Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the placement of ITAPs in wireless neighborhood networks. The method disclosed provides for efficient integration of multi-hop wireless networks with the Internet by placing ITAPs at strategic locations. Initially the method provides for the formulation of the ITAP placement problem under three wireless models. For each model, methods are developed to efficiently place ITAPs in the networks. The methods aim to minimize the number of required ITAPs while guaranteeing users' bandwidth requirements. Next, a fault tolerance version of the placement method is presented that provides bandwidth guarantees in the presence of failures. Finally the methods are extended to take into account variable traffic demands by developing an approximation algorithm to simultaneously optimize ITAP placement based on demands over multiple periods.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides an architecture for facilitating equilibrium solutions for resource allocation markets. One particular example of such markets can be a computer network environment. The architecture can model buyers as nodes and suppliers as edges, incorporating notions of an ascending price auction in order to provide optimal equilibrium solution to Eisenberg-Gale type convex programs in strongly polynomial time.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate auditing of a customer's possessions in a comprehensive manner. The architecture can facilitate the creation of a media archive of a customer's property, as well as an associated property list extracted based upon, e.g., examination of the archive. The property list can include an entry associated with an item of property and can be transmitted to subsidizing entities to offset the expenses associated with the creation of the archive and the property list.

Abstract: A distributed reverse auction allows an auction to end when a dealer is first in time to accept a bid. A purchaser creates an account that relates to a specified purchase. The purchaser places bids at different dealers using the created account. The first dealer to accept the bid draws the agreed upon amount of money from the account. The other bids are cancelled and thus the dealer to act first in time engages in the sale.

Abstract: A method scheduling outgoing communication in a mobile device is provided. The method includes receiving a signal quality profile for an area in which the device is located. The method further includes receiving a signal from a user application stored on the device that requests the mobile device to make the outgoing communication. Additionally, the method includes determining a current location, a speed, a direction, and a signal quality associated with the device and determining whether the signal quality is above a certain threshold. If not, the method includes predicting a future time at which the signal quality will be above the threshold based at least on the current location, the speed, the direction, the signal quality, and the signal quality profile. Finally, the method includes scheduling the outgoing communication from the mobile device at the future time.

Abstract: A user may submit to a set of users a query relating to a commercial transaction, and may evaluate the responses provided therefrom. However, the set of users may include vendors or their representatives who might present inaccurate or misleading information in order to persuade the user to purchase the product, or may provide low-quality and impersonal advertisements for a product that do not particularly relate to the query or the user. Instead, the query may be offered to agents who can provide relevant responses, and a response from an agent may be provided to the user in exchange for a response fee charged to the agent. This cost model may promote selectivity and high relevance to the query in the submission of responses from knowledgeable responders, thereby eliciting higher-value responses to the query for the user and financial sponsorship to cover the operating costs of the agent network.

Abstract: To use market clearing methods to determine market equilibrium, a market clearing situation is established by determining a number of items to be sold at the market price and allotting a number of pseudo items assignable to bids below the market price. Once bids are received for the items, using the number of pseudo items and the actual items as the supply side, and the total funds bid as the demand side, a market clearing price is determinable using a market clearing equilibrium model. Funds assigned to pseudo items are returned or not charged. Further, by selling items only to bids exceeding the market clearing price, such as by setting the market price incrementally above the market clearing price, bidders are encouraged to submit bid prices bid reflecting what the items are worth to them instead of attempting to bid strategically to guess or set the market price.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can facilitate computer-assisted haggling and/or negotiation between multiple parties simultaneously. For example, various proxies associated with both buyers and sellers can be configured to negotiate with other proxies to buy or sell an item. The negotiations can be required to be progressive and during the negotiations a buyer or seller is, typically, allowed to withdraw his or her proposals. The architecture can include a registration component that can resolve concurrency and facilitate a registration of an agreement between two of the parties. The registration of an agreement can create a binding obligation between the parties after which other outstanding proposals can be terminated.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide techniques for advertisement inventory. In at least some embodiments, a scaled number of impressions can be matched to orders that have scaled impression goals. Impressions can be randomly selected from an offline traffic model and allocated to orders according to a matching algorithm until a number of impression defined by a scale factor is reached. This can occur by sampling the traffic model directly using the scale factor and/or by creating a scaled data set to which the matching algorithm can be applied. The matching algorithm can be configured to identify an order that is farthest away from being complete and then match the randomly selected impression to the identified order. If the scaled orders in the data set can be fulfilled using the scaled number of impressions, a conclusion is made that the original set of orders can be fulfilled using the original impressions.

Abstract: Providing for scheduling tasks in a distributed system based on an inefficiency of each task on a particular machine as compared with available networked machines is described herein. By way of example, a distribution component can receive a plurality of tasks at a machine assigned by at least one independent agent. In addition, an ordering component can schedule each task on a machine as a function of non-decreasing inefficiency. Such a policy can be implemented locally at the machine, minimizing inter-device communication, while only marginally increasing completion time for the set of tasks. In such a manner, the subject disclosure provides for load balancing of distributed systems in a manner that utilizes fewer resources than conventional approaches.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates reducing spam in search results. An interface can obtain web graph information that represents a web of pages. A spam detection component can determines one or more features based at least in part on the web graph information. The one or more features can provide indications that a particular page of the web graph is spam. In addition, a robust rank component is provided that limits amount of contribution a single page can provide to the target page.

Abstract: Mobile communication devices, such as mobile phones, may be capable of recommending to a user various providers of one or more solicited services, e.g., by identifying a user location and identifying providers near the user location that provide the services, and by initiating a call between the user and a selected provider. However, the equipment and service costs of such devices may be prohibitive, particularly for mid-range mobile communication devices that may appeal to cost-conscious users. The prohibitive costs may be diminished by redirecting part or all of the cost of providing the recommendation service from the providers, e.g., by charging the provider a service cost upon initiating a call from the user to the provider, or upon representing the provider in a provider database. In one such embodiment, all service costs may be borne by providers, providing to the user a free recommendation service via the mobile communication device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for digitally certified stationery are described. In one aspect, a stationery granting authority (SGA) receives a request from a user to generate a document. If the user is authorized for the requested document, the SGA generates a certificate with credentialing information from data in the request. The SGA generates a first digital signature from some of the credentialing information. The SGA communicates the certificate to the user for editing and distribution as the document. A recipient of the document determines whether the document is “official” by contacting a specified service to provide certain information from the document. The verification service computes a second digital signature from the provided information for comparison to the first digital signature. If there is a match, the service notifies the recipient that the document is valid/official. Otherwise, the recipient is notified that the document is not valid.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can facilitate computer-assisted haggling and/or negotiation between multiple parties simultaneously. For example, various proxies associated with both buyers and sellers can be configured to negotiate with other proxies to buy or sell an item. The negotiations can be required to be progressive and during the negotiations a buyer or seller is, typically, allowed to withdraw his or her proposals. The architecture can include a registration component that can resolve concurrency and facilitate a registration of an agreement between two of the parties. The registration of an agreement can create a binding obligation between the parties after which other outstanding proposals can be terminated.

Abstract: Described herein is a search engine that can include a receiver component that receives a query from a user that pertains to a multimedia item and an output component that outputs multiple choices for receiving an instance of the multimedia item to a user. The multiple choices may include a first choice for receiving a first instance of the multimedia item for no charge, wherein the first instance of the multimedia item includes a digital rights management restriction. The multiple choices may also include a second choice for receiving a second instance of the multimedia item for a fee, wherein the second instance of the multimedia item is free of digital rights management restrictions. The search engine can further include a transmitter component that transmits one of the first multimedia item or the second multimedia item to the user.

Abstract: Auction prices for a quantity of items, the quantity of which is not determined prior to auction, are equilibrated among bidders to reflect supply and demand for the items. For example, in auctioning Internet advertising opportunities, the first available opportunities are auctioned to a high bidder. Later in the course of the auction period, once the high bidder's budget has been exhausted, the price for advertising opportunities is reduced. The difference in price paid by the high bidder and the reduced price for the quantity of advertising opportunities purchased is credited to the high bidder's account. Once the high bidder's account regains a level sufficient to acquire additional advertising opportunities, the high bidder may continue to acquire advertising opportunities. Other bidders similarly are credited the difference between prices previously paid and the current price. An equilibrium price is reached based on the recursive adjustment of prices paid by the bidders.

Abstract: Described herein is a search engine that can include a receiver component that receives a query from a user that pertains to a multimedia item and an output component that outputs multiple choices for receiving an instance of the multimedia item to a user. The multiple choices may include a first choice for receiving a first instance of the multimedia item for no charge, wherein the first instance of the multimedia item includes a digital rights management restriction. The multiple choices may also include a second choice for receiving a second instance of the multimedia item for a fee, wherein the second instance of the multimedia item is free of digital rights management restrictions. The search engine can further include a transmitter component that transmits one of the first multimedia item or the second multimedia item to the user.

Abstract: A layout in which advertisements are displayed may be determined by auction. Several layouts may be defined, each having one or more slots of different relative values. Bids are received from advertisers, and an auction may be held to determine in which slots the different advertisers are placed, and which layout is to be used. The expected revenue from each layout may be calculated, and the layout may be chosen that maximizes the revenue that is expected to result from showing a particular layout to a user. In one example, there are layouts that offer exclusive and non-exclusive mainlines. Mainline exclusivity may be offered to an advertiser that has bid a sufficiently high amount per click that awarding the mainline exclusively to the advertiser can offset the loss of revenue expected from moving other advertisers off the mainline.

Abstract: A content provider may provide public access to a content item set, but may be unable to achieve sufficient revenue to sustain the administrative costs and ongoing development of the content item set. Instead, the content provider may develop relationships with one or more referrers (e.g., search engines.) When a user requests a content item, the content provider may determine whether the request results from a referral by a sponsoring referrer, and based on this determination may provide either a full version or a limited version of the content item. The referrer benefits by providing its users with free access to the content item set, which may be unavailable from non-sponsoring competitors, and in exchange may share advertising revenue with the content provider. This arrangement achieves sustaining sponsorship of the content provider while extending full and free access to the content item set to users of sponsoring referrers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a general model and method for computing performance bounds in multi-hop wireless networks. Rather than focusing on computing asymptotic performance bounds under assumptions of homogeneity or randomness in the network topology and/or workload, the present invention accommodates any given network, technology, interference model, routing paradigm, and workload. Using a conflict graph to formally characterize the impact of wireless interference on the performance of multi-hop wireless networks, methods for computing upper and lower bounds on the capacity of a given wireless network are detailed. Besides computing network capacity, the model and method disclosed can also enable or benefit other applications including maximizing fairness and minimizing maximum link utilization.