Abstract: In a network-based system for recommending media content items based on user preferences, clients contact a server on a periodic basis, independent of the user. In addition to client-server interaction, clients also interact with one another in peer-to-peer fashion. Peers query one another and evaluate their similarity to each other in an interactive comparison of user preferences. When two clients are sufficiently similar, the interaction culminates in the originating client downloading content listings from the targeted peer to generate suggestions for their user. If the two clients are dissimilar, the query may be terminated, or the targeted peer may route the query to a second targeted peer. In addition to the lists of preferences, the originating client may download actual content items from the targeted peers.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a hosted-on-premises meeting exchange server operates seamlessly with web meeting servers. For example, one computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request from a client computer to join a web meeting; determining whether the client computer is coupled to a local network which includes an on-premises-meeting exchange server; in response to determining that the client computer is coupled to the local network, joining the client computer to the web meeting at the on-premises-meeting exchange server when the on-premises-meeting exchange server has sufficient capacity, and otherwise joining the client computer to the web meeting at an off-premises-meeting exchange server; and in response to determining that the client computer is not coupled to the local network, joining the client computer to the web meeting at the off-premises-meeting exchange server.

Abstract: Business logic is integrated within a repository through the use of “resource configurations.” A resource configuration is a unit of business logic that is supplied by a user to the repository and associated with a particular directory and/or a resource. Each resource configuration contains one or more configuration items that each defines and/or expresses one or more business rules for managing a resource associated with the resource configuration.

Abstract: Techniques for processing events are provided. In one embodiment, a plurality of records is received. The plurality of records is generated by one or more computer systems and represents a plurality of events that have occurred in these computer systems. The plurality of events is processed, where processing the plurality of events comprises storing the plurality of records in an append-only sequence. The append-only sequence is a storage representation of the plurality of events that allows only appending new records that represent new events but does not allow modifying and deleting existing records that represent already existing events. One or more expressions are then evaluated based on the plurality of records that are stored in the append-only sequence.

Abstract: A computer system, comprising at least one controlled execution space hosting an operating system and an application program; a vulnerability monitoring agent coupled to the controlled execution space; one or more vulnerability profiles coupled to the vulnerability monitoring agent, wherein each of the vulnerability profiles comprises an application program identifier, an operating system identifier, a vulnerability specification describing a vulnerability of an application program that the application program identifier indicates when executed with an operating system that the operating system identifier indicates, and a remedial action which when executed will remediate the vulnerability; wherein the vulnerability monitoring agent is configured to monitor execution of the operating system and the application program in the controlled execution space, to detect an anomaly associated with the vulnerability, to determine the remedial action for the operating system and application program based on one of the v

Abstract: An electronic content distribution and exchange system provides authenticated, reliable content downloads and tracking capabilities. Content is distributed to users through the invention's architecture. A user registers for the purchase of content through an interface on a client system or via a Web site. The purchase is for a license to the content, not for the content itself. A list of available content is displayed to the user through the client system or the Web site. The invention's central servers log the purchase of the content into a license database. The electronic copy of the song may be already resident on the client system in a hidden area, carouseled in a protected broadcast channel, in the central database ready to be sent out in slices, or resident on a secure server on the Internet. The user accesses content through the client system's user interface where the user plays the content and controls its playback.

Abstract: A network device includes a content processing module that is configured to perform intelligent document content processing, such as confidential information processing, content optimization and workflow optimization. The network device authenticates a user and determines electronic document data that is to be processed. The electronic document data may be created at the network device, e.g., by a scanning module on the network device, or at a client device, e.g., by a word processing application executing on the client device. The content processing module retrieves particular user preference data based upon the user authentication. The particular user preference data may specify confidential information preferences, content optimization preferences and/or workflow preferences. The content processing module performs intelligent document content processing on the electronic document data based upon the particular user preference data and generates processed electronic document data.

Abstract: A method of aggregating network traffic flows for network traffic elements is described. The traffic elements are characterized by a plurality of characteristics having respective values, where a flow profile is formed by classifying each element into one of a plurality of flows dependent on its characteristic value. The method comprises the steps of obtaining an instantaneous flow profile and aggregating flows from the flow profile having a common value for a characteristic.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus (20, 44) includes an array (22) of optical sensing elements (24), characterized by a pitch, which is adapted to generate a signal in response to optical radiation that is incident on the elements. Objective optics (26, 46), which have an optical axis (134) and are characterized by a cylindrical symmetry about the axis, are arranged to focus the optical radiation from an object onto the array with a point spread function (PSF) having an extent greater than twice the pitch of the array at an optimal focus of the objective optics.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining a location of a client session in a telecommunications network by comparing attributes of the client session connection to location definition information stored in a configuration file. A method of handling requests from proxy and non-proxy client connections in a telecommunications network by redirecting requests from unauthenticated proxy clients to a transparent proxy port on a captive portal such that the captive portal proxies the requests is also disclosed. The request may be directed to a service, such as a destination IP address and optional port number. A method for a proxy server to identify an edge session through an out-of-band request containing proxy metadata to a web portal for secure (HTTPS) requests is also disclosed. The edge session is identified for the web portal through a hostkey determined by the proxy server.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for efficiently processing SOAP requests at a Web service application (WSA) of a multi-functional device (MFP). In one technique, a WSA includes at least three threads. An external request processing thread processes SOAP requests from different client applications. A request processing thread processes a SOAP request according to the business logic of the WSA. A internal communications thread communicates with other components of the MFP that are distinct from the WSA. In another technique, a WSA processes different SOAP request differently, depending on the size of the SOAP and the resources required to process the SOAP request so that fast requests may be processed immediately while slow requests are pending. In another technique, a WS-Eventing specification is implemented within a WSA to simplify the event subscription and notification process.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for creating and updating a entity hierarchy (taxonomy) based on information captured about user interaction with a system. Techniques are also provided for using the taxonomy to determine the nature of entities represented by terms submitted to a search engine. Search logs analyzed for related sets of entities, and used to improve the taxonomy for storing information. Once the taxonomy is created, information across data sources are fetched and aggregated based on the taxonomy. When the system is queried, the query is modified to a predefined template, and the best fit result is promptly returned. A feedback mechanism is also provided to enhance taxonomy and entity data based on search volumes. This system enables search engines to provide accurate answers when entities, their attributes and relationships are involved.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for searching within a collection of XML documents. A relational table stores an entry for each node of a set of nodes in a collection of XML documents. Each entry of the relational table stores an order key and a path identifier along with the atomized value of the node. Instead of storing the atomized value in a full-text index, a virtual column can be created to represent, for each node, the atomized value of the node. Alternately, each entry of the relational table stores an order key and a path identifier along with, for simple nodes, the atomized value, and for complex nodes, a null value. For a complex node with a descendant text node, a separate entry is stored for the descendant text node in the relational table.

Abstract: An approach for managing the consumption of resources uses adaptive random sampling to decrease the collection of flow statistical data as the consumption of resources increases. When a packet is received from a network, a determination is made whether the packet belongs to an existing flow, for which flow statistical data is being collected, or to a new flow. If the packet belongs to an existing flow, then the flow statistical data for the existing flow is updated to reflect the packet. If the packet belongs to the new flow, then a sampling probability is used to determine whether the new flow is to be sampled. The sampling probability is determined, at least in part, upon a current usage of resources.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for expanding the range of data targeted in I/O requests made by clients, so that the expanded range results in aligned I/O operations within the file system. Data that is included in the expanded range, but was not actually requested by the client, is trimmed off the data chunk returned by the file system, so that the client receives only the data required by the client. The blocks that contain the partially-read data are cached, so that they can be provided to the clients in response to subsequent I/O requests, without having to retrieve the blocks again from the file system. The I/O requests of multiple clients are handled by a read scheduler that uses a single global queue for all such requests. When appropriate, the read scheduler creates companionship relationships between the requests, and services the “companion” requests based on the data returned for the requests with which the companion requests are associated.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, an approach is provided for determining alternative printing device arrangements. In general, the geographic locations, usage and costs of an existing set of printing devices are analyzed. A determination is made, based upon this analysis, whether one or more of the existing printing devices can be replaced by one or more replacement printing devices to provide an alternative printing device arrangement that has lower costs. The lower costs may reflect lower operational costs, lower energy costs, lower acquisition costs, or any combination of lower operational costs, lower energy costs and lower acquisition costs.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for cryptographic peer discovery, authentication, and authorization. According to one embodiment, a data packet, which is addressed to a destination device other than an intermediary network device, is intercepted at the intermediary network device. The data packet contains a request and a group identifier. A shared secret cryptographic key, which is mapped to the group identifier, is selected. A challenge is sent toward an upstream device from whence the data packet came. A response is received. A verification value is generated based on the cryptographic key and the challenge. It is determined whether the response matches the verification value. If the response matches the verification value, then it is determined whether the request is allowed by an authorization set that is mapped to the group identifier. If the request is allowed, then a policy of the intermediary network device is configured based on the request.

Abstract: Database server instances in a database server cluster broadcast, to other instances in the cluster, information concerning certain problem events. Because each server instance is aware of problems that other server instances are experiencing, each server instance is enabled to make more intelligent decisions regarding the actions that it should perform in response to the problems that the server instance is experiencing. Instead of terminating itself, a server instance might opt to wait for a longer amount of time for an operation to complete. The server instance may do so due to the server instance having received information that indicates that other server instances are experiencing similar problems. Whenever the information received from other server instances makes it appear that a problem is unlikely to be solved in the cluster as a whole by terminating a server instance, that server instance may continue to wait instead of terminating itself.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes a mosaic image sensor (24), which is configured to generate a stream of input pixel values belonging to a plurality of input sub-images, each sub-image responsive to light of a different, respective color that is incident on the mosaic image sensor. An image restoration circuit (26) is coupled to receive and digitally filter the input pixel values in each of the input sub-images so as to generate a corresponding plurality of enhanced output sub-images. An image signal processor (ISP) (28) is coupled to receive and combine the plurality of the output sub-images in order to generate a color video output image.

Abstract: Storing audio data encoded in any of a plurality of different audio encoding formats is enabled by parametrically defining the underlying format in which the audio data is encoded, in audio format and packet table chunks. A flag can be used to manage storage of the size of the audio data portion of the file, such that premature termination of an audio recording session does not result in an unreadable corrupted file. This capability can be enabled by initially setting the flag to a value that does not correspond to a valid audio data size and that indicates that the last chunk in the file contains the audio data. State information for the audio data, to effectively denote a version of the file, and a dependency indicator for dependent metadata, may be maintained, where the dependency indicator indicates the state of the audio data on which the metadata is dependent.