Abstract: Verifying ballots that are cast in an election is provided. A mutual attestation procedure is executed between a plurality of devices communicating in a voting system via a network. A number of certificates are published. Each certificate corresponds to one of the plurality of devices and contains a public key and reference election configuration data defining a reference machine execution environment state of its corresponding device. A voter authorization token is generated for each voter. Voting results are generated in response to using a given voter authorization token to cast a given ballot using a specified voting device. Current election configuration data is generated that defines a current machine execution environment state of the specified voting device when the given ballot was cast. The current election configuration data is compared with the reference configuration data to verify a valid machine execution environment state of the specified voting device.

Abstract: A mechanism for enabling efficient encryption and integrity validation of network files. When a request to read a file stored in a local network file system is received, the local network file system examines cryptographic attributes associated with the file to determine if the file is encrypted or integrity-verified. If the cryptographic attributes indicate the file is encrypted, the local network file system omits the encryption of the file by the local network file system prior to passing the file to the remote network file system. If the cryptographic attributes indicate the file is integrity-verified, the local network file system omits the integrity-verification of the file by the local network file system prior to passing the file to the remote network file system. The local network file system then transmits the file to the remote network file system.

Abstract: A method of regulating electronic message traffic is proposed. The method comprises sending an electronic message as part of a thread, receiving a response to the message, and tabulating said response in a counter. A data processing system compares the counter to a threshold and, in response to the comparing step, designates the thread as off-topic.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for user controlled anonymity when evaluating into a role are provided. An anonymous authentication controller enables a user to control anonymity of the user's identity for role based network accesses to resources, without requiring reliance on any single third party to maintain user anonymity. First, a role authentication certificate is received from a role authenticator, wherein the role authentication certificate certifies that the holder of the role authentication certificate is a member of a particular role without allowing the role authenticator issuing the role authentication certificate the ability to track an identity of a user holding the role authentication certificate.

Abstract: An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a portable device for obtaining bids for a task. Access to a task in a set of tasks for bidding is provided through a wireless network. The access to the task includes a specification of a selected distance between a bidding entity and a location of the portable device that the bidding entity is required to be located within for generating bids. A bid for the task is received from an entity through the wireless network if the entity is within a selected distance of a location of the portable device. The bid may be accepted for completing the task.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system are provided for forecasting risks associated with installing software packages. A software package is selected for installation on a data processing system. The number of updates issued for each software package within the package list is determined within a specified past period of time. Based on the number of updates for the package list over the past period of time, an estimate of the number of updates likely to be issued over a specified future period of time is calculated. The number of updates estimated over the future period of time is an indicator of the risk associated with the installation of software packages on the package list.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and system for verifying election results, in association with an election process and a particular election. One useful embodiment of the invention is directed to a method, wherein a plurality of voters are each authorized to cast a ballot by using a specified voting device of a voting system, wherein the specified device may have one of a number of states, and the process is under the supervision of an Election Authority (EA). The method includes the step of publishing a number of certificates, wherein each certificate corresponds to one of the specified device, and contains one or more public keys associate with its corresponding device and also contains an Election Configuration (EC) that indicates the expected state of its corresponding device during the election process.

Abstract: Several encoders at a broadcast system encode the same audio content. Packets from the resulting streams are immediately decoded and compared against the packets of the original audio stream. The broadcast system dynamically selects the codec that performs the best for the audio in any given packet. The packet produced by the encoder of the best-performing codec devices is selected to be broadcasted/transmitted.

Abstract: A method of regulating electronic message traffic is proposed. The method comprises sending an electronic message as part of a thread, receiving a response to the message, and tabulating said response in a counter. A data processing system compares the counter to a threshold and, in response to the comparing step, designates the thread as off-topic.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for efficiently generating a substantially accurate list of available hotspots in geographic locations. A computer system configured with a hotspot location utility operates as a Provider. The Provider receives from a mobile device a hotspot operability/availability transmission (HOT), which includes an identification of a currently operating and available hotspot. The Provider concurrently receives a current GPS coordinate of the device transmitting the HOT. Then, the provider stores the HOT and associated GPS coordinate within a hotspot locator database. When the Provider later receives a request from a user searching for hotpots within a particular geographic location, the Provider determines which acceptable entries of the multiple entries are in geographic locations in proximity to the particular geographic location and then provides an output of the acceptable entries to the user.

Abstract: A mechanism for enabling efficient encryption and integrity validation of network files. When a request to read a file stored in a local network file system is received, the local network file system examines cryptographic attributes associated with the file to determine if the file is encrypted or integrity-verified. If the cryptographic attributes indicate the file is encrypted, the local network file system omits the encryption of the file by the local network file system prior to passing the file to the remote network file system. If the cryptographic attributes indicate the file is integrity-verified, the local network file system omits the integrity-verification of the file by the local network file system prior to passing the file to the remote network file system. The local network file system then transmits the file to the remote network file system.

Abstract: An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a portable device for obtaining bids for a task. Access to a task in a set of tasks for bidding is provided through a wireless network. The access to the task includes a specification of a selected distance between a bidding entity and a location of the portable device that the bidding entity is required to be located within for generating bids. A bid for the task is received from an entity through the wireless network if the entity is within a selected distance of a location of the portable device. The bid may be accepted for completing the task.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for user controlled anonymity when evaluating into a role are provided. An anonymous authentication controller enables a user to control anonymity of the user's identity for role based network accesses to resources, without requiring reliance on any single third party to maintain user anonymity. First, a role authentication certificate is received from a role authenticator, wherein the role authentication certificate certifies that the holder of the role authentication certificate is a member of a particular role without allowing the role authenticator issuing the role authentication certificate the ability to track an identity of a user holding the role authentication certificate.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for user controlled anonymity when evaluating into a role are provided. An anonymous authentication controller enables a user to control anonymity of the user's identity for role based network accesses to resources, without requiring reliance on any single third party to maintain user anonymity. First, a role authentication certificate is received from a role authenticator, wherein the role authentication certificate certifies that the holder of the role authentication certificate is a member of a particular role without allowing the role authenticator issuing the role authentication certificate the ability to track an identity of a user holding the role authentication certificate.

Abstract: A WIFI-enabled and GPS-enabled user device executes a hotspot location utility, which enables the device to detect WIFI hotspots and update a locally-stored hotspot location database (LHLD) containing geographically-mapped hotspots. When a hotspot is detected, the device accesses the hotspot, retrieves identification information and usage terms from the hotspot, and measures performance metrics of the hotspot. The utility stores the identified hotspot with the current GPS coordinate as an entry within the LHLD. When a user later desires to locate hotspots within a particular geographic location, the user enters the physical address of the location, and hotspots with matching (or proximate) GPS coordinates of the entered address are presented to the user. The user may specify certain preferences for usage terms, performance metrics, and location criteria, and the utility filters all geographic hits and returns only hotspots in the geographic location that also satisfy these preferences.

Abstract: An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a portable device for obtaining bids for a task. Access to a task in a set of tasks for bidding is provided through a wireless network. The access to the task includes a specification of a selected distance between a bidding entity and a location of the portable device that the bidding entity is required to be located within for generating bids. A bid for the task is received from an entity through the wireless network if the entity is within a selected distance of a location of the portable device. The bid may be accepted for completing the task.

Abstract: An improved electronic whiteboard is provided. The improved electronic whiteboard includes a plurality of toggle switches along a vertical side for drawing vertical straight lines across the electronic whiteboard and a plurality of toggle switches along a horizontal side for drawing horizontal straight lines across the electronic whiteboard. When some or all the switches along the vertical side are turned on, vertical straight lines are drawn across the electronic whiteboard. Likewise, when some or all the switches along the horizontal side are turned on, horizontal straight lines are drawn across the electronic whiteboard. The intersections of the vertical straight lines with the horizontal straight lines form a plurality of grid cells. The electronic whiteboard contains means for determining the location of these cells.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of importing data arranged in a table on an electronic whiteboard into a spreadsheet displayed in a computer system are provided. Generally, the spreadsheet and the table each include a plurality of grid cells. To determine where in the spreadsheet to display the data in the table, the location of the cursor in the spreadsheet is first established. This grid cell is used as a reference point. That is, data in the left-most/top-most grid cell on the table is displayed in the grid cell of the spreadsheet in which the cursor is located.

Abstract: A method of regulating electronic message traffic is proposed. The method comprises sending an electronic message as part of a thread, receiving a response to the message, and tabulating said response in a counter. A data processing system compares the counter to a threshold and, in response to the comparing step, designates the thread as off-topic.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a computer program product, and a data processing system are provided for forecasting risks associated with installing software packages. A software package is selected for installation on a data processing system. The number of updates issued for each software package within the package list is determined within a specified past period of time. Based on the number of updates for the package list over the past period of time, an estimate of the number of updates likely to be issued over a specified future period of time is calculated. The number of updates estimated over the future period of time is an indicator of the risk associated with the installation of software packages on the package list.