Abstract: A method for negotiating a common language on a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising: allowing a plurality of users to connect to the VoIP network, each of the plurality of users having at least one of a plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices; configuring each of the plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices with a list of a plurality of languages, each of the plurality of languages having a priority level associated therewith; allowing automatic selection of the common language between two or more of the plurality of users on a joint VoIP call by performing a language handshake; computing a maximum selection score via a language handshake algorithm provided by the language handshake; maximizing a sum of priority levels; minimizing a sum of priority differences; and selecting the common language that provides a largest sum of the priority levels and a lowest sum of the priority differences.

Abstract: A method for negotiating a common language on a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, the method comprising: allowing a plurality of users to connect to the VoIP network, each of the plurality of users having at least one of a plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices; configuring each of the plurality of VoIP compatible transmitting/receiving devices with a list of a plurality of languages, each of the plurality of languages having a priority level associated therewith; allowing automatic selection of the common language between two or more of the plurality of users on a joint VoIP call by performing a language handshake; computing a maximum selection score via a language handshake algorithm provided by the language handshake; maximizing a sum of priority levels; minimizing a sum of priority differences; and selecting the common language that provides a largest sum of the priority levels and a lowest sum of the priority differences.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for gathering information and statistics from a community of agent nodes in a network is provided. The method includes generating a process request. The process request includes a rule for discovering each of the agent nodes in the community and a rule for accessing local information stored on each of the agent nodes. The local information represents activities conducted by end users at each of the agent nodes. The process request also includes a set of rules for classifying data comprising the local information and developing a cumulative profile resulting from the classifying. The cumulative profile includes generic information that is descriptive of collective activities conducted by the end users and is absent information that personally identifies any of the end users.

Abstract: The invention concerns apparatus and methods that determine availability and performance of entities providing services in a distributed system using filtered service-consumer feedback. In particular, apparatus and methods of the invention filter service-consumer feedback in order to reduce the effect of circumstances unique to individual service consumers or to groups of service consumers that do not accurately reflect the actual availability or performance of service-providing entities. In this way an accurate appraisal is gained regarding the performance and availability of a service-providing entity. Reactive methods of the invention can be combined with proactive methods such as, for example, active status probing, to further improve the accuracy of data concerning the status and availability of service-providing entities.

Abstract: The method of the invention provides for dynamic on-demand delegation of control and access in a grid computing environment comprising granting authority of a grid node to a first moderator by a superauthority; admitting the first moderator to the grid node; modifying the access control list of the grid node by the first moderator; inviting other entities listed on the access control list to access the grid node; and issuing a unique authorization certificate to each of the other entities, wherein the first moderator controls the inviting of the other entities without contact with or accessing to the superauthority for certification.

Abstract: A method is provided to determine the optimal number of servers to connect to a download client, in order to achieve efficient file transfer. A number of connections are initially opened between the client and servers, and after waiting for a stabilization period, the over-all transfer speed is determined for the initial connected sources. Thereafter, source connections are sequentially added, until it is determined that adding a further connection will not increase the over-all transfer rate by at least an amount provided by a specified algorithm. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for use in a network configuration comprising a client and multiple servers, wherein the client is connectible to a number of the servers to simultaneously transfer respective portions of a specified file. After connecting an initial number of servers to the client, an additional source, associated with a transfer rate improvement factor, is connected thereto.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing community messaging services is provided. The method includes calculating a receiver pool for receiving a broadcast message, the receiver pool being a subset of a messaging community. The method also includes transmitting the broadcast message to the receiver pool and tracking any feedback from the receiver pool to determine if a satisfactory response has been received. A satisfactory response results when a response is received that addresses or resolves an issue or question presented in the broadcast message. The method further includes re-calculating the receiver pool to receive the broadcast message if the satisfactory response has not been reached after a specified period of time, the re-calculated receiver pool being a subset of the messaging community that has not yet received the message.

Abstract: A method for information gathering and aggregation in a dynamic distributed environment includes obtaining topology information identifying a plurality of topology nodes of the topology and communication paths of the plurality of topology nodes. An information services policy is obtained, and information gathering directives are determined for information gathering nodes included in the plurality of topology nodes and sent thereto, based on the obtained topology information and the obtained information services policy. Information aggregating directives are also determined for information aggregating nodes included in the plurality of topology nodes and sent thereto, based on the obtained topology information and the obtained information services policy.

Abstract: A method for automated topology formation in a dynamic distributed environment includes configuring a master node in an active topology having nodes and intercommunciation paths between the nodes. The master node includes an automated topology formation application including a predefined topology policy definition and a representation of the active topology. The master node receives a communication from an entity, the communication including a topology event notification indicating an event affecting the active topology. Using the automated topology formation application, it is determined that the topology event notification affects a topology portion of the active topology and, based on the topology event notification, the representation of the affected topology portion of the active topology is modified according to the predefined topology policy definition.

Abstract: In a Grid computer system having a plurality of download servers in network communication with client computers and a download management system, a client requests a download plan from the download management system for downloading data in parallel from the plurality of download servers to a client. The client requests chunks of data from download servers identified by the download plan. The client monitors the performance of the download servers downloading the chunks and reassigns portions of chunks amongst the download servers in order to improve the performance of completing the download of the chunks. A chunk of download data is a plurality of files, a file or a portion of file of data.

Abstract: The present invention takes advantage of unused storage space within the ESS cells to provide for the efficient and cost effective storage of downloadable content. Specifically, the system of the present invention generally includes a download grid manager that communicates with the ESS cells. Content to be replicated to the ESS cells, and characteristics corresponding thereto, are received on the download grid manager from a content owner (or the like). Based on the characteristics, a storage policy, and storage information previously received from the ESS cells, the download grid manager will replicate the downloadable content to unused storage space within the ESS cells.