Abstract: A cloud manager uses streams to monitor state of the cloud. A cloud state streaming policy specifies state data to stream, along with one or more initial operators for processing the streams. An archive mechanism allows archiving the streamed data when specified data in the streams exceeds one or more defined thresholds. A user interface allows adjusting the streaming of cloud state data to focus on data of interest to a user. The cloud manager thus allows a user to determine state of a cloud via the streamed state data.

Abstract: A cloud manager uses streams to monitor state of the cloud. A cloud state streaming policy specifies state data to stream, along with one or more initial operators for processing the streams. An archive mechanism allows archiving the streamed data when specified data in the streams exceeds one or more defined thresholds. A user interface allows adjusting the streaming of cloud state data to focus on data of interest to a user. The cloud manager thus allows a user to determine state of a cloud via the streamed state data.

Abstract: A cloud manager uses streams to monitor state of the cloud. A cloud state streaming policy specifies state data to stream, along with one or more initial operators for processing the streams. An archive mechanism allows archiving the streamed data when specified data in the streams exceeds one or more defined thresholds. A user interface allows adjusting the streaming of cloud state data to focus on data of interest to a user. The cloud manager thus allows a user to determine state of a cloud via the streamed state data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method uses location based authentication of a user accessing a virtual machine (VM) by using the physical location of the virtual machine as a criteria for the authentication. When a user requires a logical partition to run in a known, specified physical location, the user specifies the physical location when the VM is created. The specified physical location is then incorporated into the user authentication process. Users are challenged and must know the physical location in order to be authenticated to the system. When a “disruptive event” in the cloud environment occurs that necessitates moving the VM to another location, the original physical location is stored so the virtualization manager later can automatically relocate the VM back to its original physical location.

Abstract: An apparatus and method uses location based authentication of a user accessing a virtual machine (VM) by using the physical location of the virtual machine as a criteria for the authentication. When a user requires a logical partition to run in a known, specified physical location, the user specifies the physical location when the VM is created. The specified physical location is then incorporated into the user authentication process. Users are challenged and must know the physical location in order to be authenticated to the system. When a “disruptive event” in the cloud environment occurs that necessitates moving the VM to another location, the original physical location is stored so the virtualization manager later can automatically relocate the VM back to its original physical location.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: An instant messaging system for securing chat sessions containing confidential subject matter during instant messaging from external entities, the system comprising: a rules engine module configured to continuously build and update a set of rules used to determine when a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party during an instant messaging session contains confidential or uniquely classified subject matter by loading at least one default rules or previous session rules and enabling a user to provide user-defined rules until the instant message session is ended; and an instant messaging module configured to secure the contents in the chat session based on pre-defined user settings, the contents in the chat session being secured when the contents in the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter derived from the set of rules, the chat session is further secured by limiting the exposure of the contents in the chat session to third parties when the chat session is dete

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for protecting a user from being followed by an avatar within an immersive virtual environment. To detect a following avatar, any avatars within a specified range of the user may be identified. Historical data may then be examined to determine if any of the identified avatars has been in the same recent virtual locations as the user. In order to rule out coincidental movements, the likelihood of both avatars being in the same places at the same time may be evaluated. Further, the following avatar may be tested by transporting the user to another location, and then monitoring to determine whether the following avatar also transports to the same location. Upon confirming that the following avatar is actually following the user, avoidance actions may be performed in order to avoid the following avatar.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: An instant messaging system for securing chat sessions containing confidential subject matter during instant messaging from external entities, the system comprising: a rules engine module configured to continuously build and update a set of rules used to determine when a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party during an instant messaging session contains confidential or uniquely classified subject matter by loading at least one default rules or previous session rules and enabling a user to provide user-defined rules until the instant message session is ended; and an instant messaging module configured to secure the contents in the chat session based on pre-defined user settings, the contents in the chat session being secured when the contents in the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter derived from the set of rules, the chat session is further secured by limiting the exposure of the contents in the chat session to third parties when the chat session is dete

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of reconstructing a virtual world environment by retrieving data from multiple users present in the environment at a given point in time. Each user may maintain scene data describing the virtual environment at different points in time. The scene data describes one or more elements present in the scene, from the perspective of an avatar associated a given user. To reconstruct a scene, the scene data from multiple caches may be shared over a peer-to-peer type network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of reconstructing a virtual world environment by retrieving data from multiple users present in the environment at a given point in time. Each user may maintain scene data describing the virtual environment at different points in time. The scene data describes one or more elements present in the scene, from the perspective of an avatar associated a given user. To reconstruct a scene, the scene data from multiple caches may be shared over a peer-to-peer type network.

Abstract: A method for securing chat sessions containing confidential subject matter during instant messaging from external entities is provided. The method, comprising: building a set of rules used to determine when a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party during an instant messaging session contains confidential or uniquely classified subject matter; and securing the contents in the chat session based on pre-defined user settings, the contents in the chat session being secured when the contents in the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter derived from the set of rules, the chat session is further secured by limiting the exposure of the contents in the chat session to third parties when the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter while enabling the first chat party and the second chat party to view the contents in the chat session.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a ventricular defibrillator and a rate adaptive cardiac pacer automatically adjusts post-pacing sensing parameters dependent upon pacing rate. The device includes a pulse generator that applies stimulation pulses to a heart at a calculated variable stimulation rate as a function of physiologic demand. A sensing circuit senses ventricular activity of the heart responsive to a plurality of sensing parameters including post-pace sensing parameters and a processor adjusts the post-pace sensing parameters responsive to the selected pacing rate.