Abstract: Various embodiments provide a frequent sites module which is designed to generate frequent sites for a user that include websites that are relevant to the user based on browsing patterns of the user. In one or more embodiments, the frequent sites are generated from user-engagement data that indicates engagement by the user with websites identified in the user's browsing history. A web platform, e.g., a web browser, can display the frequent sites for the user in a frequent sites user interface container to enable the user to efficiently navigate to the websites that are relevant to the user by selection of websites from the frequent sites user interface container. Various embodiments describe other aspects of frequent sites based on browsing patterns, including multiple-device frequent sites, device-specific frequent sites, domain-specific frequent sites, URL-specific frequent sites, decaying of frequent sites, recent frequent sites, and contextual frequent sites.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example network device having a controller to receive multiple streams of content for portions of a multimedia work, perform a high level analysis for features in each of the streams for the multimedia work, perform a specialized analysis on the portion having a detected general feature to generate a content analysis output, correlate the content analysis output with other content analysis of the multimedia work, and output a weighted content description based on the correlation function. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Images of an environment that are captured from two or more imaging devices may be captured and evaluated in order to identify a state of the environment, or an interaction that placed the environment in the state. The content of the images may be analyzed in order to recognize observed information or data expressed therein. The information or data may be associated with a given state according to one or more observation functions, and the state may be used to identify an action according to one or more transition functions. The observation function uses conditional probabilities to transfer the probability of making an observation by one imaging device to the observation made by the other imaging device. The observation functions and the transition functions may be derived based on historical training data including clips that are labeled to identify states or interactions expressed therein.

Abstract: A dataset is searched using inclusion set criteria to produce an inclusion set and exclusion set criteria to produce an exclusion set. A set of unique content elements is identified from the inclusion set and the exclusion set. Metrics are derived from the inclusion set, exclusion set, and set of unique content elements, such as a measure, for each unique content element, of the absolute value of the difference between the percentage of records in the inclusion set containing the unique content element and the percentage of records in the exclusion set containing the unique content element. The unique content element set may be sorted and displayed in decreasing order of the above-referenced absolute value. The content element set may be filtered. Individual content elements may be excluded from the content set. A predictive model may be generated based on the resulting version of the content element set.

Abstract: Techniques are described for describing and associating custom products. In an embodiment, a first attribute value that defines an attribute of a custom product is received from a user that is customizing the custom product. In response to receiving the first attribute value, a legal set of attribute values for a second attribute of the custom product or an accessory product may be determined. The legal set of attribute values identifies one or more attribute values of the second attribute of the custom product or accessory product that are compatible with the first attribute value. The legal set of attribute values may identify a continuous range of values where any value within the continuous range of values is compatible with the first attribute value. In an embodiment, the user may be limited to selecting accessory products having a legal attribute value.

Abstract: A method for providing automatic, personalized information services to a computer user includes the following steps: transparently monitoring user interactions with data during normal use of the computer; updating user-specific data files including a set of user-related documents; estimating parameters of a learning machine that define a User Model specific to the user, using the user-specific data files; analyzing a document to identify its properties; estimating the probability that the user is interested in the document by applying the document properties to the parameters of the User Model; and providing personalized services based on the estimated probability.

Abstract: A hybrid context information matching approach may produce a customized product catalogue based on the user's context and the mobile device the user is using. A Knowledge Base (KB) and a KB manager, along with various processes perform specific collaborative tasks in order to achieve the overall goal of producing a customized product catalogue. In addition, the effort builds and/or updates the KB. Various contextual inputs are provided from both the user environment and data repositories. Hybrid matching is performed in order to determine optimal search results based on the contextual input provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, ranking search results generated in response to search queries comprises: receiving, a search query from a user; identifying a plurality of network contents in response to the search query; determining one or more ranking criteria for the search query; presenting the ranking criteria to the user; receiving from the user one or more weights assigned to one or more of the ranking criteria; ranking the identified network contents based on the ranking criteria and the weights; and presenting the network contents to the user in an order according to their ranking.

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: A method of adding web-based content to a web notebook can include producing multiple search results responsive to a search request; generating in the multiple search results multiple corresponding icons, each of which, when invoked, causes content associated with a corresponding search result in the multiple search results to be placed in a web notebook associated with a user account; and forming a correlation between one of the multiple search results and the web notebook.

Abstract: A temporal layer containing personalization markers (e.g., placemarks) created by a user at a given time (or time period), can be combined with map imagery, allowing the user (or other users) to show only the personalization markers contained in the temporal layer. Temporal layers can be of arbitrary temporal or geographical size, fully or partially overlapping in time or space, split into smaller temporal layers, logically aligned or combined and/or continuous or non-continuous in time or space. Temporal layers can be stored in a repository where they can be searched and used by others. Temporal layers can be associated with search services (e.g., news search) or search histories (e.g., automatic temporal layers based on search history). A user's personal profile can be compared with other users' personal profiles and the results of the comparison can be used to recommend temporal layers. Advertisements can be associated with temporal layers.

Abstract: An apparatus in one example has: a controller having a data connector for inputting temporal data, and an item collection for providing timelines and overlays, and for providing linked visualizations of the temporal data in a timeline to other visualizations of the temporal data; and a display for displaying the timeline and overlays, and the linked visualizations. The method may have the steps of: obtaining temporal data; displaying the temporal data in at least one timeline in a web browser and in at least one other visualization in the web browser; and linking the displayed data in the at least one timeline with the displayed data in the at least one other visualization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for automatic construction of information organization structure for related information browsing. The method comprises: inputting a target entity; retrieving information objects related to the target entity from an information object set; extracting topics related to the target entity; searching an existing structure resource to identify existing structures and entities which are relevant to the target entity based on the extracted topics; and selecting a matched structure, which is used for organizing the retrieved information objects related to the target entity, from the identified existing structures by comparing the target entity with each of the identified entities. Compared with the prior arts, the present invention can largely improve the readability of the relevant generated information organization structure.

Abstract: Improved techniques for automatic (or dynamic) updating (or maintaining) of playlists for a media system that stores and plays media content for a user of the media system. The automatic update to playlists can occur when additional media content is added to or removed from the media system. The automatic update to playlists can also occur when previously stored media content is otherwise altered.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving, in a computer system, a user query comprising at least a first term, parsing the user query to at least determine whether the user query assigns a field to the first term, the parsing resulting in a parsed query that conforms to a predefined format, performing a search in a metadata repository using the parsed query, the metadata repository embodied in a computer readable medium and including triplets generated based on multiple modes of metadata for video content, the search identifying a set of candidate scenes from the video content, ranking the set of candidate scenes according to a scoring metric into a ranked scene list, and generating an output from the computer system that includes at least part of the ranked scene list, the output generated in response to the user query.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a web service engine server 104 may predict a successive action by a user based on an entity reference 302. The web service engine server 104 may identify an entity reference 302 in a data transmission caused by a user. The web service engine server 104 may determine from the data transmission a user intention towards the entity reference 302 using an intention model based on a transmission log. The web service engine server 104 may predict a related successive web action option 522 for the entity reference 302 based on the user intention.

Abstract: A server computing device identifies locations of a plurality of data items in a distributed data store. The server computing device generates at least one bloom filter that contains information to identify probable locations of the plurality of data items. The server computing device transmits the at least one bloom filter to one or more client computing devices, wherein the at least one bloom filter is usable by the one or more client computing devices to determine the probable locations of the data items.

Abstract: Computer stores category management information including information indicating search order of search range for each category. The computer outputs display information of category specification part that receives specification of a user desired category in which a special category is all of the plurality of categories specified by default. The computer makes the search engine execute a search that a category that is a search range is switched in an order that conforms to a search order indicated by the category management information in the case when computer receives a search execution instruction in a state in which the special category is specified. The computer makes a display that indicates the category of a search hit in an active state that is a selectable state and makes a display of indicating the category of a non-search hit in an inactive state that is a non-selectable state.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically providing contextually relevant news on an article. The method includes extracting a list of key terms from the article on a web page. The method also includes filtering a set of posts associated with a key term in the list of key terms. The set of posts is also filtered from one of a plurality of user accounts and a plurality of editor programmed user accounts on one or more networking websites. The method further includes identifying a plurality of uniform resource locators comprised in the set of posts. Further, the method includes extracting the contextually relevant news from the plurality of uniform resource locators. The contextually relevant news is related to the key term. Moreover, the method includes displaying the contextually relevant news as news feed on the web page. The system includes electronic devices, a communication interface, a memory, and a processor.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of implementing information security. The method can include receiving a user input comprising a first user identifier and at least a second user identifier, determining whether the first user identifier corresponds to at least one of a plurality of existing user profiles, and determining whether the second user identifier corresponds to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles. When it is determined that the first user identifier does not correspond to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles, but that the second user identifier does correspond to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles, the method can include selecting the user profile to which the second user identifier corresponds, automatically generating a unique user identifier, and associating the unique user identifier with the selected user profile.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for blending mobile search results. A method includes receiving a search query and multiple search results. The search results each satisfy the search query and have a respective search result quality score. The search results include generic and mobile search results. The generic and mobile search results each identify a generic and mobile resource, respectively. The search result quality scores include mobile and generic search result quality scores for the mobile and generic search results, respectively. The mobile search result quality scores and the generic search result quality scores were generated according to different scoring formulas. Based on one or more terms in the search query, the search query is classified as a mobile query. As a consequence, one or more search result quality scores are modified to improve the sorting of search results that include both mobile and generic search results.

Abstract: A search environment of an embodiment includes name mining and matching features used in part to identify people-centric queries and provide an enriched search experience, but is not so limited. A method of an embodiment operates to provide an expanded query based in part on a geometric similarity measure, an edit distance measure, a string similarity measure, and a cumulative similarity measure. A search system of an embodiment includes a mined candidate generator component and a name matcher component used in part to identify name queries and provide an expanded query that includes original query terms and one or more valid mined names. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-storage media having computer-usable instructions embodied thereon, for prioritizing crawl lists based on social networking rankings are provided. Various scores are associated with users based on a variety of factors including activity levels with respect to social networking services, activity levels with respect to search engines, and interactions with other users in a social networking environment. The scores are used to compute a ranking for the users and, based on the rankings, a crawl list is prioritized such that content associated with the social networking environment is crawled at an appropriate time.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking feeds in a social network is disclosed. The system includes a feed module and a personalization module. The feed module is communicatively coupled to the social network. The feed module is configured to receive a social information feed from the social network. The personalization module is communicatively coupled to the feed module to receive the social information feed from the feed module. The personalization module retrieves a category. The personalization module organizes the social information feed into a categorized feed based at least in part on the category. The personalization module extracts a feature based at least in part on a user query. The personalization module queries the categorized feed based at least in part on the feature to generate a personalized feed. The personalization module outputs the personalized feed to the user or a third party.

Abstract: A method for providing automatic, personalized information services to a computer user includes the following steps: transparently monitoring user interactions with data during normal use of the computer; updating user-specific data files including a set of user-related documents; estimating parameters of a learning machine that define a User Model specific to the user, using the user-specific data files; analyzing a document to identify its properties; estimating the probability that the user is interested in the document by applying the document properties to the parameters of the User Model; and providing personalized services based on the estimated probability.

Abstract: Methods for optimizing social media are disclosed. Such methods may include identifying at least one keyword utilized for at least one webpage, identifying social media correspondence referencing the at least one keyword, analyzing content collected from the social media to determine a frequency of references to the at least one keyword and generating at least one report including information based on the analysis. The report may include recommendations for optimizing social media by, for example, purchasing paid posts or links on a social media website. Systems for performing the methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A service is disclosed for enabling web sites and other entities to provide item recommendations and other behavior-based content to end users. The service can be implemented as a web service that is remotely accessible over the Internet. Web sites use the web service's interface to report events descriptive of item-related actions performed by end users (e.g., item views, item purchases, searches for items, etc.). The web service analyzes the reported event data on an aggregated basis to detect various types of associations between particular items, and stores resulting datasets that map items to associated items. The web service's interface also provides various API calls for enabling the web sites to request item recommendations and other behavior-based content, including but not limited to personalized recommendations that are based on the event history of the target user. Advantageously, the web sites need not host the infrastructure for providing such content.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for creating an electronic database of disambiguated entity mentions and relations from a corpus of electronic documents. The invention automatically extracts from the corpus of electronic documents mentions about entities (e.g., references to people, organizations or places), parses the entity mentions into “mention objects,” and executes a series of grouping, comparison and hierarchical fuzzy object clustering algorithms to cluster together in an electronic database all of the mention objects referring to the same entity and all of the mention objects (e.g. “people”) associated with each other by a relationship (e.g., “co-authors” or “family members”).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for intelligent content discovery for content consumers in the global Internet. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for intelligent content discovery for content consumers includes parsing a list of previously viewed content in a content browser executing in memory of a computer to identify different content sources for the previously viewed content. The method also includes directing crawling of the content sources over a computer communications network to retrieve updated content from the content sources. The method yet further includes filtering the updated content into a subset of updated content according to at least one parameter corresponding to one of an end user profile of an end user and an end user preference of the end user. Finally, the method includes presenting a list of the subset of updated content in the content browser.

Abstract: The information providing system accurately predicts a behavior pattern of a user, selects and provides the optimal information at individual points in time. Provision information files for a number of stores are stored. When a user from a cellular phone transmits a retrieval condition including the position information and a keyword, a file is retrieved whose degree of accordance to the retrieval condition is a certain reference level. Tables show statistical degrees of interest of users in association with respective geographical areas, respective time periods, and respective store genres. The degree of accordance of the retrieved file is corrected based on the corresponding degrees of interest in the tables, and a list is presented, in which stores are sorted in the large order of the corrected degree of accordance, to the phone. The store information selected by the user from the list is distributed to the phone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided in a computer network to present marketing and other pertinent information to clients from a host. The client environment is interrogated locally using a profiling engine. A customer class generated by a profiling engine on the customer server controls a URL behind an inquiry tab presented in a client user interface. When the user clicks on the tab they are taken to a portal designed by a host marketing team specifically designed for customers belonging to the customer class designated by the profiling engine. Using the method and apparatus of the present application, direct, cost effective marketing materials are delivered to customers without sending any customer information through the customer firewall back to the host.

Abstract: A new network communications tool that allows third parties (companies, individuals, and others) to recognize if a certain user is looking for products or services that they might offer. Providing that the user expressly authorizes it, this new communication system will send an automated communication to various companies or individuals indicating that the user is looking for products or services offered by them and that the user is willing to receive direct information from them.

Abstract: A method of providing a search result and a system for executing the method are provided. A method of providing a search result includes: setting a grade of a category associated with a keyword based on click information; creating a category list to maintain the category list in association with the keyword, wherein the category list includes the category that is arranged according to the grade; and providing a search result for the keyword in an order of the category in the category list, wherein the click information includes information regarding whether the category is clicked on and a clicked order.

Abstract: Advertising targeting metrics for individuals can be derived from images associated with those individuals. Such advertising targeting metrics can include physical attributes, as well as preferences based on prior activity, or history. Public images associated with specific user identities can be processed and advertising targeting metrics can be derived therefrom to more accurately tailor the advertisements displayed to the individuals associated with those user identities. Additionally, non-public images can be likewise processed, either remotely or, for greater privacy, locally if so allowed by the user. Advertisers can then utilize the greater breath of advertising targeting metrics that can be derived from images to more accurately target advertisements to specific groups. In doing so, advertisers can submit their own images of exemplary targeted users, and the targeting metrics for those advertisers' advertisements can be automatically derived from the submitted images utilizing equivalent algorithms.

Abstract: Improved techniques for automatic (or dynamic) updating (or maintaining) of playlists for a media system that stores and plays media content for a user of the media system. The automatic update to playlists can occur when additional media content is added to or removed from the media system. The automatic update to playlists can also occur when previously stored media content is otherwise altered.

Abstract: A method and system for intelligent electronic information processing. The method and system include selecting one or more portions of a set of electronic information including any unwanted portions that have been reviewed and are to be eliminated from display. The selected portions are recording thereby eliminating any unwanted previously reviewed portions of the set of electronic information from display with any additional sets of electronic information. The method and system may be used to review search engine results, electronic auction results, syndicated news items and to purchase tickets for transportation and events and for reserving lodging.

Abstract: A method includes generating search results in response to a user query, where at least one of the search results includes a group of links. The group of links may represent links to web pages within a same web site and may be identified based on at least one factor associated with the links. The method may also include providing the search results to the user.

Abstract: Methods to detect and hamper or thwart noncompliant access to online data examine access patterns, history and statistical records, and which may send no, incorrect or nonsense data if data harvesting is detected.

Abstract: In one aspect, this application describes a method for determining personal advertisements for display with search results. The method includes receiving a query that corresponds to content associated with members of an online social network, generating search results that are responsive to the query, and obtaining information that characterizes a personal advertisement that advertises a particular member of the online social network. The method also includes comparing information associated with the search results to the information that characterizes the personal advertisement to determine whether the personal advertisement is related to the search results. The method also includes providing the personal advertisement for display with the search results in response to determining that the information that characterizes the personal advertisement is related to the search results.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness with which entities or entities may be compared and contrasted across one or more dimensions. Some embodiments present on a user interface (UI) a small, visually navigable collection of entities, from which the user may select a “focus” entity that may then be compared with other entities of interest. The UI may employ a visual organization scheme that organizes information on entities according to one or more dimensions, which may be predefined and/or configurable. Embodiments may facilitate rapid cognition of the manner in which information is presented and organized, and enable a user to quickly and easily discern dissimilarities and/or similarities between the focus entity and one or more other selected entities.

Abstract: A user interface for an information presentation system that displays information of interest to the user identified by the information presentation system based on selecting tasks that may be relevant to the user given the user's current context. The user interface displays options for the user to select from among relevant tasks and/or goals of completing the task. For each selected task and goal, the system may generate one or more sets of items that are relevant to completing the task. The user interface may present the user with the option to select from among the sets of items or to navigate among the sets of items. The user interface may be an easy-to-use interface on a portable computing device to support shopping applications.

Abstract: This invention relates to problems arising from searching a large, online image data set. The invention improves the ability of customers to search across large catalogues using keywords when those keywords have not been specified in advance. This invention achieves this by taking diverse metadata, both structured and unstructured, from diverse sources and translating them into a highly structured system for presenting to users.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for identifying premium content items (such as video content items) that are responsive to a query. According to one embodiment, a method for identifying one or more items of video content responsive to a given query comprises receiving a query comprising one or more terms from a given user, identifying one or more items of video content responsive to the received query and generating a result set comprising one or more links to the one or more items of video content responsive to the received query. The one or more links in the result set associated with items of premium video content are identified and the one or more links in the result set associated with items of premium video content are filtered on the basis of information associated with the user from which the query was received.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for displaying available or recommended electronic multimedia content to a user, including electronic media content on the Internet. According to one implementation, a method is provided that includes receiving a request from a user, the request specifying electronic media content desired by the user; analyzing an indexed web history of a plurality of other users, based on the request for desired content; and selecting and sorting a subset of available content groups, based on the request for desired content and the indexed web history. The method also includes selecting and sorting, for each selected and sorted content group, a subset of available content; providing instructions to display, to a user, the selected and sorted content groups along a first axis of a two-dimensional grid; and further providing instructions to display, to the user, the selected available content for each content group along a second axis of the two-dimensional grid.

Abstract: Summary presentation of media consumption is described herein. An exemplary method for generating a personal highlight reel includes receiving personal consumption data indicating one or more media units consumed by a user computing device, and storing the personal consumption data in association with a user identifier. The method further includes identifying one or more relevant personal media units based on the personal consumption data. The method further includes generating a personal highlight reel including one or more personal media events representative of the one or more relevant personal media units, and outputting the personal highlight reel.

Abstract: Method and system for delivery of personal search services and advertising. The method includes collecting information from the user about the users personal search engine, including, but not limited to digital content data sources, link crawl depth of those digital content data sources, and time interval to refresh the index of the digital content data sources created. In one embodiment of the present invention users do not pay a fee in return for allowing the provider to present advertising to the user as the user uses the invention. In another embodiment, advertisers purchase advertising display services from the provider to be displayed to specific users.

Abstract: Searches can be performed by attaching social contact metadata to a query where the metadata may be related to a degree of separation, chat room participation and geographical information related to an owner's contacts. Searches can then be executed by generalized search engines based at least in part on the metadata. The metadata may include contact identifiers that are unique across one or more social networks, and may include contacts for individual people as well as groups or other affiliations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for weighting contemporaneous content including, in response to a user content request, determining a plurality of contemporaneous content items relating to the user content request, the contemporaneous content items including ultra-fresh content items having been only recently generated. In the method and system, for each of the contemporaneous content items, identifying one or more authors of the content items and determining an expertise level for the one or more authors and determining an expert weighting for each of the content items based on the expertise level for the corresponding one or more authors. The method and system further includes ranking the contemporaneous content items in response to the user content request based on the expert weighting and presenting at least a portion of the contemporaneous content items in response to the user content request.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention improve the quality of search results returned for a given set of search terms based on metadata associated with the user performing the search. A search query may specify metadata elements to consider in ranking the search results. The metadata used may include bookmarks set by the user (either locally or at a social bookmaking site), group bookmarks, etc. In such a case, search results may be reordered to improve the ranking of websites that are both in the search results and in the bookmarks.