Brian P O'Connell

US Patent:

7556193, Jul 7, 2009

Filed:

Jun 30, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/165353

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06K 5/00

US Classification:

235380

Abstract:

The disclosure relates to a universal affinity card for consolidating a plurality of other affinity cards into a single card and displays the appropriate card automatically as a function of, among others, the location of use. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for providing a universal affinity card. The method includes: providing an affinity card having a memory, a display and a user interface; storing a plurality of bar codes in the memory; associating each of the plurality of bar codes with a respective provider; identifying the provider; and displaying the bar code associated with the identified provider on the display; wherein the step of storing a plurality of bar codes in the memory includes wirelessly receiving information defining the plurality of bar codes from a remote computer.

US Patent:

7870074, Jan 11, 2011

Filed:

May 14, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/120308

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, 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 21/00

US Classification:

705 51, 705 26, 718104, 718105

Abstract:

Interruption and degradation of service within a virtual universe leads to an unsatisfactory experience for users of the virtual universe. Dissatisfaction with service of a virtual universe may lead users to see alternate universes providing higher levels of service. Functionality can be implemented to identify alternate virtual universes that meet a user's service requirements and dynamically move the user's avatar from one virtual universe to another.

US Patent:

8214841, Jul 3, 2012

Filed:

Oct 24, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/257584

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, 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 9/46

US Classification:

718104

Abstract:

Methods, systems, services and program products are provided for implementing carbon offset computing. During performance of a specified computing task data concerning resource consumption regarding that specified computing task is gathered and stored. Upon completion of the specified computing task, the amount of carbon offset required to compensate for resource consumption associated with performance of the completed specified computing task is calculated based upon stored or known resource consumption data. The calculated amount of carbon offset information may be transmitted to a carbon offset function provider, and a carbon offset function provider implements the specified amount of carbon offset based upon the calculated amounts communicated for the completed specified computing task.

US Patent:

8230439, Jul 24, 2012

Filed:

Aug 22, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/196498

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, 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 9/46
G06F 9/455

US Classification:

718104, 718 1

Abstract:

Systems, methods, devices and program products are provided for enabling users of a computing system to measure and compare the green efficiency of a set of resources used in a computing task. With the use of this information, the user can select a desired set of resources to be employed in the computing task to minimize the environmental impact of computing tasks in relation to requirements. In some embodiments, the invention creates metrics for measuring the greenness of a computing task. The metrics are calculated through analysis of the resource computation, energy consumption, consequence of computation, and dimensional characteristics of a computing task. The metrics could be beneficial or other metrics that permit the user or a processing system to make scheduling and execution decisions.

US Patent:

8233530, Jul 31, 2012

Filed:

Oct 28, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/259856

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, US
Gregory J. Boss - American Fork UT, US
Kulvir S. Bhogal - Pflugerville TX, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Cary NC, US
Keith R. Walker - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H04N 5/77

US Classification:

37524001, 345632, 386223

Abstract:

A method, system and computer program provide a mechanism for smoothing the transition back from a virtual (computer generated) scene to a related video stream. An event such as a user input or timeout is received triggering a return to display of the video stream from a virtual scene related to content of the video stream. A number of time points and/or camera angles are either presented to the user or are automatically searched for the best match. The list may be presented in order according to an automatically detected matching criteria. The virtual scene may a scene constructed locally within a computer or digital video recorder (DVR) and the matching performed locally based on angle and time information provided from a content provider such as a server, or the virtual scene generation and matching may be performed at a remote location such as the content server.

US Patent:

8266228, Sep 11, 2012

Filed:

Dec 8, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/633176

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Atlanta GA, US
Swaminathan Balasubramanian - Southfield MI, US
Andrew R. Jones - Austin 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 15/16

US Classification:

709206, 709201, 4554122, 37914204

Abstract:

To associate an email with a tag, an email client may receive a tag corresponding to an email attribute, wherein the email attribute is an historical email tag. The email client stores the tag to a record keyed by the email attribute, and receives an email tag request, the email tag request having a word attribute, and looks up at least one record based on the word attribute to find the tag. The email client presents the tag of the at least one record to a user. The email client receives a user selection of the tag to form a selected tag, and sends an email having the selected tag as part of the email header, wherein the email comprises the email tag request.

US Patent:

8275245, Sep 25, 2012

Filed:

Jun 2, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/792224

Inventors:

Jeffrey D. Amsterdam - Marietta GA, US
Kulvir S. Bhogal - Pflugerville TX, US
Gregory J. Boss - Saginaw MI, US
Brian M. O'Connell - Research Triangle Park NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H04N 5/76
H04N 5/445
G06F 13/00
G06F 3/00
H04N 7/173

US Classification:

386294, 386291, 386292, 386293, 386295, 386297, 386299, 725 37, 725 39, 725 46, 725 56, 725 58, 725 60, 725 61, 725 86, 725 97, 725101

Abstract:

A method and a system for replacement of programs on a video recorder based on preferences and size constraints of a video recorder. The video recorder compares recorded programs in the computer readable storage media and a schedule of programs to be recorded to a plurality of global preferences and program specific preferences specifying preferred recording quality. For each recorded program whose quality does not match a global preference or program specific preference, a listing of future programs is examined for alternate versions of the program which do match a global preference or program specific preference.

US Patent:

8280226, Oct 2, 2012

Filed:

Apr 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/418736

Inventors:

Jeffrey David Amsterdam - Marietta GA, US
Gregory Jensen Boss - American Fork UT, US
Kulvir Singh Bhogal - Pflugerville TX, US
Brian Marshall O'Connell - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H04N 9/80

US Classification:

386248, 386242, 386239, 386353

Abstract:

A method, system, and computer program product for selecting, in real time, a leading view of a multi-angle television program. A video recorder receives a program view selection. The video recorder then transmits a viewer data request for the currently selected program view to a service provider. The video recorder may then receive requested viewer data of the selected program view and one or more alternate views of the selected program. The video recorder may then determine if the selected program view is the leading view of the selected program. When the selected view is not the leading view and the video recorder is configured for automatic view switching, the video recorder may autonomously switch to the leading view of the selected program. Alternatively, the video recorder may present vote totals of all views of the selected program and enable a selection of a desired alternate view.