Abstract: A malware spoof component may be a formed component which has some but not all characteristics of an actual malware file or other component. Alternately, a spoof component may be an isolated component extracted from actual malware. Malware spoof components may be placed on a target system, after which a listing is obtained and checked. If the placed spoof component does not appear in the listing, then the spoof component may have been filtered out by malware infecting the system, thereby revealing the malware's presence.

Abstract: The present invention provides tools and techniques for distinguishing a file from any or all copies of the file that may exist. One method ascertains (204) the actual physical location of the file (512) and associates (214) that physical location with the file as the claimed physical location (516) of the file. The file's originality status may then be determined (104) by finding (304) the location claim, reading (306) from it the claimed physical location associated with the file, ascertaining (308) the actual physical location of the file, and comparing (310) the locations. If the claimed and actual locations are identical, then the file is the original file it claims to be. If there is disparity between the claimed physical location recited for or by the file and the actual physical location of the file, then it is not the original file it claims to be.

Abstract: A clip is easily usable even by a visually handicapped person and a presbyope. The clip has bend sections, rectilinear sections, and a connection section. The bend sections can be located at positions close to each other with a spacing equal to or less than the diameter of the wire material of the clip held between them. The rectilinear sections are bent upward and some are in contact with each other.

Abstract: Timers are managed in a multiprocessing environment. Some timers are local to a given logical processor; such a local timer is inserted on and will be canceled only from that logical processor. Other timers are global to a logical processor. A global timer which was inserted on a given logical processor may be canceled from that logical processor or from another logical processor. Global timers are serviced in response to expiration of an associated local timer.

Abstract: Tools and techniques for vision testing alter refractive characteristics of rendered digital imagery and use feedback from a test subject to calculate information about errors in the subject's vision. Some embodiments produce a rendered digital image with vision-realistic rendering, present the test subject with the rendered digital image, accept input from the test subject and change the refractive sharpness of the rendered digital image in response to the input. Then they calculate refractive errors or other information about the test subject's vision based at least on: input from the test subject leading to a refractive sharpness change made during the changing step, and a refraction model which relates visual acuity to changes in the refractive sharpness of rendered digital imagery.

Abstract: The invention provides tools and techniques for assisting searches of large information collections, such as the Internet or databases. An initial search from a given user A is used to help identify related productive searches by other users. Those searches (keywords and/or searched portions) are then used to focus the search effort of user A. Activities by other users in response to search results are tracked to help a search assistant automatically identify the results those other users deemed of greatest interest.

Abstract: Methods, configured storage media, and systems are provided for resolving domain names into IP addresses in a path-sensitive manner, namely, a manner that may consider information about a link to a server and/or information about routers and other path components. The IP addresses given in response to domain name resolution requests are selected to provide increased reliability and/or dynamic load-balancing over paths.

Abstract: Mock exceptions, including mock exception types, are defined by a host to be raised in a plug-in. The mock exceptions might be sanitized. They might be transported from the plug-in to the host. Mock exceptions might also be mapped to real exceptions, which are raised in the host and handled by the host.

Abstract: A network device operating in a configuring mode and a normal operational mode includes: a configuration parameter memory; a network interface; a dynamic address generating unit that generates two logical addresses, when a DHCP request is received in the configuring mode, and returning one logical address to a transmission source of the request and assigning the other to the network device; a name resolving unit that transmits, when a name resolving request is received in the configuring mode, a logical address of the network device to the transmission source regardless of the name; and a parameter setting unit storing a parameter value transmitted, after the logical address of the network device is transmitted by the identifier resolving unit to the transmission source, using the logical address by said transmission source. In the normal operational mode, a network function is realized using parameters in the memory.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for helping maintain isochronous communications with peripheral devices (308), such as USB devices, over a network (302). Some methods for facilitating isochronous IN communication include noting (1906) passage of a predetermined interval without communication (310) from the peripheral device driver (402), and then creating (1908) a dummy communication (312) and sending (1910) it over the network toward the peripheral device to maintain isochronous communication toward the peripheral device. Some methods for facilitating isochronous OUT communication include noting (2006) passage of a predetermined interval without receipt, over the network, of a responsive communication (310) from the peripheral device in response to a first communication, and then creating (2008) a dummy communication (312) and sending (2010) it toward the peripheral device driver to maintain isochronous communication transmissions toward the peripheral device driver.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided for detecting a particular type of spyware. Network activities and user update activities are monitored automatically, and the results are analyzed to identify related processes which perform network transmissions without performing substantive user updates. These processes are identified to a user and/or an administrator as potential spyware, and are then quarantined or otherwise handled based on instructions received from the user or administrator. In some cases, the monitoring and analysis begins with selection of a group of processes to monitor, while in other cases it begins with monitoring of network and/or user update activities in order to narrow the group of suspect processes. Devices, configured media, and method products are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for helping maintain isochronous communications with peripheral devices (308), such as USB devices, over a network (302). Some methods for facilitating isochronous IN communication include noting (1906) passage of a predetermined interval without communication (310) from the peripheral device driver (402), and then creating (1908) a dummy communication (312) and sending (1910) it over the network toward the peripheral device to maintain isochronous communication toward the peripheral device. Some methods for facilitating isochronous OUT communication include noting (2006) passage of a predetermined interval without receipt, over the network, of a responsive communication (310) from the peripheral device in response to a first communication, and then creating (2008) a dummy communication (312) and sending (2010) it toward the peripheral device driver to maintain isochronous communication transmissions toward the peripheral device driver.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided to help estimate the number of unique subscribers to an RSS, Atom, or other online syndicated content feed. Methods, systems, and other embodiments separate feed polling events into groups based at least partially on regularity in their times of occurrence. Grouping of polling events may also be based on client values, such as a client's IP address or user agent identification. Each located group corresponds to one likely subscriber in an estimation of the total number of subscribers to the feed. The use of occurrence times and client header values may be combined with unique URLs, cookies, and other tools to further refine readership estimates.

Abstract: Tools and techniques facilitating transactions in real estate and other notes are described. Nonperforming notes and subperforming notes, for example, are described and managed in consistent ways despite differing origins. A single point of contact can be specified for each seller to avoid confusion and miscommunication. Investor performance and other behavior can be tracked and reported in an online marketplace. Investors can be automatically or partially automatically prequalified as a condition of participation in some or all aspects of the online marketplace. Bids can be automatically ranked according to how well they match a seller's criteria, and notes can be automatically ranked according to how well they match a buyer's criteria. Encryption, authentication and other security measures can be used throughout the system and its activities to maintain confidentiality of the information that is provided by sellers, by buyers, or by modules of the system.

Abstract: Tools and techniques for vision testing alter refractive characteristics of rendered digital imagery and use feedback from a test subject to calculate information about errors in the subject's vision. Some embodiments produce a rendered digital image with vision-realistic rendering, present the test subject with the rendered digital image, accept input from the test subject and change the refractive sharpness of the rendered digital image in response to the input. Then they calculate refractive errors or other information about the test subject's vision based at least on: input from the test subject leading to a refractive sharpness change made during the changing step, and a refraction model which relates visual acuity to changes in the refractive sharpness of rendered digital imagery.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for efficient secure parallel data transmission are disclosed. Data from a local source is divided, with one portion being encrypted and then sent over an open public network, and another portion being sent over a private network without any such supplemental encryption. The portions are thus transmitted at least partially in parallel over networks having different security characteristics, in a manner that helps compensate for the lower security of the open public network without imposing unnecessary encryption overhead on packets being sent over the more secure private network.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided for creating nonrandom notable patterns in elements of games of chance which are traditionally random and hence lack such patterns. Players are notified of the existence of such patterns. When a player detects a pattern, the player may act on it to the player's advantage. Play may be monitored to determine whether a pattern has been detected by a player. Player rewards may be limited by a reward threshold, based on amounts wagered by the individual player and possibly other players. Play may be monitored to detect undesired play by software bots.

Abstract: Methods, configured storage media, and systems are provided for communications using two or more disparate networks in parallel to provide load balancing across network connections, greater reliability, and/or increased security. A controller provides access to two or more disparate networks in parallel, through direct or indirect network interfaces. When one attached network fails, the failure is sensed by the controller and traffic is routed through one or more other disparate networks. When all attached disparate networks are operating, one controller preferably balances the load between them.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are provided for creating nonrandom notable patterns in elements of games of chance which are traditionally random and hence lack such patterns. Players are notified of the existence of such patterns. When a player detects a pattern, the player may act on it to the player's advantage. Play may be monitored to determine whether a pattern has been detected by a player. Player rewards may be limited by a reward threshold, based on amounts wagered by the individual player and possibly other players. Play may be monitored to detect undesired play by software bots.

Abstract: A controller is provided for increasing bandwidth between a local area network (“LAN”) and other networks by using multiple routers on the given LAN. Data packets are multiplexed between the routers using a novel variation on the standard SYN packet synchronization protocol, and other components. On receiving data destined for an external network, the controller or gateway computer will direct the data to the appropriate router. In addition to providing higher speed connections, the invention provides better fault tolerance in the form of redundant connections from the originating LAN to a wide area network such as the Internet.