Abstract: Calendar entries provide for a wealth of information. For example, for a meeting, information such as the start date, subject, attendees, and location are provided. Yet, when writing a follow up e-mail, that's exactly the information a user has to copy/or cut and paste from the calendar entries to the e-mail. Significant time is saved by automatically finding the relevant calendar entry(ies), extracting the known information, and augmenting that information into the e-mail and sending it via a server.

Abstract: An automated disruption recovery system and associated methods address off-normal or emergency events by automatically identifying and contacting individuals or service providers whose capabilities fit the needs of the situation. The system automatically provides a list of potential service providers based on a number of criteria, many of which are defined by the user, and based on other criteria that are automatically defined by the user's current location, situation and need. Thus, selecting, scheduling, and dispatching of surrogate or disruption recovery services is based on time-sensitivity, location information, and conflict/situation definition.

Abstract: An automatic display is triggered upon the receipt of a communication (e.g., telephone, email, pager, etc.) to present a recipient with relevant information about the originator including background data as well as issues to be addressed or remembered. A Personal Information Management (PIM) system stores the information that associates individuals with a set of data that includes tasks, events, and journal entries. The arrival of a communication triggers a query of the PIM system using the originator's identifier and the corresponding data is retrieved for display.

Abstract: A global positioning system (GPS) is used to detect locations (dynamic locations) associated with meeting participants and the proximity between participants is used to create one or more location clusters. Next, the availability of suitable meeting locations (static locations) are identified and an optimum meeting location, given the participant clusters and their proximity to the available meeting locations, is determined. Additionally, the center of mass associated with each of the clusters is also used to determine optimal meeting locations. Lastly, participants are notified regarding the optimized location for the meeting.

Abstract: Sales associated with service providers are increased using an opportunistic approach based on an unexpected change in a schedule or services (time, location). Windows of opportunity (time, physical location) are automatically identified, and once such a window of opportunity is detected, the people affected directly from the change of a schedule are identified. This information is then used by service providers to act quickly in order to enhance sales. Both service providers and consumers setup a personalized profile in a database, and the system uses a matching process to match related service providers to the consumers' preferences.

Abstract: A user interface using graphical means to formulate a search query in which the method of providing the query includes the steps of selecting a visual representation of a search object (402), dropping the visual representation of a search object onto a visual representation corresponding to a domain object (404), and providing a search query in response to the dropping step (406).

Abstract: A virtual shopping cart system used in the context of an Internet environment. The system provides a shopping engine capable of searching the entire WWW to analyze an unbounded population of merchants selling a heterogeneous set of items which the shopper has placed in his or her shopping cart, enables the detection of the lowest priced instances of each item from the population of merchants, enables the sale consummation directly from the shopping cart without having to visit the merchant's site, and permits the shopper to enter into the shopping cart any item that is desired without limiting the shopper to searches on an incomplete set of items.

Abstract: Graphical user interface (GUI) is used to represent entity matches via graphical transition of a matching object based on type of entity and match rating. First, a user requests a match determination, and this request can be queried via various means including a search engine. Next, a match rating is obtained from a source such as a search engine. Furthermore, a transition technique is selected which defines the kind of transition that is to be applied to the match object. Lastly, the graphical user interface (GUI) renders a graphical transition of the match object based on the resultant match rating. Transition techniques such as blurring, composite, and fantasy are used.

Abstract: A item of value to one or more individuals in a group is tracked wherein each valuable object is tagged, and one or more members of the group carry a personal information management (PIM) device equipped with a sensor which constantly scans for the presence of a known valuable. The sensor is able to detect the type of tag(s) used by the group of individuals. Whenever a member of the group carrying a PIM device comes across a known tagged valuable, the system detects it and logs the location, valuable ID, and user ID in a database. Optionally, visual data is captured from the valuable and compared against a standard located in a database in order to locate the valuable.

Abstract: A method for providing location dependent information to a user for selective colleague assistance. The method on a Client Wireless Component includes the steps of receiving location data from a plurality of Global Positioning System GPS satellites and transmitting the location data to an Active Calendar Component. The method further includes on an Active Calendar Component the steps of receiving Client Wireless Component location data and determining if within a threshold distance a Colleague item list exists for user completion.

Abstract: A price comparison and adjustment system can be used in the context of an Internet environment. The system is generally comprised of a server based browser, a shopping cart manager, an extract and verify module, a validation module, and a counter offer module. The system provides an Internet shopper with a convenient method for comparison shopping online while allowing the shopper control over the comparison-shopping search, which also enables a host merchant to counter offer prices at rival merchant's web sites. The system also provides information about rival merchants to the host merchant, which allows the host merchant to develop an optimal pricing and counter offer strategy. The system creates a portable virtual shopping cart that allows the Internet user to browse rival merchants without the appearance of leaving the host merchant's web site, and further allows the shopper to quickly return to the host merchant's web site to purchase items in the virtual shopping cart.

Abstract: Sales associated with service providers is increased using an opportunistic approach based on an unexpected change in a schedule or services (time, location). Windows of opportunity (time, physical location) are automatically identified, and once such a window of opportunity is detected, the people affected directly from the change of a schedule are identified. This information is then used by services providers to act quickly, in order to enhance sales. Heuristics to determine a window of opportunity are based only on schedule changes (which are associated with a rule database), and without knowing who the affected people are or what their preferences (profile data) are.

Abstract: A method in which unauthorized persons can be excluded from accessing an HTTP-compliant, server-based application through a client processor when the session is suspended. The method requires that authenticated access is initially bound to the application and client reauthentication by the application is required in order to resume. For persistent unauthorized users, the client processor is bound to a substituted logical partition at the server that emulates a session, notifies security, and logs the activity as evidence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing non-privileged state cross-memory communications between application programs in disjoint communication memory domains. Appropriate operating systems store a table indicating which communication memory domains and which operations are permitted by a corresponding application program in a corresponding communication memory domain.