Abstract: A query submitter may submit a search query. In response, the query submitter may be provided with search results and user feedback related to the search results. The user feedback may include a relevancy rating of the search result. The relevancy rating may be derived from feedback received from a user, other than the query submitter, and may reflect how the other user perceived the relevancy of the search result to the search query. The other user may be determined to be known to the query submitter or the other user and the query submitter may share one or more attributes.

Abstract: A query submitter may submit a search query. In response, the query submitter may be provided with search results and user feedback related to the search results. The user feedback may include a rating of a particular search result. The user feedback for the particular search result may have been provided by a particular user. The user feedback may be displayed to the query submitter if the particular user is related to the query submitter. A particular user may be related to the query submitter if the particular user is known to the query submitter or the particular user and the query submitter share one or more attributes.

Abstract: A user of an instant messaging system may store names of other users of the instant messaging system on a participant list (which may be referred to as a “buddy list”), and the names may be categorized into one or more groups. Similarly, a user of a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, may store contact information about people on the mobile device. Information describing the on-line presence of the user within the instant messaging system or the geographic location of a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone associated with the user, may be disseminated to users on the participant list or to people on the contact list based on notification information that is associated with groups of users or contacts.

Abstract: An adaptive multi-tier authentication system provides secondary tiers of authentication which are used only when the user attempts a connection from a new environment. The invention accepts user input such as login attempts and responses to the system's questions. User login information such as IP address, originating phone number, or cookies on the user's machine are obtained for evaluation. User/usage profiles are kept for each user and the user login information is compared to the information from the user/usage profile for the specific user which contains all of the user information that the user used to establish the account and also the usage profile detailing the user's access patterns. The trust level of the current user login location is calculated and the invention determines if any additional questions to the user are required. If the trust level is high, then the user is granted access to the system.

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 method of transforming and canonicalizing semantically structured data includes obtaining data from a network of computers, applying text patterns to the obtained data and placing the data in a first data file, providing a second data file containing the obtained data in a uniform format, and generating interface specific sentences from the data in the second data file.

Abstract: The invention provides directory views for a directory server to facilitate navigating entries hierarchically without requiring physical existence of the entry in any particular place. The entries are put into the directory views hierarchy using information about the entries. Given a set of views, a user can navigate using one of the views which is most appropriate to get to the entries that are required. Search of views in a directory server can be performed by a filter rewriting process.

Abstract: An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system.

Abstract: Digital images are monitored by enabling access to a digital image, receiving a notification associated with the digital image from a first user, and regulating access of the first user to the digital image based on the notification received from the first user.

Abstract: This is a method for limiting access to selected features of a freely distributed multimedia file, by disabling selected features of the file (using encryption, compression, or other access denial), distributing the file with some enabled features as an inducement to new users, and offering to enable more features when a new user attempts to use a disabled feature. A licensing system then receives a request from the user's system, identifying a specific operating context and one or more features desired by the corresponding user. Accounting is done and an authorization is sent to the user or the user's system to enable the features. However, the authorization is uniquely associated with the measured operating context of the user and the features remain enabled only for said operating context, thus limiting full operation to authorized users, while permitting new users access to limited operations.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for enabling Web services to enforce multiple countries' data protection laws and regulations during data collection, data processing storage and data transfer. The system maintains a dynamic list of countries or entities that have been recognized for their adequate data protection. A data collection form is provided that takes into consideration data protection laws of the sovereign in which the form is being filled out. The system prohibits the transfer of personal data in contravention of a local sovereign's data protection laws.

Abstract: A method and system for reduction of quantization-induced block-discontinuities arising from lossy compression and decompression of continuous signals, especially audio signals. One embodiment encompasses a general purpose, ultra-low latency, efficient audio codec algorithm. More particularly, the invention includes a method and apparatus for compression and decompression of audio signals using a novel boundary analysis and synthesis framework to substantially reduce quantization-induced frame or block-discontinuity; a novel adaptive cosine packet transform (ACPT) as the transform of choice to effectively capture the input audio characteristics; a signal-residue classifier to separate the strong signal clusters from the noise and weak signal components (collectively called residue); an adaptive sparse vector quantization (ASVQ) algorithm for signal components; a stochastic noise model for the residue; and an associated rate control algorithm.

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: System and techniques for storing digital images within a computer system by identifying a first storage facility and a directory within the first storage facility for storing a digital image; generating a first image identifier associated with the first storage facility and the directory; generating a second image identifier comprising a random number; generating a unique hash value by encrypting the first and second image identifiers; and identifying a storage path using the first and second image identifiers and the unique hash value such that related digital images have unrelated storage paths.

Abstract: A corridor search process is used to identify locations of interest along a travel route. The corridor search process identifies locations of interest along a travel route by using a grid search process that first identifies shape points that correspond to the travel route. Each shape point is associated with a portion of a grid system used to delineate a region of geography through which the route traverses. The portions of the grid system correspond to a corridor along the travel route. References to redundant portions of the grid system are removed, and locations of interest are identified based on an association between a location of interest with a particular portion of the grid system.

Abstract: A call management method is provided for giving notification of calls unanswered at a destination telephone number and real-time management options for the unanswered call. When control of a call is passed to a call management server, notification of an incoming call is sent to a subscriber associated with a destination telephone. Incoming call notification is provided via a wireless data messaging terminal and includes information about the incoming call. The subscriber provides instructions in real-time for routing the incoming call.

Abstract: A search for content may be performed. A query may be received from a user who is interacting with a first device. A first collection of content that is stored on the first device may be searched to identify local content that is related to the query. A second collection of content that is stored on a second device may be searched to identify remote content that is related to the query. The second device may be different from the first device and may be accessible through a network. Results that refer to both the identified local content and the identified remote content may be displayed to the user.

Abstract: Payload information in a data unit may be translated into the attribute portion of a data unit by receiving a first data unit from a terminal with payload information, identifying attribute information from within the the payload information, and translating the first data unit into a translated data unit having an attribute portion corresponding to the attribute information from within the payload information of the first data unit.

Abstract: System and techniques for storing digital images within a computer system by identifying a first storage facility and a directory within the first storage facility for storing a digital image; generating a first image identifier associated with the first storage facility and the directory; generating a second image identifier comprising a random number; generating a unique hash value by encrypting the first and second image identifiers; and identifying a storage path using the first and second image identifiers and the unique hash value such that related digital images have unrelated storage paths.

Abstract: Communicating data packets between a client device and a host system generally includes using a protocol server module, located on the client device, that terminates a communication session that uses a first protocol and that is intended to enable communications between a source and a destination, in which the source is one of a client device operating system protocol stack and the host system and the destination is one of the client device operating system protocol stack and the host system but differs from the source. The protocol server module translates data packets from the source between the first protocol and a second protocol that is different from the first protocol and transports the data packets having the second protocol to the destination. A controller module generally also is included on the client device. The protocol server module may include a PPP server module located on the client device.