Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.

Abstract: Disclosed here are methods, systems, paradigms and structures for spreading the interest of a user evenly over a predefined set of search results. A search engine retrieves search results from a database and perturbs at least a portion of the search results, that is, randomizes the order of the portion before presenting it to the user. In this way, even when a search is repeated between database update cycles, the user would see different top search results every time the search is executed. The perturbation technique can be applied to a search in a social networking system which searches for users. The perturbation can be done by randomizing the display order of the sear results based on a most recent activity time of the user. The perturbed search results will have different users every time the user performs a search. The perturbed search results are customized per user.

Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for generalized consistency control of database transactions in a distributed database. In distributed database systems a specific reconciliation procedure is typically needed and coded for each possible irresolvable event. The systems and methods described herein enable a general characterization of multiple types of irresolvable events and thus eliminate and/or reduce the need to write individual code for every specific event.

Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for developing a semantic network are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: creating a semantic network containing at least one root concept; performing a set of instructions associated with the semantic network, the set of instructions comprising: transmitting information about the semantic network from the client computer to a server; providing information about at least one resource to the server, the at least one resource containing concepts and relations associated with the at least one root concept; receiving information about a modified semantic network from the server; presenting the information about the modified semantic network to a user; receiving a response from the user; based on the response, further modifying the semantic network. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for developing a semantic network are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: creating a semantic network containing at least one root concept; performing a set of instructions associated with the semantic network, the set of instructions comprising: transmitting information about the semantic network from the client computer to a server; providing information about at least one resource to the server, the at least one resource containing concepts and relations associated with the at least one root concept; receiving information about a modified semantic network from the server; presenting the information about the modified semantic network to a user; receiving a response from the user; based on the response, further modifying the semantic network. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for generalized consistency control of database transactions in a distributed database. In distributed database systems a specific reconciliation procedure is typically needed and coded for each possible irresolvable event. The systems and methods described herein enable a general characterization of multiple types of irresolvable events and thus eliminate and/or reduce the need to write individual code for every specific event.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for asynchronous distributed database management. In one embodiment, the systems and methods wait to execute or update a database transaction or command until specific conditions are satisfied, essentially divorcing the read-time from update-time in evaluation of a single expression. Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein can, in some instances, resolve the temporary inconsistencies without aborting and/or otherwise terminating a database transaction that would otherwise be aborted.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for controlling concurrency of database transactions by hierarchically maintaining transaction consistently in a distributed database system from various viewpoints. Hierarchically maintaining the transaction consistency ensures the serializability of database transactions in the distributed database system and improves the overall performance (e.g., response time) from the perspective of clients of the distributed database system.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating a document representation are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: receiving into memory a resource containing at least one sentence of text; producing a tree comprising tree elements indicating parts-of-speech and grammatical relations between the tree elements; producing semantic structures each having three tree elements to represent a simple clause (subject-predicate-object); and storing a semantic network of semantic structures and connections therebetween. The semantic network may be created from a user provided root concept. Output representations include concept maps, facts listings, text summaries, tag clouds, indices; and an annotated text. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing a virally marketed facility is described and illustrated. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of operating a virally marketed facility. The method includes measuring virality of the facility based on a conversion rate and a propagation rate. The method also includes determining potential options for increasing virality. The method further includes executing potential options for increasing virality. In an alternate embodiment, the invention is a method of operating a virally marketed facility. The method includes measuring virality of the facility. Also, the method includes determining potential options for increasing virality. Further, the method includes concurrently executing potential options for increasing virality.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing a virally marketed facility is described and illustrated. In one embodiment, the invention is a method of operating a virally marketed facility. The method includes measuring virality of the facility based on a conversion rate and a propagation rate. The method also includes determining potential options for increasing virality. The method further includes executing potential options for increasing virality. In an alternate embodiment, the invention is a method of operating a virally marketed facility. The method includes measuring virality of the facility. Also, the method includes determining potential options for increasing virality. Further, the method includes concurrently executing potential options for increasing virality.

Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking system and method by which customized tags can be created by a registered user in an online social networking environment and distributed to facilitate social networking. The tags represent personal characteristics and preferences associated with users of the online social networking environment. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided in the online social networking website that enables a specific user to create and customize tags. Tags can be embeddable in that a user can insert the tag in a website GUI for display. Also, tags may have embedded content, e.g. a photo, a song, a profile page location, etc and may be sponsored or traded in the social networking website. Also a skin that shows the personal profile page GUI style may be customized, sponsored, or traded.