Abstract: A real-time messaging platform and method is disclosed which classifies messages in accordance with a combination of user engagement events as modified to reflect the temporal structure of the user engagement events. A message can be assigned a metric based, for example, on a weighted combination of user engagement rates, decayed with time to reflect an intuition that recent interactions by one or more users with the message will have a greater impact than older interactions with the message. Different types of interaction by one or more users with the message can be assigned different weights when the different engagement events are combined and, also, can be assigned different temporal characteristics.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform allows advertiser accounts to pay to insert candidate messages into the message streams requested by account holders. To accommodate multiple advertisers, the messaging platform controls an auction process that determines which candidate messages are selected for inclusion in a requested account holder's message stream. Selection is based on a bid for the candidate message, the message stream that is requested, and a variety of other factors that vary depending upon the implementation. The process for selection of candidate messages generally includes the following steps, though any given step may be omitted or combined into another step in a different implementation: targeting, filtering, prediction, ranking, and selection.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform and method are disclosed which can be used to promote content in the messaging platform. In one embodiment, the promotion system is disclosed which performs initial candidate selection so as to narrow down the set of candidate promotions before applying more expensive processing. The candidate selection takes advantage of the connection graph information associated with accounts in the messaging platform to identify targeted accounts. In another embodiment, the promotion system uses a prediction model to predict a user's engagement with the promotion and utilizes the prediction to assist in ranking the candidate promotions. Promotions can be assigned metrics based, for example, on a weighted combination of user engagement rates, decayed with time to reflect an intuition that recent interactions by one or more users with the promotion will have a greater impact than older interactions with the promotion.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform and method is disclosed which classifies messages in accordance with a combination of user engagement events as modified to reflect the temporal structure of the user engagement events. A message can be assigned a metric based, for example, on a weighted combination of user engagement rates, decayed with time to reflect an intuition that recent interactions by one or more users with the message will have a greater impact than older interactions with the message. Different types of interaction by one or more users with the message can be assigned different weights when the different engagement events are combined and, also, can be assigned different temporal characteristics.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform allows advertiser accounts to pay to insert candidate messages into the message streams requested by account holders. To accommodate multiple advertisers, the messaging platform controls an auction process that determines which candidate messages are selected for inclusion in a requested account holder's message stream. Selection is based on a bid for the candidate message, the message stream that is requested, and a variety of other factors that vary depending upon the implementation. The process for selection of candidate messages generally includes the following steps, though any given step may be omitted or combined into another step in a different implementation: targeting, filtering, prediction, ranking, and selection.

Abstract: Invoked states of one or more activities invoked in a web application is detected. The web application is configured to display, in a foreground, a current activity on a client device. On the client device, display of a multitask preview interface that includes one or more live previews is caused. Each live preview of the one or more live previews corresponds to an invoked state of an activity of the one or more activities. The one or more live previews includes a particular live preview that corresponds to a particular invoked state of a particular activity of the one or more activities. Selection of the particular live preview is detected. In response to detecting selection of the particular live preview, the current activity displayed in the foreground of the web application is switched to the particular state of the particular activity.

Abstract: In a large-scale transaction such as the bulk loading of new records into an ordered, distributed database, a transaction limit such as an insert limit may be chosen, partitions on overfull storage servers may be designated to be moved to underfull storage servers, and the move assignments may be based, at least in part on the degree to which a storage server is underfull and the move and insertion costs of the partitions to be moved.

Abstract: A real-time messaging platform and method is disclosed which classifies messages in accordance with a combination of user engagement events as modified to reflect the temporal structure of the user engagement events. A message can be assigned a metric based, for example, on a weighted combination of user engagement rates, decayed with time to reflect an intuition that recent interactions by one or more users with the message will have a greater impact than older interactions with the message. Different types of interaction by one or more users with the message can be assigned different weights when the different engagement events are combined and, also, can be assigned different temporal characteristics.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to distribution data items within geographically distributed databases.

Abstract: Techniques that support trail-based exploration by a user of a repository of documents are described herein. In one embodiment, trail definition data that specifies a trail is received. The trail includes an ordered series of waypoints including a trailhead, intermediate waypoints, and one or more trailends. In some embodiments, deadends may also be defined in the trial. A particular waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints is established as a current waypoint. Search terms can be received from a user to cause a search to be performed. It is then determined whether the search satisfies matching criteria associated with a waypoint that immediately follows the current waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints. If so, the user advances to the next waypoint. Otherwise, the user remains at the current waypoint. Finally, if a trailend is reached, then an action such as rewarding the user in some way may be performed.

Abstract: Techniques that support trail-based exploration by a user of a repository of documents are described herein. In one embodiment, trail definition data that specifies a trail is received. The trail includes an ordered series of waypoints including a trailhead, intermediate waypoints, and one or more trailends. In some embodiments, deadends may also be defined in the trial. A particular waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints is established as a current waypoint. Search terms can be received from a user to cause a search to be performed. It is then determined whether the search satisfies matching criteria associated with a waypoint that immediately follows the current waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints. If so, the user advances to the next waypoint. Otherwise, the user remains at the current waypoint. Finally, if a trailend is reached, then an action such as rewarding the user in some way may be performed.

Abstract: The system includes a query engine and an advertisement engine. The query engine is configured to receive a query from the user. The advertisement engine generates advertisement results corresponding to the query. The advertisement results are selected from entries in an advertisement database, where the entries include predicate values corresponding to a domain. The advertisement engine generates a diverse advertisement result that is a subset of the database entries that match the query. The diversity result varies at least one predicate by selecting entries for the list that include a proportional representation of each available predicate value in the database that matches the query.

Abstract: A system and method for deriving user intent from a query. The system includes a query engine, and an advertisement engine. The query engine receives a query from the user. The query engine analyzes the query to determine a query intent that is matched to a domain. The query may be further analyzed to derive predicate values based on the query and the domain hierarchy. The domain and associated information may then be matched to a list of advertisements. The advertisement may be assigned an ad match score based on a correlation between the query information and various listing information provided in the advertisement.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for dynamically reorganizing the data within a replicated database system. One method, for example, includes performing a split operation across a plurality of replicated databases with regard to an existing partition therein, wherein the existing partition comprises a plurality of data records and the two new partitions each include at least a portion of the plurality of data records, and allowing at least one type of access to the plurality of data records during the split operation.

Abstract: An improved system and method for writing data dependent upon multiple reads in a distributed database is provided. A client may read several data records and may then send a request to a database server to perform a transaction to write a data record dependent upon multiple data records read. A database server may receive the request specifying a transaction to write a data record dependent upon multiple data records read and may perform the transaction by latching a master data record to be written and validating the data records the write depends upon. The multiple data records upon which the write depends may be validated by verifying the multiple data records are current versions of the data records stored in the distributed database. Data intensive applications may use this transaction type in large scale distributed database systems to provide stronger consistency without significantly degrading performance and scalability.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, modules and clients relate to expanded, pruned sample table for testing database queries against a base table. The expanded, pruned sample table is formed from the base table by a process of initial sampling, synthesis, and pruning.

Abstract: A technique is described that reduces the complexity and resource consumption associated with performing record expiry in a distributed database system. In accordance with the technique, a record is checked to see if it has expired only when it has been accessed for a read or a write. If at the time of a read a record is determined to have expired, then it is not served. If at the time of a write a record is determined to have expired, then the write is treated as an insertion of a new record, and steps are taken to treat the insertion consistently with regard to the previous expired version. A background process is used to delete records that have not been written to or actively deleted by a client after expiration.

Abstract: A system is described for providing scalable in-memory caching for a distributed database. The system may include a cache, an interface, a non-volatile memory and a processor. The cache may store a cached copy of data items stored in the non-volatile memory. The interface may communicate with devices and a replication server. The non-volatile memory may store the data items. The processor may receive an update to a data item from a device to be applied to the non-volatile memory. The processor may apply the update to the cache. The processor may generate an acknowledgement indicating that the update was applied to the non-volatile memory and may communicate the acknowledgment to the device. The processor may then communicate the update to a replication server. The processor may apply the update to the non-volatile memory upon receiving an indication that the update was stored by the replication server.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to distribution data items within geographically distributed databases.

Abstract: Techniques that support trail-based exploration by a user of a repository of documents are described herein. In one embodiment, trail definition data that specifies a trail is received. The trail includes an ordered series of waypoints including a trailhead, intermediate waypoints, and one or more trailends. In some embodiments, deadends may also be defined in the trial. A particular waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints is established as a current waypoint. Search terms can be received from a user to cause a search to be performed. It is then determined whether the search satisfies matching criteria associated with a waypoint that immediately follows the current waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints. If so, the user advances to the next waypoint. Otherwise, the user remains at the current waypoint. Finally, if a trailend is reached, then an action such as rewarding the user in some way may be performed.