Abstract: Systems and methods to facilitate programmatic access to a network-based commerce facility via a network are described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request from a third party application via the network at the network based commerce facility. The request performs an action pertaining to electronic commerce and being one of a plurality of requests recognized by the network-based commerce facility. In responsive to the request, the method performs the action pertaining to the electronic commerce and communicates from a result of the action from the network-based commerce facility to the third party application in a programmatically accessible format.

Abstract: The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining and utilizing login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information is communicated to a client via a communications network. The user interface information includes information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. The user interface information also specifies a login interface that facilitates user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features. Further, the login preference information is received from the client via the communications network and utilized to control user access to any of the plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility via the communications network.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to facilitate programmatic access to a network-based commerce facility via a network. The method includes receiving a request from a third party application via the network at the network based commerce facility. The request performs an action pertaining to electronic commerce and being one of a plurality of requests recognized by the network-based commerce facility. In responsive to the request, the method performs the action pertaining to the electronic commerce and communicates from a result of the action from the network-based commerce facility to the third party application in a programmatically accessible format.

Abstract: The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining and utilizing login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information is communicated to a client via a communications network. The user interface information includes information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. The user interface information also specifies a login interface that facilitates user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features. Further, the login preference information is received from the client via the communications network and utilized to control user access to any of the plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility via the communications network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating a transaction in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with the transaction in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction. If the rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the transaction is completed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating user registration in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with a registration process in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a verification rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of the registration information submitted by the user during the registration process. If the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is registered with the network-based transaction facility.

Abstract: The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining and utilizing login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information is communicated to a client via a communications network. The user interface information includes information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. The user interface information also specifies a login interface that facilitates user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features. Further, the login preference information is received from the client via the communications network and utilized to control user access to any of the plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility via the communications network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating user registration in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with a registration process in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a verification rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of the registration information submitted by the user during the registration process. If the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is registered with the network-based transaction facility.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating user registration in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with a registration process in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a verification rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of the registration information submitted by the user during the registration process. If the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is registered with the network-based transaction facility.

Abstract: The present invention relates to various aspects for maintaining and utilizing login preference information of users of a network-based transaction facility. In one embodiment, user interface information is communicated to a client via a communications network. The user interface information includes information concerning a plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility. The user interface information also specifies a login interface that facilitates user input of login preference information pertaining to each of the plurality of features. Further, the login preference information is received from the client via the communications network and utilized to control user access to any of the plurality of features within the network-based transaction facility via the communications network.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to facilitate programmatic access to a network-based commerce facility via a network. The method includes receiving a request from a third party application via the network at the network based commerce facility. The request performs an action pertaining to electronic commerce and being one of a plurality of requests recognized by the network-based commerce facility. In responsive to the request, the method performs the action pertaining to the electronic commerce and communicates from a result of the action from the network-based commerce facility to the third party application in a programmatically accessible format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying identity of a participant in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, user interface information is provided to the participant via a communications network. The user interface information specifies an identity verification interface for obtaining personal information of the participant. The personal information of the participant is passed to a third party for verification via the communications network. Subsequently, a verification result is received from the third party via the communications network. The verification result is then communicated to the participant via the communications network.

Abstract: A method for automatically constructing a database query for data assets associated with multimedia works. The database query is based on the context of a selected point of interest of a multimedia work. The point of interest is selected by a user interacting with the multimedia work and pausing the multimedia work at the point of interest. A database query is automatically constructed that is constrained by data that is associated with the point of interest. In addition, a list of attributes of the data that is associated with the point of interest is displayed to the user before the search is performed. The user has the option to further constrain the database search by selecting one or more attributes from the list of attributes. The user may also constrain the database search by adding keywords to a keyword entry field.

Abstract: A method and system provide for searching and matching gesture-based data such as handwriting without performing a recognition process on the handwritten gesture data to convert it to a standard computer-coded form. Target data collected as sample data points of spatial coordinates over time are concatenated into a single target gesture sequence of sample data points. The sample data points comprising the gesture-based data structure to be searched (the corpus) are grouped into corpus gesture sequences for matching against the target gesture sequence. Matching may be done by any suitable method, and a novel signal comparison technique based on dynamic time warping concepts is illustrated. The result of the matching is a list of the locations of the matching corpus gesture sequences in the corpus, which in turn may be used for further processing, such as the display of an image of the matching corpus gestures for a system user.

Abstract: A method for segmenting audio data, comprising speech from a plurality of individual speakers, according to speaker is provided. The method comprises providing individual HMMs for each individual speaker, each individual HMM including at least one state, and constructing a speaker network HMM by connecting the individual HMMs in parallel. The audio data is then divided into segments by determining a most likely sequence of states through the speaker network HMM, each of the segments being associated with one of the individual HMMs. Afterward, the speaker of each of the segments is identified. The segmented data may be used to form an index into the audio data according to speaker.

Abstract: A processor controlled system for correlating an electronic index according to speaker for audio data being recorded in real time. The system includes a source of training data for each of the plurality of individual speakers and audio input system for providing real time audio data including speech for the individual speakers. The audio data is converted into spectral feature data by an audio processor, and is simultaneously recorded on a storage medium by a recording device. A system processor accepts the training data to create individual speaker models, which are combined in parallel to form a speaker network. The system processor then accepts the spectral feature data of the audio data and, using the speaker network, determines segments in the audio data corresponding to each speaker.

Abstract: An interactive method and system to support and facilitate note-taking tasks in a variety of settings, primarily, though not exclusively, in real time. In one embodiment, the system user uses a stylus device and display to enter notes in the form of handwritten strokes that are stored and correlated with an address, such as a time provided by a system clock. Notes are collected in a data structure represented by a spatial region on the display called an address, or time, zone that is created when the user enters a gesture requesting an address from the system. All notes entered in a particular time zone region in the display area are stored in a portion of the data structure correlated with the time associated with that time zone region, and, while time zones are created in sequential time order, notes are may be entered in time zones in any sequence and still be correlated with that time zone.

Abstract: A user-interactive method for use in a processor-controlled machine provides a user with the capability to establish associations among image segments in a data structure that indicate visually-displayed but otherwise not recognized or interpreted information, for the purpose of retrieving the unrecognized data from the data structure without performing a recognition operation. A user selects and designates a visually recognizable, but computationally unrecognized, displayed image segment as a coherent display object, called a key object, to function as an indexing mechanism. The user then associates the key object with data objects, which may also be computationally unrecognized, that are stored in a target data structure. The key object can be used as an access mechanism to retrieve the target data without recognition of either the key object or the target data.

Abstract: A user-interactive method for use in a processor controlled machine provides a user with the capability to retrieve and manipulate associations previously established among image segments in a single or in multiple data structures, where the image segments are stored as image data and not as recognized or interpreted information. The use of certain designated image segments, called key objects, for association with one or more other stored image segments in effect imposes a user-defined categorization structure on the image segments with which key objects are associated, producing groups of image segments associated with respective key object. The categorized information for a particular key object is retrievable and displayable with the key object image, also without performing a recognition operation, providing an indexing mechanism into the image data.

Abstract: An interactive processor-controlled system for entering and storing user information about an event that is being concurrently recorded in real time correlates the user information to user-requested addresses, such as time values stored with the recorded signals. The system includes a recording device for producing signals indicating recorded event data that includes periodic addresses, each of which indicates a portion of the recorded signals. An address source, such as a clock, is connected for providing address values to both the processor and the recording device. Using a pen-based user interface in one embodiment of the system, the system user specifically requests an address value in order to correlate user information to the signals being concurrently recorded. In response to a request for an address, the system establishes a spatial region on the display, called a time zone, into which the system user may enter information, in the form of handwritten strokes, about the event.