Abstract: A system and method for composing a stream servicing environment which considers all stakeholders includes identifying service component requirements needed for processing a data stream, and determining available service elements for processing the stream. Feasible service environments are constructed based upon the available service elements and the service component requirements. Efficiency measures are computed for each feasible service environment considering all stakeholders. A best service environment is determined based upon the efficiency measures.

Abstract: A system and method for securely processing sensitive streams in a mixed infrastructure includes analyzing a stream to determine data sensitivity. A likelihood that processing elements employed to process the stream would result in a risk to sensitive information is determined. At least a portion of the data stream having sensitive information is transferred to a secure processing environment to ensure security of the data stream during processing.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting streams in a mixed infrastructure includes determining processing elements that are to access a data stream in a stream processing environment and determining a security level for each processing element. Keys are generated per stream per processing element in accordance with the security level. The keys are associated with processing elements in an access control list in a location accessible by producing and consuming processing elements. The stream is decrypted for processing using keys released upon authenticating processing elements in accordance with the access control list. At security boundaries, the stream is re-encrypted in accordance with a next processing element.

Abstract: A method for displaying an instant message within a text box visible to a first avatar in a virtual world is disclosed. The instant message is sent from a second avatar to a third avatar. The method includes determining a distance within the virtual world between the first avatar and at least one of the second avatar and the third avatar, assigning a distance reduction factor to a word of the instant message based upon context of the word, and multiplying the distance by the distance reduction factor to thereby define a logical distance of the word. The logical distance is compared to a threshold value and a display option is selected for the word based upon the comparison. The instant message is displayed within the text box with the word having the selected display option.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow the prevention and/or mitigation of damage caused by server failure by predicting future failures based on historic failures. Statistical data for server parameters may be collected for a period of time immediately preceding a historic server failure. The data may be clustered to identify cluster profiles indicating strong pre-fault clustering patterns. Real time statistics collected during normal operation of the server may be applied to the cluster profiles to determine whether real time statistics show pre-fault clustering. If such a pattern is detected, measures to prevent or mitigate server failure may be initiated.

Abstract: A facility is provided for transitioning a database service from a failing, primary server to another server of a computing environment including a plurality of servers, at least some of which have a common database service capability, but not commonly replicated supporting databases. The facility includes, responsive to detection of failure at the primary server, selecting another server of the plurality of servers to function as database service backup for the primary server, updating at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the another server is to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server, and dynamically creating at least one database structure at the another server. The dynamically created at least one database structure supports the database service backup function at the another server and corresponds to a database structure of a database supporting the database service at the primary server.

Abstract: A method of tracking images captured by a digital camera includes inputting a profile marker to a profile information database in the digital camera, establishing a profile ratio for captured images. The profile ratio sets a number of captured images required to contain the profile marker. The method further requires scanning with a tracking system captured images stored a memory for the profile marker, and providing one of a visual alarm and an audible alarm indicating that the number of captured images containing the profile marker is less than the profile ratio.

Abstract: Automatically completing a GUI task. Exemplary embodiments a method including providing a user configurable auto-completion application operating in the background of a computer operating system and executing on a computing device, the auto-completion application monitoring and archiving user activities, wherein certain actions by the user are parsed and indexed, analyzing the parsed and indexed actions of the user to determine at least one of relationships, user interactions, user statistics, various states of the user's actions over time, and images or video of the user's interaction to create an index of the user's typical interactions with the system and providing a fast-forward functionality based on the index such that a tree structure is presented to the user on a display device of the computing device, the tree structure indicating the user's current state in the system and one or more future states the user typically takes based on a past act.

Abstract: A facility is provided for transitioning a database service from a failing, primary server to another server of a computing environment including a plurality of servers, at least some of which have a common database service capability, but not commonly replicated supporting databases. The facility includes, responsive to detection of failure at the primary server, selecting another server of the plurality of servers to function as database service backup for the primary server, updating at least one configuration file of the computing environment to indicate that the another server is to function as database service backup for the primary, failing server, and dynamically creating at least one database structure at the another server. The dynamically created at least one database structure supports the database service backup function at the another server and corresponds to a database structure of a database supporting the database service at the primary server.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow the prevention and/or mitigation of damage caused by server failure by predicting future failures based on historic failures. Statistical data for server parameters may be collected for a period of time immediately preceding a historic server failure. The data may be clustered to identify cluster profiles indicating strong pre-fault clustering patterns. Real time statistics collected during normal operation of the server may be applied to the cluster profiles to determine whether real time statistics show pre-fault clustering. If such a pattern is detected, measures to prevent or mitigate server failure may be initiated.

Abstract: A movement-based filtering mechanism in a graphical user interface allows a user to filter search results by simply moving a pointer, such as a mouse. One or more attributes are displayed to the user in a graphical format. By selecting the pointer (such as clicking on a mouse button), the user may dynamically filter the search results according to the attribute(s) under the pointer. Weighting of multiple attributes may be performed according to the time the pointer spends in each attribute area in the display, or according to a path length of the pointer in each attribute area in the display. In addition, the speed of the dynamic filtering may be directly controlled according to the speed of the movement of the pointer. A timeline may also be displayed that allows the user to go back to any suitable point in time in the filtering process.

Abstract: A movement-based filtering mechanism in a graphical user interface allows a user to filter search results by simply moving a pointer, such as a mouse. One or more attributes are displayed to the user in a graphical format. By selecting the pointer (such as clicking on a mouse button), the user may dynamically filter the search results according to the attribute(s) under the pointer. Weighting of multiple attributes may be performed according to the time the pointer spends in each attribute area in the display, or according to a path length of the pointer in each attribute area in the display. In addition, the speed of the dynamic filtering may be directly controlled according to the speed of the movement of the pointer. A timeline may also be displayed that allows the user to go back to any suitable point in time in the filtering process.

Abstract: Web-searchable documents are made accessible to user based on user relations to the document owner. In response to an Internet search query from a user including at least one search term, a document in a search index of documents is analyzed. Keywords within the document are assigned group priority ratings. The group priority ratings are indicative of groups of users that the document owner is willing to share documents with. The group ratings may be assigned by the document owner based, for example, on the sensitivity of personal nature of the keywords. The user's relation rating to an owner of the document is determined, and the search term in the query is compared only to those indexed keywords within the document that have a group priority rating that is less than or equal to the user's relation rating to the owner of the document. An overall document ranking may be determined based on the comparison of the search term to the indexed keywords.

Abstract: A method for the dynamically determining utilization of remote device applications based on historical application usage patterns, application power requirements, and available power reserves stored on a remote device, wherein the method includes defining a set of individual applications and activities on a remote device; determining a rate of power consumption per unit of time for each of the set of individual applications and activities; determining usage patterns of the set of individual applications and activities; determining a total expected power usage; comparing the total expected power usage to the available power reserves; and implementing a power budget if the total expected power usage exceeds the available power reserves.

Abstract: A digital camera system includes an input member for selecting at least one of an individual profile and a group profile and a memory operatively coupled to the input member. The memory includes digital images captured by the digital camera system and a profile information database. The profile information database includes at least one of an individual profile having an individual profile marker and a group profile having a plurality of individual profile markers. A tracking system, operatively coupled to the memory, selectively scans the captured images for images including at least one individual profile marker. A notification system, operatively coupled to the tracking system, provides one of a visual and an audible alarm indicating that less than a pre-selected number of individual profile markers are present in the captured images.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing email attachments. In an embodiment, a peer-to-peer network is used to distribute attachments among email recipients. A metadata file is generated and sent to a central tracking server (e.g., on the sender's local email server). The central tracking server may maintain an access control list, track mail recipients, track peers sharing the file attachment, and track which pieces of the attachment that each peer has. In lieu of the file attachment, each recipient of the email may receive a token or stub representing the file attachment. The stub may contain metadata about the file attachment with information for querying the central tracking server. A file download request may be initiated by a recipient via the stub. The recipient's local email client may query the central tracking server to obtain authorized access to a peer-to-peer network to download the file attachment.

Abstract: A method and system for providing preferred media sources of content is provided. The method includes receiving a profile of preferred content providers and corresponding uniform resource locators (URLs), each of the preferred content providers selected for a category of content. The preferred content providers are selected from a group of content providers that provide syndicated content to subscribing entities. The method also includes analyzing content feeds from the group of content providers to identify similarities in content items and to identify the categories to which each of the content items belong. The method further includes determining from the profile a preferred content provider for the category identified in response to the analyzing when a threshold level of similarities among two or more of the content items are found. The method also includes presenting the content item, which is associated with the preferred content provider and the identified category, to the subscribing entity.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a method for instant messaging including redirection and authority confirmation including: establishing a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party; contacting an authority to monitor the chat between the first and second chat parties; monitoring the chat session between the first and second chat parties based upon a set of rules; and blocking a chat message from a first chat party responsive to the set of rules.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and systems for recording and distributing information on various aspects of videogame play (gameplay). In one embodiment, a method of providing gaming information may include receiving gaming information recorded during gameplay by a user during execution of a gaming application. The gaming information may be in an electronic format and may be stored on a computer readable storage medium. The method may also include making the gaming information available for sale.

Abstract: A cellular communication device including a housing having a front section and a rear section complementary to the front section such that the front and rear section align and mate together. A cavity is formed by mating of the front and rear section of the housing. An electronic circuit board having a microprocessor is located within the cavity. At least one of an accelerometer, a tilt sensor and a thermal sensor is operably connected to the microprocessor for detecting displacement of the cellular communication device from the ear of the user during communication.