Abstract: A media system and method for distributed trick play resolution using user preferences. The method of distributed trick play resolution in a distributed media group network, includes: determining trick play preferences at each of a plurality of peer nodes in the distributed media group network with respect to a media item; and resolving conflicting trick play preferences between the peer nodes based on the determined trick play preferences. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide for optimizing operation of a radio program, wherein the radio program is operated by a host using a host process. Aspects include collecting and storing contextual information from participants of the radio program, the participants including listeners and callers of the radio program; analyzing the contextual information; and enabling at least one feature on the host process based at least in part on the contextual information.

Abstract: A system and method for bandwidth sharing in a distributed wireless client application using inverse multiplexing termination. The system includes: a group of collocated client playback devices having wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) connectivity, and a centralized inverse multiplexing (IMUX) server which optimizes shared bandwidth of both the WAN via inverse multiplexing and the LAN using either broadcast or multicast of all virtual multiplexing paths to all other client playback devices of the group of collocated client playback devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for routing mobile users to safe, or secure, locations. In one embodiment, based on threat information obtained from one or more source, a threat level is determined for a location of a user of a mobile device. The threat level is indicative of physical safety and/or network safety at the location of the user of the mobile device. The threat level may be a function of a transaction type of a transaction being performed or desired to be performed by the user of the mobile device. If the location is unsafe, a safe location is identified, and the user of the mobile device is routed to the safe location.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a computer system that provides a web page to a requestor over a network. Aspects of the present invention include receiving by the computer system a request to access a web page and in response, determining whether a descriptor for the requested web page is in a session memory. If the descriptor is not in the session memory, it is retrieved from a database and the stored in the session memory. From there, the descriptor is used to determine whether the web page should be retrieved and returned to the requestor. By storing the descriptor in session memory, additional accesses to the database can be avoided when the descriptor is used for subsequent tasks.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for creating communities based on a semantic understanding of content requested by a number of user devices. More specifically, a mediating server operates to interconnect a number of user devices to destination servers. In operation, the mediating server routes requests from the user devices to the appropriate destination servers. The mediating server examines the responses from the destination servers to gain a semantic understanding of the content requested by the user devices. Thereafter, the mediating server establishes communities for the user devices based on the semantic understanding of the content requested by the user devices. For example, the mediating server may invite users of the user devices that have requested semantically similar content to join a chat session around a common topic.

Abstract: A redundant hybrid peer-to-peer content sharing system is provided. In general, the system includes a proxy hosted by a central server and, for each user, a primary user device hosting a primary sharing engine and one or more secondary user devices hosting secondary sharing engines. The user's shared images are hosted by the primary user device, and, based on the capabilities of the secondary user devices, versions of the shared images are copied to the secondary devices. When a guest at a guest node desires to view a shared image, a request for the shared image is provided to the proxy. Generally, if the primary user device is online, the proxy forwards the request to the primary device. If the primary user device is offline, the proxy identifies one of the secondary user devices capable of serving the request and forwards the request to the identified secondary user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for obtaining look-ahead segments for a streaming media item during playback such that the viewer can easily skip to the look-ahead segments without experiencing any substantial interruption or delay in playback. In general, a streaming media source begins streaming a media item to a streaming media client for playback. In one embodiment, the streaming media client selects one or more segments of the media item as one or more look-ahead segments to prefetch from the streaming media source. Then, while the media item is being streamed to the streaming media client for playback, the streaming media client prefetches the one or more look-ahead segments of the media item from the streaming media source. The look-ahead segments are thereafter utilized to enable the viewer to skip ahead in playback without experiencing a substantial interruption or delay in playback.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing a user to access a peer from a remote system are described. The method and system include authenticating the user for the peer using an authentication server and providing a token for the peer and the user based on the authenticating. The user is authenticated from the remote system. The method and system also include allowing the user to access the peer from the remote system through a proxy server and using the token, if the user is authenticated.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface where the controller is further configured to determine an affinity between a first device and at least one other device and create, based at least in part upon the determined affinity, one or more pre-provision packages. These pre-provision packages include data likely to be shared in the event that a content sharing session is ultimately entered into. The one or more pre-provision packages are then provided for storage upon at least one of the first device and the at least one other device. Then, when a request from the first device to engage in a content sharing session with the at least one other device is received, access to the one or more pre-provision packages is provided to at least one of the first device and the at least one other device.

Abstract: A method and system for quantifying a threat associated with a sender of a message. A threat assessment module receives a message from a sender directed toward a recipient. The threat assessment module accesses a behavioral data source to obtain an activity record identifying an activity of the sender. The activity record is analyzed to determine if the content of the activity record contains non-preferred content. A threat assessment quantifier is generated based on the analysis and sent toward the recipient.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for classifying content segments. A set of annotations is received that occur within a segment of time-varying content. Each annotation is scored to each node in an ontology. The segment is classified based on at least one of the scores.

Abstract: A computerized system and method for determining a mobile secure transaction confidence (MSTC) score and reporting the MSTC score to a financial transactor, such as a merchant or payment processor, is disclosed. The system includes a mobile device, such as a smart phone having a touch screen display, and sensors, such as an accelerometer. The method includes steps of collecting operational data for a mobile device, recording the operational data to establish short term and long term patterns pertaining to mobile device interaction characteristics, user traits, mobile device use characteristics or combinations thereof. Other steps include determining the MSTC score by comparison of the short term and long term patterns for the device interaction characteristics, user traits, and device use characteristics, then reporting the secure transaction confidence score to a financial transactor.

Abstract: A method and system for distributing to a destination a notification of a topic being discussed by two participants of a voice call. Terms are extracted from an audio stream generated during the voice call. A topic is determined based on the extracted terms. A topic notification identifying the topic and at least one of the two participants is sent to a destination. A recipient of the notification may indicate a desire to join the voice call. Upon approval by one of the participants, the recipient may be joined to the voice call.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling content played by a number of media devices. In general, the system includes a mobile device and the number of media devices. The mobile device includes a wireless communication interface for communicating with the media devices, a media database, and a control system including a media client. When the mobile device enters a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) associated with a media device, the media client obtains information describing the content residing at the media device and stores the information in the media database at the mobile device. Thereafter, when the mobile device is within the WPAN associated with the media device, the media database is used to select content to be played at the media device.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing reader and writer threads in a caching proxy server. In general, a caching proxy server operates as an intermediary between a web server and a number of client devices. The clients send requests for digital assets hosted by the web server to the caching proxy server. For each request, or more particularly for each group of concurrent requests, for a particular digital asset, the caching proxy server operates in either a decoupled writer mode of operation or a reader/writer mode operation. In addition, while serving the requests, the proxy server may switch between the decoupled writer and the reader/writer modes of operation depending on one or more criteria.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface where the controller is further configured to determine an affinity between a first device and at least one other device and create, based at least in part upon the determined affinity, one or more pre-provision packages. These pre-provision packages include data likely to be shared in the event that a content sharing session is ultimately entered into. The one or more pre-provision packages are then provided for storage upon at least one of the first device and the at least one other device. Then, when an indication of a desire for the first device to engage in a content sharing session with the at least one other device is received, access to the one or more pre-provision packages is provided to at least one of the first device and the at least one other device.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which includes a communication interface and a controller associated with the communication interface and configured to receive from a device a request for a preview markup of a document including at least one page, determine a level of detail for the preview markup, and analyze at least one layout element and at least one content element of the at least one page to generate the preview markup having the level of detail.

Abstract: An apparatus and method directed to automated call screening, and specifically the utilization of location history of a call recipient to determine call authorization, are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a computer readable medium embodied in an article of manufacture is encoded with instructions for directing a processor to receive a request from a first device to communicate with a second device. The processor is further directed to determine at least one location associated with the first device, determine an authorization for the request based at least in part upon the at least one location associated with the first device and at least one prior location of the second device, and transmit the request to the second device in accordance with the authorization.

Abstract: A system and method for merging a first voice call and a second voice call. A first topic discussed during the first voice call is compared to a second topic discussed during the second voice call. If the first topic matches the second topic, the first voice call may be merged with the second voice call. A semantic analysis may be performed on the first topic and the second topic to determine if the first topic and the second topic match one another. Filter criteria may be defined by participants of the first voice call and the second voice call that identify criteria that may preclude merger of the first voice call and the second voice call.