Abstract: Participants for an in-progress meeting are gathered, preferably by broadcast of instant messaging notifications thereto. Information for people who are invited to a scheduled meeting but are not participating when the meeting begins, as well as for one or more additional people who are mentioned by the current participants of the meeting as desired new invitees to the in-progress meeting, is placed on a participant list. A disambiguation process may be used in cases where it is not clear who was intended in the discussion of a new invitee. Responses to the notifications are collected and used to populate a consolidated joining status window, where this joining status window depicts the joining status of persons on the participant list.

Abstract: Visual cues are provided for a user who is using a telephone for interacting with an automated telephone system. A number stream is created from the digits entered by the user with the phone keypad in response to audible prompts from the automated system. The visual cues comprise graphical representations (such as icons) that are inserted into the number stream to provide a quick visual indication not only of where the entered digits are delimited, but also what they represent. Thus, the user can quickly review the visual cues—for example, while making subsequent decisions for the interaction. The visual cues are selected by locating keywords in the audible prompts and consulting a mapping data structure that identifies the visual cues to be used with particular keywords. Optionally, a textual summary of the interaction is created as well (e.g., when the interaction concludes).

Abstract: Visual cues are provided for a user who is using a telephone for interacting with an automated telephone system. A number stream is created from the digits entered by the user with the phone keypad in response to audible prompts from the automated system. The visual cues comprise graphical representations (such as icons) that are inserted into the number stream to provide a quick visual indication not only of where the entered digits are delimited, but also what they represent. Thus, the user can quickly review the visual cues—for example, while making subsequent decisions for the interaction. The visual cues are selected by locating keywords in the audible prompts and consulting a mapping data structure that identifies the visual cues to be used with particular keywords. Optionally, a textual summary of the interaction is created as well (e.g., when the interaction concludes).

Abstract: Participants for an in-progress meeting are gathered, preferably by broadcast of instant messaging notifications thereto. Information for people who are invited to a scheduled meeting but are not participating when the meeting begins, as well as for one or more additional people who are mentioned by the current participants of the meeting as desired new invitees to the in-progress meeting, is placed on a participant list. A disambiguation process may be used in cases where it is not clear who was intended in the discussion of a new invitee. Responses to the notifications are collected and used to populate a consolidated joining status window, where this joining status window depicts the joining status of persons on the participant list.

Abstract: A system includes a distribution center for scanning mail intended for and received from clients in a community. The mail scanned for generating sender, recipient, type, and arrival data. Category data is generated and includes a payables category, a donation category, and a printed matter category. Client preferences data is also generated. The data is mined to find commonalities of mail sent to and received from clients. An action is invoked based on the mined data and it is determined that the action is a payables, donation, or printed matter action. If the action is either a payables or donation action then, a client and a third party are notified prior to execution of the action. If the action is a printed matter action then, then a printed matter shared by more than one client is presented for sharing.

Abstract: The invention described herein detects an external user entering into a virtual world that includes a virtual area. In turn, the invention described herein identifies a plurality of joined users that joined each virtual area and computes a joined user weighting for each of the plurality of joined users. The joined user weightings include friend of a friend level weightings and commonality weightings. Next, the invention described herein computes a virtual area friendliness level for each of the virtual areas by aggregating each of the joined user weightings for each of the virtual areas, and provides the virtual area friendliness levels to the external user in order for the external user to select the appropriate virtual area.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to dynamic creation and tracking of one or more tasks. Each task has one or more properties that define the task. Activities are monitored in real-time, and one or more tasks associated with the monitored activity are placed in a queue. Progress of the queued tasks is monitored in view of any associated milestones. Upon completion of the task, the associated milestones are updated to reflect that either the milestones have been met or to change associated milestone data so that future processing of the monitored tasks may include the updated milestone data.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing multiple profiles in a synchronous conferencing system. A synchronous conferencing account is provided for a first user of the synchronous conferencing system. The synchronous conferencing account includes a plurality of user profiles for the first user. The user profiles identify the first user differently. Each user profile is associated with one or more data fields identifying the first user. The data fields may include any or all of a name, a nickname, a login name, and an avatar. A request from a second user of the synchronous conferencing system to communicate with the first user is received. The request includes an identification of the second user. One of the user profiles is selected based on the identification of the second user. The data fields associated with the selected user profile are transmitted to the second user.

Abstract: E-mail applications can be extended to allow recipients to specify quotas indicating maximum numbers of e-mail messages from specific senders based on actions indicated for the recipients to take. A sender can set a quota specifying that no more than five action related e-mail messages should be sent by each sender per week. Quotas may also be set for a number of e-mail messages received that do not require action. Recipient quota information is accessible by senders' e-mail applications so that senders are aware of the quotas before sending an e-mail message. After determining recipients for an e-mail message, an e-mail application can determine quotas for the recipients based on an action indicated in the e-mail message for the sender. The e-mail application can determine if the e-mail message to be sent will approach or reach the quota, and display a notification before the sender sends the e-mail message.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for reading a computer screen having a set of information and a button for submitting the set of information. The method may comprise collecting the set of information; determining a set of representative information, wherein the set of representative information is a subset of the set of information; concatenating the set of representative information to form a summarized context; associating the summarized context with the button; and producing audible sound reciting the summarized context when the button receives focus from a computer mouse.

Abstract: The invention described herein detects an external user entering into a virtual world that includes a virtual area. In turn, the invention described herein identifies a plurality of joined users that joined each virtual area and computes a joined user weighting for each of the plurality of joined users. The joined user weightings include friend of a friend level weightings and commonality weightings. Next, the invention described herein computes a virtual area friendliness level for each of the virtual areas by aggregating each of the joined user weightings for each of the virtual areas, and provides the virtual area friendliness levels to the external user in order for the external user to select the appropriate virtual area.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a processor, a memory, and computer readable instructions stored in the memory for execution by the processor to perform a method comprising receiving a username for a first user having a first user account registered with an instant messaging system; performing an anthroponomastic analysis of the username to assign a probable gender selected from male, female, and neutral; displaying a current contact area in a communication session window of a user interface provided by an instant messaging application on a client system operated by a second user having a second user account; and displaying the username for the first user and an avatar representation indicative of the probable gender in the current contact area while the instant messaging application is accessing the instant messaging system to allow the second user to participate in instant messaging communication with the first user via the user interface.

Abstract: A method for displaying gender-based avatar representations of users in instant messaging communications comprises receiving a username for a first user having a first user account registered with an instant messaging system; performing an anthroponomastic analysis of the username to assign a probable gender for the first user selected from male, female, and neutral; displaying a current contact area in a communication session window of a user interface provided by an instant messaging application on a client system operated by a second user having a second user account registered with the instant messaging system; and displaying the username for the first user and an avatar representation indicative of the probable gender for the first user in the current contact area while the instant messaging application is accessing the instant messaging system to allow the second user to participate in instant messaging communication with the first user via the user interface.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing multiple profiles in a synchronous conferencing system. A synchronous conferencing account is provided for a first user of the synchronous conferencing system. The synchronous conferencing account includes a plurality of user profiles for the first user. The user profiles identify the first user differently. Each user profile is associated with one or more data fields identifying the first user. The data fields may include any or all of a name, a nickname, a login name, and an avatar. A request from a second user of the synchronous conferencing system to communicate with the first user is received. The request includes an identification of the second user. One of the user profiles is selected based on the identification of the second user. The data fields associated with the selected user profile are transmitted to the second user.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for a parent/child approach to calendar-event notices with user-set selective enabling of which child is displayed. Systems, methods and computer program products described herein include a method for generating a notice for a calendar-event, the method including identifying calendar event criteria and attendees for the calendar-event, creating a notice for the calendar-event including parent calendar event criteria, enabling child attachments for the calendar-event notice, setting preferences for the child attachments, creating the child attachment with child calendar event criteria and attaching the child attachment to the calendar-event notice, associating the parent calendar-event criteria with the child calendar-event criteria and selecting which child calendar-event criteria is displayed with the parent calendar-event criteria in response to displaying the parent calendar-event criteria on a computer.

Abstract: A method for automatically enabling closed captioning in video conferencing when a heavy accent is detected from a current speaker is provided. Language background and/or ethnicity information is received as a user preference. An acceptable accent level is determined according to the user preference. An audio signal of a speaker speaking in a language is received. A pronunciation of the speaker in the audio signal is compared with standard pronunciation for the language. An accent level of the speaker is determined, and the accent level of the speaker is compared to the acceptable accent level. If the comparison determines that the accent level of the speaker does not comply with the acceptable accent level, closed captioning in enabled for the audio signal. If the comparison determines that the accent level of the speaker complies with the acceptable accent level, closed captioning is not enabled for the audio signal.

Abstract: A software module for displaying gender-based avatar representations of users in instant messaging communications comprises a username analysis component and an interface component. The username analysis component is configured to be implemented within an instant messaging system providing for communication between a first user and a second user each having a user account registered with the instant messaging system. The username analysis component is configured to perform an anthroponomastic analysis of a username of the first user to assign a probable gender for the first user. The probable gender is selected from male, female, and neutral. The interface component is configured to display a gender-based avatar representation indicative of the probable gender for the first user to the second user when the first user and the second user are participating in a communication session with one another via the instant messaging system.

Abstract: In a method of communicating a plurality of parallel data packets from a first data parallel bus to a second parallel data bus, each of the plurality of parallel data packets is separated into a first portion and a second portion. Each first portion is converted into a first serial data stream and each second portion is converted into a second serial data stream. The first serial data stream is transmitted over a first serial data channel and the second serial data stream is transmitted over a second serial data channel. The first serial data stream is converted into a plurality of first received portions and the second serial data stream is converted into a plurality of second received portions. Selected first received portions are combined with corresponding selected second received portions so as to regenerate the plurality of parallel data packets.

Abstract: An apparatus for enabling transmission of parallel data from a first parallel bus to a second parallel bus via a serial data channel includes a first logic element that generates a synchronization character used in a serial data transmission protocol upon detection of a parallel synchronization packet. A serializer converts data from the first logic element into a serial data stream. A de-serializer converts the serial data stream into a plurality of parallel data packets. A second logic element detects the synchronization character and converts the synchronization character into a parallel synchronization packet.

Abstract: In a method of communicating a plurality of parallel data packets from a first data parallel bus to a second parallel data bus, each of the plurality of parallel data packets is separated into a first portion and a second portion. Each first portion is converted into a first serial data stream and each second portion is converted into a second serial data stream. The first serial data stream is transmitted over a first serial data channel and the second serial data stream is transmitted over a second serial data channel. The first serial data stream is converted into a plurality of first received portions and the second serial data stream is converted into a plurality of second received portions. Selected first received portions are combined with corresponding selected second received portions so as to regenerate the plurality of parallel data packets.