Abstract: Personalized transaction identification information is provided by a user to supplement the generic transaction banking information received from the user's electronic banking service. The personalized transaction identification information is maintained by the user or the user's Internet Service Provider (ISP) or host. At the time of the transaction or later, details about the transaction are entered by the user into a personal digital assistant (PDA) or online. Subsequently, when the user downloads his banking information, the downloaded banking material is matched with the stored personalized transaction identification information. As a result, the information provided to the user about a transaction is more comprehensive since information beyond check number and amount are provided.

Abstract: Post-production processing may be performed by receiving a film-processing order, determining a process useful in fulfilling film-processing order, identifying one or more resources available to perform the process useful in fulfilling the film-processing order, and scheduling with at least one of the identified resources to perform the process.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for reducing the number of maneuvers presented in narrative driving directions for a route from an origin location to a destination location. Maneuvers are combined to reduce the number of maneuvers presented. Maneuvers may be combined based on a maneuver being associated with a highway interchange or maneuvers including a shared reference to a particular road.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for the configuration of a home-networking system. Home-networking configuration information may be stored on a host system in a manner accessible to the home-networking system and migrated to a home-networking gateway or router that has not yet been configured. Wireless configuration information may be stored on a home-networking gateway or router and used to configure one or more wireless access points through the use of a physical connection, such as a wired communications pathway. One or more wireless home-networking devices may be configured based on wireless configuration information stored in a central repository on a host system or a home-networking system. The wireless configuration information may be accessible only through the use of a security code.

Abstract: A user interface on a display enables user perception of information regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform. The user interface includes an instant messaging application user interface and one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions. Each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding instant messaging communications session. Also, each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

Abstract: Methods for producing and multiplexing a file format, as well as structures for a hierarchical file format and data file, are provided. The data file may include data that is divided in a hierarchical manner, including a highest level document portion that supports all lower level portions of the data file. The hierarchical data file forms a multimedia document that can be displayed on a computer display with accompanying audio. The multimedia document may include data in a variety of file formats, including image data, sound data, textual data, and video data. At least some of the data is preferably multiplexed in the data file, so that the multiplexed data can be progressively played and displayed as it is downloaded by a computer. Data that cannot be progressively played need not be multiplexed in the data file and can be located in an area of the data file separate from the multiplexed data.

Abstract: A method and system for capturing data for automating interactions occurring across the Internet includes storing data at a central Web server adapted for maintaining a database. Responsive to a program script requesting data, computer program code at the central Web server selectively extracts stored data from the database, manipulates the data in accordance with the request, and supplies the manipulated data in a desired format. The program script is also able to capture manually entered data to the database when new request data is entered manually after the normal form submission.

Abstract: Latency in a real-time electronic communication is dynamically managed. A communication delay arising from a receiving data buffer is measured and a latency adjustment necessary to adjust the size of the communication delay to within a predetermined range and an optimal range for a size of the communication delay are determined. Using these parameters, the number of samples for an audio playback data block passing through the receiving data buffer is modified.

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: A user interface that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform may be rendered on a display. The user interface includes an instant messaging application user interface that enables perception and selection of instant messages for an instant messaging user, and a status indicator that provides a perceivable indication to the user of statistics regarding concurrent instant messaging sessions.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method for searching includes receiving, at a host from a client device, a search query that enables access to location data associated with multiple users. Receiving the search query includes receiving a travel objective and receiving an indication of a particular place. The method also includes accessing the location data associated with the multiple users and referencing the travel objective that relates to the location data associated with the multiple users. The method also includes identifying a result associated with the particular place, and enabling the client device to access the result.

Abstract: Temporal drift correction may be provided in a real-time audio communication system by measuring a size of a receiving data buffer and comparing that size to a predetermined nominal data buffer size. An amount of temporal drift is characterized as a number of samples per audio playback data block based on the measured data buffer size and the nominal data buffer size. A number of samples to be inserted or removed for each audio playback data block to correct the temporal drift may be determined, and the number of samples of each audio playback data block may be modified. For example, an instantaneous size of the receiving data buffer may be measured, and if measured multiple times, may be averaged over a time period. Heuristic resampling of the audio playback data block also may be performed.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data to a user of a communications system by establishing a connection between a client and a host; receiving electronic data from the host in response to a data request transmitted from the client; and at the client, simultaneously executing multiple instantiations of the browser application in response to the electronic data received from the host. The client includes a browser application configured to render data encapsulated in a standard Internet content format. Each instantiation of the browser application is configured to exchange messages with at least one other instantiation of the browser application.

Abstract: Expert domains for a query category represent domains from which a high percentage of search results for queries associated with the query category are retrieved. The expert domains are identified by establishing a base statistical model that indicates frequencies of appearance for domains in search results retrieved for queries corresponding to multiple categories. In addition, frequencies of domain appearance are determined for search results retrieved for queries associated with a category. Domains that appear more frequently in the search results corresponding to the category are identified as expert domains for the category. A user may be allowed to customize expert domains related to one or more categories by adding or removing expert domains for the category.

Abstract: Separations or images relating to film or other fields may be registered using a variety of features, such as, for example: (1) correcting one or more film distortions; (2) automatically determining a transformation to reduce a film distortion; (3) applying multiple criteria of merit to a set of features to determine a set of features to use in determining a transformation; (4) determining transformations for areas in an image or a separation in a radial order; (5) comparing areas in images or separations by weighting feature pixels differently than non-feature pixels; (6) determining distortion values for transformations by applying a partial distortion measure and/or using a spiral search configuration; (7) determining transformations by using different sets of features to determine corresponding transformation parameters in an iterative manner; and (8) applying a feathering technique to neighboring areas within an image or separation.

Abstract: Interactions between users of a computer network may be facilitated by transmitting a first user's proposal for a communications session to another user, the proposal comprising one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed communications session, receiving a response from the other user, the response comprising a counterproposal having one or more parameters descriptive of the proposed communications session, with at least one of the parameters of the counterproposal differing from a corresponding parameter of the proposal, and automatically engaging in the proposed communications session using the parameters included in the counterproposal upon acceptance of the counterproposal by the first user.

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: An icon or file is provided to facilitate communications across a network. The icon or file represents a contact or set of contacts and is separate from the communications program's user interface. At least one action is executed in response to an operation performed on the icon or a command issued to the file. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status has changed (e.g., login, logout, or idle), or performing communications with the contact. The action may be the same action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of a communications program.

Abstract: Communication applications may include lists of users with which a user of the application communicates. If two users of a communications application each include the other user on their user lists, an implicit trust may be established between the users. For example, if user A includes user B in her list and user B includes user A in his list, then it may be determined that each user knows and/or trusts the other user. As a result, a connection or communications pathway may be automatically created between the client devices of the users to facilitate communications between the users based on the implicit trust.

Abstract: A data transfer method includes receiving terminal server identification data at a host system from a terminal server, querying a database to obtain localized information service data associated with the terminal server identification data, and sending the localized information service data from the host system to the terminal server. A host system providing localized information system data includes a database system, a network interface, and a processor. The database system includes records to associate terminal server identification data with information service data. The interface couples the host system to a communications link over which the host system can exchange data with a terminal server.