Patents by Inventor Yen-Fu Chen

Yen-Fu Chen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090106369
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media are disclosed for managing multiple email addresses, each of which are associated with a known contact, e.g., a specific person. One embodiment includes selecting email addresses for an email to be sent through a computer system in communication with a mail server, wherein the email addresses comprise an email distribution list. Further, the method includes querying, before sending the email, for duplicate contacts associated with the email addresses in the email distribution list for the email. Further still, the method includes updating, after the querying, the email distribution list to the email addresses left in a remaining email distribution list produced through removal, if any, of the duplicate contacts identified by the querying. Finally, the method includes sending the email to contacts associated with each of the email addresses in the remaining email distribution list, wherein the contacts are in communication with the mail server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, Fabian F. Morgan, Keith R. Walker, Sarah V. White Eagle
  • Publication number: 20090102721
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for locating an asset in a facility. An example of an asset is a vehicle and an example of a facility is a parking facility. When the user enters the facility with the asset, the user receives a base and code from a base/code booth. The code may be stored on a removable card. The user secures the asset by entering the code. While the user is away from the facility, the present invention monitors the base for movement detected by the motion sensor. When the user returns to the facility, a locator panel displays the location of the asset. The present invention determines the location of the asset by triangulation using the locators. The user then returns to the asset, deactivates the motion sensor, returns the base and code to a base/code booth, pays for the storage services, and exits the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, Randolph Michael Forlenza, John Paul Kaemmerer, Raghuraman Kalyanaraman
  • Patent number: 7523041
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer program product for displaying real-time service level performance, breach, and guaranteed uniformity with automatic alerts and proactive rebating for a utility computing environment. Service level agreement parameters, based on a service level agreement between a customer and a service provider, are used to identify discrepancies in a promised service level for the utility computing environment. A real-time view of a current service level and the promised service level for the customer are displayed. When a discrepancy between the promised service level and the current service level occurs, a rebate is generated for the customer. Alerts identifying the discrepancy and its root cause are provided to the customer and the service provider for the discrepancy. Alerts may also be provided prior to the occurrence of the discrepancy so that an action may be performed to eliminate the potential discrepancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Mark L. Feinberg, Abhay Pradhan, Hari Shankar
  • Patent number: 7519812
    Abstract: A Centralized Authentication & Authorization (CAA) system that facilitates secure communication between service clients and service providers. CAA comprises a Service Request Filter (SRF), a Service Client Authentication Program (SCAP), a Service Authorization Program (SAP), and an Authorization Database (ADB). The SRF intercepts service requests, extracts the service client's identifier from a digital certificate attached to the request, and stores the identifier in memory accessible to service providers. In the preferred embodiment, the SRF forwards the service request to a web service manager. The web service manager invokes SCAP. SCAP matches the identifier with a record stored in ADB. SAP queries ADB to determine if the service request is valid for the service client. If the service request is valid, SAP authorizes the service request and the appropriate service provider processes the service request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Messaoud Benantar, Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Randolph Michael Forlenza, Wei Liu, Sandra Juni Schlosser
  • Patent number: 7519672
    Abstract: A system and method for providing implementing proxy handling of instant messages and the like, wherein proxy recipients are designated by an original recipient, and one or more redirection rules are established indicating conditions under which said designated proxy recipients are to be sent redirected messages. When an instant message is received directed towards the original recipient, the redirection rules are evaluated and the message is redirect to a designated proxy recipient according to the redirection rules, with the display of the received message being suppressed or blocked on the intended original recipient's user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss, Yen-Fu Chen, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, Aroopratan D. Pandya, James Wesley Seaman, Timothy Moffett Waters
  • Publication number: 20090094088
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for confirming attendance of prospective attendees to a meeting or events via time management or event scheduling applications, such as calendar applications, are disclosed. Various embodiments comprise scheduling the meeting, waiting for a period of time, and automatically sending confirmation requests to one or more prospective attendees of the meeting. Some embodiments also comprise sending invitations to and receiving acceptances by one or more prospective attendees. Some embodiments further comprise receiving one or more responses to the confirmation requests from the prospective attendees. Some embodiments may reschedule the meeting, or events of the meeting, based upon responses to the confirmation requests. Various embodiments may send or receive the confirmation requests and responses via instant messaging (IM) messages, e-mail messages, and short message service (SMS) messages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, Fabian F. Morgan, Keith R. Walker, Sarah V. White Eagle
  • Publication number: 20090094288
    Abstract: Previously conducted conversations in real-time collaboration messages are persistently stored, either by client or a server, and then are associated with conversational items presented to a user (e.g. contact names, topics, etc.). An icon is provided near each listed item, which when selected, displays to the user summaries or titles of all transcripts to which the selected item pertains or relates. The user may select one or more summaries or titles for which the conversation is to be resumed, causing the system to retrieve the stored transcript and resume appending new conversational entries to it, so that the user recovers conversational context effortlessly and accurately. Enhanced versions of the invention include sharing of transcripts so that all participants receive the context of the conversation, and server-side or client-side implementations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Richard Edmond Berry, Yen-Fu Chen, John Hans Handy-Bosma, Peter Y. Hsu, Mei Y. Selvage, Alan R. Tannenbaum, Anthony Christopher Courtney Temple, Keith Raymond Walker
  • Patent number: 7516062
    Abstract: A weighted search program is disclosed. The weighted search program may be integrated into a translation program, or the weighted search program may be used independently with an available search engine. When integrated with the translation program, setting and weighting may be combined in a single search. In one embodiment, the weighting would be used in conjunction with a Pin Yin translation program so that a user could set some terms, and allocate a search weight to the remaining terms. The invention may be applied independently in Internet searching so that a user can apply weights to multiple elements of a search term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Hari Shankar
  • Publication number: 20090089686
    Abstract: An example of a solution provided here comprises receiving a signal for sending in a side conversation, and in response to the signal for sending, sending a first portion of text, in a side conversation. The first portion of text is new, and the first portion of text is not necessarily revealed to some participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen Fu Chen, John H. Handy-Bosma, Mei Y. Selvage, Keith R. Walker
  • Publication number: 20090089389
    Abstract: An email update system dynamically updates the content of an email when the originator of an email has sent the email, and the originator later determines that the email requires editing. The updating may take place transparent to the recipient and without the introduction of duplicative content into the recipient's email program. The email update system comprises a delta engine program and a delta temporary storage in a sender's computer, a queue manager program and an intermediate email queue in a server computer, and a recipient email retrieval program in a recipient's computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Hari Shankar
  • Patent number: 7503012
    Abstract: A program or system function on a computer system is automatically invoked by receiving a user-selected first insertion point or replacement area within a first user interface to a destination computer file. Subsequent to receiving the first insertion point within a destination file, a second user interface to content of a source computer file is provided upon user command. Then, responsive to a user highlighting text within the second user interface, the highlighted text is automatically copied from the application program to a clipboard buffer. Auto-trigger rules are searched for a rule which correlates to said highlighted text copied to the clipboard and, upon finding a correlating rule, one or more programs or system functions are invoked according to the found rule without need to modify or change said application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir
  • Publication number: 20090063478
    Abstract: A system for assisting a user who is learning a language to prioritize words to be learned in order of usage frequency is disclosed. A frequency determination program running on a computer determines the frequency of usage of each word at a list of locations provided by the user. Different algorithms to identify what constitutes a word are employed depending upon the language of the source data. The total number of words at each location and their usage frequency found during the user session, along with a total number of words and their usage frequency for all user sessions performed regardless of location, are calculated and made available to the user. The user can view usage frequencies for words from a single location, a group of locations, or all user sessions performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir
  • Publication number: 20090063483
    Abstract: A system for assisting a user who is learning a language to prioritize words to be learned in order of usage frequency is disclosed. A frequency determination program running on a computer determines the frequency of usage of each word at a list of locations provided by the user. Different algorithms to identify what constitutes a word are employed depending upon the language of the source data. The total number of words at each location and their usage frequency found during the user session, along with a total number of words and their usage frequency for all user sessions performed regardless of location, are calculated and made available to the user. The user can view usage frequencies for words from a single location, a group of locations, or all user sessions performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Inernational Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir
  • Publication number: 20090064101
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss, Yen-Fu Chen, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, Hari Shankar
  • Patent number: 7496832
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically creating a webpage using a scanned file created from a hard copy. A lookup table correlates a particular text symbol, such as a dollar sign (“$”), to a specific functionality. For example, if a chart in the hard copy has a dollar sign before values in the chart, then the lookup table associates the dollar sign with a pointer to an HTML routine (object) for creating an input box in a webpage. The HTML routines can be used to create new webpages or to modify existing webpages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Hari Shankar
  • Patent number: 7496230
    Abstract: Image or graphic elements such as pictures, icons and clip art, are intercepted during transfer from a computer source to a computer destination, such as during a cut-and-paste operation. Embedded text within the intercepted element is optically recognized, and encoded text is extracted. It is determined if the language of the text matches a desired language of the destination. If not, a translation of the optically-recognized text data is performed, and the translated text data is rendered into image data. The image data is then substituted into the intercepted element to overlay or replace the original embedded text, thereby “translating” the image or graphic element to a desired destination language. The modified image or graphic element is then delivered to the destination, such as a document, program, file or data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir
  • Publication number: 20090044140
    Abstract: A method for viewing and controlling data intermediately between source and destination by receiving from a graphical user interface a user designation of a plurality of sets of copy command destination positions within contents of a computer file, wherein each destination point is allowed to be included in more than one set of destination points; displaying to the user information elements contained in an operating system clipboard transfer buffer; receiving a user selection of information elements in the clipboard transfer buffer; receiving a user definition of a subset of the previously-designated copy command destination positions; and automatically copying the selected information elements to positions in the computer file corresponding according to the user defined subset of copy command destination positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, John H. Bosma, Keith R. Walker, Mei Yang Selvage
  • Patent number: 7490033
    Abstract: A system for assisting a user who is learning a language to prioritize words to be learned in order of usage frequency is disclosed. A frequency determination program running on a computer determines the frequency of usage of each word at a list of locations provided by the user. Different algorithms to identify what constitutes a word are employed depending upon the language of the source data. The total number of words at each location and their usage frequency found during the user session, along with a total number of words and their usage frequency for all user sessions performed regardless of location, are calculated and made available to the user. The user can view usage frequencies for words from a single location, a group of locations, or all user sessions performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir
  • Publication number: 20090037731
    Abstract: A Centralized Authentication & Authorization (CAA) system that prevents unauthorized access to client data using a secure global hashtable residing in the application server in a web services environment. CAA comprises a Service Request Filter (SRF) and Security Program (SP). The SRF intercepts service requests, extracts the service client's identifier from a digital certificate attached to the request, and stores the identifier in memory accessible to service providers. The client identifier is secured by the SP using a key unique to the client identifier. When the web services manager requests the client identifier, the web services manager must present the key to the SP in order to access the client identifier. Thus, the present invention prevents a malicious user from attempting to obtain sensitive data within the application server once the malicious user has gained access past the firewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Messaoud Benantar, Yen-Fu Chen, John W. Dunsmoir, Randolph Michael Forlenza, Wei Liu, Sandra Juni Schlosser
  • Publication number: 20090030984
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically segmenting content from an instant messaging transcript and applying commands contained within the content segments is disclosed. The system includes a segment finding program, a command fording program, and a command list. The segment finding program identifies topic shifts in the IM conversation. The command finding program searches the identified topic segments for commands. Upon finding a command, the command finding program locates an appropriate action within the command list and executes it after obtaining user permission if so specified. The system works in conjunction with an IM program having functions to allow each user to control the segment finding and command finding programs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Yen Fu Chen, John Hans Handy-Bosma, Mei Yang Selvage, Keith Raymond Walker