Abstract: A system enables delivery of video clips as animated gif files embedded in e-mail messages sent over a network. The system receives a request to send a video clip via an e-mail. The system fetches the video clip and metadata associated therewith. The system decodes the video clip to a plurality of images. Then, respective of the plurality of images, the system generates an animated gif file. The system further generates an overlay respective of the metadata and adds the overlay to the animated gif file. The system then provides the overlaid animated gif file to, for example, a user device via the network.

Abstract: A system is configured to auto-play video content item that comprises a plurality of frames on a web-page displayed on a mobile device. The system receives a request to auto-play the video content item on a display of the mobile device. The system fetches the video content item and metadata associated therewith. The system then parses the video content item into a plurality of files. Each of the plurality of files comprises a subset portion of the plurality of frames. The plurality of files are then sent to the mobile device for decoding by the mobile device to result in display of the video content item on the mobile device. A parallel decoding of the plurality of frames to a set of frames using multiple threads is then performed. A display schedule for displaying the set of frames on a display of the mobile device is generated. The set of frames is then drawn on a draw area and auto-played on the display of the mobile device.

Abstract: A system is configured to auto-play video content item on a web-page displayed on a mobile device. The system receives a request to auto-play the video content item on a display of the mobile device. The system fetches the video content item and identifies a type of the video content item. The system selects and initializes a codec to decode the video content item to a set of frames. The system then draws the set of frames on a draw area respective of the video content item. The system generates a display schedule for auto-playing the set of frames as video content item on the display of the mobile device. Then, the system displays the set of frames on the mobile device respective of the display schedule.

Abstract: A technique is described herein for dynamically enhancing and measuring a software application without having to change and recompile the original application code. A system includes a staging environment that monitors the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information into a first database. A second database is then populated with business rules that are associated with the objects indexed. The system further includes a run-time environment that identifies items of graphics and/or audio information generated during run-time, and upon determining that an identified item is associated with a business rule, applies the business rule, measures the object and its related attributes and optionally report the data back to a third database.

Abstract: Systems and method for remotely controlling applications executing on devices that do not have touch-based user input capabilities even when such applications were programmed to rely exclusively on touch-based control are described. In accordance with certain embodiments, user input events produced when a user interacts with a user input component of a remote control device are captured and transmitted to a display or processing device that is executing a target application. On the display/processing device, software components that are not part of the original source code of the target application convert the received user input events into commands that are recognizable to the target application and inject those commands into the target application. The software components also cause a visually-perceptible hotspot indicator or other content to be overlaid on graphical content rendered to a display by the target application, thereby facilitating targeted control of the application by the user.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying graphics content associated with a software application process executing on a computing device in a display area managed by another process executing on the computing device are described. The system includes a processing unit and a memory. The memory contains instructions, which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the graphics content associated with the software application process being executed by the processing unit to be displayed within a display area managed by another process being executed by the processing unit by performing a number of steps. The steps include intercepting one or more function calls issued from the software application process. The steps also include capturing an image stored in a first portion of memory in response to intercepting the one or more function calls. The steps further include displaying the captured image in the display area managed by the other process.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically measuring attributes of objects rendered and/or referenced by an executing software application without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A second database is populated with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the indexed objects. The system further includes a run-time environment that identifies items of graphics and/or audio information as they are generated by the application during run-time, uses the second database to determine if an identified item is associated with a business rule, and, responsive to a determination that an identified item is associated with a business rule, measures the object and its related attributes.

Abstract: Systems and method for remotely controlling applications executing on display devices that do not have touch-based user input capabilities even when such applications were programmed to rely exclusively on touch-based control are described. In accordance with certain embodiments, user input events produced when a user interacts with a touch-based user input component of a remote control device are captured and transmitted to a display device that is executing a target application. On the display device, software components that are not part of the original source code of the target application convert the received user input events into commands that are recognizable to the target application and inject those commands into the target application. The software components also cause a visually-perceptible hotspot indicator to be overlaid on graphical content rendered to a display of the display device by the target application, thereby facilitating targeted control of the application by the user.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically measuring attributes of objects rendered and/or referenced by an executing software application without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A second database is populated with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the indexed objects. The system further includes a run-time environment that identifies items of graphics and/or audio information as they are generated by the application during run-time, uses the second database to determine if an identified item is associated with a business rule, and, responsive to a determination that an identified item is associated with a business rule, measures the object and its related attributes.

Abstract: Features are described herein that may be used to implement a system that enables a user to execute, operate and interact with a software application, such as a video game, on a client wherein the software application is executing on a remote server. The features enable the system to be implemented in an optimized fashion. For example, one feature entails intercepting graphics commands generated by the software application that are directed to a graphics application programming interface (API), manipulating the intercepted graphics commands to produce manipulated graphics commands that are reduced in size as compared to the intercepted graphics commands, and transferring the manipulated graphics commands from the server to the client for rendering thereon.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for performing multi-player augmented reality combat. Each player wears (or is otherwise associated with) an indicator (e.g., an object that has a designated pattern, a visual tag, etc.) that identifies the player or a team thereof. Each player has a mobile communication device that is capable of identifying the players' indicators. A user may point a camera of the user's mobile communication device at another player (e.g., an opponent). The image that is captured by the camera includes the indicator that is associated with the opponent. The user may choose to fire a virtual bullet at the opponent using an audio and/or tactile command, which is processed by the user's mobile communication device. The mobile communication device determines the time that the virtual bullet takes to travel from the mobile communication device to the opponent based on the distance between the user and the opponent.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically measuring attributes of objects rendered and/or referenced by an executing software application without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A second database is populated with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the indexed objects. The system further includes a run-time environment that identifies items of graphics and/or audio information as they are generated by the application during run-time, uses the second database to determine if an identified item is associated with a business rule, and, responsive to a determination that an identified item is associated with a business rule, measures the object and its related attributes.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically enhancing and measuring a software application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device, without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A system administrator or other entity then populates a second database by manual or automated means with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the objects indexed in the first database.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for enhancing useability of on-line delivered applications. Access control is provided by generating and delivering an activation key to a client whenever the client seeks access to an application. A security process, integral to the application, validates the key. With respect to displaying information, a client inserts itself between the application and the renderer. This allows the client to provide information to the renderer for display to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for determining whether a client is attempting to copy an application or use the application without authorization. First, data for at least one prediction log file for the application is created. Then, based on the at least one prediction log file, prediction knowledge is determined for the application, where the prediction knowledge is stored in a prediction file. The prediction file is then forwarded to the client executing the application. It is then determined by using the predication file whether the client is attempting to copy the application or use the application without authorization. If the client is attempting to copy the application or use the application without authorization, then the client's access to the application is terminated. In an offline mode, usage information is bound to user saved data such that modification of usage information renders user saved data unusable. This prevents unauthorized access to an offline delivered application.

Abstract: A means is provided by which a software application, such as a video game application, may be enhanced to render application-related graphics content to one portion of a display area and additional graphics content, such as advertising content, to a second portion of the same display area, even though the application was not originally programmed to support such functionality. A software component within a computer system intercepts one or more function calls issued by the application to cause application-related graphics content to be rendered to a display area. Responsive to the interception, the software component issues one or more function calls to cause the graphics content associated with the software application to be rendered to a first portion of the display area. Additional graphics content, such as advertising content, is then rendered into a second portion of the display area.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically extracting and sharing information indicative of the progress or performance of a user within a software application in an executing software application, such as a video game, without having to change and recompile the original application code or without having to add functionality into the source code. A server side environment is also described for building community features around such event information. A system, method and computer program product is further described for enhancing an executing software application by dynamically adding such event information to the executing application.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically enhancing and measuring a software application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device, without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A system administrator or other entity then populates a second database by manual or automated means with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the objects indexed in the first database.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically enhancing and measuring a software application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device, without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A system administrator or other entity then populates a second database by manual or automated means with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the objects indexed in the first database.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for dynamically enhancing and measuring a software application, such as a video game, executing on a computing device, without having to change and recompile the original application code. The system includes a staging environment that monitors the execution of the application and indexes items of graphical and/or audio information generated by the application into a first database. A system administrator or other entity then populates a second database by manual or automated means with one or more business rules, wherein each business rule is associated with one or more of the objects indexed in the first database.