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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 system to enable detection of a response of a communications system to timed interruption of communications includes a computer that transmits and receives signals using at least one communication path and a device that disables the communications path based on a control signal. The control signal instructs an intended interruption in communications in the communications path.

Abstract: Alerting an intended recipient of a phone call includes identifying an account based on a phone call received from a caller and accessing configuration data related to the account. The configuration data is used to identify an identity associated with the ccount. One or more external online service provider systems are queried across a network to determine whether the identity is available to receive an electronic communication associated with the phone call. The electronic communication associated with the phone call is sent across the network to the one or more external online service provider systems conditioned on whether the identity is determined to be available to receive the electronic communication. The one or more external online service provider systems send the electronic communication to the identity.

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.

Abstract: A system and method for distributed authentication service is disclosed, which prevents any single participant from monitoring the logon rates of other participants is disclosed. In particular, there is no single central list that is consulted to identify where the authentication should be performed. Rather, the systems keys on the domain portion of the global user ID. The client portion parses the entered ID and re-directs the submission to the appropriate authentication service. Rather than consulting a global look-up table, the domain name is pre-pended to a central host domain and DNS is consulted to find the location of the underlying authentication servers. The DNS look-up is distributed and cached and, as a result, the look-up cannot be centrally monitored.

Abstract: A relationship-based inherited attributes system provides an Inheritance Table where each object in the table has an Inherited Object ID. Each ID is listed with all of the ID's that the object inherits from with sequence number that indicates the order of the inheritance in the hierarchy. A Relationship Table is provided and contains a Relationship ID, a Role, and an Assigned Object ID. To find up all of the objects participating in a certain relationship, the server looks for all the rows that have a particular relationship ID in the relationship table. The invention provides an Assignment Table where the server obtains a value by correlating the list of objects obtained from the Inheritance and Relationship tables. The value may need to be processed further and is passed to a JavaScript routine named in the table. The server refers to an Attribute Voter Table when multiple values result and conflicts arise because of this situation.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for integrating electronic mail, voice mail, and fax mail in a universal mailbox. Message receivers may access their messages with a telephone or a computer regardless of the communication medium used by the message sender. Using a telephone, message receivers may playback voice mail, redirect fax mail, and “listen” to e-mail through a text-to-speech conversion process. Using a computer and modem, message receivers may playback voice mail, view fax mail, and read e-mail by accessing the universal mailbox via connection software. Message senders and receivers may choose from a variety of filter and forward options that allow them to manage their communications via the universal mailbox. Forwarding and conversion of messages is performed automatically. The options are used to define a set of rules to be applied to inbound and outbound messages so that messages are sent and received in accordance with the preferences of the senders and receivers.

Abstract: Navigating on a display includes tracking coordinate information of an input tool on a display and moving a visible portion of a page of information on the display a distance equal to a change in the coordinate information of the input tool multiplied by a multiplier.

Abstract: A client device is enabled to access content by generating a request to access content residing on a host. A rule set associated with a user is accessed that includes one or more rules configured to identify content responsive to a predicted interest of the user. The rule set is used to identify content selections from a library of content selections available on the host. A first address corresponding to a first content selection and a second address for a second content selection identifying are identified from among the identified content selections. The first content selection is accessed from among the identified content selections by establishing a connection to the host at the address identified for the first content selection. In response to receiving a change instruction to change a content selection being rendered, the second content selection is accessed from the identified content selections at the second address.

Abstract: Collecting and distributing information related to recent content publication activity of an instant messaging (IM) user provides other users in a network with timely, relevant information about people known to the user or within the same social network. A user participating in a social network can quickly and efficiently perceive new information related to other users (referred to as co-users) in a social network by reviewing the co-users' recent content publication activity. A user may be made able to do so without requiring the co-user to send a communication directly to the user regarding the new facts or new content, and also without requiring the user to actively browse or request information about the co-user.

Abstract: An avatar that represents an user in a communications session is animated, without user manipulation, based on the animation of another avatar that represents another user in the same instant messaging communication session. The avatars may be displayed in a single instant messaging window, and the displayed animations may create an appearance that the avatars are interacting with one another. An avatar animation may be based on the content communicated by a user and a category that is associated with a user.

Abstract: Collecting and distributing information related to recent content publication activity of an instant messaging (IM) user provides other users in a network with timely, relevant information about people known to the user or within the same social network. A user participating in a social network can quickly and efficiently perceive new information related to other users (referred to as co-users) in a social network by reviewing the co-users' recent content publication activity. A user may be made able to do so without requiring the co-user to send a communication directly to the user regarding the new facts or new content, and also without requiring the user to actively browse or request information about the co-user.

Abstract: A client system submits a request to the first instant messaging system to access the first instant messaging service. The request includes an online identity that is associated with a second instant messaging system. The first instant messaging system communicates with the second instant messaging system to enable authentication of the online identity and, upon authentication, the first instant messaging system enables the client system to access the first instant messaging service.

Abstract: A first instant messaging system is configured to receive a message directed to an online identity, while a client system is using the online identity to access a second instant messaging system. Traffic delivery rules may be shared between the instant messaging systems to control delivery the delivery of the message to the online identity.