Abstract: Methods and systems for creating animation elements from digital drawings. In particular, one or more embodiments detect a digital drawing input stream including a plurality of strokes. One or more embodiments identify a plurality of stroke points for each stroke from the plurality of strokes, and determine a plurality of timestamps for the plurality of stroke points. One or more embodiments generate an animation element based on the plurality of stroke points and the plurality of timestamps. One or more embodiments also receive a selection to insert the animation element into a user interface, and insert the animation element with associated drawing time information and stroke point information into the user interface in response to the received selection.

Abstract: A personalized website theme for a website is received. The personalized website theme is distinct from a standard theme of the website. Further, a set of data is sent to the computing device. The set of data includes an indicium indicating the personalized website theme so that the computing device displays the website according to the personalized website theme at least prior to a request for identifying data associated with access to an account on the website.

Abstract: A method identifies a wireless device in a list of available devices to be a preferred device based on comparing activity levels of devices in the list, the activity levels determined based on prior connections of the available devices to the computing device. The method waits a predetermined time period for a connection from the preferred device and restricts connections to other devices in the list during the period. Another method initially designates a first device in a list of available wireless devices as a preferred wireless device. For each other available device in the list, the method: retrieves properties including an activity level; calculates a recheck timeout based on the properties; and in response to determining that the device's activity level exceeds that of the previously-designated preferred device, designates the device as the preferred device. After the recheck timeout of the preferred device expires, the preferred device is connected.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment involves receiving a request at a server device, the request identifying electronic content and a modification for the electronic content. The request may be based at least in part on information provided in a uniform resource locator (URL) or other address used by a requesting client device to initiate the request for the electronic content from the server. A parameter of the URL or other address may be used to specify the modification. The exemplary embodiment further involves identifying, via the server device, a source file associated with the electronic content, changing, via the server device, an element within the source file according to the modification identified in the request, and providing modified electronic content from the server device for use on the requesting client device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for applying visual effects while in a mode that restricts cursor movement to track an existing path. While in cursor path restriction mode, spatial inputs may be received from a pointing device configured to control a cursor on a display, with the spatial inputs signaling positions on the display. The cursor moves on a restricted path that tracks an existing path in response to the spatial signals, with the cursor confined to the restricted path even when spatial signals may indicate a point not on the restricted path. During the cursor movement, in addition to the movement of the cursor, there may be an alteration of what appears on the display, where the alteration depends on movement of the cursor along at least a portion of the restricted path.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for blending regions from multiple images to produce a blended image. An image blending module may obtain multiple digital images of a scene. A base image and a source image are selected, and a stroke is applied to the source image to indicate a desired region which is to be blended with the base image. A region in the source image is identified from the stroke using a segmentation technique such as a graph cut algorithm, and the identified region is blended with the corresponding region of the base image, for example using alpha blending. Additional strokes may be applied to the source image to select other regions to be blended with the base image. A different image may be selected as a source image, and a region from the different image may be selected for blending with the base image.

Abstract: Systems and techniques to verify software installation. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes: creating data that represents a new expectation for an installation result, for one or more resources associated with a software installer, the new expectation being a transition from an expectation of volatility to an expectation of stability for future software installs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for detecting an object in an image. The techniques include scanning a sequence of pixels in the image, each pixel having one or more property values associated with properties of the pixel, and generating a dynamic probability value for each of one or more pixels in the sequence. The dynamic probability value for a given pixel represents a probability that the given pixel has neighboring pixels in the sequence that correspond to one or more features of the object. The dynamic probability value is generated by identifying a dynamic probability value associated with a pixel that immediately precedes the given pixel in the sequence; updating the identified dynamic probability value based on the property values of the immediately preceding pixel; and associating the updated probability value with the given pixel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inferring navigational hierarchy for a web site from an existing file hierarchy having one or more HTML files. The method includes inferring a navigational hierarchy for a web site from physical relationships between the HTML files stored in the existing file hierarchy. The method may include ordering the HTML files according to the navigational hierarchy for manipulation by a web site construction tool and displaying the ordered HTML files in a tree structure or an organizational chart structure indicative of the navigational hierarchy for the web site. The existing file hierarchy may include a directory and one or more sub-directories each including one or more HTML files. The method may include creating an initial level in the navigational hierarchy for all HTML files in the directory. Each file in the initial level includes a link to a next sequential file physically located in the file hierarchy that is assigned to the initial level of the navigational hierarchy.