Abstract: Computer-implemented functionality is described herein for assisting a user in interacting with an environment. In one implementation, the functionality operates by: determining that a particular user is within a prescribed proximity to an electronic sign, or will be in prescribed proximity to the electronic sign, based on sensor information provided by one or more sensors within the environment; determining an identity of the user; determining at least one destination of the user based at least on calendar information; providing directions to the destination(s), to provide unfiltered direction information; optionally filtering the unfiltered direction information with respect to restriction information (e.g., privacy information, security information, etc.), to produce filtered direction information; composing sign information based on the filtered direction information; and sending the sign information to the electronic sign for presentation by the sign.

Abstract: A natural language query can be received at a main natural language processor inside a data protection compliance boundary in a computer system. The natural language query can be processed via the main natural language processor. The data from the query can be transmitted to a data protection computer component. It can be determined via the data protection component whether the data from the query includes protected data whose transmission to a computerized extension would violate a computer-readable data protection rule. The extension is outside the compliance boundary in the computer system and is configured to participate in responding to natural language queries received by the main natural language processor. In response to determining that the data from the query includes the protected data, transmission of the protected data from the main natural language processor to the extension as part of responding to the query can be inhibited.

Abstract: A receiver receives a request to schedule a meeting from a user and in response, prompts the user to provide meeting information including time information and attendee information for scheduling the meeting. A meeting scheduler identifies potential dates and potential times based on the meeting information. The meeting scheduler further detects locations of the attendees based on the potential dates and identifies potential meeting locations based on attendees' location. The meeting scheduler also computes date scores for the potential dates, time scores for the potential times, and location scores for the meeting locations to select a date, a time, and a meeting location based on scores to determine a meeting schedule. The meeting scheduler further selects a conferencing mechanism for the meeting and provides the meeting schedule comprising the selected date, time, and meeting location, and the selected conferencing mechanism as a meeting invite option to the user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include organic polymeric particles, paper coating compositions, coated paper, and methods of forming coated paper with the paper coating compositions. The embodiments of the organic polymeric particle include an organic hydrophilic polymer with a unit for hydrogen bonding, and a hollow porous structure that comprises an organic polymer that at least partially surrounds the organic hydrophilic polymer, where the hollow porous structure has a pore surface area greater than 1 percent of a total theoretical exterior surface area of the hollow porous structure and the organic hydrophilic polymer and the hollow porous structure give the organic polymeric particle a void volume fraction of 40 percent to 85 percent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating composition which is a stable aqueous dispersion of polymer particles and a phenyl glycidyl ether adduct of maltodextrin. The composition of the present invention is useful for improving open time in coatings formulations.

Abstract: A composition comprising: (a) a hydrophilic polyurethane comprising polymerized units of: (i) a water-soluble polyol having hydroxyl functionality from two to four and a weight-average molecular weight from 800 to 16,000; and (ii) an aliphatic polyisocyanate having isocyanate functionality from two to six; wherein polymerized ethylene oxide units comprise at least 85 wt % of said hydrophilic polyurethane; and at least one of: (b) a saccharide having at least 5 hydroxyl groups and Mw from 300 to 4,000; (c) a dispersant polymer having Mw from 700 to 50,000 and from 10 to 55 wt % polymerized residues of C3-C6 carboxylic acid monomer and (d) a surfactant having HLB>11 and 12 to 100 polymerized units of ethylene oxide.

Abstract: Provided is a composition comprising one or more protein and one or more polyalkoxy fatty compound wherein the weight ratio of said protein to said polyalkoxy fatty compound is from 0.

Abstract: Provided is a composition comprising one or more protein and one or more polyalkoxy fatty compound and wherein said polyalkoxy fatty compound has structure (I) wherein R1 is a fatty group; R2 is H or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group; n is 0 to 5; X1 is O, S, or NH; X2 is O, S, or NH; and R3 is a polymeric group comprising polymerized units of (II) and (III)

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound which is a di- and/or a tristyrylphenol monoglycidyl ether adduct of the compound of Formula I: where m is from 1 to 60. The compound of the present invention is useful as an open time additive in coatings formulations.

Abstract: Computer-implemented functionality is described herein for assisting a user in interacting with an environment. In one implementation, the functionality operates by: determining that a particular user is within a prescribed proximity to an electronic sign, or will be in prescribed proximity to the electronic sign, based on sensor information provided by one or more sensors within the environment; determining an identity of the user; determining at least one destination of the user based at least on calendar information; providing directions to the destination(s), to provide unfiltered direction information; optionally filtering the unfiltered direction information with respect to restriction information (e.g., privacy information, security information, etc.), to produce filtered direction information; composing sign information based on the filtered direction information; and sending the sign information to the electronic sign for presentation by the sign.

Abstract: A natural language query can be received at a main natural language processor inside a data protection compliance boundary in a computer system. The natural language query can be processed via the main natural language processor. The data from the query can be transmitted to a data protection computer component. It can be determined via the data protection component whether the data from the query includes protected data whose transmission to a computerized extension would violate a computer-readable data protection rule. The extension is outside the compliance boundary in the computer system and is configured to participate in responding to natural language queries received by the main natural language processor. In response to determining that the data from the query includes the protected data, transmission of the protected data from the main natural language processor to the extension as part of responding to the query can be inhibited.

Abstract: A natural language query can be processed via a main natural language processor. A request to produce an intent of the query can be dispatched from the main natural language processor to an extension natural language processor. An intent of the query can be generated via the extension natural language processor in response to the dispatched request, with the generating of the intent being performed independently of the main natural language processor. The intent of the natural language query can be passed from the extension natural language processor to the main natural language processor in response to the request to produce the intent of the query. A selection of a conversation query processor for responding to the intent can be produced via the main natural language processor. Additionally, an instruction to respond to the intent of the query can be passed to the selected conversation query processor.

Abstract: A natural language query can be received at a main natural language processor inside a data protection compliance boundary in a computer system. The natural language query can be processed via the main natural language processor. The data from the query can be transmitted to a data protection computer component. It can be determined via the data protection component whether the data from the query includes protected data whose transmission to a computerized extension would violate a computer-readable data protection rule. The extension is outside the compliance boundary in the computer system and is configured to participate in responding to natural language queries received by the main natural language processor. In response to determining that the data from the query includes the protected data, transmission of the protected data from the main natural language processor to the extension as part of responding to the query can be inhibited.

Abstract: Computer-implemented functionality is described herein for assisting a user in interacting with an environment. In one implementation, the functionality operates by: determining that a particular user is within a prescribed proximity to an electronic sign, or will be in prescribed proximity to the electronic sign, based on sensor information provided by one or more sensors within the environment; determining an identity of the user; determining at least one destination of the user based at least on calendar information; providing directions to the destination(s), to provide unfiltered direction information; optionally filtering the unfiltered direction information with respect to restriction information (e.g., privacy information, security information, etc.), to produce filtered direction information; composing sign information based on the filtered direction information; and sending the sign information to the electronic sign for presentation by the sign.

Abstract: A technique is described for efficiently detecting a wireless beacon signal emitted from a beacon-emitting mechanism, and thereby reducing consumption of power. The technique operates by selectively increasing detection activity when a detection event is likely to occur, and decreasing it otherwise. The technique leverages calendar information as one factor in determining when a detection event is likely to occur. The technique can also vary the detection activity based on location information (identifying the location of a user) and/or motion information (describing the motion of the user).

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and broadcasting a dynamic identifier are presented. Based on the current context and rules established for accessing personal information, a dynamic identifier corresponding to a computer user is dynamically generated and provided to a computing device corresponding to the computer user. The computing device may broadcast the dynamic identifier to others. Upon receipt of a dynamic identifier, a party wishing to determine information regarding the broadcasting party must query an information service with the dynamic identifier. According to a set of rules and/or permissions established for the target computer user (broadcasting the dynamic identifier), accessible information is identified and returned to the requesting party. Additionally, a user is provided with the ability to edit, add to, and/or delete information that is stored by the identification service regarding the user on behalf of a submitting party.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include organic polymeric particles, paper coating compositions, coated paper, and methods of forming coated paper with the paper coating compositions. The embodiments of the organic polymeric particle include an organic hydrophilic polymer with a unit for hydrogen bonding, and a hollow porous structure that comprises an organic polymer that at least partially surrounds the organic hydrophilic polymer, where the hollow porous structure has a pore surface area greater than 1 percent of a total theoretical exterior surface area of the hollow porous structure and the organic hydrophilic polymer and the hollow porous structure give the organic polymeric particle a void volume fraction of 40 percent to 85 percent.

Abstract: A composition comprising: (a) a hydrophilic polyurethane comprising polymerized units of: (i) a water-soluble polyol having hydroxyl functionality from two to four and a weight-average molecular weight from 800 to 16,000; and (ii) an aliphatic polyisocyanate having isocyanate functionality from two to six; wherein polymerized ethylene oxide units comprise at least 85 wt % of said hydrophilic polyurethane; and at least one of: (b) a saccharide having at least 5 hydroxyl groups and Mw from 300 to 4,000; (c) a dispersant polymer having Mw from 700 to 50,000 and from 10 to 55 wt % polymerized residues of C3-C6 carboxylic acid monomer and (d) a surfactant having HLB>11 and 12 to 100 polymerized units of ethylene oxide.

Abstract: Provided is a polyalkoxy fatty compound having the structure (I) wherein R1 is a fatty group; R2 is H or a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group; n is 0 to 5; X1 is S, or NH; X2 is O, S, or NH; and R3 is a polymeric group comprising polymerized units of structure (II) and structure (III)

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include organic polymeric particles, paper coating compositions, coated paper, and methods of forming coated paper with the paper coating compositions. The embodiments of the organic polymeric particle include an organic hydrophilic polymer with a unit for hydrogen bonding, and a hollow porous structure that comprises an organic polymer that at least partially surrounds the organic hydrophilic polymer, where the hollow porous structure has a pore surface area greater than 1 percent of a total theoretical exterior surface area of the hollow porous structure and the organic hydrophilic polymer and the hollow porous structure give the organic polymeric particle a void volume fraction of 40 percent to 85 percent.