Abstract: A method and system for providing targeted advertising in public places and carriers such as trains, buses, train stations, shopping malls, airports, etc. The demographics, purchasing history and/or personal preferences of individuals in the public place are collected from personal digital assistants (PDAs) or other wireless communication devices carried by the individuals in the public place or public carrier. The collected data pertaining to a group of individuals who are present near the display device, is processed and used to select appropriate advertisements that would most likely interest that group of individuals. The selected advertisements are displayed on the display device located in the public place or public carrier so as to provide targeted advertising to the group of individuals.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are presented for enabling a session, as defined by a series of related transactions to perform a unit of work, to be created between a client and a particular server where the server is managed by a dispatcher. Modifications to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) are used to create a method of transferring information form the client to the server. The server implements a server-side storage area (cookie jar) to temporarily store information about the client and the session so that the client is routed to the same server for successive messages in the same session and no reliance is made upon an ability by the client to store or return cookies.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are presented for enabling a session, as defined by a series of related transactions to perform a unit of work, to be created between a client and a particular server where the server is managed by a dispatcher. Modifications to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) are used to create a method of transferring information form the client to the server. The server implements a server-side storage area (cookie jar) to temporarily store information about the client and the session so that the client is routed to the same server for successive messages in the same session and no reliance is made upon an ability by the client to store or return cookies.

Abstract: A method, system and program product are presented for enabling a session, as defined by a series of related transactions to perform a unit of work, to be created between a client and a particular server where the server is managed by a dispatcher. Modifications to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) are used to create a method of transferring information form the client to the server. The server implements a server-side storage area (cookie jar) to temporarily store information about the client and the session so that the client is routed to the same server for successive messages in the same session and no reliance is made upon an ability by the client to store or return cookies.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for searching a database of web site functional characteristics to identify web sites that are compatible with designated functions are provided. With the apparatus and method, a database of functional characteristics is compiled and a search interface is provided. The database may be compiled in an automatic, manual, or semiautomatic manner by, for example, retrieving web site content with various functions of a web browser disabled and analyzing the resultant output through the web browser. With the search interface, a user may enter designations of the functional characteristics that the user is either interested in having or not having in the resultant list of web sites. Based on the user's designation of functional characteristics, the search engine associated with the search interface searches the database of web sites and identifies the web site entries in the database that are compatible with the designated functional characteristics.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by improving quality of service (“QoS”) in network exchanges comprising a plurality of related request and response messages. A TQoS (“transactional QoS”) cookie is defined, which is used to store information needed when controlling response time (and perhaps other QoS factors as well) for messages exchanged with a particular client. In preferred embodiments, this QoS information comprises a relative priority for these related messages and an available bandwidth for transmitting messages to the client. The disclosed techniques enable applying consistent QoS requirements for delivery of all the related Web objects comprising a transaction. No changes are required on client devices or in client software, and there is no dependency on a client to support cookies.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for determining if a packet has a spoofed source Internet Protocol (IP) address. A source media access control (MAC) address of the packet and the source IP address are evaluated to determine if the source IP address of the packet has been bound to the source MAC address at a source device of the packet. The packet is determined to have a spoofed source IP address if the evaluation indicates that the source IP address is not bound to the source MAC address. Such an evaluation may be made for packets having a subnet of the source IP address which matches a subnet from which the packet originated.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying and tracking persons using RFID-tagged items carried on the persons. Previous purchase records for each person who shops at a retail store are collected by POS terminals and stored in a transaction database. When a person carrying or wearing items having RFID tags enters the store or other designated area, a RFID tag scanner located therein scans the RFID tags on that person and reads the RFID tag information. The RFID tag information collected from the person is correlated with transaction records stored in the transaction database according to known correlation algorithms. Based on the results of the correlation, the exact identity of the person or certain characteristics about the person can be determined. This information is used to monitor the movement of the person through the store or other areas.

Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and method of doing business by digitally notarizing a collection of data streams, thereby improving security of the contents of the data streams. Preferably, public key cryptography is used, wherein the collection of data streams is digitally signed (i.e. notarized) using a private cryptographic key of a digital notary, such that an associated public cryptographic key can be used to verify the authenticity and integrity of the collection of data streams. One or more components which are involved in creating the data streams are preferably authenticated, and a unique identifier of each such component is included within cryptographically-protected information that is provided for the digital notarization. The authenticated identities of the components can therefore be determined from the digital notarization.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by improving collection of clickstream data in network exchanges comprising a plurality of related request and response messages. A clickstream cookie is created by an application, and contains a clickstream data collection correlator for messages of a particular transaction. A Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) token is created, and is used both in URLs of messages and in cookies downstream of a cookie jar for locating the application-generated correlator. In preferred embodiments, this application-generated correlator is a unique value which is used to identify related clickstream data once it is collected. A flag may also be used to indicate whether data collection is enabled. No changes are required on client devices or in client software, and there is no dependency on a client to support cookies.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product for using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to store product information in tags attached to items of merchandise is disclosed. The RFID tagging scheme of the present invention prevents tampering with stored information, global tracking of customers and their purchased items, and pricing mistakes made at the point of sale.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for accessing request header information used to transcode servlet output. The apparatus and method of the present invention includes a preamble that stores request header information from a request sent by a client device. The request header information is then provided to the transcoder along with the generated content data. The transcoder then performs appropriate transcoding on the generated content data based on the request header information supplied by the preamble. The transcoded content data is then sent to the client device. In this way, the client device is able to obtain content from a much larger set of content sources than with conventional systems.

Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and method of doing business by providing improved audio compression wherein an audio stream is securely transformed to an encoded text stream (such as an ASCII, EBCDIC, or Unicode text stream). One or more components which are involved in the transformation process are authenticated. A unique identifier of each such component is included within cryptographically-protected information that is provided for the encoded text stream. A digital signature is preferably used for the cryptographic protection, thereby digitally notarizing the encoded text stream. The authenticity and integrity of the encoded text stream can therefore be verified. In preferred embodiments, the authenticated identities of components performing the transformation can also be determined from the cryptographically-protected information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for automatically updating bookmarks stored by a web browser when the bookmarked URL is invalid and a redirect to an alternate URL is specified. In accordance with the present invention, a web page author places redirect markups in the HTML or XML file associated with a particular URL. When this redirect markup in the HTML or XML file is received by the web browser, the user of the browser is given the option of replacing the existing bookmarked original URL with the redirect URL. Further, if desired, the bookmark, now containing the redirect URL, may also be modified to include the bookmarked original URL, so that, if desired, the user of the browser can try to reach the original URL if the redirect URL is no longer functional.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selectively encrypting one or more elements of a document using style sheet processing. Disclosed is a policy-driven augmented style sheet processor (e.g. an Extensible Stylesheet Language, or “XSL”, processor) that creates a selectively-encrypted document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”, document) carrying key-distribution material, such that by using an augmented document processor (e.g. an augmented XML processing engine), an agent can recover only the information elements for which it is authorized. The Document Type Definition (DTD) or schema associated with a document is modified, such that the DTD or schema specifies a reference to stored security policy to be applied to document elements. Each document element may specify a different security policy, such that the different elements of a single document can be encrypted differently (and, some elements may remain unencrypted).

Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and method of doing business by providing a secure integrated device (such as a pervasive computing device) for which operating capabilities can be dynamically yet securely selected (including, but not limited to, pluggable connection of input/output devices and/or application processors that provide selected functions). Each input/output (I/O) device and application processor to be used is plugged in to a bus of a security core, and authenticates itself to the security core using public key infrastructure techniques, thereby creating a secure multi-function device. All of the multi-function device's input and output interactions with its environment necessarily traverse an I/O bus under the sole control of the security core. The only communication path between an application processor and the external environment (such as an I/O device) is through an application processor bus, which is likewise under control of the security core.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selectively encrypting one or more elements of a document using style sheet processing. Disclosed is a policy-driven augmented style sheet processor (e.g. an Extensible Stylesheet Language, or “XSL”, processor) that creates a selectively-encrypted document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”, document) carrying key-distribution material, such that by using an augmented document processor (e.g., an augmented XML processing engine), an agent can recover only the information elements for which it is authorized. The Document Type Definition (DTD) or schema associated with a document is modified, such that the DTD or schema specifies a reference to stored security policy to be applied to document elements. Each document element may specify a different security policy, such that the different elements of a single document can be encrypted differently (and, some elements may remain unencrypted).

Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and method of doing business by providing a provable chain of evidence for data stream(s) created by one or more components (such as input/output devices and application processing components). Components that create the evidence collection are authenticated. A unique identifier of each such component is included within cryptographically-protected information that is added to the evidence collection. A digital signature is preferably used for the cryptographic protection, thereby digitally notarizing the evidence collection. The authenticity and integrity of the evidence collection can be verified. In preferred embodiments, the authenticated identities of components providing the evidence can also be determined from the cryptographically-protected information.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selectively encrypting one or more elements of a document using style sheet processing. Disclosed is a policy-driven augmented style sheet processor (e.g. an Extensible Stylesheet Language, or “XSL”, processor) that creates a selectively-encrypted document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”, document) carrying key-distribution material, such that by using an augmented document processor (e.g. an augmented XML processing engine), an agent can recover only the information elements for which it is authorized. The Document Type Definition (DTD) or schema associated with a document is modified, such that the DTD or schema specifies a reference to stored security policy to be applied to document elements. Each document element may specify a different security policy, such that the different elements of a single document can be encrypted differently (and, some elements may remain unencrypted).

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selectively encrypting one or more elements of a document using style sheet processing. Disclosed is a policy-driven augmented style sheet processor (e.g. an Extensible Stylesheet Language, or “XSL”, processor) that creates a selectively-encrypted document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language, or “XML”, document) carrying key-distribution material, such that by using an augmented document processor (e.g. an augmented XML processing engine), an agent can recover only the information elements for which it is authorized. The Document Type Definition (DTD) or schema associated with a document is modified, such that the DTD or schema specifies a reference to stored security policy to be applied to document elements. Each document element may specify a different security policy, such that the different elements of a single document can be encrypted differently (and, some elements may remain unencrypted).