Abstract: Methods for providing a privacy setting for a target user relative to relationships with a number of other users in a social network utilizing an electronic computing device are presented, the method including: causing the electronic computing device to retrieve a current privacy setting for a common profile item, where the common profile item corresponds with the target user and each of the number of other users, and where the common profile item is one of a number of common profile items; causing the electronic computing device to calculate a pseudo-common profile item sensitivity value for the common profile item based on the current privacy settings of the target user and the number of other users; causing the electronic computing device to calculate a final common profile item sensitivity value for the common profile item based on the current privacy setting.

Abstract: Dynamic discovery of peers or services in different networks, where few or no servers may be required for the discovering process, is provided. Broadcasting used for the peer or service discovery may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks and may serve to increase scalability.

Abstract: Dynamic discovery of peers or services in different networks, where few or no servers may be required for the discovering process, is provided. Broadcasting used for the peer or service discovery may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks and may serve to increase scalability.

Abstract: Dynamic discovery of peers or services in different networks, where few or no servers may be required for the discovering process, is provided. Broadcasting used for the peer or service discovery may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks and may serve to increase scalability.

Abstract: Dynamic discovery of peers or services in different networks, where few or no servers may be required for the discovering process, is provided. Broadcasting used for the peer or service discovery may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks and may serve to increase scalability.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing security and/or privacy settings are described. In one embodiment, the method may include communicably coupling a first client to a second client. The method may further include propagating a portion of a plurality of security and/or privacy settings for the first client from the first client to the second client. The method may also include, upon receiving at the second client the portion of the plurality of security and/or privacy settings for the first client, incorporating the received portion of the plurality of security and/or privacy settings for the first client into a plurality of security and/or privacy settings for the second client.

Abstract: A shopping environment includes a server and a shopping device for broadcasting a wireless signal that identifies the identity of a shopper associated with the device. A network infrastructure conveys the wireless signal information to the server. A verification system is configured to detect the shopping device being in proximity to an exit of the shopping environment and to initiate precautionary action in response thereto. The shopping device may be enabled to permit the user to indicate purchase of an item and, responsive thereto, to communicate a purchase to the server as part of maintaining a virtual shopping cart of items selected for purchase by the shopper. The verification apparatus initiates the precautionary action if the shopper has not made payment arrangements. The verification apparatus is further enabled to display the number of items in the virtual shopping cart and the amount of time spent on the shopping trip.

Abstract: A method and system for brokering a transaction between a plurality of wireless communication devices is disclosed. The method and system includes enabling a plurality of wireless devices to communicate with one another, allowing a user to enter a request related to an object to be brokered into a first enabled wireless device, and exchanging the request with a plurality of enabled wireless devices. The system and method also includes receiving a response to the request by a third party facilitator from a user of a wireless device interested in completing the transaction. The third party facilitator will then complete the transaction between users of the first wireless device and the wireless device interested in completing the transaction. In another aspect of the present invention, at least one wireless broker device helps disseminate the request from the first wireless device to the wireless device interested in completing the transaction.

Abstract: A method and system for providing travel guidance for transportation vehicles traveling on a highway system that comprises highway transceivers (HTs) with limited range placed at selected intervals along the highway. Each transportation vehicle has an automobile transceiver (AT) for receiving and transmitting information using a communication protocol. The HTs have a limited transmission range. The AT may be programmed to selectively present information received from the HTs to a passenger in an automobile. The ATs may also receive information from other transportation vehicles equipped with an AT. The HTs may receive information from all of the transceivers or other transmitters, for example, a GPS satellite transmitter. The HTs may also transmit information to traffic signal units about numbers of vehicles in its transmission pattern.

Abstract: When a universal serial bus (USB) device is plugged in, the USB device enumerates as a “mass storage device” (or any device capable of input) even though the device is not actually a “mass storage device.” A USB device agent would be included in a storage device on the USB device in the form of an executable file. After the device enumerates the first time as a “mass storage device,” the user selects the “mass storage device” and executes the appropriate executable file containing the agent. The agent would then install itself on the host hard file and thereafter it could function with any other compatible USB device. The agent could then command compatible devices to re-enumerate as what they actually are. The agent could also enable enhanced host/device interactions and enhanced device functionality and diagnostics.

Abstract: A method and system for providing travel guidance for transportation vehicles traveling on a highway system that comprises highway transceivers (HTs) with limited range placed at selected intervals along the highway. Each transportation vehicle has an automobile transceiver (AT) for receiving and transmitting information using a communication protocol. The HTs have a limited transmission range. The AT may be programmed to selectively present information received from the HTs to a passenger in an automobile. The ATs may also receive information from other transportation vehicles equipped with an AT. The HTs may receive information from all of the transceivers or other transmitters, for example, a GPS satellite transmitter. The HTs may also transmit information to traffic signal units about numbers of vehicles in its transmission pattern.

Abstract: A USB device centric agent is associated with an operating system. The agent software is only required to be loaded once and then it will function with multiple compatible USB devices. A standard interface is established between the device agent and any compatible USB device. This enables any compatible USB device to control the agent which in turn controls the host computer. This is opposite the standard practice where the host controls the USB device.

Abstract: Within a network of computers, a system administrator function controls the backing up of data of client machines to selected other client machines within the network by removing control of and access to portions of the hard files within those machines to the local user. The freed up storage space within the client's local hard files is then used for backup purposes to backup data from other machines within the network. Agents in the server and client machines perform this task making it possible to distribute the backup workload across the network. There are three modes of backup: source initiated, target initiated, and server communal backup (CB) agent initiated. All are coordinated by the server CB agent.

Abstract: A method and system for brokering a transaction between a plurality of wireless communication devices is disclosed. The method and system includes enabling a plurality of wireless devices to communicate with one another, allowing a user to enter a request related to an object to be brokered into a first enabled wireless device, and exchanging the request with a plurality of enabled wireless devices. The system and method also includes receiving a response to the request by a third party facilitator from a user of a wireless device interested in completing the transaction. The third party facilitator will then complete the transaction between users of the first wireless device and the wireless device interested in completing the transaction. In another aspect of the present invention, at least one wireless broker device helps disseminate the request from the first wireless device to the wireless device interested in completing the transaction.