Abstract: A load management method and system. The method includes detecting and monitoring by a computing system, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering computing apparatuses at a specified location. The computing system compares the frequency signal to a predetermined frequency value. The computing system determines that the frequency signal comprises a first value that is not equal to the predetermined frequency value. The computing system calculates a difference value between the first value and the predetermined frequency value. The computing system compares the difference value to a second value and analyzes a power demand profile. The computing system enables a load adjustment modification process associated with the plurality of power consumption devices based on the difference value and the power demand profile. The computing system generates and stores a report associated with the load adjustment modification process.

Abstract: An enhanced personal firewall system having an inter-firewall connection listener which binds to a specified communications port and listens for inbound and/or outbound connection requests; and an inter-firewall controller which establishes a trusted communications through a local firewall and a remote firewall by exchanging public keys, a signed trusted computer firewall request, and using the keys to determine if a local key storage indicates previous authorization to trusted communications. If not, then a user of the targeted resource is notified and prompted to authorize the access. If so, then the firewall rules protecting the targeted resource are modified, even if temporarily, to allow the requesting firewall to have trusted access.

Abstract: An alloy comprising: a magnetostrictive iron alloy having the formula: FexGayAlz, where x is of from about 65 at % to about 90 at %, y is of from about 5 at % to about 35 at %, and z is of from about 0 at % to about 30 at %; and wherein said alloy has a room temperature magnetostriction of at least approximately 150 ppm. An alloy having a saturated magnetostriction of from about at least 150 ppm comprising: a magnetostrictive iron alloy having the formula: FexGayBet, where x is of from about 65 at % to about 90 at %, y is of from about 1 at % to about 35 at %, and t is of from about 1 at % to about 30 at %; and wherein said alloy has a room temperature magnetostriction of at least approximately 150 ppm.

Abstract: A computer system and computer program product for implementing a method for configuring an improved computing system containing a first computing device. The method includes: creating a logical layer and a physical layer within the first computing device; installing a software operating system (OS) in the logical layer of the first computing device; configuring a first basic input/output system (BIOS) based on installation in the physical layer of the first computing device; relocating all first hardware device drivers for the first hardware devices from an OS image in the logical layer to a first Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) in the physical layer of the first computing device; installing the first BIOS in the physical layer of the first computing device; and loading the first hardware device drivers from the first EEPROM into the first BIOS during a boot phase for the first computing device.

Abstract: An on-demand virtual drive from dedicated storage on a plurality of partners in a peer-to-peer network uses an agent installed on each of the partners. The agent has a contributing program and a requesting program. The contributing program creates a first storage unit and a second storage unit, formatting the second storage unit so that it is not visible to the operating system of the partner and transmitting the size of the second storage unit to the other partners. The requesting partner creates a virtual drive using space on selected partner's second drives, and directs data blocks in and out of the virtual drive. A rules engine incorporating RAID algorithms governs the selection of the partners and allocation of available space.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for modifying object styles in a virtual universe. An object is rendered in accordance with a first contextual style template from a plurality of contextual style templates. The first contextual style template comprises first geometric and texture data to display the object with a first style. In response to detecting a set of contextual changes associated with the object, a second contextual style template is identified from the plurality of contextual style templates. The set of contextual changes triggers implementation of the second contextual style template to change the first style of the object to a second style. The object is rendered in accordance with second geometric and texture data in the second contextual style template to form a modified object, wherein the modified object is displayed with the second style.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and apparatus for managing digital video recorder storage for one or more users. Each user in the multi-user environment is assigned an amount of program storage in the digital video recorder. Responsive to receiving a request to record a new program from a user in the multi-user environment, an associated amount of program storage assigned to the use is determined. Responsive to a determination that addition of the new program will not exceed the associated amount of program storage assigned to the user, the new program is recorded to the program storage.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for selecting, in real time, a leading view of a multi-angle television program. A video recorder receives a program view selection. The video recorder then transmits a viewer data request for the currently selected program view to a service provider. The video recorder may then receive requested viewer data of the selected program view and one or more alternate views of the selected program. The video recorder may then determine if the selected program view is the leading view of the selected program. When the selected view is not the leading view and the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, the video recorder may autonomously switch to the leading view of the selected program. Alternatively, the video recorder may present vote totals of all views of the selected program and enable a selection of a desired alternate view.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing escalating resource needs within a grid environment are provided. A job is submitted into a first selection of resources in a grid environment from among a hierarchy of discrete sets of resources accessible in the grid environment. Discrete sets of resources may include locally accessible resources, enterprise accessible resources, capacity on demand resources, and grid resources. The performance of the first selection of resources is monitored and compared with a required performance level for the job. If the required performance level is not met, then the discrete sets of resources are queried for available resources to meet the required performance level in an order designated by said hierarchy. Available resources in a next discrete set of resource from the hierarchy of discrete sets of resources are added to a virtual organization of resources handling the job within the grid environment.

Abstract: The present invention is method for scheduling jobs in a grid computing environment without having to monitor the state of the resource on the gird comprising a Global Scheduling Program (GSP) and a Local Scheduling Program (LSP). The GSP receives jobs submitted to the grid and distributes the job to the closest resource. The resource then runs the LSP to determine if the resource can execute the job under the conditions specified in the job. The LSP either rejects or accepts the job based on the current state of the resource properties and informs the GSP of the acceptance or rejection. If the job is rejected, the GSP randomly selects another resource to send the job to using a resource table. The resource table contains the state-independent properties of every resource on the grid.

Abstract: A computing system comprises logical and physical layers. In the configuration of this system, operating specific device drivers are decoupled from the installer applications and are instead functionally positioned in the lower logical layer. In this new configuration, the operating system would communicate directly with the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). The BIOS would have the drivers to communicate directly with the hardware components in the computer. This new configuration would eliminate one major step in building a computer. In addition, without this step, the construction of the computer would be faster.

Abstract: A system, method, and service associated with a computing grid or a virtual organization include a request for proposal (RFP) generator, where the RFP describes a data processing task. The RFP is provided to multiple resource providers via the computing grid where each of the resource providers is potentially suitable for performing the data processing task on behalf of the resource consumer. An RFP response processor receives and evaluates RFP responses generated by one or more of the resource providers. An exception processor accessible to the RFP response processor evaluates any exception in the RFP to determine if the exception disqualifies the RFP response. The exceptions may include, for example, job time limit exceptions, resource requirement exceptions, hardware/software platform requirement exceptions and others. Exception rules may be defined to guide the evaluation of the exception.

Abstract: Fixed path transitions in a virtual universe environment are provided. In one embodiment, tracking data that identifies a location of an avatar in relation to a range of an object in a virtual universe is received. The range comprises a viewable field. In response to the tracking data indicating an occurrence of a trigger condition associated with a fixed path rule, a fixed path defined by the fixed path rule is identified. A speed of movement and an orientation of the object associated with the fixed path rule is identified. Movement of the object along the fixed path defined by the fixed path rule is initiated. The object then moves along the fixed path at the identified speed and with the orientation associated with the fixed path rule.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a multi-focus remote control session (RCS) within a computer system. A unique identifier (UserID) of each user and associated input devices are registered to the RCS. The users have shared concurrent control of a computer screen via the input devices. Responsive to selection of windows within the computer screen by the input devices, concurrently operative focus is provided to each selected window and is specific to the UserID associated with the input device that selected the window. Each selected window having focus may be accessed and manipulated by only the input devices associated with the UserID to which the focus provided to each selected window is specific. The selected windows to which focus has been provided are recording in a computer readable medium in association with the UserID specific to the selection of the windows.

Abstract: A method, device and system for responsive load management using frequency regulation credits. The method includes using an AC frequency measuring device, measuring a current AC frequency on an AC power line; using a power consumption measuring device, measuring a current power consumption on the AC power line over a period of time equal to a sampling interval; calculating a power consumption moving average of a last N power current power consumptions measured, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; generating credits or debits based on the current power consumption, the current AC frequency and the power consumption moving average; adding the credits or debits to a frequency regulation credit; and for each next sampling interval repeating measuring the current AC frequency, measuring current power consumption, calculating the power consumption moving average, generating the credits or debits, and adding the credits or debits to the frequency regulation credit.

Abstract: A data restructuring method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system from a first user content data arranged in a first specified order and a command for tagging portions of the content data according to various parameters. The computing system assigns identification tags to the portions of the content data. The computing system presents the identification tags to the first user. The computing system receives from the first user, a selection of at least one of the identification tags. The computing system restructures the content data into a second specified order in response to the selection. The computing system receives a request for viewing the content data from a second user. The computing system presents to the second user, the content data in the second specified order.

Abstract: A data restructuring method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system from a first user content data arranged in a first specified order and a command for tagging portions of the content data according to various parameters. The computing system assigns identification tags to the portions of the content data. The computing system presents the identification tags to the first user. The computing system receives from the first user, a selection of at least one of the identification tags. The computing system restructures the content data into a second specified order in response to the selection. The computing system receives a request for viewing the content data from a second user. The computing system presents to the second user, the content data in the second specified order.

Abstract: Aging of avatars and objects toward eventual removal or removal from the displayed virtual universe through enabling the setting of defined parameters for the aging of said avatars and objects toward eventual removal of said avatars and objects from said virtual universe space; and predetermining a set of events, the occurrence of any one of which events would modify the aging of selected avatars and objects.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for modifying objects. In one embodiment, tracking data is obtained which identifies a location of a set of avatars in relation to a range of the object. The range of the object includes a viewable field. In response to determining that the object requires modification, a size of the object is compared with a set of size constraints to form a comparison. Thereafter, the size of the object is modified based on the comparison to form a set of size modifications.

Abstract: A method, device and system for responsive load management using frequency regulation credits. The method includes using an AC frequency measuring device, measuring a current AC frequency on an AC power line; using a power consumption measuring device, measuring a current power consumption on the AC power line over a period of time equal to a sampling interval; calculating a power consumption moving average of a last N power current power consumptions measured, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; generating credits or debits based on the current power consumption, the current AC frequency and the power consumption moving average; adding the credits or debits to a frequency regulation credit; and for each next sampling interval repeating measuring the current AC frequency, measuring current power consumption, calculating the power consumption moving average, generating the credits or debits, and adding the credits or debits to the frequency regulation credit.