Abstract: A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function.

Abstract: A method and search engine for classifying a source publishing a document on a portion of a network, includes steps of electronically receiving a document, based on the document, determining a source which published the document, and assigning a code to the document based on whether data associated with the document published by the source matches with data contained in a database. An intelligent geographic- and business topic-specific resource discovery system facilitates local commerce on the World-Wide Web and also reduces search time by accurately isolating information for end-users. Distinguishing and classifying business pages on the Web by business categories using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes is achieved through an automatic iterative process.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for managing data across an enterprise. A request for information is received from a user. Data relating to the user request is searched for in at least two geographically separated information repositories. The results of the search are presented to the user. The user is allowed to browse through additional data of the information repositories. Links between data items and other data entries in the information repositories are created according to relationships the data items have to the other data entries.

Abstract: A communications terminal is provided, which includes a reading device which reads in access information recorded on a prescribed recording medium, the access information being necessary for acquiring content which can be played back by a playback device from a prescribed server via a network; and a playback control device which controls the playback device and the reading device. The playback control device controls receiving the content and metadata from the server, and playing back the content according to the metadata, if the content corresponding to the read access information is not stored in the storage device when the reading device reads in the access information; and the playback control device controls playing back the content stored in the storage device according to the metadata stored in the storage device in association with the content, if the content corresponding to the read access information is stored in the storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and program for providing access to spatial data. A request for data is received. Enterprise and third party data are integrated. The integrated data is processed. Spatially referenced results are generated using the processed data. The spatially referenced results are returned in response to the request.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a method, comprising detecting data fields on a scanned document image; generating a flexible document description based on the detected data fields, including creating a set of search elements for each data field, each search element having associated search criteria; and training or modifying the flexible document description using, for example, a search algorithm to detect the data fields on additional training images based on the set of search elements.

Abstract: A system and method for searching and retrieving certificates, which may be used in the processing of encoded messages. In one embodiment, a certificate synchronization application is programmed to perform certificate searches by querying one or more certificate servers for all of the certificates on those certificate servers. If all of the certificates on a certificate server cannot be successfully retrieved using a single search query, due to a search quota on the certificate server being exceeded for example, the search is re-performed through multiple queries, each corresponding to a narrower subsearch. Embodiments described herein enable large amounts of certificates to be automatically searched for and retrieved from certificate servers, thereby minimizing the need for users to manually search for individual certificates.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed which enables network administrators and the like to quickly analyze the data produced by log-producing devices such as network firewalls and routers. Unlike systems of the prior art, the system disclosed herein automatically parses and summarizes log data before inserting it into one or more databases. This greatly reduces the volume of data stored in the database and permits database queries to be run and reports generated while many types of attempted breaches of network security are still in progress. Database maintenance may also be accomplished automatically by the system to delete or archive old log data.

Abstract: There are provided systems and methods to respond to a request for data. The system receives a request to search for the data based on a criterion and to populate data objects with the data. The request is further used to identify columns that determine data sources to query. The system performs a search of a logical table based on the criterion to identify a plurality of rows in the logical table. The system further generates a first plurality of tuples based on the plurality of rows to identify a first plurality of physical tables that are mapped to the logical table. The first plurality of tuples includes a first tuple and a second tuple. The system further queries the data sources for the data to generate results by using the first plurality of tuples. The queries of the data sources are partially successful.

Abstract: A line voltage transformer device for a bathing installation includes a housing structure, with a line voltage electrical power connection including a line voltage wiring cable having an electrical connection at a distal end for connection to a line voltage AC supply outlet adjacent the bathing installation. A voltage transformer circuit is disposed within the housing and connected to the line voltage electrical power connection and is configured to transform AC line voltage electrical power from the line voltage electrical power connection to low voltage AC power at first and second low voltage AC terminals, wherein the low voltage AC power is delivered to the first and second low voltage AC terminals.

Abstract: Personalized network searching, in which a search query is received from a user, and a request is received to personalize a search result. Responsive to the search query and the request to personalize the search result, a personalized search result is generated by searching a personalized search object. Responsive to the search query, a general search result is generated by searching the general search object. The personalized search result and the general search result are provided to a client device, an advertisement is selected based at least in part upon the personalized search object, and the advertisement, the personalized search result, and the general search result are displayed.

Abstract: A small wearable recall device is provided to capture images triggered by a combination of a detection of a capture condition (e.g., changes in motion, temperature or light level) followed by a relatively stable period, as detected by an accelerometer. By triggering on the combination of a detected capture condition followed by a detected stability condition, a clearer image of the environment of an interesting event is expected to be captured. The small size of the recall device makes it possible to integrate it into common portable consumer products, such as MP3 players, purses, clothing, hats, backpacks, necklaces, collars, and other human-wearable products.

Abstract: A search system includes: a data rewriting system that obtains, from a database, one or more search term candidates that are relevant to a present search query. The data rewriting system retrieves properties of the present search query and the one or more search term candidates, where the properties describe respective matching results of the present search query and the one or more search term candidates. Based at least in part on the matching results, the data rewriting system determines whether or not the present search query needs to be rewritten, and rewrites the present search query based at least in part on the matching results to provide a rewritten present search query if it is determined that the present search query needs to be rewritten. A search engine performs a search based at least in part on the rewritten present search query.

Abstract: Visualization for presenting event information indicative of a computer security threat is automatically selected from available visualizations. Event information received from data sources is assigned a category prior to being stored in an event log. The event log may be searched for relevant event information using the assigned categories. Visualizations applicable to the relevant event information are retrieved and given an importance score, which may be based on execution of prioritization algorithms using corresponding relevant event information. The retrieved visualizations are ranked based on their importance scores. One or more retrieved visualizations that have the best importance scores relative to other retrieved visualization are selected for rendering.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Abstract: Digital image data including discrete photographic images of a variety of different subjects, times, and so forth, are collected and analyzed to identify specific features in the photographs. In an embodiment of the invention, distinctive markers are distributed to aid in the identification of particular subject matter. Facial recognition may also be employed. The digital image data is maintained in a database and quarried in response to search requests. The search requests include criteria specifying any feature category or other identifying information, such as date, time, and location that each photograph was taken, associated with each photograph. Candidate images are provided for review by requesters, who may select desired images for purchase or downloading.

Abstract: A secure registry system and method for the use thereof are provided which permits secure access to a database containing selected data on a plurality of entities, at least portions of which database has restricted access. Mechanisms are provided for controlling access to restricted access portions of the database are provided, such access being determined by at least one of the identity of the requesting entity and the entity's status. A multicharacter public code may be provided which the system can map to provide permit delivery of items, complete telephone calls and perform other functions for entities. The system may also be utilized to locate an individual based on limited biological data. Organizations utilizing the system may have custom software facilitating their access and use of the system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating search results including searching by subdomain and providing sponsored results by subdomain is provided. A search system according to embodiments of the present invention analyzes search queries to determine if they are to be routed to subdomains and presents results include sponsored hits sponsored on a subdomain by subdomain basis.

Abstract: The invention concerns model program analysis of software code using model checking. Initially, a transition system (22) and an extensible markup language (XML) (24) representation of the data is generated. Next, labels (26) for the transition system are generated by querying the XML representation of the data using (markup) query language. The labels and the structure of the transition system are then used as input to model checking techniques to analyse the software code (28). It is an advantage of the invention that the problem of labelling a transition system can be transformed into the XML domain so that detailed information about the software code can be extracted using queries in a format that can be run in the XML domain which are well known. At the same time the transformation to the XML domain does not prevent the use of efficient model checking technologies.

Abstract: An apparatus for responding to a current user command associated with one of a plurality of task/domains. The apparatus comprises: a digital storage device that stores cumulative feedback data gathered from multiple users during previous operations of the apparatus and segregated in accordance with the plurality of task/domains; a first digital logic device that determines the current task/domain with which the current user command is associated; a second digital logic device that determines a current response to the current user command on the basis of that portion of the stored cumulative feedback data associated with the current task/domain; a first communication interface that communicates to the user the current response; and a second communication interface that receives from the user current feedback data regarding the current response. The current feedback data is added to the cumulative feedback data stored in the digital storage device and associated with the current task/domain.

Abstract: When categories are assigned to pieces of information, a search can be focused based on the categories. In an online forum, information is categorized by topic, and a search can be focused on the topic by adding additional search terms or restrictions to a search query, where the additional search terms or restrictions are based upon the categories. The restrictions may restrict the search to a particular web site that is determined based upon the category. In an online forum for answering questions, where the questions are categorized by topic, information related to a question may be located by performing a Web search for search terms extracted from the question. The search can be focused on relevant web sites restricting the search to sites that are related to the question's category. The results of the search may be displayed as related links alongside the question in the online forum.

Abstract: An address matching system that maintains a central database of valid addresses has been designed. According to the invention, address matching requests are received by the system from a plurality of remote users located at respective machines (“clients”). Those requests are processed at the central system, and the results are returned to the client that made the request. In addition, novel techniques are implemented for improving the likelihood of obtaining one or more matches from a request.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate exploration and mining of a corpus of documents using concepts and knowledge, rather than keywords and enable interactive visualization, management, monetization, and personalization of knowledge search results on a user interface. Underlying documents can be mapped into overlapping clusters of knowledge dimensions and the documents can be further partitioned into narrower knowledge dimensions, resulting in a hierarchical structure. Content of knowledge dimensions may be filtered using a knowledge dimension map. Knowledge may be personalized by a user and shared in collaborative and social networks. Knowledge-based advertisement systems and methods are described that associate products and services with knowledge dimensions and concepts. Advertisers can bid on concepts and KDs. Systems and methods are described that distribute a percentage of CPC revenue among content owners and provide revenue to content providers based on relevancy scores.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for mediating user communications. A user persona manager maintains one or more user profiles and manages user interactions with other parties and with service providers based on user preferences associated with the user profile or profiles selected for a particular interaction. The persona manager receives a single set of user authentication information to establish the user identity, and provides previously stored information to other parties and service providers as appropriate, and otherwise conducts user interactions involving communications initiated by or on behalf of the user. The persona manager also examines interactions initiated by others, selects user profiles appropriate to the interactions, and routes and responds to the interactions based on information stored in the user profiles.

Abstract: Internet-based software and associated database provide group analysis overlay to monitor client-server web traffic and provide direct marketing to client group. Client car, patient, office or school sensor and interface provides overlay attribute for database comparison to classify usage pattern, location, timing, or family for targeted messaging for enhanced service from server source. Database group registry tracks client classification and provides adaptive context mapping according to set attribute relative to targeted on-line transaction.

Abstract: A method and a system for maintaining the freshness of a search engine server's database. A popularity parameter is defined, and a popularity value is assigned to each link in the search engine's database. The most popular links are selected for updating the contents stored, or associated with, the site to which the links refer. In one embodiment, popularity is' based at least in part on the search results generated by the search engine in response to user queries.

Abstract: An adaptive, interactive visual workspace for viewing groups of files based on their relationships. Relationships of files are visualized using iterative refinement of categories through a direct-manipulation graph-based layout. The visual workspace starts with a fully connected graph linking thumbnail images of related files that is then partitioned into neighborhoods in response to a user creating file stacks corresponding to different categories. Normalized spring lengths improve the overall quality of the layout. Different modes for membership in neighborhoods avoid confusing motion of files and help a user to manually organize the workspace. Additionally, retrieved files can be added without having to significantly move the previous files. Different visualization techniques indicate which files are related to each other. Different zoom rates are used for file location, and surrogate sizes allow users to increase the separation between files while still increasing the surrogate sizes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for updating databases are disclosed. In response to a flashback request, a database object is restored to a state as of a specified flashback time. The changes introduced into the database object are reversed in a sequence starting with a change introduced into the database object immediately before issuance of the flashback request and ending with a change introduced into the database object immediately after the specified flashback time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of accessing data through an independent intermediary mechanism (IIM) is described. The method includes displaying a frame including a user interface of the IIM, the frame framing a destination server display area (DSDA). The method further includes having one or more of the following functions provided by the IIM: a home page, a history list, bookmarks, a one-click account log-in function, a transaction record accessible to the user, a forms database permitting new forms to be added to the forms database, a user profile, and automatic form-fill function based on the forms database and the user profile.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively implementing a personal channel for interactive television comprises a personal channel manager that may include a configuration module, a search module, and a content packaging module. A system user may utilize the configuration module to perform a personal channel configuration procedure to specify personal channel configuration data for performing a content record search procedure. The search module may manage the content record search procedure according to one or more search parameters that may be defined during the personal channel configuration procedure. The search module finds content records from content databases during the foregoing content record search procedure. The content packaging module coordinates a content record sorting procedure according to user-specified sorting criteria.

Abstract: A query processing system has a query processor and a data manager. The query processor calls the data manager to carry out data access for a query including a filtering operation. The data manager accesses the data in a set of data and before returning the data, initiates a callback to the query processor to determine if the located data meets the filtering criteria. Where the data does not satisfy the filtering criteria, the data manager seeks additional data in the set of data, without having to return the first located data to the query processor.

Abstract: System enables users to surf the web and engage in social networking interaction through a downloadable peer-to-peer client that stores all user's private information locally on the user's computer. System establishes communication between the computers of multiple users participating in social interaction without having to store users' personal information on central servers. All user data, including, without limitation, pictures, ideas, personal information and communications with friends is maintained locally on the user's own computer and the social communication takes place between two or more users' computers. This provides the users with greater control over the dissemination of their personal information. In addition, the system randomly selects peer-to-peer social networking clients that are online at any given time and enable such clients to randomly and automatically connect with one another.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a designation of multiple rows to supply data to a single user defined function, which is made available in a structured query language SELECT statement. Further activities may include retrieving the data from at least one storage medium, packing each of the multiple rows having a common key into a single row, and transforming the data from a first state into a second state by applying the single function to the data using a single access module processor. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus and a system for protocol identification. The implementation of the method includes extracting the identification tuple of a message, wherein the identification tuple at least includes a network address; searching an identification table for the algorithm application list corresponding to the identification tuple; and performing a content identification for the message with an algorithm in the algorithm application list to obtain the protocol type of the message. By using the identification tuple which at least includes IP address and is extracted from the message to search for the corresponding algorithm, and then performing content identification for the message with the searched algorithm, the above implementation can improve the message identification precision and reduce the identification error.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for intrusion detection. The systems and methods may include receiving transaction information related to one or more current transactions between a client entity and a resource server, accessing a database storing a plurality of transaction groups, analyzing the received transaction information with respect to information related to at least one of the plurality of transaction groups, and based on said analyzing, determining a possibility of an occurrence of an intrusion act at the resource server. The transaction groups may be formed based on a plurality of past transactions between a plurality of client entities and the resource server. Identity information of a user associated with the one or more current transactions may also be received along with the transaction information. The user may be associated with at least one of the plurality of transaction groups.

Abstract: A telecommunications environment management operating system and method is provided. The system and method helps organizations achieve and sustain optimal financial, operational and technical performance in the field of telecommunications.

Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, user performance and/or motivation for a computing system may be maximized by optimizing one or more target components of a user interface of the computing system. The target components may be aspects of the user interface that is perceived by the user. One or more input features and one or more output features may be identified, and data regarding these input and output features may be gathered. This data may be compared with the results generated by a set of candidate artificial intelligence algorithms to determine which of them provides the best fit with the data collected. Then, the selected artificial intelligence algorithm may be applied to the user interface to iteratively change the target components over time until the optimal settings for each user are discovered.

Abstract: Cross-lingual information retrieval is disclosed, comprising: translating a received query from a source natural language into a target natural language; performing a first information retrieval operation on a corpus of documents in the target natural language using the translated query to retrieve a set of pseudo-feedback documents in the target natural language; re-translating the received query from the source natural language into the target natural language using a translation model derived from the set of pseudo-feedback documents in the target natural language; and performing a second information retrieval operation on the corpus of documents in the target natural language using the re-translated query to retrieve an updated set of documents in the target natural language.

Abstract: A search query is resolved prior to being submitted to one or more search engines. The query is resolved such that the query unambiguously corresponds to a category included in a query ontology that relates search queries to query categories. The query may be resolved by supplementing the query with additional information corresponding to the category. For example, the query may be formatted into a canonical form of the query for the category. Alternatively or additionally, the query may be supplemented with one or more keywords that are associated with the category and that represent words or phrases that appear in a high percentage of search results for queries from the category. Resolving the query yields search results that more closely reflect search results desired by a user submitting the query.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a communication tool that directly sends messages to accounts of different entities across different social media sites by automatically identifying and associating the accounts of the entities when the entities are referenced in the contents of the messages. Such identification and association is performed without the message originator manually specifying the accounts as intended recipients for the messages. The communication tool also automatically sends messages to different social media accounts of the message originator.

Abstract: Systems and methods for balancing electronic mailboxes among databases communicatively coupled to an information handling system are disclosed. A method may include comparing an actual utilization values for a first database to a threshold utilization value for the first database and, depending upon the results, identifying the first database as over-utilized. The method may also include comparing an actual utilization values for a second database to a threshold utilization value for the second database and, depending upon the results, identifying the second database as under-utilized. The method may further include comparing a threshold usage value of a first electronic mailbox stored in the first database to an upper threshold usage value for the first electronic mailbox and, depending upon the results, identifying the first electronic mailbox as heavily-utilized. The method may also include moving the heavily-utilized electronic mailbox to the second database.

Abstract: Methods of providing print fulfillment for digital images may include saving an image selection property in digital memory, saving a batching property in digital memory, and saving digital images and associated image data in digital memory. A group of the digital images that satisfy the image selection property saved in digital memory may be selected, and it may be determined if the batching property saved in digital memory is satisfied for the group of the digital images having associated image data that satisfy the image selection property. If the batching property is satisfied, a print fulfillment order may be transmitted over a digital network requesting prints of the group of the digital images. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and a system of detecting source code in a message being sent over a digital communication network to secure against unauthorized leakage of source code. The message is intercepted on a network device, placed into a memory on the network device, and divided into one or more segments, wherein each segment includes a predetermined number of lines of text from the message. For each segment, one or more syntax rules of a programming language is applied to the segment and a predetermined number of context lines of text before the segment and/or after the segment, to determine which of the syntax rules of the programming language are matched in the segment. A determination of whether the text message includes source code is provided based on the syntax rules that were matched.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for a client connected to a server to a resource in a network. For the system a virtual machine module is provided to access a library and to create virtual machine templates and to create virtual machines from the virtual machine templates. The virtual machine module provides to a host machine in the network access to machines, user profile settings and instances of an application in the network and to multiple operating systems. The client has: access to an instance of the resource; an access module to provide the client with communication to access to the server using load balancing algorithms to access the file using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) commands; and an authentication module providing access to a directory structure accessed by the server using Microsoft Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and Active Directory (AD) services to authenticate the client with the server.

Abstract: A search engine, system and method for locating and rating a plurality of electronic mentions of respective ones of a plurality of brands.

Abstract: An accessible URI may be generated in response to determining that an existing valid URI is inaccessible. When a valid URI is determined to be not accessible, then a valid URI may be generated to access content by extracting keywords from the non-query component URI (e.g., directory, domain, port, or fragment, etc.) of the inaccessible URI and using such keywords as a search request or as the query portion of the generated accessible URI.

Abstract: A system for indexing displayed elements that is useful for accessing and understanding new or difficult materials, in which a user highlights unknown words or characters or other displayed elements encountered while viewing displayed materials. In a language learning application, the system displays the meaning of a word in context; and the user may include the word in a personal vocabulary to build a database of words and phrases. In a Japanese language application, one or more Japanese language books are read on an electronic display. Readings (‘yomi’) for all words are readily viewable for any selected word or phrase, as well as an English reference to the selected word or phrase. Extensive notes are provided for difficult phrases and words not normally found in a dictionary. A unique indexing scheme allows word-by-word access to any of several external multi-media references.

Abstract: The invention provides an information retrieval apparatus and an information retrieval method by which information can be retrieved in an improved operability. A CPU controls a video camera to fetch an image and controls a GPS to detect a current position. The CPU reads out, from within image data stored in a corresponding relationship with URLs of WWW servers, those image data which correspond to position data regarding positions around the detected current position from a WWW data base via a modem and a host machine. Then, the CPU selects, from among the read out image data, that image data which matches with the fetched data, reads out a URL corresponding to the image data and accesses a WWW server designated by the URL.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods and devices for passively tracking and selectively sharing user experiences with communication devices, including computers, web-enabled telephones, and PDAs. User rating or comments on their experiences can be captured. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.