A method and system tracks, analyzes or sorts behaviors of user or players across a network to draw correlations from, or characterizations of, those user or players and identifies similarly characterized or mutually complementary user or players. For example, the method automatically obtains player data regarding interactions by each of multiple players with a multiplayer electronic game via each player's corresponding data processing device connected via the network. The method can then sort, classify or suggest additional activities, games, groups, or other different activities or actions for the players.

Collaborative electronic game play employing player classification and aggregation

An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.

Secure electronic mail system

System and method for performing backups of a multi-class file system are described. In one embodiment, more recently modified data may be assigned and/or migrated to higher storage classes and less recently modified data may be migrated at time intervals to lower storage classes in the multi-class file system. Backups of each of the storage classes may be performed at time intervals. In one embodiment, the backups may be image-based backups of the storage devices in the storage classes. In one embodiment, the lower storage classes may include one or more read-only storage classes including less-recently modified data that are backed up less frequently than higher storage classes including more-recently modified data. In one embodiment, files migrated to lower storage class(es) may be compressed.

Backup mechanism for a multi-class file system

After a user instigated search returns results, an intention mining engine collects information from the natural user responses to the results. This information is used to refine the search.

Dynamic search with implicit user intention mining

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable functionality controls that identifies the context of the object to which the user interface is relevant, which contains rich functionality controls for applying contextually relevant functionality to a selected object, and which may be efficiently switched to a different context for applying a different set of functionalities to a different or neighboring editable object. A context menu of functionalities is displayed adjacent to a selected object where the menu of functionalities includes functionalities associated with editing the selected object. The context menu includes an identification of the object context and a control for selectively changing the context and associated functionalities of the menu to a different object context for displaying a different set of functionalities associated with the different context.

User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are contextually relevant to a selected object

System control of compression and decompression of data based upon system aging parameters, such that compressed data becomes a system managed resource with a distinct place in the system storage hierarchy. Processor registers are backed by cache, which is backed by main storage, which is backed by decompressed disk storage, which is backed by compressed disk storage then tape, and so forth. Data is moved from decompressed to compressed form and migrated through the storage hierarchy under system control according to a data life cycle based on system aging parameters or, optionally, on demand: data is initially created and stored; the data is compressed at a later time under system control; when the data is accessed, it is decompressed on demand by segment; at some later time, the data is again compressed under system control until next reference. Large data objects are segmented and compression is applied to more infrequently used data. A dedicated compression input/output processor (IOP) is controlled by host system defined data structures which include a bus transport mechanism (BTM) which is DMA loaded to the compression IOP storage. The BTM includes a request response control block (RRCB) comprising a compress or decompress operation command, a data out descriptor (DOD) for providing the address of data in host storage that needs to be compressed or decompressed, and data in descriptor (DID) for providing the address in host storage where the resulting decompressed or compressed data is to be stored.

Dedicated input/output processor method and apparatus for access and storage of compressed data

Described is a method for generating a parametric search statement for finding a target document. The parametric search statement is generated in the text boxes of a search bar. A user action is performed in the text box. An in-place context menu having menu items responsive to the user action are displayed near the location of the user action. Each menu item includes at least one of an attribute of the target document, a comparison operator and a value. One of the menu items is selected from the in-place context menu based on a known characteristic of the target document. Parametric search statements are easily generated using the method without the need to access numerous dialogs boxes or to enter significant text.

Search bar with intelligent parametric search statement generation

A hierarchical cache system comprises a plurality of first level cache subsystems for storing data or instructions of respective CPUs, a higher level cache subsystem containing data or instructions of the plurality of cache subsystems, and a main memory coupled to the higher level cache subsystem. A page mover is coupled to the higher level cache subsystem and main memory, and responds to a request from one of the CPUs to store data into the main memory, by storing the data into the main memory without copying previous contents of a store-to address of the request to the higher level cache subsystem in response to said request. Also, the page mover invalidates the previous contents in the higher level cache subsystem if already resident there when the CPU made the request. A buffering system within the page mover comprises request buffers and data segment buffers to store a segment of predetermined size of the data. When all of the request buffers have like priority and there are fewer request buffers that contain respective, outstanding requests than the number of data segment buffers, the page mover means allocates to the request buffers with outstanding requests use of the data segment buffers for which there are no outstanding requests.

Hierarchical computer cache system

A system and method allowing a session initiator to select from among multiple privacy levels to be applied to an instant messaging session. When a user initiates an instant messaging session, multiple selectable privacy settings are presented, from which the user can select. The disclosed system may provide a session initiator with a user interface that enables selection from among privacy settings that prevent the session contents from being copied and pasted while the session is in progress, prevent any saving of the session contents by any user, prevent the session contents from being forwarded via electronic mail, prevent display of previously viewed session contents while the session is in progress, and/or prevent screen shots from being made of the session contents while the session is in progress. Flags representing one or more of the multiple privacy settings may be stored in association with an ongoing session, and/or in association with the stored contents of a previous session. In one embodiment, only the session initiator can select from among the multiple privacy settings, and may be provided with indication in the user interface of the privacy settings that are supported by individuals listed in their buddy list.

Method and system for allowing a session initiating user to select one or more privacy settings to be applied to an instant messaging session from among multiple possible privacy controls

Described is a method for retrieving a user document using behavioral attributes associated with the user document. One or more relevant documents in a user library are determined in response to a text search of documents in the library. Each relevant document has a text relevance. A behavioral relevant is determined for each of the relevant documents based upon an associated behavioral attribute. A user relevance is determined for each of the relevant documents in response to the text relevance and the behavioral relevance of each relevant document. A list of relevant documents is generated and ordered according to user relevance.

Gregory R. Klouda

Papers

Dedicated input/output processor method and apparatus for access and storage of compressed data

Search bar with intelligent parametric search statement generation

Hierarchical computer cache system

Method and system for allowing a session initiating user to select one or more privacy settings to be applied to an instant messaging session from among multiple possible privacy controls

Document retrieval using behavioral attributes