Abstract: Methods 300 and systems 100 are provided for notifying a mobile telephone user of an incoming call in a loud ambient environment. A call notification system registers mobile devices located within the boundary of the area it serves, and couples to the mobile devices using a short range communication technology such as Bluetooth. Upon detecting an incoming call, the mobile device alerts the notification system after a predetermined number of rings. After a predetermined number of rings the notification system, in turn, presents an incoming call notification using visual cues or audio cues to catch the user's attention.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for customizing and consolidating bookmarks into folders in an Instant Messaging (IM) environment as well as an Internet browser. An IM GUI is provided that contains IM contacts and online information for those IM contacts, such as Web searches or bookmarks, which can be accessed by the user. Sorting of the IM contacts by a specific subject matter or category is provided as well as prioritizing of IM contacts based on subject matter expertise or frequently visited bookmarks. Searching of information contained in the IM environment as well as the Internet is also provided.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for checking the availability of goods and services by means of the Internet are provided. The invention comprises compiling a customer profile, which may include information related to business affiliation as well as personal preferences. The customer uses a general search engine to submit a query regarding a desired good or service, and the search engine returns a list of suppliers that satisfy the search generic criteria. Special software on the client machine then sends more detailed queries, along with the customer profile, directly to certain suppliers selected from the list. These suppliers then return information, which corresponds to the customer profile. This information may include availability of specific accommodations, special discounts, as well as exclusive goods or services not offered to the general public.

Abstract: Display time for a billboard message is varied in proportion to measured speed of one or more vehicles. This may include varying not only the time a message is presented on the billboard, but also varying the density of the message. An overall message may be broken into segments displayed a sequence of billboards depending on the speed, e.g., for a faster moving vehicle the message has more segments. If the speed of a vehicle is great enough, the message segments are also reduced to fewer words or graphics, which may also be larger. Also, clusters of vehicles are detected and a billboard message display is varied in response to the clusters, which may include display time or segmentation variation, so as to more nearly optimize the number of persons who are able to see the message. Further, a billboard is rotated per vehicle speed, distance, length or clusters.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for programming a vehicle ignition key with route information are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and software are disclosed for obtaining map data from a map data source; deriving route information from the map data; and transferring the route information to a vehicle ignition key. When the driver starts the vehicle with the ignition key, the ignition key transfers the route information stored on it to a receiver in the vehicle. The route information is used to prevent the vehicle from traveling away from an authorized route or outside a specified area.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for providing a wireless message to a recipient on a wireless device are provided. More particularly, hardware and/or software for providing a wireless message to a recipient on a wireless device when at least a portion of a broadcast message matches at least a portion of profile information associated with the recipient are disclosed. Embodiments may include receiving a broadcast message having recipient information and comparing the recipient information to profile information to determine if there is a match. In response to a match of at least a portion of the recipient information to at least a portion of the profile information, embodiments may also include communicating at least a portion of the broadcast message to a recipient. Further embodiments may also include determining if the profile information satisfies conditions of the broadcast message when the broadcast message includes a condition for broadcast message recipients.

Abstract: Systems, methods and media for managing a travel itinerary of a user are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and/or software for managing the user's travel itinerary based on the location of the user are disclosed. Embodiments may include receiving user location information and estimating the arrival time of the user at the departure point for a scheduled first trip of the user based on the user location information. Embodiments may also include comparing the estimated arrival time of the user at the destination with a departure time for the scheduled first trip and, if the arrival time is substantially earlier than the departure time or equal to or later than the departure time, rescheduling by the travel itinerary computer the user for a different second trip. Further embodiments may include transmitting notification to the user that he has been rescheduled to a second trip.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program for notifying an electronic address of the presence of physical mail in a designated mailbox is provided. The presence of at least one piece of mail in the mailbox is detected and an electronic notification is transmitted to the address indicating the presence of the at least one piece of mail.

Abstract: Search results for linked sources of information are associated with one or more predefined symbols or icons that indicate characteristics of the linked sites' contents. Site content ratings services and databases are co-opted to obtain additional site characteristic opinion, review results, and indicators. A search engine creates a set of characteristic factors associated with its index of web sites, and when providing a site reference as a result of a search operation, includes icons and symbols to indicate the characteristics to a user. Further sorting, filtering and searching according to the user's preferences may be performed.

Abstract: A method and system for self-healing of routers within a distributed computer network. In response to a detected communication error at a local router over a primary communication path to a distant router, an alternate path is established. Thereafter, a diagnostic process is initiated in the distant router via the alternate path. Communication settings are then reconfigured in the distant router and communication via the primary communication path is tested. If communication is restored, the new communication settings are made permanent. If communications via the primary path are not restored, alternate communication settings are attempted in the local router and communication is tested again. If communication is re-established via the primary path, the new communication settings are made permanent.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of identifying a vehicle that may present safety threats to security areas are provided. When a vehicle is approaching a security zone, a request for identification (ID) is issued to the vehicle's on-board computer system (OBCS). Upon receiving the ID, a comparison is made between the ID of the vehicle and a list of suspect vehicle IDs. It there is a match, the vehicle is considered to be suspect and the OBCS is instructed to take control over the vehicle.

Abstract: A method, system and program for brokering and facilitating consumer projects in an electronic system are provided. A buyer submits a project request to a broker system. The broker system distributes the project request to multiple prospective manufacturers from among a catalog of manufacturers. Manufacturers submit bids and other indicators of the feasibility of manufacturing the project. The broker system facilitates obtaining a manufacturer who can feasibly manufacture the project request. The buyer selects a preferred manufacturer from among those obtained by the broker server, such that a buyer's project request is brokered to multiple manufacturers and a preferred manufacturer is then procured to produce the project.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for adjusting a number of database replicas of a database based on a defined threshold value. The method comprises monitoring at least one operating condition associated with a database and accessing a prestored threshold value. The method further comprises comparing a value representative of the monitored operating condition with the prestored threshold value and adjusting a number of copies of at least a portion of the database based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method, system and program for managing customization of projects prior to manufacture in an electronic commerce system is provided. An order system distributes a project offer to potential customers. A selection of potential customers return orders in response to the project offer, wherein each order includes customized selections by the customer. Manufacture of the project is then customized according to the order responses, such that a selection of potential customers control customization of a project.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for time controlled network use are provided. A time controller counts an amount of time utilized by a particular user in accessing at least one web page via a network. Then, in response to the counted amount of time reaching at least one time limit for the particular user, the time controller initiates an action to control further accesses via the network by the particular user, such that an amount of time the particular user spends making network accesses is limited.

Abstract: A system and method that provides a platform-neutral shell application for a user interface is provided. The platform neutral shell application is performed in a way that prevents the user from accessing the underlying operating system. The desktop shell application executes in a middleware application. The operating system residing on the client computer system is booted. The middleware application is loaded on the operating system platform. The middleware application is programmed for the particular operating system being used by the client. The shell application is loaded on the middleware application. The shell application prevents the user from accessing the underlying operating system by maximizing the window in which the shell application is running, pinning the shell application window to the foreground, and removing controls from the desktop window would otherwise allow the user to bypass the desktop shell.

Abstract: A vending machine is disclosed that has one or more compartments with a mechanism for dispensing a content of a compartment upon receipt of a payment. A receptacle can accept an item, from a member of the public, as content into an empty compartment and identify the item accepted, such as with a barcode label. The vending machine can also include a mechanism that will connect it over a network, such as the Internet, to a computing device. An appraised value of the identified item can be received over the communication network and displayed in association with the compartment containing the item. The item can be dispensed from the vending machine in response to receiving predetermined sales amount or upon specific instruction from an authorized individual. A searchable database of information relating to buyers, sellers, items and other sales related information can also be associated with the vending machine.

Abstract: A system and method for location influenced network search is presented. A user uses a query device to send a location-based search request to a search engine. The location-based search request includes a user query request and geographical coordinates corresponding to the user's location. The search engine performs a network search using the user query request, and receives a query result corresponding to the query request which includes one or more URL links. The search engine identifies an organization corresponding to the user's location by comparing the geographical coordinates with one or more organization coordinates. The search engine retrieves contextual keywords corresponding to the identified organization, and filters the query result using the contextual keywords. The search engine includes organization data or manufacturer data to the filtered query result, and sends the query result to the query device for the user to view.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of identifying a vehicle that may present safety threats to security areas are provided. The apparatus, system and method determine whether a vehicle is a suspect vehicle by comparing an identification (ID) obtained from the vehicle with a list of IDs when the vehicle approaches a security zone of the security area. If there is a match, the vehicle is a suspect vehicle and may present a safety threat to the security area. At that point, the vehicle is not allowed to proceed. If the vehicle is a land-based vehicle, the vehicle may be allowed to proceed after it has been thoroughly searched. If the vehicle attempts to proceed before being allowed to do so, a signal is sent a computer system on board the vehicle (OBCS) to stop the vehicle from proceeding. In the case where the vehicle is not a land-based vehicle, the signal may instruct the OBCS to veer the vehicle off its course.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for facilitating customer checkout with an electronic communication between a commercial establishment and a customer of the commercial establishment. A checkout line of the establishment can be monitored with respect to a number of customers in a queue waiting to checkout and for a time spent checking each customer out. In addition, an indication that a customer is intending to checkout can be received via an electronic communication from a network access device. The customer can similarly be notified when to approach a checkout line for checkout, taking into consideration a time to travel to the checkout line from the customer's location and information determined from monitoring the checkout line, thereby minimizing a checkout wait time while the customer is physically present at the checkout line.