Abstract: A multi-media information system enables tracking of user interactions to media presentations. A content creation phase enables a creator to specify presentation events or user interactions that can be tracked. A token(s) is introduced into the content by the creator to represent each piece of information to be tracked. A deployment delivery phase delivers the presentation to a web page for a user experience phase and interaction. Trackable information is communicated by the user to the tracking server at different instances of time. Each pre-authored trackable information can be flagged to be “real-time” or otherwise at the granularity of the token or at the granularity of each trackable context. When trackable information is not “real-time”, the information is put into one of several information clusters of different priority. When each cluster achieves a critical mass, the cluster moves to a ready state for transmission to the tracking server.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for enriching a non-linkable media representation presentable at a user terminal. In an illustrative embodiment, a hotlink canvas receives a hot link composition from an action enabling kernel and displays hotlinks in the hotlink canvas by overlaying a transparent panel on top of the non-linkable media whereby the non-linkable media becomes interactive and hyperlinkable. The hotlink canvas provides the following functions: query media current position and state; forward media position and state to the action enabling kernel; receive contending hotlink candidates from the action enabling kernel; pick one hotlink among a set of hotlink candidates; compose hotlinks by receiving hotlinks meta data from the action enabling kernel; display range contours of hotlinks on the media object by overlaying a hotlink canvas; perform an action specified; request the action enabling kernel to handle an action; and decouple hotlinks in otherwise linkable media.

Abstract: A method for creating a virtual uniform resource locator (URL) for a customer wherein the virtual URL is hosted by an application service provider (ASP). The method comprises the steps of registering a wildcard domain name */ASP.net, the wildcard domain name directing requests of the form anyname/ASP.net to ASP's home page ASP.net, creating a virtual URL customer/ASP.net, wherein the customer is named before the ASP, creating a customer subdirectory ASP/customer.net, creating an index containing a list of customer subdirectories and a list of virtual URLs, wherein the index maps a virtual URL to a corresponding customer subdirectory, receiving an http request from a user for a virtual URL, determining the corresponding customer subdirectory for the requested virtual URL from the index, directing the user to the corresponding customer subdirectory.

Abstract: A multi-media information system enables tracking of user interactions to media presentations. A content creation phase enables a creator to specify presentation events or user interactions that can be tracked. A token(s) is introduced into the content by the creator to represent each piece of information to be tracked. A deployment delivery phase delivers the presentation to a web page for a user experience phase and interaction. Trackable information is communicated by the user to the tracking server at different instances of time. Each pre-authored trackable information can be flagged to be “real-time” or otherwise at the granularity of the token or at the granularity of each trackable context. When trackable information is not “real-time”, the information is put into one of several information clusters of different priority. When each cluster achieves a critical mass, the cluster moves to a ready state for transmission to the tracking server.

Abstract: A network capable of providing rich media presentations includes a network server and a client station. The network implements HotMedia architecture to transmit the presentation including non-linkable media from the server to the client station. The server transmits the presentation as a streaming file in a framework of frames including a header frame, thumbnail frame, meta frame, media frame and end-of-stream frame. The client station includes an action enabling kernel and a client master module. The action enabling kernel contains a table lookup of action triggering inputs and consequent action commands for hotlinking. The master module controls a selection process of the various types of media involved in the presentation and provides a signal to the action enabling kernel to provide an appropriate action handler to the server. When a media frame is encountered the master module checks to determine that a media object has been created to handle the media frame.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing a database residing in a computer system linked to a network is provided. The method includes creating one or more virtual data islands partitioned inside the database, each virtual data island storing client data for a specific client engaged in a fundraising campaign, the client data containing one or more constituent records (CR). The method further comprises the steps of creating a master island containing a compilation of the fields in the virtual data islands. The method further comprises the steps of creating a linking table including a compilation of unique identifiers of the individuals whose records are in the virtual data islands. The method further comprises the steps of creating a data pool having selected data from the CRs, analyzing the data pool, and using the results of the analysis in fundraising campaigns. The method further comprises identifying potential donors from the results of the analysis.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for efficient communication among a patient and family and friends is provided. The invention identifies charitable organizations that the patient and his friends and family may be inclined to support and establishes relationship between them and the charitable organizations. These organizations include hospitals and other healthcare facilities, research organizations, or other charitable and nonprofit organizations. The invention then solicits charitable donations.

Abstract: A method and system for soliciting charitable donations from on-line shoppers during electronic commerce is provided. The method for soliciting a charitable donation for an organization or a person from on-line shoppers during electronic commerce comprises the steps of hosting a website having information about a fundraising campaign or an organization, one or more electronic catalogs listing one or more items or events that are available for purchase by the on-line shoppers through the web site, browsing through the catalog and selecting one or more items that are to be purchased, purchasing one or more selected items, adding the selected items to a shopping cart, providing billing information, and providing information regarding one or more charities, wherein the information is intended to encourage and motivate shoppers to make a charitable donation.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently conducting a fundraising campaign over a wide-area network is provided. In accordance with the invention a method for conducting an efficient fundraising campaign by an organization over a wide-area network includes hosting a website, registering on the website, making a charitable donation on the website, contacting third parties via email messages soliciting charitable donations, and providing one or more reports, on the website, including information on the status of the fundraising campaign. The method further includes contacting third parties, via email messages, to provide information about one or more teams participating in a competition associated with the fundraising campaign. The method further includes providing information, in the reports, about the third parties that have been contacted via email messages.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling access to a communication medium intended for sharing by a least two stations to enable peer-to-peer communications therebetween. Initially, the communication medium is sensed at a first station to determine if the medium is in use. If the first station senses that the medium is not in use, the first station may then transmit a connection request message intended for a second station. Upon receiving at the second station the connection request message, the second station transmits a connection confirm message to the first station for the purpose of establishing a reservation of the transmission medium for use by the first and second stations. Thereafter, the first station transmits information as one or more data messages from the first station to the second station. Upon receiving the last of the data messages from the first station, the second station transmits an acknowledgement message to the first station.

Abstract: First and second multi-node communication paths are connected via a bridge node. Each path employs a quota allocation scheme for access thereto by the nodes thereon. A first quota allocation signal is propagated on the first path and a second quota allocation signal is propagated on the second path, the second signal controlling access to the second path for the purpose of transmitting information to the bridge node destined for the first path. The quota allocation signals are synchronized to ensure that there is at most one circulation of the second quota allocation signal for each circulation of the first quota allocation signal. Information from the first path to the second path is deflected from the bridge node and around the first path if the bridge node is full. If the information is transmitted in sequenced packets, a deflected packet is assigned a deflection number. The bridge node tracks deflections via the deflection numbers.

Abstract: A packet communications system utilizes a route determining mechanism by identifying principal paths between the source and the destination in the system. Principal paths are minimum hop count paths with a transmission delay less than a specified threshold. Principal path links are accepted as legs of the optimum path, if feasible, i.e., if the resulting load on the link is less than a specified principal threshold. Secondary links are accepted only if the resulting load on the link is less than a specified secondary threshold, where the secondary threshold is less than the principal threshold. All paths must also have a transmission delay less than a specified threshold. Each request for a route includes the source node, the destination node, the load required, the maximum transmission delay and, if desired, the quality of service parameters which all of the legs of the route must satisfy.