Abstract: A missile and a method for reducing the required control forces during the flight of a missile, comprising providing to the missile movable parts that adjust center of pressure of the missile as they move and as fuel in the missile is consumed, moving the movable parts so as to continuously move the center of pressure toward the moving center of gravity of the missile.

Abstract: Computer-based systems and methods provide additional management options for members of social networks whereby the members can define and participate in conferences, with the extent of the participation and messaging within such conferences based on the structure of the underlying social network(s). Metadata sent by participants includes one or more distribution parameters, with the parameter(s) specifying the extent to which a message is distributed within a conference and/or the extent of participation in the conference. In some embodiments, replies to messages cannot extend beyond the original recipient list, but may be further limited. Embodiments of a client interface for use in social networking conference systems are disclosed, and may include threaded chat areas and content sharing areas.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering geographically restricted content, including but not limited to over-air broadcast programming, to a recipient over a computer network, namely the Internet. The content is only delivered over the computer network if the recipient's computer or network device requesting the content over the network is verified to be located in the geographically restricted area. A conventional tuner is employed by the recipient's computer to receive one or more over-air signals having a broadcast range deemed to be synonymous with the geographically restricted area for the requested content. If the tuner is able to receive such over-air signal(s), the requested content is delivered over the network to the recipient's computer. This is because the recipient is known to be physically located in the geographically restricted area by the ability of the tuner to receive the over-air signal(s).

Abstract: A technique for enabling a plurality of software components to communicate in a software component matrix environment is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by a method for enabling a plurality of software components to communicate in a software component matrix environment comprising the steps of encoding a request at a client side; communicating the request to a server at a server side via a communication interface; comparing the request to a plurality of operations supported at the server side; determining whether a function match exists at the server side; and returning a response comprising the function match to the client side in response to the request via the communication interface wherein the response is mapped to a data model of a client.

Abstract: In a communication environment where a voice bearer is established between a multimedia terminal of a first user and a voice terminal of a second user to allow voice communications between the first and second users, the present invention allows the second user to gain access to video content of the first user through a web session.

Abstract: A commuter groups service (CGS) allows commuters to join commuter groups so that they are able to socialize while commuting. Through the commuter groups, the users may share commuting routes, traffic updates, road conditions, and other information. Group members may arrange car pools, short term riding arrangements, and may anonymously or directly contact each other. The CGS may collect group member position information, e.g. GPS information, to enable the CGS to calculate traffic conditions and to select location specific information for group members. The system may include an on-line service accessible through a computer or wireless networking device. The user may log into the CGS, create or modify a user profile, and join groups of their choosing. Groups may be associated with specific events or with getting to/from work. Commuter groups may be formed for commuters that use private vehicles and/or public transportation.

Abstract: A rotating head and a corresponding method of removing material employing a base having a substantially planar underside, a plurality of bit holder assemblies connected to the base and holding a corresponding plurality of bits via the assemblies, and apparatus permitting adjusting cutting surfaces of the bits to be held at different distances from the underside, which enables removing material from a target by presenting it to the rotating base and thereby engaging the cutting surfaces with the target.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for generating media recommendations in a media recommendation network. Aspects of the method and system include receiving by a server a plurality of play histories of media items from a plurality of users of devices, wherein at least a portion of the media items are tagged with corresponding time and location data indicating a time and location of play; receiving by the server a media recommendation request from a requester, including receiving seed information indicating a current location of the requester; using at least one of user preferences of the requester and the seed information to identify correlated users from which to search corresponding play histories from among the plurality of play histories; comparing the seed information to the corresponding play histories and generating a list of related media items contained therein; and returning the list of related media items to the requester.

Abstract: Real-time condition-based analysis is performed on a machine for providing diagnostic and prognostic outputs indicative of machine status includes a signal processor for receiving signals from sensors adapted for measuring machine performance parameters. The signal processor conditions and shapes at least some of the received signals into an input form for a neural network. A fuzzy adaptive resonance theory neural network receives at least some of the conditioned and shaped signals, and detects and classifies a state of the machine based upon the received conditioned and shaped signals, and upon a predetermined ontology of machine states, diagnostics, and prognostics. The neural network can also determine from the machine state a health status thereof, which can comprise an anomaly, and output a signal representative of the determined health status. A Bayesian intelligence network receives the machine state from the neural network and determines a fault probability at a future time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-demand narration of a customized story. A user indicates a desire via a user device to listen to a narrated customized story. A story service receives personalization information relating to the user associated with the user device, and obtains localization information relating to information associated with a location of the user device. A customized story is generated based on the personalization information and the localization information, and is narrated to the user device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique where application servers can initiate sessions within the IMS network by initially sending session initiation messages to the I-CSCF. By routing the session initiation messages to the I-CSCF, the application servers need not directly access the HSSs in order to initiate sessions. Upon receiving a session initiation message from an application server, the I-CSCF may access the HSS to identify an S-CSCF to use for session control and then route the session initiation message to that S-CSCF. The S-CSCF may then access the same or different HSS to determine how to further route the session initiation message to establish the session. The session initiation message may be routed toward other S-CSCFs en route to the appropriate user elements. The session may be a session established between user elements or between the application server and a user element.

Abstract: Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for a peer device on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network are disclosed. A client application executing on the peer device provides and enables the GUIs. One of the GUIs may display a media item playlist. The user manages the media items displayed on the media item playlist by utilizing sorting criteria. The media item playlist displays a list of the users subscribing to the P2P network, the title of and information concerning media items recommended by the users and media items stored locally on the peer device, and a score for each media item on the media item playlist. The score may be determined by applying to the media items preferences defined by information provided by the user of the peer device, a profile developed from the defined preferences, and other information provided by the user. The user of the peer device provides the information to the peer device using other GUIs provided and enabled by the client application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combined user agent, which acts on behalf of multiple packet-based communication clients that may have different media capabilities. The combined user agent allows the different communication clients to cooperate with one another and participate in the same multimedia session. Different ones of the communication clients may support different types of media sessions. The combined user agent may present a single interface, which is associated with a single identification, on behalf of the supported communication clients to remote communication clients. As such, the combined user agent may appear to remote communication clients as a single communication client having the combined capabilities of the supported communication clients.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points.

Abstract: XML appliances/routers may be organized to implement one or more XML distribution rings to enable XML documents/messages to be distributed efficiently. The rings may be logical or physical. The XML distribution rings enable the XML documents/messages to be exchanged without requiring the XML appliances/routers to run a routing protocol to determine how XML documents/messages should be distributed through the network. Documents may be transmitted in one way on the ring or may be transmitted in both directions around the ring to enable the ring to tolerate failure of an XML appliance/router. Each XML appliance/router will receive all XML documents/messages and will make routing decisions for those clients that have provided the XML appliance/router with XML subscriptions. The subscriptions may be formed according to the XPath standard or in another manner.

Abstract: A system and method for client-side watermarking of digital content using hybrid Intra-Frames (I-Frames) are provided. In general, a content source provides a compressed video stream and a hybrid I-Frame stream to a client device via a network. The hybrid I-Frame stream includes a number of low-loss I-Frames corresponding to select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream to be used for client-side watermarking. The client device watermarks the I-Frames in the hybrid I-Frame stream, optionally compresses the watermarked I-Frames, and replaces the select ones of the I-Frames in the compressed video stream with the watermarked and optionally compressed I-Frames to provide a watermarked version of the compressed video stream.

Abstract: Optical By-Pass (OBP) links may be created by adding wavelengths between nodes on the network. The OBP may extend between any pair of nodes on the network. Intermediate nodes on the OBP are transient nodes and simply forward traffic optically. An OBP extends between a pair of nodes and, unlike express links, is created in such a manner that it does not affect the previous allocation of resources on the network. This enables capacity to be added between pairs of nodes on the network to alleviate congestion at a portion of the network, without changing other traffic patterns on the network. This enables inclusion of an OBP to be deterministic and of linear impact on the network. The OBP links may be statically provisioned or created on demand. Optionally, the OBP links may be crated to coincide with PBB-TE tunnels on the network.

Abstract: A system and method for providing previews of media files from a user's media collection to an associated portable media player are provided. In general, media files from the user's media collection are selected based on a play history of the user and optionally a user profile of the user. Once the media files are selected, previews of the media files are generated. The previews may then be transferred to the portable media player during a docking, or synchronization, process. Thereafter, the previews may be played by the portable media player and, if desired, selected by the user for transfer to the portable media player. The media files corresponding to the selected previews are then transferred to the portable media player during a subsequent synchronization process.