Abstract: A method of connecting businesses through common interests can include storing business profiles comprising business attributes in an online business registry. Responsive to a query from an inquiring business, the online business registry can be searched to locate at least one business having a business profile including at least one business attribute corresponding to the query. At least one communications link between the inquiring business and the located business can be established according to at least one business attribute of the business profile of the located business.

Abstract: A method of dynamically negotiating a transaction can include determining a potential transaction between participants according to transaction parameters stored within a transaction parameter data store. The transaction parameters can be associated with each of the participants and can specify acceptable transaction terms. The potential transactions can be evaluated according to a mutual benefit conferred on the participants by the potential transactions according to the transaction parameters. The potential transactions can be ordered according to decreasing mutual benefit; and, the potential transaction having the greatest mutual benefit can be presented to the participants.

Abstract: A method for managing communications including receiving a multitude of communication attempts from a multitude of communication sources. For each communication attempt, a communication event can be responsively determined. For each communication event, an event weight for the communication event can be determined. Each event weight can be compared to an event threshold associated with the communication event. At least one communication management action can be responsively performed. The communication management action can include a busy indication action, a queuing action, an automated response action, a linking action, a notification action, and/or a reformatting action.

Abstract: A method for editing software objects can include identifying at least one user selection of at least a portion of an electronic document displayed within an application and prompting a user for a target destination to which the user selection is to be posted. A user input specifying the target destination to which the user selection is to be posted can be received and the user selection can be duplicated to the target destination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing contact management to participants engaged in a communication session. The invention permits chat session participants to a communication session to determine common contacts that exists between the chat session participants. Dependent on the accessibility of the particular chat session participants' contact list, other chat session participants to the communication session can view the information located in the contact list. Moreover, a particular chat session participant to the communication session can give either a particular chat session participant or all the chat session participants to the communication session permission to modify their contact list. Permission to access or modify contact lists for chat session participants can be defined prior to establishment of the communication session and/or changed during the communication session.

Abstract: In a relational database management system (RDBMS), a method of processing related records can include receiving a plurality of related records and inserting the plurality of related records into a single table of an RDBMS. The plurality of related records can be associated as a set within the single table using a published function of the RDBMS. Responsive to a triggering condition, particular related records of the set can be selectively purged from the single table.

Abstract: A method of chat messaging can include, establishing communication links with at least a first and a second participant for exchanging chat messages through a chat engine. A state change can be detected for the first participant. An alternate communication channel and an alternate communication channel address can be determined from a user profile of the first participant. While maintaining the communication link with the second participant, a different communication link can be established using the alternative communication channel and the alternative communication channel address. The first participant and the second participant can be communicatively linked subsequent to establishing the connection through the chat engine.

Abstract: A common contact identification system. The common contact identification system can include at least two contact lists, a comparator for comparing contacts in each of the contact lists, and a common contact list including contacts matched by said comparator. Each contact list can include a plurality of contacts. Each contact list further can have a publicly accessible interface through which the contacts can be accessed remotely. As such, the comparator can identify matching contacts in each of the contact lists.

Abstract: A method of data retrieval and presentation over a network can include, responsive to an inquiry, querying at least one search engine in the network as specified by configuration attributes and the inquiry. References from the query can be received from the at least one search engine. The references can be processed according to research rules and a research model can be generated from the processed references.

Abstract: A method of chat communication can include receiving chat communication messages associated with topical threads and displaying the chat communication messages. The chat communication messages associated with a selected topical thread can be visually distinguished, using a visual identifier, from other ones of the chat communication messages associated with other topical threads.

Abstract: In a relational database management system (RDBMS), a method of processing related records can include receiving a plurality of related records and inserting the plurality of related records into a single table of an RDBMS. The plurality of related records can be associated as a set within the single table using a published function of the RDBMS. Responsive to a triggering condition, particular related records of the set can be selectively purged from the single table.

Abstract: A method for managing communications including receiving a multitude of communication attempts from a multitude of communication sources. For each communication attempt, a communication event can be responsively determined. For each communication event, an event weight for the communication event can be determined. Each event weight can be compared to an event threshold associated with the communication event. At least one communication management action can be responsively performed. The communication management action can include a busy indication action, a queuing action, an automated response action, a linking action, a notification action, and/or a reformatting action.

Abstract: A method for editing software objects can include identifying at least one user selection of at least a portion of an electronic document displayed within an application and prompting a user for a target destination to which the user selection is to be posted. A user input specifying the target destination to which the user selection is to be posted can be received and the user selection can be duplicated to the target destination.

Abstract: A method of chat messaging can include, establishing communication links with at least a first and a second participant for exchanging chat messages through a chat engine. A state change can be detected for the first participant. An alternate communication channel and an alternate communication channel address can be determined from a user profile of the first participant. While maintaining the communication link with the second participant, a different communication link can be established using the alternative communication channel and the alternative communication channel address. The first participant and the second participant can be communicatively linked subsequent to establishing the connection through the chat engine.

Abstract: A method of data retrieval and presentation over a network can include, responsive to an inquiry, querying at least one search engine in the network as specified by configuration attributes and the inquiry. References from the query can be received from the at least one search engine. The references can be processed according to research rules and a research model can be generated from the processed references.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for discovering contacts common to a sender and a recipient of an electronic message (e-mail). The method can include identifying an attachment to the e-mail wherein the attachment includes a list of contacts personal to the sender. A list of contacts personal to the recipient can be retrieved. Each of the lists of contacts can be parsed and compared to identify common contacts. A common contact list can be populated with the identified common contacts.

Abstract: A method of chat communication can include receiving chat communication messages associated with topical threads and displaying the chat communication messages. The chat communication messages associated with a selected topical thread can be visually distinguished, using a visual identifier, from other ones of the chat communication messages associated with other topical threads.

Abstract: A method of dynamically negotiating a transaction can include determining a potential transaction between participants according to transaction parameters stored within a transaction parameter data store. The transaction parameters can be associated with each of the participants and can specify acceptable transaction terms. The potential transactions can be evaluated according to a mutual benefit conferred on the participants by the potential transactions according to the transaction parameters. The potential transactions can be ordered according to decreasing mutual benefit; and, the potential transaction having the greatest mutual benefit can be presented to the participants.

Abstract: Secure storage of sensitive data sets in virtually insecure storage facilities is accomplished presently by storing small granular portions of the data (e.g. bits or bytes) in a randomly dispersed manner. The data sets contain information which requires secure handling. However, the granular portions are sufficiently small to ensure that they do not per se reveal any sensitive information, and they are so dispersed in storage that the probability of unauthorized access to useful information in any data set is extremely small. As an example of sensitive data subject to handling as presently contemplated, consider information pertaining to credit card accounts including cardholder, names and addresses associated with account numbers and cardholder identifying information such as social security numbers, etc. The present selection and dispersal of granular portions of this data effectively co-mingles portions of different data sets in storage in a random manner.

Abstract: A method of message delivery can include registering a plurality of reception states for a receiving party. The reception states can specify conditions for establishing communications links with receiving party addresses. A receiving party address can be identified from a first initiated communications link between the sending party and the receiving party. Reception state data specified by the plurality of reception states can be determined according to the receiving party address and can be presented to the sending party.