Abstract: Prior to customer use of a device, communication with the device is allowed via multiple pins of an external interface of the device. One or more pins of the multiple pins via which communication with the device is to be prevented during customer use of the device are identified. The one or more pins are monitored, and a remedial action is taken if particular activity is detected on the one or more pins. Various different remedial actions can be taken, such as resetting or disabling the device.

Abstract: User interface animation techniques are described. In an implementation, an input having a velocity is detected that is directed to one or more objects in a user interface. A visual presentation is generated that is animated so a first object in the user interface moves in parallax with respect to a second object. The presentation is displayed so the first object appears to moves at a rate that corresponds to the velocity.

Abstract: Various embodiments utilize a third party, such as a trusted third-party, to perform DRM operations such as “move” operations. In at least some embodiments, the trusted third-party is utilized for both “move” operations as well as local content access such as playback and the like. In at least some embodiments, a third-party maintains a database that includes an association of clients, content, and move version numbers. A client—termed a “source client” maintains at least a move version number locally in a secure fashion. The version number is incremented each time the source client performs a move operation. Both the source client and the third-party increment the version number each time a piece of content is moved. When the client attempts to perform a move operation, it contacts the third-party to ascertain the third-party's move version number. If the move version numbers match and the source client owns the license/content, then, in at least some embodiments, a move operation is permitted.

Abstract: A method, program and user node for use in a communication system implemented over a network comprising a plurality of user nodes, each being associated with a respective presence status indicating an availability of the user node for communication within the communication system. The method comprises, at each of a first one or more of the user nodes: transmitting repeated presence messages to each of a plurality of others of the user nodes, each of the presence messages comprising at least one of: a request for the presence status of the other user node, and a notification of the presence status of the first user node; determining a measure of resource usage in relation to at least one of the first user node and the other user nodes; and controlling a regularity of the repeated transmission of presence messages in dependence on the determined measure of resource usage measure.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects, at a first device both an indication of data to be copied and a request to perform graphical copying of the data is received. The data is graphically encoded to generate an image that is displayed by the first device. In a second device, a request to perform graphical pasting of data is received. The second device captures the image displayed by the first device and decodes data graphically encoded in the image. The decoded data is pasted to a location of the first device.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a license associated with a first piece of content can grant rights with respect to a second and/or additional pieces of content. That is, language that is included in a first license can express a policy that is interpreted by a client-side device. This policy can establish rights with respect to additional pieces of content. Accordingly, policy enforcement with respect to licensed content can take place on the client-side device and can establish how different content is to be played relative to one another.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide techniques and processes for defining elements of a user interface (UI) using a tree of objects created based on a markup language. In some embodiments, a client application provides markup that defines one or more aspects of a UI to an application programming interface (API). The API parses the markup to determine a namespace and one or more UI elements defined by the namespace. Instances of the UI elements are created, and properties of the UI elements are set on the instances. A user interface may then be displayed that includes the instances of the UI elements.

Abstract: An event, such as a vertical blank interrupt or signal, received from a display adapter in a system is identified. Activation of a timer-driven animation routine that updates a state of an animation and activation of a paint controller module that identifies updates to the state of the animation and composes a frame that includes the updates to the state of the animation are aligned, both being activated based on the identified event in the system.

Abstract: A method of controlling quality of video data transmitted from a first user terminal to at least one other user terminal in a communication system includes detecting at said first user terminal a condition that indicates that the quality of the video data is below an acceptable threshold; automatically generating instructions based on the detected condition for a user of the first user terminal, said instructions intended to provide a humanly implementable remedy to improve the quality of the video data; outputting the instructions to the user in a humanly comprehensible form; and receiving an input from a user of the first user terminal responsive to the instructions to implement the remedy and thereby improve the quality of the video data.

Abstract: A method and system for validating access to a group of related elements are described. The elements within the group access a security context associated with a markup domain when a call is made to an element. An authorized call to an element is enabled such that the markup domain is navigated to a new web page. However, an unauthorized call is prevented so that the navigation to the new web page is not permitted. After the markup domain has been navigated, the security context associated with the markup domain is invalidated. A new security context is generated and associated with the markup domain. The elements associated with the web page navigated from are inaccessible after navigation of the markup domain to the new page. The association of the new security context with the markup domain prevents an unauthorized user from accessing any element that references the previous security context.

Abstract: Methods, systems and architectures for enhancing a user's DVD experience are described. In one embodiment, the physical structure (e.g. titles and chapters) of a DVD is ascertained and a playlist structure shell that represents the DVD's physical structure is built. Metadata associated with the DVD is acquired and used to populate the playlist structure shell. In some embodiments, the metadata can be acquired from a metadata source external to the DVD and/or remote from a computing device on which the DVD is being played. Remote locations can include, without limitation, those that are network- or Internet-accessible. Once the playlist structure shell is populated, it can be used to render a playlist associated with the DVD's video in an area of a user interface display.

Abstract: Techniques involving gestures and other functionality are described. In one or more implementations, the techniques describe gestures that are usable to provide inputs to a computing device. A variety of different gestures are contemplated, including bimodal gestures (e.g., using more than one type of input) and single modal gestures. Additionally, the gesture techniques may be configured to leverage these different input types to increase the amount of gestures that are made available to initiate operations of a computing device.

Abstract: A method of transmitting a communication event from a calling entity to a called entity located in a communication network comprising a first network and a second network, said method comprising determining a first identity associated with the called entity, wherein the first identity is recognizable in the first network; allocating a calling identity to the called entity, wherein the allocated identity is recognizable in the second network; associating at a first node located in the first network the first identity with the calling identity; providing the calling identity to the calling entity; establishing a connection with a second network node located in the second network; wherein the connection with the second network node is established using the calling identity, querying the first node with the calling identity associated with the called entity to determine the first identity associated with the called entity; transmitting the communication event to the called entity using the first identity associat

Abstract: Notification techniques are described. In an implementation, an unlock screen is displayed by a mobile communications device that indicates that one or more keys of the mobile communications device are locked. If an input is detected at the mobile communications device to remove the lock, an animation is displayed that gives an appearance that the unlock screen is a page that is being turned and removing the lock of the one or more keys.

Abstract: Audio stream management techniques are described. In an implementation, a unique representation is generated by a client for each of a plurality of audio streams associated with television content received at the client. Each of the unique representations is displayed in a user interface at the client to be selectable by a user to cause output of a respective audio stream with the television content.

Abstract: In embodiments of print plug-in isolation, a print system input can be received at a print system, and the print system input can be redirected from the print system to an isolation module that isolates one or more print plug-ins from the print system. The print system input can be processed at the isolation module with the one or more print plug-ins to generate print plug-in output, and the print plug-in output can then be communicated back to the print system from the isolation module.

Abstract: Media asset pivot navigation is described. In various embodiments, collections of media assets are determined from relational metadata that corresponds to the media assets in a respective collection. Each collection of media assets are represented as a navigation axis along which the media assets in a respective collection can be located, and a media asset can be associated with multiple collections of media assets based on the relational metadata. A media asset navigation interface is generated for display from which the collections of media assets can be navigated to locate the media assets for selection. The media asset navigation interface includes a display of a collection of media assets represented as a navigation axis. A navigation input can be received to pivot from the navigation axis to an alternate navigation axis and initiate a display of an additional collection of media assets that are represented as the alternate navigation axis.

Abstract: Techniques are described to provide content access. In an implementation, a determination is made at a client that a high-definition channel has content that matches content provided by a standard-definition channel. Access is provided to the content via the high-definition channel and access is restricted to the content via the standard-definition channel up the client is capable of outputting the content and high definition.

Abstract: A toolbar that persists in a browser window across multiple Web pages during a browsing session is displayed. This toolbar includes multiple toolbar buttons. An updated toolbar is automatically received from a remote toolbar source that is independent of the multiple Web pages, and this updated toolbar includes a change to the toolbar buttons. The toolbar in the browser is replaced, during the browsing session, with this updated toolbar. The toolbar can also include one or more buttons based at least in part on customization information regarding a user of the browser.

Abstract: Techniques involving state buckets are described. In an implementation, a plurality of axes are defined, each corresponding to a proposed separation or unification of state for software. For each of the axes, one or more scenarios are determined that are enabled by the defined separation or unification of the state for the software. The defined plurality of axes are then prioritized, one to another, based on respective said one or more scenarios. A plurality of buckets are defined based on the prioritizing, each corresponding to one or more said axes.