Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for filtering and presenting elements of an immersive virtual environment. The elements may be filtered according to importance to the user, based on user-specified importance of each element, the number and type of past interactions with the elements, and the like. Further, the filtering may be performed on the basis of the user's preference for density of element presentation. The user may then be presented with a view of the virtual world in which elements having a higher degree of interest to the user are highlighted visually, and in which elements having a lesser degree of interest to the user are made partially transparent or invisible.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for synchronizing virtual locations to real locations. In one embodiment, data sources are monitored to detect events that affect real locations. A filter specified by an owner of the virtual location may be used to detect keywords indicating events affecting a particular location. In the event that such events are detected, the owner may be notified to modify the virtual location to match the real location. Optionally, the virtual location may be automatically modified to match the real location.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for detecting photo opportunities within a virtual environment. In response to detecting a photo opportunity, images of the virtual environment may be captured from perspectives not limited to the user's viewport. A variety of physiological and virtual world parameters are measured to determine when to capture an image of a user interacting with the virtual environment. To improve the quality of images, these parameters may be individually weighted by factors specified by the user. Captured images may be stored in a temporary buffer space, possibly replacing older images. The user may view the buffer contents and select ideal images to move to a permanent gallery. The user's image selections can in turn be used to further improve the quality of future images.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for determining the correctness of similar job plan segments in a stream processing application. In one embodiment, a job manager may be configured to identify similar job plan segments based on data formats, functionality, and surrounding processing elements. The job manager plan may be further configured to determine whether the similar segments provide inconsistent results, and if so, to determine which of the inconsistent similar segments is invalid. The job manager may identify an invalid processing element included in the invalid segment. The job manager may also perform corrective actions to address the invalid processing element.

Abstract: A method of matching one or more software plug-ins to a user, the method including: defining one or more trigger events based on one or more actions of an application; monitoring a use of the application for the one or more trigger events; generating a suggestion of one or more plug-ins based on the use of the application; and generating a notification including the suggestion.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to the dynamic activation and deactivation of a spell check feature option for instant message chat session features within a virtual environment. As such, the spell check feature can be activated and deactivated within the virtual environment based upon the identity of an engaged party to chat session or the identities of other parties that are in proximity to the chat session parties within the virtual environment.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for managing performance of a job performed in a distributed computing system, the distributed computing system comprising a plurality of compute nodes operatively coupled through a data communications network, the job carried out by a plurality of distributed pluggable processing components executing on the plurality of compute nodes, that include: identifying a current configuration of the pluggable processing components carrying out the job, the current configuration specifying a current distribution of the pluggable processing components among the compute nodes; identifying a network topology of the plurality of compute nodes in the data communications network; receiving a plurality of performance indicators produced during execution of the job; and redistributing, to a different compute node, at least one of the pluggable processing components in dependence upon the current configuration, the network topology, and the performance indicators.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for qualifying data produced by an application carried out using a plurality of pluggable processing components. Qualifying data produced by the application includes: receiving, by an application manager, quality metrics for one of the pluggable processing components; determining, by the application manager, a component quality rating for the pluggable processing component in dependence upon the quality metrics; and assigning, by the application manager, a data quality rating to application data for the application in dependence upon the component quality rating for the pluggable processing component.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for tracking data processing in an application carried out on a distributed computing system, the distributed computing system including a plurality of computing nodes connected through a data communications network, the application carried out by a plurality of pluggable processing components installed on the plurality of computing nodes, the pluggable processing components including a pluggable processing provider component and a pluggable processing consumer component, that include: identifying, by the provider component, data satisfying predetermined processing criteria, the criteria specifying that the data is relevant to processing provided by the consumer component; passing, by the provider component, the data to the next pluggable processing component in the application for processing, including maintaining access to the data; receiving, by the consumer component, the data during execution of the application; and sending, by the consumer component, a receip

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for managing the performance of an application carried out using a plurality of pluggable processing components, the pluggable processing components executed on a plurality of compute nodes, that include: identifying a current configuration of the pluggable processing components for carrying out the application; receiving a plurality of performance indicators produced during execution of the pluggable processing components; and altering the current configuration of the pluggable processing components in dependence upon the performance indicators and one or more additional pluggable processing components.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for managing execution stability of an application carried out using a plurality of pluggable processing components. Managing execution stability of an application includes: receiving, by an application manager, component stability metrics for a particular pluggable processing component; determining, by the application manager, that the particular pluggable processing component is unstable in dependence upon the component stability metrics for the particular pluggable processing component; and notifying, by the application manager, a system administrator that the particular pluggable processing component is unstable.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally related to metadata describing users accessing a network and network content. Each user may have a user profile comprising a list of user tags describing the user. Each item of network content may include a list of content tags describing the item. Each user tag and content tag may have an associated weight value. When a user selects an item of network content, weights of one or more user tags of the user profile and one or more content tags may be adjusted based on the selection. In some embodiments, the tags may be removed based on the weight values so that only tags relevant to the user profile and network content remain.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally related to metadata describing users accessing a network and network content. Each user may have a user profile comprising a list of user tags describing the user. Each item of network content may include a list of content tags describing the item. When a user selects an item of network content, one or more tags from the user profile may be added to the list of content tags for the item. In some embodiments, one or more tags from the list of content tags may be added to the user profile. Therefore, over time and access by multiple users, a comprehensive list of tags describing user profiles and network content may be developed.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a means for the simulating of real world activities within a virtual environment. Information retrieved from locally executing applications (e.g., such as a screen saver, voice over IP phone system, etc.) or sensor information is utilized to deliver messages from a client application to the virtual environment in order to put an avatar in a state that visually indicates that a system user is busy.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus enable calibration of a display for a particular user thereof. An image displayed such as by an interactive system is adjusted based on physical attributes associated with the user or other characteristics of the user in order to customize the image being displayed. For some embodiments, change to the image includes dynamically resizing and/or repositioning a projected display based on the size and reach of the user to make items shown in the display such as menus or hyperlinks more easily accessible to the user. Input from a camera of the interactive system can be utilized to detect the attribute such as a height of the user for correlation to a typical reach of the user. In operation, the interactive system can therefore dynamically adapt to each unique user as different users approach and interact with the interactive system by automatic calibration of the image being displayed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for distributing data from within a virtual world to multiple hosts. In one embodiment, primary areas within the virtual world may be hosted on servers controlled by the provider of the virtual world. At the same time, some areas within the virtual world may be controlled by a second party and hosted by a secondary server. In the virtual environment, an interface may be provided to access the area controlled by the second party.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for distributing data from within a virtual world to multiple hosts. In one embodiment, primary areas within the virtual world may be hosted on servers controlled by the provider of the virtual world. At the same time, some areas within the virtual world may be controlled by a second party and hosted by a secondary server. In the virtual environment, an interface may be provided to access the area controlled by the second party.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of reconstructing a virtual world environment by retrieving data from multiple users present in the environment at a given point in time. Each user may maintain scene data describing the virtual environment at different points in time. The scene data describes one or more elements present in the scene, from the perspective of an avatar associated a given user. To reconstruct a scene, the scene data from multiple caches may be shared over a peer-to-peer type network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of reconstructing a virtual world environment by retrieving data from multiple users present in the environment at a given point in time. Each user may maintain scene data describing the virtual environment at different points in time. The scene data describes one or more elements present in the scene, from the perspective of an avatar associated a given user. To reconstruct a scene, the scene data from multiple caches may be shared over a peer-to-peer type network.