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: Images are searched to locate faces that are the same as a query face. Images that include a face that is the same as the query face may be presented to a user as search result images. Images also may be sorted by the faces included in the images and presented to the user as sorted search result images. The user may provide explicit or implicit feedback regarding the search result images. Additional feedback may be inferred regarding the search result images based on the user-provided feedback, and the results may be updated based on the user-provided and inferred feedback.

Abstract: Viewing an electronic document in a display window of a display includes detecting a layout of the electronic document and comparing the layout of the electronic document to a width of the display window. The electronic document is reformatted into at least two columns, with each of the columns having a width that does not exceed a width of the display window.

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: Enabling a host system to communicate with and to identify at least one client device that communicates with the host system through a network address translator device includes enabling communications from a first client device through the network address translator device. A data packet is received that includes a payload portion and an attribute portion, where the attribute portion includes a destination address that indicates a destination for the data packet and a nearest source address. A portion of the received data packet other than the nearest source address is examined for a host-assigned identifier that identifies a client device that communicated the received data packet. The received data packet typically is processed in accordance with predetermined host system controls accessible to the host system for the first client device identified, such as host-enabled parental controls.

Abstract: Avatars are used to graphically represent users in a communications session, and the avatars are capable of being animated. An indication of an animation of one of the avatars is received. Another avatar that represents another of the users is animated in response to, and based on, the animation of the avatar in the same communications session.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment. The preferred embodiment receives an electronic message addressed to a telephone number and determines an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number. In response to the determination that an instant message identifier associates with the telephone number, it is further determined whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier. In response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier, the electronic message is forwarded as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier.

Abstract: A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. 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 (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for easily indicating to a user that a communication has been received for him or her. A portable message waiting indication device (MWID) includes a power source (e.g., battery), signal receiver and a visual and/or audible indicator. The indicator is activated in response to receipt of a first wireless signal at the receiver. In response to a second signal the indicator is deactivated. A MWID may also include a user-actuable switch or sensor to deactivate the indicator. In one method of using a MWID to inform a user that a communication has been received, the user registers the MWID and may identify when the MWID indicator should be activated (e.g., for certain types of messages (e.g., voice-mail, electronic mail), certain senders, a category of senders, time of day, message priority). Multiple MWIDs may be configured and employed by a user, and each may be configured similarly or differently.

Abstract: Activating a communications system or device may include receiving a subscription or service advertisement or solicitation response, recording an identifier specified by the responding party, receiving an activation request from a device through which the subscription or service may be rendered, receiving a unique identifier for that device and a screen name of an activation requestor operating the device, and activating the device upon confirmation that the screen name received with the unique identifier for the device relates to the recorded identifier specified by the party responding to the advertisement or solicitation. Furthermore, as described, devices may be distributed without recognizing or pre-configuring a relationship between the device, the service, and/or the recipient, all the while enabling such configuration to be established once the device is received by a valid and recognizable recipient. In this manner, provisioning of devices is simplified.

Abstract: An interface is provided to the user of an e-mail client program. The interface allows the user to organize his or her contacts into categories and may display representations of the user's e-mail contacts in a manner that indicates to which category the contacts belong. The user may use the interface to set customized auto-reply messages on a per-category basis, or otherwise.

Abstract: A browser-based tool is provided that loads a Webpage, accesses the document object model (DOM) of the page, collects information about the page structure and parses the page, determines through the use of heuristics such factors as how much text is found on the page and the like, produces statistical breakdown of the page, and calculates a score based on performance of the page. Key to the operation of the invention is the ability to observe operation of the Webpage as it actually loads in real time, scoring the page for several of various performance factors, and producing a combined score for the various factors.

Abstract: Distinctively treating digital communications sent by bulk message senders includes providing a set of bulk sender behavior policies and monitoring compliance by a bulk message sender with the set of policies. Based on compliance by the bulk message sender with the set of policies, digital communications sent by the bulk message sender are distinctively treated.

Abstract: A web server and a shared caching server are described for serving dynamic content to users of at least two different types, where the different types of users receive different versions of the dynamic content. A version of the dynamic content includes a validation header, such as an ETag, that stores information indicative of the currency of the dynamic content and information indicative of a user type for which the version of the dynamic content is intended. In response to a user request for the dynamic content, the shared caching server sends a validation request to the web server with the validation header information. The web server determines, based on the user type of the requestor and/or on the currency of the cached dynamic content whether to instruct the shared caching server to send the cached content or to send updated content for serving to the user.

Abstract: In a single-signature duplicate document system, a secondary set of attributes is used in addition to a primary set of attributes so as to improve the precision of the system. When the projection of a document onto the primary set of attributes is below a threshold, then a secondary set of attributes is used to supplement the primary lexicon so that the projection is above the threshold.

Abstract: A system may include an electronic messaging management application that may access contact information. The contact information may include information maintained by one or more system users. The electronic messaging management application may determine how to process an incoming electronic message using at least a portion of the contact information. The electronic messaging management application may determine whether to send a challenge-response message to a sender of an electronic message using at least a portion of the contact information.

Abstract: An instant messaging user may be represented in communications with other users by an avatar that is capable of being animated or may convey information about the user by displaying other types of self-expression items, such as non-animated icons, sounds, wallpaper, or objects associated with an avatar or wallpaper. In such a case, the avatar and self-expression items may have characteristics that relate to information that corresponds to or represents the user or their interests. The characteristics of the avatar and self-expression items chosen by the instant messaging user may be used to glean user characteristics or other types of information that describe the user in some way, such as the user's geographical location, occupation, and various hobbies and interests.

Abstract: The system and method comprises enhancement of results for a search engine, wherein the results from the search engine are refined or reorganized, based upon information from an identified secondary source. The results obtained using a conventional search are compared against the identified secondary source, e.g. a ratings service, and are filtered and/or sorted appropriately. In some embodiments, identification of the secondary source, such as a ratings service comprising information which may supplement the subject of a search query, is based upon information entered by the user. In alternate embodiments, the secondary source is associated with a user, as part of general user-specified search parameters, wherein one or more parameters are consulted automatically for searches for appropriate subject matter.

Abstract: A web-based system scans content for specific terms, and transforms occurrences of the terms into hypertext links. Each hypertext link provides access to a dynamically generated web page which contains aggregated content related to the respective term. The aggregated content may be gathered through a distributed keyword search of various content sources, including web sites and other sources on a wide area network. The results of the keyword search are aggregated into a single page or document, preferably with filtering to remove page elements not well suited for display on a mobile device. Occurrences of specific terms on this dynamically generated page may similarly be transformed into links, such that the user can browse content from various sources within a confined environment.

Abstract: A sending subscriber system may participate in a wireless network by generating a message to transmit in a wireless network, identifying a local wireless subscriber system with which communications may be established, and determining whether to use the wireless local subscriber system as a relay.