Brian L O'Connell

US Patent:

7921128, Apr 5, 2011

Filed:

Feb 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/026045

Inventors:

Steven Mark Harrison - Bremerton WA, US
Brian Marshall O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Clifford Alan Pickover - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Keith Raymond Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707758, 707769, 707912, 715706

Abstract:

A migration tool for merging disparate virtual universes by selecting a source region or source account, selecting a destination edge or destination account, retrieving and storing virtual universe information for the source region or account, inserting the virtual universe resources of the source region or account into the destination region or account, activating the inserted resources, and deleting the source resources from the source region or account.

US Patent:

8127236, Feb 28, 2012

Filed:

Sep 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/209601

Inventors:

Steven M. Harrison - Bremerton WA, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 3/048

US Classification:

715757, 715706

Abstract:

Methods, devices and systems are provided for enabling virtual universe users to find and engage subject matter experts within a virtual universe by defining a virtual universe subject matter expert conduit within the virtual universe. A virtual universe user avatar engages the conduit and a user indicates a subject matter expert search term. A data storage is searched for a tag relevant to the search term, and an expert-avatar is identified and located through the relevant tag. The user is enabled to directly communicate with the identified expert-avatar through a conduit communication medium entirely within the virtual universe, without requiring the user to engage a resource outside of the virtual universe or without requiring the user to engage an interface outside of the virtual universe.

US Patent:

8140982, Mar 20, 2012

Filed:

Nov 8, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/936900

Inventors:

Steven Mark Harrison - Bremerton WA, US
Brian Marshall O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Clifford Alan Pickover - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Keith Raymond Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 3/048

US Classification:

715757

Abstract:

Systems and methods for allowing an administrator or program to select a region or set of avatars in a virtual universe grid for splitting into another, separate and distinct virtual universe grid. If a region is selected, all of the avatars and virtual universe resources associated with the region are locked, their data is retrieved, and another separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create and insert the avatars and resources in it. If avatars are selected, all of the resources, scripts, histories, and information regarding the selected avatars are retrieved, and the avatars are locked in the source universe. Then, another, separate virtual universe grid is commanded to create universe user identifiers for the avatars, and they are inserted into the separate VU grid. Cleanup includes deleting the region and/or avatars from the first (source) virtual universe grid.

US Patent:

8549413, Oct 1, 2013

Filed:

Apr 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/756532

Inventors:

Swaminathan Balasubramanian - Southfield MI, US
Ravi P. Bansal - Tampa FL, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Research Triangle Park NC, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 3/048

US Classification:

715751, 715809

Abstract:

An activity tracker defines a context for a screen sharing session, wherein the context includes at least one term of metadata. The activity tracker establishes a shared link to a second computer, comprising authenticating the second computer. The activity tracker shares at least a first resource rendered by a first application, wherein the first application renders data of the first resource. The activity tracker receives a preliminary user input to access a second resource, wherein the preliminary user input to access is a command to render a resource. The activity tracker or sharing controller renders the second resource to form a rendered second resource, wherein a computer environment comprises the first resource and the second resource. The activity tracker determines that the second resource fails to satisfy the context.

US Patent:

8589497, Nov 19, 2013

Filed:

Dec 8, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/633467

Inventors:

Swaminathan Balasubramanian - Southfield MI, US
Bruce D. D'Amora - Hawthorne NY, US
Andrew R. Jones - Austin TX, US
Neal M. Keller - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Research Triangle Park NC, US
Clifford A. Pickover - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709206, 709220, 707 3, 726 23

Abstract:

A method, data processing system, and computer program product for associating tags with a person or user. A computer receives a communication file. The computer determines a tag for the communication file to form a communication file association of the tag with the communication file. The computer identifies contact information for a user from the communication file. The computer forms a user association between the user and the tag.

US Patent:

8648875, Feb 11, 2014

Filed:

May 14, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/120492

Inventors:

Steven M. Harrison - Bremerton WA, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Clifford A. Pickover - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 17/00
G06T 1/00
G06T 15/00
G06G 5/00
G06F 15/16
G06F 3/00
G06F 3/048

US Classification:

345619, 345418, 345419, 709203, 715700, 715706

Abstract:

A system and method for enhancing the rendering of one or more objects based on payment and account options. The system comprises a computer infrastructure configured to control enhancement rendering of an object in a virtual universe by providing at least one augmentation attribute to a tag of the object. The method comprises providing enhancement rendering of an object in a virtual universe by augmenting the object based on a status of a user viewing the object.

US Patent:

20090037905, Feb 5, 2009

Filed:

Aug 3, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/833426

Inventors:

Steven Mark Harrison - Bremerton WA, US
Brian Marshall O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Clifford Alan Pickover - Yorktown Heights NY, US
Keith Raymond Walker - Austin TX, US

International Classification:

G06F 9/455

US Classification:

718 1

Abstract:

The present invention provides a computer implemented method for transferring an item from a source virtual universe to a target virtual universe. A target virtual universe host opens a session between a source virtual universe host and itself. Next, it determines that the source virtual universe host is authorized to transmit the item to the target virtual universe host. Next, it receives a command from a client computer to transfer the item from the source virtual universe host to the target virtual universe host. Next, it receives item data in the target virtual universe host.

US Patent:

20120124562, May 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 11, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/944534

Inventors:

Swaminathan Balasubramanian - Troy MI, US
Andrew R. Jones - Round Rock TX, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Research Triangle Park NC, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 9/45

US Classification:

717140

Abstract:

A method, computer system, and computer program product for improving application programming interface naming. An alternate name is received for a target application programming interface feature from a consumer developer. In addition, an indirection to the application programming interface feature is generated based on the alternate name. Then, the indirection to the application programming interface feature is transmitted to an indirections repository.