Abstract: Control of multiple display screens associated with a computer, wherein the auxiliary screen display content that depends on conditions of the computer. During some times the auxiliary screen displays content associated with the presently executing program, and during other times the auxiliary screen displays history information. The rules can be automatically changed or manually changed.

Abstract: A user interface for interacting with an emergency notification system. The user interface comprises at least one software module installed on a computer readable medium and containing instructions for operating a computer processor. The instructions comprise first instructions for causing the processor to display on a computing device display an alert selection window configured to receive a user entered alert message; second instructions for causing the processor to display on the computing device display a group selection window configured to receive a user selection of one or more notification units to receive the alert message; and third instructions for causing the processor to display on the computer device display a selection button for instructing the processor, upon selection, to transmit the alert message to the selected one or more notification units.

Abstract: Calibration and publication of user activity on a computer implemented social network is provided. Activity signals of user activity is measured by an activity monitor and calibrated by the user. The calibration includes assigning an activity signal with a personalized identifier for the activity for comparison with future measured activity signals. Near real-time publication of the activity on the social network allow users of the network to timely view user behavior. The publication on a social networking website includes the identifier if the activity has been calibrated. By calibrating and publishing user activity, users can connect to others based on the activity. The publication can be on newsfeed on a user profile for friends of the user to view. A user and the user's friends can communicate with each other, which allows the user to receive motivation from the friends and be accountable to the friends.

Abstract: Providing a shared user interface can be achieved by an application running on a first electronic device and a second electronic device that is detected. A shared user interface can be generated based at least in part on the application and the detected device pairing. The shared user interface can comprise a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be displayed at the first electronic device. Data enabling a display of the second portion at the second electronic device can be transmitted to the second electronic device. Input data from at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be received at the first electronic device to yield received input data. In response to the received input data, at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the shared user interface can modified based on the received input data.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a videoconferencing endpoint may be an MCU (Multipoint Control Unit) or may include embedded MCU functionality. In various embodiments, the endpoint may thus conduct a videoconference by receiving/compositing video and audio from multiple videoconference endpoints. The endpoint may select a subset of endpoints and form a composite video image from the subset of the videoconference endpoints to send to the other videoconference endpoints. In some embodiments, the subset of endpoints that are selected for compositing into the composite video image may be selected according to criteria such as the last N talking participants. In some embodiments, the master endpoint may request the non-talker endpoints to stop sending video to help conserve the resources on the master endpoint. In some embodiments, the master endpoint may ignore video from endpoints that are not being displayed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for abstracting conversations between avatars within a virtual world. In one embodiment, the user of an avatar observing a conversation between other avatars may be presented with an abstracted version of the conversation. The abstraction may be performed so as to enable the user to determine the general topic or nature of the conversation, without receiving sensitive or detailed information included in the conversation. In one embodiment, the abstraction is performed by substituting words of the conversation with fewer words, or words having a more general meaning. The degree of abstraction performed may be based on a level of trust between the observer and the users engaged in conversation.

Abstract: A virtual address bar user interface control is presented. The virtual address bar comprises one or more interactive address segments and one or more conventional address segments. Each interactive address segment corresponds to a predefined filter comprising selection criteria applied to content stored on a storage device. Selection of the one or more interactive address segments navigates a user to content satisfying the predefined filters of the one or more selected interactive address segments. Each conventional address segment references content at the content's particular location on the storage device. Selection of the one or more conventional address segments navigates the user to content at the content's particular location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing single click enterprise communication are provided. In exemplary embodiments, a profile is associated with each individual of an enterprise. A single click selection of a communication type from a plurality of communication types for a particular individual may then be received. The profile associated with the individual is then reviewed to determine one or more contact identifiers associated with the selected communication type. Using the determined contact identifiers a communication may be established with the individual.

Abstract: An input invokes a sketch tool at a computing device. Further, a graphical user interface operably connected to the computing device displays a canvas overlay over a content area displayed by the graphical user interface upon the receipt of the input. In addition, the computing device receives a drawing input with the sketch tool in the canvas overlay. The computing device displays a sketch overlaid over the content area based on the drawing input.

Abstract: The present invention relates a method and system for collaborating in a shared network space comprising logging in from the one or more user machines to the shared space in a network from a user application to a host, wherein the shared space is created by interaction of executable codes in the host and the user application and the shared space is described by a session attribute list; loading a media application with tools into a one or more user machines; inputting graphical content; and displaying the content by other user machines in the shared space synchronously or asynchronously including anchoring a sidebar panel to a region of a browser; creating one or more user messages in the sidebar panel; displaying graphical content on a whiteboard; highlighting points of interest within the graphical content; and associating said user messages to the points of interest by one or more lines.

Abstract: A mashup session manager maintains state of the mashup session to ensure presentation consistency/uniformity across the execution environments. The mashup session manager also tracks the participating execution environments associated with a mashup session (e.g., usernames, device identifiers, network addresses, etc.), and transmits data for presentation consistency to the participating execution environments. In some cases, a view of the mashup session at a participating execution environment may not be current (“stale mashup session view”). The mashup session manager can detect if a view at a participating execution environment is of a past mashup session state, and provide data for the stale mashup session view to become current. In addition, the mashup session manager can propagate design modifications to the participants of the mashup session.

Abstract: A method for managing and operating one or more virtual world viewers in a virtual world may include generating a virtual world viewer feature on a computer system in response to a predetermined action by the user. The method may also include generating an option in the virtual world viewer feature for the user to either enter or select a different virtual world location from a current virtual world location of a user's avatar for locating a virtual world viewer for viewing the different virtual world location. The virtual world viewer may be generated on the computer system for the user to view the different virtual world location without the user's avatar leaving the current virtual world location.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for navigating an image using zoom operations. A zoomed view of the image may be displayed on a display screen. In response to receiving a first user input, the zoomed view of the image is replaced on the display screen with a zoom selection view of the image, the zoom selection view including a base view of the image with a zoom selection window enclosing a portion of the base view of the image. A second user input may be received to move the zoom selection window in the zoom selection view to identify a portion of the image to be zoomed. A new zoomed view may then be displayed on the display screen, in place of the zoom selection view, that includes the portion of the image identified by the zoom selection window.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information describing the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: Methods, computer-readable storage media, and systems are provided to facilitate visually distinguishing common attributes of users an electronic communication network or messaging service. In particular, user profile attributes are compared between a first and second user, and similar attributes are visually highlighted by assigning, for example, a distinct font, font size, color, font effect, and/or other visual effect to the user's screen name to designate which attributes are similar. In addition, or alternatively, when the first user views a user profile of the second user, common user attributes are visually highlighted. In one embodiment, the font, font size, color, and/or font effect assigned to the highlighted attribute indicates a degree of similarity of the attribute. Such implementations may allow users to more easily recognize and interact with others that have similar interests and attributes.

Abstract: A multi-touch display device is configured to enable control of a displayed object by less than all of the input mechanisms determined to be engaging the displayed object at the same time.

Abstract: Ones of the windows associated with a software process are identified in a screen layout on a local display of a sharer network node. On the sharer network node, an image of the identified windows as they are arranged in the screen layout and free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout is generated. The image is transmitted from the sharer network node to a viewer network node. Also, commands derived from input device events on sharer and viewer network nodes are received. The received commands are processed into a command sequence, which is passed to a shared process executing on the sharer network node. Windows associated with the shared process are presented on the sharer network node in accordance with the received command sequence. An image of the presented windows is generated and transmitted from the sharer network node to the viewer network node.

Abstract: A user interface of an electronic content rendering device implements input assistance to enhance user experience when browsing linked content. As a touch input moves along a trajectory, an input assistance application provides enhanced fields associated with various navigation elements as the touch input draws toward the navigation elements. Responsive to detecting deceleration of the touch input within a threshold distance of a navigation element, the input assistance application enhances the associated field.

Abstract: A portable electronic device with a touch screen display displays a list of instant messaging conversations including a group conversation. The group conversation includes a first multi-recipient identifier and a group conversation indicia. In response to detecting a user selection of the group conversation, the device displays a set of outgoing messages from a user of the device to multiple recipients in a chronological order and a second multi-recipient identifier. The device receives a new outgoing message for the group conversation entered by the user of the device through the touch screen display, and responds to detecting a user request to send the new outgoing message to the multiple recipients by sending the new outgoing message to the multiple recipients in the group conversation. The new outgoing message is appended to the set of outgoing messages displayed on the touch screen display.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of locating a code in an image file, comprising forming an image window from a target comprising a readable code, dividing the image window into sub-windows, analysing for each sub-window whether it constitutes a part of the code by comparing the variation density color of the sub-window with one or more threshold values set for the color, gathering the sub-windows evaluated as constituting a part of the code into a group of sub-windows, and verifying that the gathered group of sub-windows defines a valid code.

Abstract: A virtual execution environment for software applications and other code objects. In one implementation, the present invention allows for virtual execution of applications by transparently capturing the rendered output of natively executed applications, and delivering the output to other processes on the same platform or to remote devices in a platform agnostic manner.

Abstract: In a system for reproducing AV information from a recording medium, such as a DVD, not only are usual titles reproduced, but also related information relevant to specific stream information is acquired easily by making use of resources on a computer network. In a reproducing system with the function of reproducing the title information recorded on a DVD and displaying it on the screen of a display section, when the user clicks a Web mark on the screen, the CPU links to a Web server on the Internet via a modem and accesses the Web page related to the stream information on the screen. At that time, the related Web page is the selected information conforming to parental information, or attribute information, set in the system.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a first provider adapted to provide a first user interface configured to receive an input about an instruction about an operation of an apparatus, the first user interface being provided in a first direction; a second provider adapted to provide a second user interface in conjunction with the first user interface, the second user interface being provided in a second direction; and an informer adapted to provide a status of the operation via the second user interface when the operation is performed.

Abstract: A device including an update request section making an update request to update a display on a display device, and a display update section updating the display on the display device in response to the update request. In addition, the device includes a layout holding section holding layout information of each of screens hierarchically displayed on the display device, and a group assigning section, based on the layout information, assigning screens, which are displayed on the display device so as to be partially or entirely visible, to one group. The device also includes a group holding section holding group information consisting of the assigned group, and a switching request section for making a list display request to display a switching destination screen candidate list, which shows the screens included in the held group information as switching destination screen candidates in a group unit, on the display device so as to be visible.

Abstract: Control of multiple display screens associated with a computer, wherein the auxiliary screen display content that depends on conditions of the computer. During some times the auxiliary screen displays content associated with the presently executing program, and during other times the auxiliary screen displays history information. The rules can be automatically changed or manually changed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of sorting electronic messages can include, for each of a plurality of electronic messages received in an electronic messaging client, determining availability of a sender of each electronic message and determining an order for the electronic messages within the electronic messaging client according to availability of the sender of each electronic message. The method further can include displaying the electronic messages within a view of the electronic messaging client in the order.

Abstract: A user maintains notification setting information having temporal periods capable of controlling, at least in part, the dissemination of information describing the on-line presence of the user within an instant messaging system or the geographic location of one or more mobile communications devices used by the user. The user may use multiple identities to communicate within the instant messaging system and/or with the mobile communications device or devices. The user can maintain sets of temporal periods for each of the multiple identities. Only one identity may be used at a specific time to communicate to a specific other identity, but the multiple identities of the user may be linked such that on-line presence and/or geographic location associated with one of the identities is disseminated based on the temporal periods set for one or more of the multiple identities.

Abstract: A communication icon represents a shared connection allowing members of an online group to interact with each other and participate in different activities together. The icon through which the group interacts resides on each group member's desktop and has many attributes including click activation modes and drag and drop functionality. The icon provides each group member with a representation of the group's shared relationship. Any group member can change the group icon and have that change propagated to the computers of the other members of the group. The icon can be activated for both non-verbal and verbal communications as well as activity sharing. Online members of the group are kept apprised of the group's status and activities via a displayed status bar.

Abstract: A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.

Abstract: Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) support the collaborative generation of life stories by helping the user view the development of the life stories of other users and facilitating interaction with them through these GUIs. A GUI according to a first type helps the user keep track of recent life stories and comments posted by other users of the collaborative system, and a GUI according to a second type helps the user view life stories of any user in a chronological manner.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing extended presence information for multi-user devices are described. Communication devices used in conference rooms represent a different nature than single user devices such as a personal computer. Conference rooms also have attributes that may be added to existing presence information and provide an enhanced experience for scheduling and dissemination of conference room capabilities. Information such as actual people in attendance may be added to the presence information maintained by a presence server to provide an overall enhancement to the meeting room whether it is physically a single conference room or a multitude of endpoints remotely connected to a conference.

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: Methods to manipulate a screen space of a display device are disclosed. A plurality of application windows of a plurality of applications are displayed on a screen space. At least a first application and a second application are executing to display a plurality of windows. A user interface of system level applications may be displayed. A selection of a single application mode is received. In response to the receiving of the selection of the single application mode, all the windows are removed automatically from the screen space, except for a first application window. At least the first and second applications continue being executed. The user interface of the system level applications may continue to be displayed. Next, a request to display a second application window is received. The second application window is displayed while the first application window is removed from the screen space.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting the same data to more than one client node or from an application to at least two client nodes. The method includes connecting a first client node and a first client protocol stack and connecting the application and the first client protocol stack; associating a first minimal communications protocol stack with the first client protocol stack; providing a connection between the application and the first minimal communications protocol stack and between a second client node and a second client protocol stack; associating a second minimal communications protocol stack with the second client protocol stack; providing a connection between the first minimal protocol stack and the second minimal protocol stack; and between the second minimal protocol stack and said the client protocol stack. Data is then transmitted from the application program to the first client protocol stack and the first minimal protocol stack substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: A context sensitive information management system and method for use in a system comprising a number of applications each able to display information in response to a user input and a contextual coprocessor. The method comprising the steps of: the contextual coprocessor storing a plurality of context definitions each defining information to be displayed; the user making an input to an application; the application displaying information in response to the user input; the contextual coprocessor identifying a stored context definition corresponding to a current context definition; and the contextual processor displaying the information defined by said identified stored context definition; in which the context definitions stored by the contextual coprocessor are based upon data passing between the application and the user.

Abstract: A system is provided for linking software applications. The system comprises a message backplane configured to linked software applications by sharing messages associated with events occurring in a respective linked software application with one or more other linked software applications and a controller configured to instruct the message backplane to link software applications.

Abstract: A disclosed technology is for controlling the operation of displaying message windows. Plural message windows are not displayed at the same time in response to plural requests being made to start displaying the same message window.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing the time required to generate web pages on post-back of collaborative web applications. Content from web pages of the collaborative web applications may be displayed in respective foreground and background IFRAMES over a display. Upon post-back to load content from a new web page in the foreground IFRAME, the content from the background IFRAME persists, thus saving the round trip otherwise required to update content from the background IFRAME. Initialization and update of the content in the background IFRAME may be performed when interaction with the content in the foreground IFRAME is idle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for game determined tag relevance for social bookmarking. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for the game determination of tag relevance for social bookmarking can be provided. The method can include rendering a game user interface in connection with content in a content browser, providing a list of tags previously associated with the content in the game user interface for a game participant and receiving relevance values for the tags through the game user interface provided by the game participant for each of the tags, comparing the relevance values to relevance values provided by others to generate a score and presenting the score in the game user interface, and applying the received relevance values to the tags to improve quality for each of the tags in association with the content.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information describing the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: A processing device used to support communications between users of the collaboration system is provided with a graphical user interface. A graphical context activation mechanism associated with a discussion between users of the collaboration system may be displayed. Responsive to a selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion is displayed. The graphical illustration may comprise indicia of location of at least one of the users that may be displayed, for example, within the context of a geographical map. The graphical illustration may further comprise indicia of identity of at least one of the users. Additionally, a textual context activation mechanism may be provided and utilized in the same manner, thereby allowing text-based context regarding the message to be displayed. In this manner, team-wide context may be more readily established.

Abstract: A virtual address bar user interface control is presented. The virtual address bar includes a plurality of interactive segments, each segment corresponding to a predetermined filter for selecting content in a computer file system. Collectively, the interactive segments represent a virtual address for selecting content. Selecting an interactive segment in the virtual address bar causes those segments subsequent to the selected segment to be removed from the virtual address bar. A user may select a peer filter for a segment to replace that segment's current filter and removes those segments subsequent to the updated segment. The virtual address bar can be selectively configured to operate as a conventional address bar, and reconfigured to operate as a virtual address bar. Additional filter segments are added to the end of the existing filter segments. Those existing filter segments that conflict with the added segment are removed from the virtual address bar.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for previewing new events in a computing device having a plurality of applications for managing respective events are described. Individual applications are each represented by an application icon on a screen of a graphical user interface for the device. When a new event occurs, particularly when the new event relates to a specific one of a plurality of similar applications, the invention provides a convenient way to denote which application relates to the event. In response to a new event of a one of the applications, the application's icon is visually modified to notify of the new event. A visual modification may be determined in response to the new event, for example, to preview a content of the event. The visual modification may include a count of all new events that remain to be disposed. On a selection of the visually modified icon, additional previewing may be provided.

Abstract: A UI for presenting and reviewing a document is optimized based upon the type of computing device being utilized to present the document. One such UI includes a first pane showing a view of the document under review that is sized and formatted for display on a large-format display device. The first pane can also be utilized to emphasize a portion of the document. The UI also includes a second pane that includes indicators for each of the reviewers of the document. The selection of an indicator will cause a portion of the document being reviewed by the corresponding reviewer to be displayed in the first pane. The UI also includes a third pane that includes a scaled image of the document shown in the first pane. Selection of a portion of the scaled image causes the selected portion of the document to be displayed in the first pane.

Abstract: An Entertainment System including a website, in combination with a commercially purchased product, wherein the system allows a product user to register a primary product online using a registration code, allowing the user access to various activities and scenarios in a “virtual world” including a virtual representation of the product, via a computer connected to the Internet. Additional ancillary products are also provided that may be related to the primary product or the virtual world, with these ancillary products also being provided with one or more codes to provide additional content, bonus items, and/or bonus access in the virtual world.

Abstract: An approach is provided for performing collaborative graphical creation. It is determined that a plurality of modifications are made within a collaborative environment to an area of an image. The modifications are initiated by a plurality of members of a social network service. A conflict rule specified by the social network service is retrieved. One of the modifications is selected based on the conflict rule.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an option to auto-generate a thread on a web forum in response to a change in topic are described. When a post is received on a thread in the web forum, wherein the thread includes one or more thread keywords and wherein each of the one or more thread keywords are associated with a relevancy score, the post is searched for the one or more thread keywords. The relevancy scores of any of the one or more thread keywords located within the post are added together to obtain a post total relevancy score. A query is then provided, to a user, for example, to auto-generate a new thread on the web forum when the post total relevancy score is less than a threshold relevancy score.

Abstract: A novel technique automatically stores synchronized group history related to an online group interaction and enables individual group members to later view and access the group history. In an embodiment of the invention, the group history is accessible by group members independently of group interactions at any later time. According to various embodiments of the invention, the group history may be presented in an overview form or a detailed form. With respect to the detailed form, the group history may be presented graphically, such as in an icon timeline or collage, textually, such as in list form, or in any combination of presentation formats. In a further embodiment of the invention, the synchronized group history is writable by group members in addition to being automatically maintained.

Abstract: Methods and systems can manage the multiple identities used by a user. The user's existing contact lists, website accounts, buddy lists, and the like are analyzed to determine the identities used by the user. A graph is then constructed in order to track and integrate the multiple identities of the user in a social network. The social network graph may then be used by a social network overlay so that the user can share information across their different identities with different users that only know some of the user's multiple identities.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a presenter device may determine displayed windows of applications, and may provide individual window sharing selectability (e.g., shared or unshared), as well as entire application sharing selectability (shared, unshared, or neither). In particular, the entire application sharing selectability takes priority over individual window sharing selections (i.e., all windows of shared applications are shared and all windows of unshared applications are unshared). Based on individual window sharing selections and entire application sharing selections, a set of presenter device windows that are to be shared with the attendee devices may be determined, as well as a set of unshared windows that are not to be shared with the attendee devices, and the presenter device may share the set of shared windows with the attendee devices, without sharing the set of unshared windows.