersed with segments of localized content, the collaboration opportunities available to the users are enhanced by providing both a primary chat room available for use by all users of the system and two or more additional chat rooms, each available to subsets of users identified as residents of geographic areas covered by the segments of localized content. In another embodiment, a user may control the availability of one of the additional chat rooms to identified members of a subset without regard to whether members are residents of a certain geographic area.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for compensating the environmental motion in handheld devices. A sensor unit is affixed to an object in the environment to detect and measure environmental motion. Upon measuring any detected environmental motion, the sensor unit transmits a value corresponding to the measured environmental motion to one or more handheld devices. Alternatively, the sensor unit may transmit the value corresponding to the measured environmental motion to a unit configured to retransmit the value to one or more handheld devices. Upon receiving the value corresponding to the measured environmental motion, the handheld device cancels this environmental motion from the motion it measured thereby taking into consideration only the motion inputted by the user of the handheld device.