Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for generating a dataset metadata file based on partial metadata files. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising receiving data to write to disk, the data comprising a subset of a dataset; writing a first portion of the data to disk; detecting a split boundary after writing the first portion; recording metadata describing the split boundary; continuing to write a remaining portion of the data to disk; and after completing the writing of the data to disk: generating a partial metadata file for the data, the partial metadata file including the split boundary, and transmitting the partial metadata to a partial metadata collector.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for horizontally skimming composite datasets.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for replacing database table join keys with index keys. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising: receiving, by a processor, annotation data, the annotation data comprising a set of rows; retrieving, by the processor, a root dataset, the root dataset stored in one or more files; generating, by the processor, a row identifier for each row in the set of rows, the row identifier storing a plurality of fields enabling alignment of a respective row in the annotation data to a corresponding row in the root dataset; generating, by the processor, an annotation dataset, the annotation dataset comprising the set of rows and corresponding row identifiers; and writing, by the processor, the annotation dataset to at least one file, the at least one file separate from the one or more files.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments are methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for annotating distributed data without redundant data copying. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising reading a raw dataset, the raw dataset comprising a first set of columns and a first set of rows; generating an annotation dataset, the annotation dataset comprising a second set of columns and a second set of rows; assigning row identifiers to each row in the second set of rows, the row identifiers aligning the second set of rows with the first set of rows based on the underlying storage of the raw dataset and annotation dataset; and writing the annotation dataset to a distributed storage medium.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for generating metadata files for composite datasets. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising generating a tree representing a plurality of datasets; parsing the tree into an algebraic representation of the tree; identifying a plurality of terms in the algebraic representation, each term in the terms comprising at least two factors, each of the two factors associated with a dataset in the plurality of datasets; generating a metadata object of the plurality of terms; serializing the metadata object to generate serialized terms; and storing the serialized terms in a metadata file associated with the plurality of datasets.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for utilizing opportunities presented by events and social gatherings, such as online advertisement targeting and communications related opportunities. Techniques are provided in which information is obtained that provides an indication that a set of users, including mobile electronic device users, are in a specified area, and indicating that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering. A virtual user grouping may be formed, and communications between users of the grouping is facilitated, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that include using a collaborative arrangement between a first entity associated with a physical location, such as a physical store or residence that has or sells one or more products of a first product type, and a second entity, such as a Web site offering for purchase products of the first product type. According to some such arrangements, if, for example, a user purchases a product from the Web site after the user evidently made a visit to the physical location, or received a display or demonstration of a product of the first product type at the physical location, then revenue or value resulting from the purchase may be split or shared between entities including the first entity and the second entity.

Abstract: A system for serving an advertisement in a networked environment receives data that defines a user selection of an image. The system also selects an advertisement associated with the user selection and communicates the selected advertisement to the user. The data that defines the user selection includes an x selection coordinate, a y selection coordinate, a width, and a height that defines a region of an image. The user selection defines also defines a scene of a video. The system also includes circuitry and logic configured to extract text and to detect objects from an image region defined by the user selection and to select an advertisement associated with any extracted text and/or detected object.

Abstract: Techniques are provided in which the current price of a commodity purchased from a seller by a buyer with a price guarantee policy is monitored. Upon detection of the current price dropping below the purchase price, the buyer and seller are notified, leading to a rebate being provided to the buyer from the seller to be redeemed based on the terms of the price guarantee policy. In some embodiments, buyers are offered incentives, such as a discounted price, in exchange for a reduced time period within which a price guarantee policy is redeemable.

Abstract: A system for targeting advertising can include a communications interface and a processor. The communications interface can receive data associated with times of use of applications. The processor can be communicatively coupled to the communications interface and can categorize the applications by genres. The categorization is within a time of use group and is based on at least part of the retrieved data. The processor can also determine priority values associated with the genres based on levels of use of the applications during a period of time associated with the time of use group. The processor can also identify a current time and determine an advertisement according to at least one genre of the genres. The at least one genre can be associated with a highest priority value of the determined priority values. The period associated with the time of use group can correspond to the identified current time.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that include targeting a user of a mobile electronic device with an interest-based advertisement, based at least in part on various call logs on a user device. Techniques are provided in which a set of calls from a user's call log from a mobile device are assigned to one or more categories indicative of potential user interests for the purposed of targeted advertisements. The usage pattern of the user's call log takes into account the time of the day, week, and/or month that the user tends to make particular calls to determine recurring patterns and calculate individual metrics for comparison with other users.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that include targeting a user of a mobile electronic device with an interest-based advertisement, based at least in part on various call logs on a user device. Techniques are provided in which a set of calls from a user's call log from a mobile device are assigned to one or more categories indicative of potential user interests for the purposed of targeted advertisements. The usage pattern of the user's call log takes into account the time of the day, week, and/or month that the user tends to make particular calls to determine recurring patterns and calculate individual metrics for comparison with other users.

Abstract: Targeting advertisements to a specific user includes steps or acts of: identifying an area of interest that includes a plurality of users using the Internet; logging each Internet request from the plurality of users; aggregating data regarding each Internet request to reveal use patterns; and disaggregating the data according to the use patterns to match the Internet use pattern with the specific user, thus identifying the specific user with each Internet request.

Abstract: Targeting advertisements to a user on multiple devices includes: selecting an access point; maintaining an internet access log to track web activity across multiple devices within said access point; identifying the multiple devices involved in the web activity; distinguishing patterns of web activity for the multiple devices to identify users of the devices; generating a user interest vector populated with user interests derived from the patterns of web activity; initializing a master log of user interest vectors for all users within the access point, wherein the master log maps the users with the multiple devices; and updating the master log.

Abstract: Techniques are provided that include targeting a user of a mobile electronic device with an interest-based advertisement, based at least in part on various call logs on a user device. Techniques are provided in which a set of calls from a user's call log from a mobile device are assigned to one or more categories indicative of potential user interests for the purposed of targeted advertisements. The usage pattern of the user's call log takes into account the time of the day, week, and/or month that the user tends to make particular calls to determine recurring patterns and calculate individual metrics for comparison with other users.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for utilizing opportunities presented by events and social gatherings, such as online advertisement targeting and communications related opportunities. Techniques are provided in which information is obtained that provides an indication that a set of users, including mobile electronic device users, are in a specified area, and indicating that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering. A virtual user grouping may be formed, and communications between users of the grouping is facilitated, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for utilizing opportunities presented by events and social gatherings, such as online advertisement targeting and communications-related opportunities. Techniques are provided in which information is obtained that provides an indication that a set of users, including mobile electronic device users, are in a specified area, and indicating that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering. A virtual user grouping may be formed, and communications between users of the grouping is facilitated, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering.

Abstract: Methods and systems for recommending social networking connections are disclosed. Information is received from a mobile device relating to software applications that are installed on a first user's mobile device. A weight for each software application is calculated based on usage information and each software application is designated to at least one category. A priority is calculated for each category based at least in part on respective weights of software applications designated to the category. A second user, who is not connected to the first user, is detected, wherein the second user has a predetermined number of categories that are the same as the first user's categories, and wherein priorities corresponding to the second user's categories are within a predetermined range of priorities corresponding to the first user's categories. A recommendation to connect with the second user is provided to the first user.

Abstract: A system for serving localized advertisements receives data that defines an advertisement from an advertiser and determines a geographic location of the advertiser. The system also receives a request to serve an advertisement from a browser operated by a user and determines a geographic location associated with the user. The system communicates the advertisement to the browser if the geographic location associated with the user matches the geographic location of the advertiser.

Abstract: A system and method that receives, over a network (e.g., from a client device), an audio clip associated with a portion of a media program, determines, based on the audio clip, that the media program is a specific media program, determines a product associated with a segment of the specific media program, determines a keyword associated with the product, submits the keyword to an advertisement platform for use in a keyword auction, receives an advertisement from the advertisement platform, and communicates the advertisement to a client device at a predetermined time.