Brian E 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:

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:

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.