Abstract: For use with an electronic mail (e-mail) program, a system for, and method of, establishing relationships between hypertext references contained in e-mail messages received by the e-mail program and an e-mail program containing the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a message parser that locates hypertext references in first and second e-mail messages received by the e-mail program and (2) a message organizer that allows a user to choose to display the first and second e-mail messages in an order that is based on the hypertext references.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, disseminating global positioning information through a telecommunications network. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a receiver that collects global positioning signals and generates global positioning information based thereon and (2) a mixer, coupled to the receiver, that combines the global positioning information with user traffic to allow the global positioning information to be communicated with the user traffic through the telecommunications network to a recipient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling electronic calendar events using a facsimile transmission. The invention may be initiated using a designated facsimile transmission sheet or sheets which can invoke a specified electronic calendar operation. A data processing system, upon reception of the facsimile transmission sheet, interprets the sheet for a specified electronic calendar operation. Upon validation of specified operations, the operations are directed to an electronic calendar for processing. In addition, specified facsimile images from the facsimile transmission may be associated with a calendar event or events. Upon an originator's request, confirmation on the status of the electronic operations are directed to specified facsimile devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for notifying an originator when a recipient has accessed an isochronous mail object for a specified duration of time. A Document Relational Service (DRS) is provided that allows the originator to specify relationships of distributions with isochronous objects and other objects. These relationships allow the originator to be notified on an expenditure of time basis when particular combinations of objects have been accessed. The Document Relational Service allows the user to specify time ranges for particular objects in varying combinations. A time service monitors the duration of access time spent on specified objects. Fulfillment of all combinations and time criteria generates the confirmation notice.

Abstract: Temporal based objects, such as video or audio objects, are presented in a manner that is determined by the context through which the object is presented. When presented through one context, the object is presented in accordance with one set of presentation characteristics. When presented through another context, the object is presented in accordance with another set of presentation characteristics. A context can be an application program such as a calendar program or an inbasket program, or a context can be an output device such as a video monitor. Presentation characteristics determine which segments of an object are to be presented and how they are to be presented (such as by playing, pause play, fast forward, fast forward play, rewind, rewind play and stop play).

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable programmed medium that facilitate browsing through an ordered sequence (108, 109) of World Wide Web pages (107) by automatically skipping over, or bypassing, previously viewed pages whenever the user requests a "Next Page" or a "Previous Page". A page owner creates a sequence by defining for each page in the sequence a page record (200) that specifies the page's URL (205), its sequential index value (210), an unviewed flag (220), and optionally page-descriptive information (230). Upon starting a session with a Web server (102), each user is given a copy of all page records. Each time a user requests access to any page by specifying its URL, the unviewed flag of the user's copy of that pages record is set to a viewed state.

Abstract: A method and system for validating access to a computer system in an unobtrusive manner. A finite ordered series of substantive activities, such as icon manipulations, application invocations or file manipulations is specified and stored for future reference. Thereafter, each time access to the computer system is attempted, the initial activities of a prospective user are identified and compared to the stored finite ordered series of substantive activities. Access is validated and continued access permitted in response to a match between the prospective user's initial activities and the stored finite ordered series of substantive activities. In this manner, access to a computer system may be validated without the necessity of utilizing an explicit access/password screen which may be compromised. In one embodiment of the present invention, a selected application may be automatically invoked or a particular activity automatically executed in response to a validation of access.

Abstract: A method and system which permits a user to selectively capture video and audio information from a multimedia presentation within a data processing system and associate the audio and video information to specified calendar events. Thereafter, the video and audio information is played back within the context of electronic calendar events. In addition, associated textual references may be made with the video and audio information to elaborate on the audio and video information associated to the calendar events.

Abstract: Objects on a data processing system are provided to a multimedia presentation device for presentation purposes. Each object is provided with one or more attributes. These attributes are registered before the presentation. When an object is selected for presentation, the object is transformed into a presentable format in accordance with its attributes. Such attributes include whether the object is restricted for display, the particular presentation device or devices that will present the object, the types of transforms to be performed on the object to ready the object for presentation, whether the object should be segmented into plural segments and if so, then the manner in which the segments are presented. After the transformation, the object is provided to the appropriate presentation device.

Abstract: An electronic mail object on a data processing system contains a request that the recipient perform an action. In addition, the electronic mail object contains an action or command for carrying out the request. Upon receipt of the electronic mail object, the recipient can carry out the request by selecting the action. The action is marked by starting and ending markers so that it can be isolated and extracted from the electronic mail object. Once extracted, the action is executed on the data processing system. In addition, the recipient can establish criteria for evaluating whether the selected command should be executed.

Abstract: Method of, and apparatus for, optical character recognition of predominate and non-predominate color coded characters based on hypothesis testing utilizing both geometric optical character recognition and color coded optical character recognition techniques. In this hypothesis testing technique, geometric OCR is used to generate a null hypothesis that a target character has been recognized, and an alternative hypothesis that the target character has not been recognized. Color coded OCR is used to select either the null hypothesis or the alternative hypothesis. Alternatively, the roles of geometric OCR and color coded OCR may be reversed such that color coded OCR is used for hypothesis generation, and geometric OCR is used for hypothesis selection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optical identification an unknown character from a plurality of known characters. Each of the known characters includes a predominant color and a nonpredominant color in preselected proportions. The unknown character has at least one geometric feature and a plurality of pixels including a predominant color and a nonpredominant color. The method and apparatus of the present invention include an examination of at least one geometric feature of the unknown character. A hypothetical identity for the unknown character is generated in response to the examination of at least one geometric feature of the unknown character. A portion of the plurality of pixels of the unknown character is sampled and a proportion between the predominant color and the nonpredominant color within the sampled portion of the plurality of pixels is determined from the sampled pixels.

Abstract: A method and data processing system are disclosed for media boundary traversal. In one embodiment, the invention transforms an electronic data processing file to a printed output that is understandable to humans and then transforms the printed output back to an electronic data processing file without loss of nonprintable characters. The embodiment gets an input file including both printable characters and nonprintable characters; writes the printable characters to an output file; determines locations among the printable characters of the nonprintable characters; transforms the nonprintable characters to printable character sequences; writes the printable character sequences and the locations of the nonprintable characters to an output file separately from the printable characters; and prints the output file. The printable characters of the input file remain understandable by humans in the printed output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for camping on an electronic calendar. In one embodiment, the invention determines, in response to an input of a date, a time and a duration of a proposed meeting between a meeting requester and a target, that a conflicting event appears on the target's electronic calendar, monitors the target's electronic calendar to detect the removal of the conflicting event, and schedules a meeting between the requester and the target on their electronic calendars in response to the detection of the removal of the conflicting event.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing audio input events. A template is utilized to analyze audio input events. A speech audio input event is identified. The identified speech audio input event is recorded. The recorded speech audio input event is processed to create a first entry in a template. A selected non-speech audio input event which occurs in a selected environment is identified. The identified non-speech audio input event is recorded. Then the recorded non-speech audio input event is processed to create a second entry in the template. Thereafter, a speech audio input event and a non-speech audio input event is distinguished by comparing an audio input event to the template.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for scheduling an isochronous playback event to an electronic calendar. In one embodiment, the invention determines the time interval, determines whether the user has a block of time available for playback, and schedules the playback as an event on an electronic calendar. In another embodiment the invention schedules a partial playback time for when a complete playback time can not be scheduled. The invention may be initiated on reception of an isochronous data object by an electronic mail service. The user who requested automatic scheduling of reception on incoming isochronous data objects is notified of any automatic scheduling for playback events and optionally can have electronic reminders generated for scheduled playback events.

Abstract: Automatic detection and processing of an empty multimedia data object is used to determine the data type of a multimedia data object. The system also detects whether the multimedia data object, or a component thereof, is empty based upon its data type. The system also appropriately processes a detected empty multimedia data object, or a component thereof. The appropriate processing may include no action, informing a user, program, or device of a detected empty multimedia data object, or a component thereof, inhibiting further processing of a detected empty multimedia data object, or a component thereof, or deleting a detected empty multimedia data object, or a component thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the overflow routing of incoming telephone messages to an electronic mail inbasket. In one embodiment, the invention queries the capacity of a telephone answering system to store an audio message from an incoming telephone call for later play. Upon determining that the telephone answering system lacks the capacity to store the audio message, the invention converts the caller's audio message to text and routes the text to an electronic mail inbasket, preferably the inbasket of the intended recipient of the call.

Abstract: A method and system utilizing a data processing system for the efficient designation and retrieval of particular segments within a multimedia presentation. Operation of the multimedia presentation may be controlled by operation of a plurality of data processing system user interface commands. A digital counter is established for multimedia presentations which do not have an existing digital counter, or for multimedia presentations which have an existing digital counter whose output may not be accessed by the data processing system. Thereafter, a particular rate of change for the digital counter is correlated with each user interface command which has been registered within the data processing system, enabling a user to thereafter access and automatically position particular segments within the multimedia presentation in a random order utilizing the user interface commands.

Abstract: A method and system for recalling a previous desktop state of a data processing system, where a desktop state specifies a dependence hierarchy and visual arrangement of a number of graphical objects representative of operating system functions and data processing applications that are displayed within a display device of the data processing system. The system detects each occurrence of a desktop event which creates a new desktop state. In response to detecting an occurrence of a desktop event, the system records the new desktop state. In response to a particular user input, the system automatically returns the desktop to a selected state previous to the current desktop state by referencing the recorded desktop states, wherein all operating system functions and data processing applications available at the selected state are enabled.