Abstract: A switch having a first communications interface to receive a stream of data units, a buffer to store the payload portion of the data unit, a replicator to duplicate at least the payload portion of the data unit, and a second communications interface to enable access to the stream of data units by two or more terminals.

Abstract: A secure distributed single-login authentication system comprises a client and a server. The client collects authentication credentials from a user and tests credentials at a variety of potential authentication servers to check where the login is valid. It combines a password with a time-varying salt and a service-specific seed in a message digesting hash, generating a first hash value. The client sends the hash value with a user name and the time-varying salt to a selected server. The server extracts the user name and looks up the user name in the server's database. If an entry is found, it retrieves the password, performing the same hash function on the combination of user name, service-specific seed, and password to generate a second hash value, comparing the values. If the values match, the user is authenticated. Thus, the system never reveals the password to authentication agents that might abuse the information.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for transmitting electronic data by receiving, at a communications system host, electronic data transmitted from a sender and addressed to an intended recipient; authenticating the electronic data based on attributes of the electronic data and appending information to the electronic data indicating that the electronic data has been authenticated.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for transmitting electronic data by receiving, at a communications system host, electronic data transmitted from a sender and addressed to an intended recipient; authenticating the electronic data based on attributes of the electronic data and appending information to the electronic data indicating that the electronic data has been authenticated.

Abstract: Detecting a physical location change of a mobile communications device may initiate a process to initiate, or cancel, forwarding of future incoming communications to the mobile communications device. Forwarding information for a mobile communications device may be accessed and modified using an interface that communicates using an Internet Protocol network.

Abstract: A system and method are described for verifying a user. More specifically, a user contacts a goods or service provider and gives that provider information about himself or herself in order to register for receipt of goods or services. The provider then uses this information along with other information detected from another source, such as a network provider, to verify that the user is providing accurate information. Once the provider has determined that the information provided by the user is accurate, the user is allowed to register for certain services or purchase goods. A component of these systems and methods is to perform format and frequency of usage checks on the received data from the user and/or the network provider.

Abstract: A home gateway accesses a host system that differentially routes messages over a communication network to a destination system. The selection of a communication pathway from multiple possible communication pathways through a communication network is based on a user experience type (e.g., gaming user experience, streaming user experience, or browsing user experience) that generally reflects network resource consumption preferences of the user of the access account for the home gateway. Examples of user experience types include a gaming user experience, a streaming user experience and a browsing user experience. The user experience type generally reflects the online experience desired by the user.

Abstract: Securing an accessible computer system typically includes receiving a data packet that includes a payload portion and an attribute portion, where the data packet is communicated between at least one access requestor and at least one access provider. At least the payload portion of the received data packet typically is monitored, where monitoring includes scanning the payload portion for at least one predetermined pattern. When the payload portion is determined to include at least one predetermined pattern, access by the access requestor to the access provider may be controlled . Monitoring the data packet may include scanning the payload portion while handling the data packet with a switch. Controlling access may include denying access by the access requestor to the access provider.

Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.

Abstract: Perception of multiple online personas is enabled in an instant messaging communications session. At least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed are identified. A first persona of a user is enabled to be projected to a first of the identities while a second persona of the same user is enabled to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities. The first and second personas each include an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the number of challenge messages that are sent in response to an incoming message in situations where the incoming message is likely not unsolicited. The systems and methods include evaluating the behavior of a sender with regard to one or more federated messaging services and determining if the sender is approved or unapproved. If the sender is approved, the incoming message is deliver to a recipient's inbox without issuing a challenge message. Unapproved senders are required to respond to a challenge message.

Abstract: A method and means for self-policing and automatically rate-limiting multiple-user online forums. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a set of rules that permit users to censure other users. A censured user has one or more “privileges” (which may include access to the online computer system or the effective message rate of a communications connection) taken away or diminished; the privilege is gradually restored if the censured user behaves. The censuring participant and other pertinent participants are notified of the effect of the censuring on the censured user. In another aspect of the invention, the online computer system automatically tracks the rate at which a user sends certain types of messages, and can message rate limit a user who uses too many system resources by sending a large number of messages in rapid succession.

Abstract: Systems and methods for allowing challenge messages to be sent directly to a recipient's inbox where normally the challenge message would be sent to a pending folder or deleted. Challenge messages sent between federated messaging services contain a federated token which can be identified, authenticated and validated to determine whether the challenge message should be sent to a recipient's inbox. The federated token can include an authentication portion and a validation portion. Authentication methods for the authentication portion can include, for example, checksums, salts, hashes and digital signatures. Once a federated token is authenticated by decrypting the authentication portion according to one or more of these authentication methods, the federated token is validated by determining the defined use-base and determining whether the receipt of the federated token satisfies the defined use.

Abstract: Securing an accessible computer system typically includes receiving a data packet that includes a payload portion and an attribute portion, where the data packet is communicated between at least one access requestor and at least one access provider. At least the payload portion of the received data packet typically is monitored, where monitoring includes scanning the payload portion for at least one predetermined pattern. When the payload portion is determined to include at least one predetermined pattern, access by the access requestor to the access provider may be controlled. Monitoring the data packet may include scanning the payload portion while handling the data packet with a switch. Controlling access may include denying access by the access requestor to the access provider.

Abstract: Images may be registered using temporal (time-based) and spatial information. In a film implementation, because film is a sequence of frames, using information from neighboring frames may enable a temporally smoother visual experience. In addition, it may be beneficial to take advantage of the fact that consecutive frames are often shifted similarly during the photographic process. Distortion measures may be used that discount candidate transformations that are considered to be too far from one or more preferred transformations, such as, for example, an optimal transformation from another frame or block or a currently-optimal transformation from the same frame/block. Composite color images may be processed to provide registration of underlying components.

Abstract: Search results may be provided to a user. A search query may be received from the user. A query feature vector may be formed for the search query. The query feature vector may be compared with news feature vectors associated with documents related to current events. An augmented query feature vector may be formed based on results of the comparison of the query feature vector with the news feature vectors. The augmented query feature vector may be compared with feature vectors related to target documents. Search results that include target documents may be identified based on results of the comparison of the augmented query feature vector with the feature vectors related to the target documents. The user may be made able to perceive at least some of the identified search results.

Abstract: Access to an electronic conference may be administered by receiving an electronic instruction configured to establish the electronic conference, enabling more than one user to generate content restrictions that limit content rendered during the electronic conference, analyzing one or more participant devices to ensure compliance with the content restrictions, establishing the electronic conference in accordance with the content restrictions, and enabling user access to the electronic conference consistent with the content restrictions.

Abstract: An initialization vector (IV) is employed to decrypt a block of a stream that has been encrypted with Cypher Block Chaining (CBC) encryption, without requiring decryption of previous blocks within the stream. For example, a listener who accesses a distribution point to retrieve encrypted content authenticates himself to an application server that regulates access to encrypted content on the distribution point, and responsively receives a key. The listener then requests access to a reference point within the encrypted content stream somewhere after its beginning (e.g., using preview clips). The distribution point relates the reference point to a corresponding block of the encrypted stream, and identifies an IV previously used for encryption of that block. The distribution point provides the associated encrypted block of content and the IV to the listener to enable mid-stream rendering of the encrypted content, without requiring the listener to decrypt previous blocks within the encrypted stream.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for transmitting electronic data by receiving, at a communications system host, electronic data transmitted from a sender and addressed to an intended recipient; authenticating the electronic data based on attributes of the electronic data and appending information to the electronic data indicating that the electronic data has been authenticated.

Abstract: A list of “hot topics” may be provided to a user to indicate information that is currently popular. A topic may be deemed popular when a large number of search queries related to the topic are entered by users. A search system may receive and analyze an electronic source of published information to determine a reason for why a particular popular topic is popular. If content related to why a particular popular topic is popular exists in multiple electronic sources of published information, text summarization techniques may be used to determine a reason for why the popular topic is popular by from among the multiple electronic sources of published information.