Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage device includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to calculate a score for an article, from a source, using the average number of times other articles belonging to the source were shared on a social network (“t-density”). The processor are further caused to predict, using the score, a number of times the article will be shared on the social network.

Abstract: In one example, a process may include using a computer (110) to select a pair of items (150A, 150B) from among a set of items (150); presenting the selected pair of items (150A, 1506) to a voter (130); requesting that the voter (130) choose one of the items (150A or 1506) from the pair; receiving an answer (180) from the voter (130); and using the computer (110) to update respective ratings (170) of the items (150A, 1506) in the pair. Changes in the ratings (170) depend on the answer (180) and on a difference between the ratings of the items (150A, 1506) in the pair.

Abstract: A content platform for presenting documents to a user based on topics and collective opinions expressed in the documents is disclosed. The content platform mines a corpus of documents to identify a set of topics and analyzes each document in the corpus of documents to determine a set of opinions associated with the set of topics. The corpus of documents is presented to the user based on the set of topics and the set of opinions. Each document in the corpus of documents is visually modified to focus the user's attention on the set of opinions associated with the set of topics.

Abstract: A process can establish respective ratings for items in a list by determining respective measurements of performance of the items during each of a series of time windows. For each of the items and each time window, the process can adjust the rating of an item using multiple adjustments that are respectively associated with competing items in the list. Each of the adjustments may depend on the rating of the item, the rating of the competing item, and whether the measurement of performance of the item is higher than the measurement of the performance of the competing item.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage device includes instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to calculate a score for an article, from a source, using the average number of times other articles belonging to the source were shared on a social network (“t-density”). The processor are further caused to predict, using the score, a number of times the article will be shared on the social network.

Abstract: In one implementation, preference information relevant to a set of items that has been submitted on behalf of multiple different users is compared to global ranking information for the set of items that has been compiled based on the preference information submitted on behalf of the multiple different users. Preference information submitted on behalf of a particular user then is identified as being similar to the global ranking information.

Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein relate to determining the influence and/or passivity of participants in a social network. In one implementation, a processor 101 determines the relative influence of a first participant based on the passivity of participants influenced by the first participant. In one implementation, the processor 101 determines the relative passivity of a first participant based on the influence of other participants.

Abstract: A market for unbiased private individual data is disclosed. A data market maker managing the market collects information from owners of private individual data on their privacy and risk attitudes. The collected information includes choices from the owners of private individual data on different pricing schemes that reflect the privacy and risk attitudes of the owners of data. The data market maker receives requests for access to private individual data from data buyers over time and determines pricing menus listing prices for the data buyers to pay for access to the private individual data based on the collected information. The data market maker compensates the owners of the private individual data for selling access to their data to the data buyers.

Abstract: A respective novelty value is ascertained for each of multiple user-selectable contents. Each of the novelty values represents a level of newness of the respective user-selectable content in relation to the other user-selectable contents. A respective novelty decay value is calculated for each of the user-selectable contents as a decreasing function of the respective novelty value. A prioritization order of the user-selectable contents in respective prioritized positions on a web page is determined based on the novelty decay values.

Abstract: Method and system embodiments of the present invention employ risk and return estimates in order to select and schedule display of advertisements. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to an advertising system that includes an advertising-selection-and-scheduling component and an information-provision system. The advertising-selection-and-scheduling component selects advertising for inclusion in information provided to users, prepares a schedule based on risk associated with including the selected advertising in the information provided to the users according to the schedule and based on return expected from including the selected advertising in the information provided to the users according to the schedule, and stores the prepared schedule in a computer-readable medium for subsequent access by the information-provision system.

Abstract: A system and method for image sharing is disclosed. The method of the present invention discloses: receiving a set of images and a transmit images command in response to the transmit images command; selecting a subset of the images in response to the transmit images command; formatting the subset of images in response to the transmit images command; and transmitting the formatted images to a recipient in response to the transmit images command. The system of the present invention discloses means for performing the method.

Abstract: Associations between pieces of electronic audio content and geographic locations are stored. An indication of a present link between an electronic device and a particular geographic location is received. A particular piece of electronic audio content is identified as being related to the particular geographic location. The identified piece of electronic audio content then is made available to the electronic device.

Abstract: A first communication device (“FCD”) is adapted to communicate with a second communication device. The FCD obtains a first key, encodes an attribute in the FCD with the first key to produce a first encoded value, and transmits the first encoded value to the second communication device. The FCD also receives a second encoded value from the second communication device. The second encoded value comprises an attribute stored in the second communication device that has been encoded with a second key. Further, the FCD encodes the second encoded value with the first key to produce a third encoded value, transmits the third encoded value to the second communication device, and receives a fourth encoded value from the second communication device. The fourth encoded value comprises the first encoded value after being encoded by the second key. The FCD determines whether the third encoded value matches the fourth encoded value.

Abstract: A historical popularity value is determined for a user-selectable online content from historical data describing user accesses to the user-selectable online content over a selected period. A predicted popularity value describing future popularity of the user-selectable online content at a future time after the selected period is ascertained from the historically popularity value. A web site from which user-selectable online content is accessible is managed based on the predicted popularity value.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to revenue generation based on introduction of revenue-generating features or inconvenience. In some implementations, the logarithmic convexity of a probability function is determined. The probability function may describe a probability that a user will continue to utilize the service based on a level of inconvenience or number of revenue-generating features introduced to the service. In some implementations, a number of periods for introducing the inconvenience or revenue-generating features may then be determined based on the log convexity of the probability function.

Abstract: A respective submission is received from each of multiple recommending client network nodes (12, 14). Each of the submissions includes respective recommendation information in association with a respective online document identifier identifying a respective online document and a respective geographic location identifier identifying a respective geographic location. For each of multiple of the received submissions, the recommendation information and the online document identifier are indexed in association with the geographic location identifier. In response to receipt of location information from a searching client network node (12, 14), ones of the online document identifiers that are associated with respective ones of the geographic location identifiers that correspond to the received location information are ascertained. The ascertained ones of the online document identifiers are ranked based on the recommendation information respectively associated with the online document identifiers.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to revenue generation based on introduction of revenue-generating features or inconvenience. In some implementations, the logarithmic convexity of a probability function is determined. The probability function may describe a probability that a user will continue to utilize the service based on a level of inconvenience or number of revenue-generating features introduced to the service. In some implementations, a number of periods for introducing the inconvenience or revenue-generating features may then be determined based on the log convexity of the probability function.

Abstract: A method for social networking of mobile devices based upon telephone numbers of the mobile devices includes receiving user profile information and telephone numbers of contacts from a plurality of users' mobile devices; at least one of creating and updating respective user profiles based upon the telephone numbers of the users' mobile devices and the received profile information; identifying relationships among the users based at least upon the contacts contained in the contacts information; and establishing a social network group including at least two of the users based upon the identified relationships among the users.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for allowing consumers to reserve a resource, in which potential consumers have a choice among a number of different reservation contracts for reserving a resource to be provided at a future time. Each reservation contract allows a corresponding contracting customer to elect whether to receive the resource and requires the contracting customer to make a first payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is elected and to make a second payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is not elected, with the first payment being higher than the second payment, and with both being nonzero.

Abstract: A model for predicting future outcomes related to individual entities within a class of related entities may be generated based on the determined rates at which the individual entities are referenced within electronic communications. Additionally or alternatively, a quantitative value of a predicted future outcome related to a particular cause may be calculated based on the frequency with which references to the particular cause appear in electronic messages.