Abstract: A method to interact with a local USB device is disclosed. A message is received from the local USB device. Predetermined information is extracted from a proper subset of the message. The extracted information is transmitted to a local process.

Abstract: A system for finding and presenting content items in response to keystrokes entered by a user on an input device having a known layout of overloaded keys selected from a set of key layouts. The system includes a database containing content items and terms characterizing the content items; input logic for receiving keystrokes from the user and building a string corresponding to incremental entries by the user, each item in the string having the set of alphanumeric symbols associated with a corresponding keystroke; mapping logic to map the string to the database to find the most likely content items corresponding to the incremental entries, the mapping logic operating in accordance with a defined error model corresponding to the known layout of overloaded keys; and presentation logic for ordering the most likely content items identified by the mapping logic and for presenting the most likely content items.

Abstract: A method to interact with a local USB device is disclosed. A message is received from the local USB device. Predetermined information is extracted from a proper subset of the message. The extracted information is transmitted to a local process.

Abstract: A method of and system for error correction in multiple input modality search engines is presented. A method of processing input information based on an information type of the input information includes receiving input information for performing a search for identifying at least one item desired by a user and determining an information type associated with the input information. The method also includes forming a query input for identifying the at least one item desired by the user based on the input information and on the information type. The method further includes submitting the query input to at least one search engine system.

Abstract: Batching techniques are provided to maximize the throughput of a hardware device based on the saturation point of the hardware device. A balancer can determine the saturation point of the hardware device and determine the estimated time cost for IO jobs pending in the hardware device. A comparison can be made and if the estimated time cost total is lower than the saturation point one or more IO jobs can be sent to the hardware device.

Abstract: Methods and systems for incrementally selecting and providing relevant search engines in response to a user query. A method of incrementally selecting and providing relevant search engines is based in part on identifying a set of search engines associated with corresponding metadata, receiving a partial search query entered by the user of a device, inferring after each user keypress a set of potential full queries intended by the user, using the potential full queries and the search engine metadata to identify a set of relevant search engines, and for each of these search engines, providing a direct link to launch a relevant query in the search engine. The user input may be either ambiguous, or erroneous, and may be entered using an input-constrained device.

Abstract: A method of agreeing on the utilization of at least one computer resource between two virtual machines includes sending a first resource request by a first virtual machine to a second virtual machine having computer resources to allocate to the first virtual machine. The second virtual machine responds by sending at least one available resource for use by the first virtual machine. The first virtual machine can select from the at least one available resource. Both the first and second virtual machines can then execute on the agreed resource utilization by the first virtual machine and begin using the resource. When conditions change, either the first virtual machine or the second virtual machine can request a renegotiation of the agreement to use computer resources.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides user-interface methods and systems for submitting search requests to search engines and presenting search results therefrom customized using content preferences learned about a user, comprising sending query information to at least two search engines, including a query identifying desired content, and user information, including context information describing the environment in which the query information is being sent, and a user signature representing content preferences learned about the user; receiving at least one set of a search result and auxiliary information from the at least one search engine in response to sending the query information, including information describing attributes of the search result that led to the search result being chosen by the at least one search engine; ordering the at least one search result based at least in part on the auxiliary information; and presenting the ordered search results to the user.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for dynamically rearranging search results into hierarchically organized concept clusters are provided. A method of searching for and presenting content items as an arrangement of conceptual clusters to facilitate further search and navigation on a display-constrained device includes providing a set of content items and receiving incremental input to incrementally identify search terms for content items. Content items are selected and grouped into sets based on how the incremental input matches various metadata associated with the content items. The selected content items are grouped into explicit conceptual clusters and user-implied conceptual clusters based on metadata in common to the selected content items. The clustered content items are presented according to the conceptual clusters into which they are grouped.

Abstract: Reducing the cost of framing network packets in a virtual machine environment combines certain network objects to eliminate the cost of fully framing packets between the combined objects. In a virtual environment, for example, this allows a virtual NIC in one partition to send only data to a network provider partition and to rely on the latter to frame and route the data. A source network object, destination network object, or an intermediate network object may enable a separate intermediate network object to frame its data so that the network system may take advantage of offload framing when one or more of the intermediate network object's ports has the capacity to offload framing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for incrementally selecting and providing relevant search engines in response to a user query. A method of incrementally selecting and providing relevant search engines is based in part on identifying a set of search engines associated with corresponding metadata, receiving a partial search query entered by the user of a device, inferring after each user keypress a set of potential full queries intended by the user, using the potential full queries and the search engine metadata to identify a set of relevant search engines, and for each of these search engines, providing a direct link to launch a relevant query in the search engine. The user input may be either ambiguous, or erroneous, and may be entered using an input-constrained device.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for dynamically rearranging search results into hierarchically organized concept clusters are provided. A method of searching for and presenting content items as an arrangement of conceptual clusters to facilitate further search and navigation on a display-constrained device includes providing a set of content items and receiving incremental input to incrementally identify search terms for content items. Content items are selected and grouped into sets based on how the incremental input matches various metadata associated with the content items. The selected content items are grouped into explicit conceptual clusters and user-implied conceptual clusters based on metadata in common to the selected content items. The clustered content items are presented according to the conceptual clusters into which they are grouped.

Abstract: A method of and system for updating locally cached content descriptor information is disclosed. A method includes providing a remote catalog of metacontent associated with content items that describes their informational content. The method also includes providing a local collection of content items and associated metacontent. The method further includes, updating the metacontent associated with the content items of the local collection with metacontent of the remote catalog based on matching the content items of the local collection and remote catalog. The method includes receiving query input from the user for finding desired content items and determining a subset of content items of the local collection associated with metacontent that at least partially matches the query input in which at least one of the matching metacontents is from the remote catalog. The method also includes presenting the subset of content items based on at least one ranking criterion.

Abstract: A method of and system for enhanced content discovery based on network and device access behavior is disclosed. A method includes providing a remote catalog of global attributes values associated with content items that are based on interactions of a plurality of users with the content items. User interactions with a local device are monitored to determine user preferences and determine local attribute values associated with the content items that are based on interactions of the user with the content items. A subset of content items on the local device is selected based on matching user input with metacontent associate with the content items. The content items of the subset are presented in a ranked order based the user preferences, local attribute values, and the global attribute values.

Abstract: A method of and system for enhanced local-device content discovery is disclosed. A method includes providing a local collection of content items and associated metacontent on a device. The metacontent describes the informational content of the corresponding content items. A remote catalog of metacontent items and information describing relationships between the metacontent items is provided. Input is received from the user for finding at least one desired content item and a search query is formed including at least one metacontent item of the remote catalog based on matching the input from the user with metacontent items of the catalog and further based on the information describing relationships between the metacontent items. A subset of content items of the local collection associated with metacontent that at least partially matches the search query is selected and presented on a display device based on at least one ranking criterion.

Abstract: Reducing the cost of framing network packets in a virtual machine environment combines certain network objects to eliminate the cost of fully framing packets between the combined objects. In a virtual environment, for example, this allows a virtual NIC in one partition to send only data to a network provider partition and to rely on the latter to frame and route the data. A source network object, destination network object, or an intermediate network object may enable a separate intermediate network object to frame its data so that the network system may take advantage of offload framing when one or more of the intermediate network object's ports has the capacity to offload framing.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that enables older legacy guest operating systems like Windows NT 4.0 and Windows95® to take advantage of newly developed NDIS Intermediate (IM) drivers that support firewalls, quality of service, IP security, intrusion detection, and other functionality for monitoring/filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic in contemporary host operating systems such as Windows XP operating in a virtual machine (VM) environment. The invention thus makes such older legacy operating systems less susceptible to Internet viruses, and worms, network denial of service (DOS) attacks, and the like. For each Virtual Network Interface Card (VNIC) in a guest VM, a corresponding VNIC is created on the host OS, and a point to point connection is established between the guest and host VNICs. The NDIS IM drivers bind themselves on top of the host VNIC and effectively place themselves as a filter on the point to point connection.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query is a prefix substring of each of at least two words relating to the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more descriptors matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system outputs identification of the one or more items of the identified group to be displayed on the device operated by the user.

Abstract: Reducing the cost of framing network packets in a virtual machine environment combines certain network objects to eliminate the cost of fully framing packets between the combined objects. In a virtual environment, for example, this allows a virtual NIC in one partition to send only data to a network provider partition and to rely on the latter to frame and route the data. A source network object, destination network object, or an intermediate network object may enable a separate intermediate network object to frame its data so that the network system may take advantage of offload framing when one or more of the intermediate network object's ports has the capacity to offload framing.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query is a prefix substring of each of at least two words relating to the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more descriptors matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system outputs identification of the one or more items of the identified group to be displayed on the device operated by the user.