Abstract: Systems and methods for distributing updated property information to interrelated components based on property changes in other components are provided that allow the use of component abstraction. In one embodiment, the present invention may include a property broker system that monitors property changes in components, analyzes the which interrelated components may be affected by the property change, and updates any affected components accordingly.

Abstract: The present invention provides for enhanced search results in response to a search request based on a search term. The enhanced search results generate a search results page including a plurality of document identifiers including a hyperlink and an abstract, each abstract including a plurality of abstract terms. The method and apparatus, upon receipt of the search request, accesses a relevancy factor database that includes relevancy factors. The relevancy factors are determined by accessing feedback logs for search results based on the same search term, calculating a popularity factor for each of the plurality of phrases in the abstracts and user selection activity and relevancy factors are based on the popularity factors. Thereby, the method and apparatus generates the search results page with the sequence of the document identifiers based on the relevancy factors.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating one or more channels for the organization of content items. A method according to one embodiment comprises selecting a content item and one or more items of metadata for the selected content item. A determination is made to determine if the selected content item should be associated with a given channel on the basis of the metadata. A channel is generated on the basis of the determination, with the selected content item organized in association with the channel.

Abstract: Providing a search result in some embodiments comprises receiving a user query, determining whether an equivalent query of the user query is included in a pre-existing query set wherein the pre-existing query set is associated with an answer, and providing the answer. Providing a search result in some embodiments comprises receiving a user query, determining that an equivalent query of the user query is not included in any of a plurality of existing query sets, and adding the user query to one of the plurality of pre-existing query sets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for the reordering of an ordered result set using a weight associated with a query and values associated with items in a result set. The method of the present invention comprises receiving a query and generating a result set comprising content items with associated values. The result set is given an initial ordering based upon the context of the query received. A weight is retrieved corresponding to the received query. Weighted values are assigned to one or more items in the result set by traversing the result set and calculating a weighted value using the weight associated with the received query and the values associated with the items in the result set. The result set is reordered according to the weighted values in descending order. The reordered result set is delivered to the user or client device initiating the query.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the generation of structured query results using lexical clustering which includes collecting one or more search queries and data associated with the one or more search queries. The present invention further includes preprocessing the one or more queries into a canonicalized form of each of the one or more queries. The canonicalized form of each of the one or more queries may be accomplished using stemming, punctuation, pluralization, word order or other canonicalization rules. The present invention further includes building a lexical index of the one or more search queries and data associated with the one or more search queries and mining the lexical index of the one or more search queries and data associated with the one or more search queries in order to generate a structured query result set.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for providing juvenile insurance having a waiver of premium feature at a premium or death benefit computed based on a variable that is not directly dependent on the age, health, or gender of the initial owner or payor. In one embodiment, the premium or death benefit are computed based at least in part on a payor's affiliation with a group of acceptable payors marketed for juvenile insurance by an insurer, and a probability associated with an incidence of an event that triggers the waiver of premium feature occurring to an individual of the group or a subset of the group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods, and user interfaces for browsing a collection of content items saved by a user or by one or more buddies associated with a given user. The method of the present invention comprises saving one or more content items and one or more associated keywords as specified by a user. An interface is generated that displays the one or more saved content items and the one or more associated keywords, as well as the one or more buddies associated with a given user. A user indication of the selection of a given keyword or the selection of a given buddy by the user is received. The one or more displayed content items are filtered according to the selected keyword, buddy, or combination of selected keyword and buddy.

Abstract: The present invention provides functionality for conducting a knowledge based by finding search results from limited topic domains. According to one embodiment, the method of the present invention includes retrieving the context of a given user and identifying a plurality of characteristics associated with the user's context. The one or more characteristics associated with the user's context are displayed to the user and the user may select from the displayed characteristics. One or more items of content are retrieved based upon the user's selection and presented to the user on the user's client device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of speculating on a future event or the value of an asset in a market. The speculating may take the form of trading, hedging or wagering. A plurality of speculations on the outcome of the future event is received. For each one of the speculations in the market, the status of the speculations at the time that the speculation was received in the market is recorded. After a time period for receiving speculations in the market has closed, the pari-mutuel payoff for each correct speculation is calculated using a computer. The pari-mutuel payoff depends at least in part on the status of speculations at the time that the speculation was received in the market.

Abstract: The present invention may be utilized for the distribution of content items protected according to various digital rights management platforms. According to one embodiment, a method for the propagation of DRM protected content to one or more devices connected to a network comprises generating a request for DRM protected content from a requesting device and streaming the requested DRM protected content from a content source as a protected DRM stream. The protected DRM stream is re-encrypted for streaming to the requesting device. The re-encrypted protected DRM stream is decrypted for playback on the requesting device.

Abstract: A method for sharing content with a user includes receiving from a user a first set of keywords for annotating an annotated user; receiving from the user a second set of keywords that designate whether annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may be shared with the annotated user; storing in a data store a first association of the first set of keywords with the annotated user, and a second association of the second set of keywords with the annotated user; receiving a keyword selection for a select keyword and an identifier for the annotated user; and displaying on the client system content annotated by the select keyword if the annotated user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords, and if the select keyword is included in the second set of keywords.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating a compressed data file providing access to one or more selected portions of data contained within the data file. The file is partitioned into one or more chunks, a given chunk comprising a separate unit of data representing a subset of data from the file. The one or more chunks are compressed through use of a compression algorithm, and the one or more chunks are combined to form a compressed file. Metadata is also generated that indicates a chunk offset of a given chunk, thereby allowing direct parallel access to one or more given chunks. Similarly, legacy applications may ignore the chunk structure in the compressed file and access the file according to techniques know in the art, thereby preserving backwards compatibility with such legacy applications.

Abstract: A bullet-resistant back extender includes an armor carrier having an inner pocket with a bullet-resistant ballistic panel disposed within the inner pocket and an upper portion of the armor carrier having a fastener to attach the bullet-resistant back extender to a fastener in a bullet-resistant vest.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving a query and determining candidate alternate queries. A query may be parsed into concepts and then candidates for alternate terms may be determined for either the whole query or the determined concepts. Candidates are scored for their respective similarity to the original query. After scoring, at least one candidate is chosen and may be used as a possible alternate query choice for a user or used to serve bidded advertisements to the user.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating and displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set. According to the present invention, a method for displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set for a query comprises generating a primary result set and a secondary result set, the primary result set and secondary result set generated according to one or more respective disparate search algorithms. A difference result set is determined according to a difference between items in the primary result set and second result set, which is displayed to a user.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating and displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set. According to the present invention, a method for displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set for a query comprises generating a primary result set and a secondary result set, the primary result set and secondary result set generated according to one or more respective disparate search algorithms. A difference result set is determined according to a difference between items in the primary result set and second result set, which is displayed to a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for information retrieval and communication employ a world model. The world model is made up of interrelated entity models, each of which corresponds to an entity in the real world, such as a person, place, business, other tangible thing, community, event, or thought. Each entity model provides a communication channel via which a user can contact a real-world person responsible for that entity model. Entity models also provide feedback information, enabling users to easily share their experiences and opinions of the corresponding real-world entity.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating and displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set. According to the present invention, a method for displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set for a query comprises generating a primary result set and a secondary result set, the primary result set and secondary result set generated according to one or more respective disparate search algorithms. A difference result set is determined according to a difference between items in the primary result set and second result set, which is displayed to a user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for facilitating the interaction with data using interactive data structures. The method of the present invention comprises generating one or more objects associated with one or more items of content. The one or more objects are combined to form an interactive data structure. The content associated with the one or more objects and the interactive data structure are delivered to a client device. One or more modifications may be made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure. The one or more modifications made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure may be propagated to the content associated with the one or more objects.