Abstract: Systems and methods, including user interfaces, are provided for implementing searches using contextual information associated with a Web page (or other document) that a user is viewing when a query is entered. The page includes a contextual search interface that has an associated context vector representing content of the page. When the user submits a search query via the contextual search interface, the query and the context vector are both provided to the query processor and used in responding to the query.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for performing named entity recognition. A set of candidates and corresponding contexts are obtained, each of the set of candidates being a potential seed example of an entity. The contexts of at least a portion of the set of candidates are compared with contexts of a set of seed examples of the entity such that a subset of the set of candidates are added to the set of the seed examples. A set of rules are created from the set of seed examples obtained in the comparing step. A final set of seed examples of the entity is generated by executing the set of rules against the set of candidates.

Abstract: Systems and methods allowing publishers to define relationships between their own content items (e.g., World Wide Web pages) and content items created or maintained by other publishers. Publishers insert referral labels into their content items to indicate a referral relationship between or among publishers. In one embodiment, advertisements to be displayed while the user is viewing a content item are selected based at least in part on matching a referral label included in the target content item to a referral label in the advertisement. The referral label can also be used to manage referral-based revenue sharing among publishers.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented using one or more computing devices within a networked computing environment to identify certain shared search interests and to provide additional search capabilities based thereon to a plurality of users in a social search manner. For example, a “search crowd” capability and information may be provided based on a plurality of related search queries received from two or more users. A number of determining factors may be considered to identify, establish, maintain, and/or otherwise manage a search crowd and related information.

Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to predicting hot terms, and may also relate to creating contextual shortcuts based, at least in part, on the predicted hot terms.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for ranking the entities that are identified in a document based on an estimated likelihood that a user will actually make use of the annotations. According to one disclosed approach, usage data that indicates how users interact with annotations contained in documents presented to the users is collected. Based on the usage data, weights are generated for features of a feature vector. The weights are then used to modify feature scores of entities, and the modified feature scores are used to determine how to annotate documents. Specifically, a set of entities are identified within a document. A ranking for the identified entities is determined based, at least in part, on (a) feature vector scores for each of the identified entities, and (b) the weights generated for the features of the feature vector. The document is then annotated based, at least in part, on the ranking.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatically annotating a document to offer, to a viewer, a choice of operations that a user can take relative to identified entities to which the document refers, where the choice of operations offered in relation to each such entity is appropriate to and based on the types of that entity. In one embodiment of the invention, for each “interesting” entity within a document, a mechanism automatically determines one or more types for that entity. The mechanism automatically annotates the document so that an application will present entity-type-specific data (including operation choices) that is generated by modules that are mapped to the types of the entities within the document. The annotations comprise metadata that indicates types of each “interesting” entity. The entity-type-specific data may be presented along with the rest of the document. A user need not navigate to a different document prior to viewing the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing searches using contextual information associated with a Web page (or other document) that a user is viewing when a query is entered. The page includes a contextual search interface that has an associated context vector representing content of the page. When the user submits a search query via the contextual search interface, the query and the context vector are both provided to the query processor and used in responding to the query.

Abstract: A method for automating interaction with a messaging system receives a first message from the messaging system, associates the first message with a topic, assigns the first message to an identity associated with the topic, maps content to the first message, creates a second message based on the content, and sends, via the identity, the second message to the messaging system. The first message may be screened for quality and assigned a quality score, and if the quality score does not exceed a predetermined threshold, then the second message will not be sent to the messaging system.

Abstract: A method for providing location dependent information to a user for selective colleague assistance. The method on a Client Wireless Component includes the steps of receiving location data from a plurality of Global Positioning System GPS satellites and transmitting the location data to an Active Calendar Component. The method further includes on an Active Calendar Component the steps of receiving Client Wireless Component location data and determining if within a threshold distance a Colleague item list exists for user completion.

Abstract: A computing system and method receive a query; separate a plurality of information sources into individual elements of content (EOC); tag each EOC with metadata that indicate source, date, and other relevant information; pattern match each EOC; calculate the respective distance function from every EOC to every other EOC; and output EOC to a set of virtual buffers (404) containing appropriately related EOC less than a given distance value. The method further creates virtual summary buffers (406); then concatenates the EOC in each virtual buffer (404); applies a comparative analysis filter (318) to remove redundant sub-elements; and presents the results as summary digests (408).

Abstract: Sales associated with service providers is increased using an opportunistic approach based on an unexpected change in a schedule or services (time, location). Windows of opportunity (time, physical location) are automatically identified, and once such a window of opportunity is detected, the people affected directly from the change of a schedule are identified. This information is then used by services providers to act quickly, in order to enhance sales. Heuristics to determine a window of opportunity are based only on schedule changes (which are associated with a rule database), and without knowing who the affected people are or what their preferences (profile data) are.

Abstract: An information objects is defined that is representative of a real-world entity (e.g., a product or a service). The information object may be stored in a data store. The information object has an associated owner. A communication channel is associated with the information object that is configurable to route communications to a manager assigned to the information object. A party is enabled to obtain management of the information object for a time period. The communication channel is configured to route to the party requests that are made by interacting with the information object during the time period. A plurality of users is enabled to interact with the information object during the time period to input requests to the party over the communication channel.

Abstract: A shopping server proposal system includes a mechanism that enhances the online retailer's existing database system with the necessary information to provide the desired services. The existing catalog of items is analyzed based on a set of predefined rules for a given retail store. This analysis determines which of the items in the catalog are related to other items in the catalog. The result of this analysis includes new relations of the catalog items that are written into the retailer's existing database system. The mechanism for assembling this information, based on a set of predefined rules, is independent of the retailer or the retailer's industry. The provides retail businesses with a competitive edge by enabling them to offer automated shopping advice to solve the shoppers' problems of finding related and matching items, and by providing a list of related items based on the selected item's properties.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide methods and systems for automatically generating web page augmentation for web pages. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for automatically providing a web page augmentation is provided. The method includes analyzing content of a web page to determine if a web page augmentation is needed for the web page. If the web page augmentation is needed, the method proceeds to determine a type of web page augmentation needed for the web page based on the content of the web page. The method also includes issuing a request to generate the web page augmentation, and receiving the web page augmentation sent by a web page augmentation generating system. The method further includes displaying the web page augmentation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing searches using contextual information associated with a Web page (or other document) that a user is viewing when a query is entered. The page includes a contextual search interface that has an associated context vector representing content of the page. When the user submits a search query via the contextual search interface, the query and the context vector are both provided to the query processor and used in responding to the query. The context vector can be enhanced by the addition of terms related to one or more terms appearing in the context vector or the query.

Abstract: A search request from a user is received wherein the search request comprises a search framework profile and at least one search term. An accumulated result set of identifiers is generated wherein each identifier within the set of identifiers facilitates access to a corresponding unit of information in a data store, and wherein the corresponding unit of information comprises the at least one search term. The identifiers of the accumulated result set are ranked in accordance with the degree of affinity of each of the corresponding units of information to the search framework profile to form a final result set. The final result set is then delivered to the user.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for building an index. A new indexi+1 is built and an anchor text tablei+1 and a duplicates tablei+1 are output using a storei, a delta store, and previously generated global analysis computationsi, wherein the previously generated global analysis computationsi include an anchor text tablei, a rank tablei, and a duplicates tablei. New global analysis computationsi+1 are generated using the anchor text tablei+1, the duplicates tablei+1, and the previously generated global analysis computationsi.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to identifying entities in content, highlighting the identified entities, and displaying an interactive chat session based on a selected entity. The interactive chat session and the content may be displayed in the same browser window. The interactive chat session may be overlaid on top of the content, inserted inline into the content, or otherwise embedded within the content. The content and the interactive chat session may both remain active in the browser window, enabling a user to conveniently read and chat about the content. The topic of the interactive chat session may be automatically selected from a hierarchical taxonomy of chat session topics, or the user may select the topic from one or more provided taxonomies.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for performing named entity recognition. A set of candidates and corresponding contexts are obtained, each of the set of candidates being a potential seed example of an entity. The contexts of at least a portion of the set of candidates are compared with contexts of a set of seed examples of the entity such that a subset of the set of candidates are added to the set of the seed examples. A set of rules are created from the set of seed examples obtained in the comparing step. A final set of seed examples of the entity is generated by executing the set of rules against the set of candidates.