Abstract: Systems and methods use machine learning techniques to resolve location ambiguity in search queries. In one aspect, a dataset generator generates a training dataset using query logs of a search engine. A training engine applies a machine learning technique to the training dataset to generate a location disambiguation model. A location disambiguation engine uses the location disambiguation model to resolve location ambiguity in subsequent search queries.

Abstract: Remote notifications are provided by a security system. When the security system detects a visitor, a first notification is sent to an authorized user. The first notification may include an image or video, thus allowing the user to recognize the visitor. If the user approves the visitor, the security system deactivates for a period of time. The visitor may thus enter a home or business for some purpose. However, if the visitor lingers beyond the period of time, the security system reactivates and sends a second notification.

Abstract: A conference attendee uses a personal communications device such as a smart phone as a microphone to ask questions or otherwise engage in real time communications with other conference attendees and the host, through a speaker system being used in the conference. A server maintains a database of conference attendees, and serves a mobile Web page to each attendee permitting the attendee to request a real-time communication. The server flags records of those attendees that request a real-time communication. The server establishes no voice connection with a personal communications device until after the conference host selects a device from among a number of personal communications devices that have requested communications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a dynamic glyph based search includes an image server. The image server analyzes images to determine the content of an image. The image and data related to the determined content of the image are stored in an image database. A user can access the image server and search images using search glyphs. In response to selection of a generic-search glyph, the image server finds related images in the image database and the images are displayed to the user. In addition, refine-search glyphs are displayed to a user based on the selected generic-search glyph. One or more refine-search glyphs can be selected by a user to further narrow a search to specific people, locations, objects, and other image content.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are for managing opt-in and opt-out for private data access. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a mobile device can receive a request to obtain private data associated with a user of the mobile device and, in response to the request, determine whether an application program associated with the request is permitted to access the private data based upon a rule. The mobile device, in response to determining that the application program is permitted to access the private data based upon the rule, can instruct the application program to proceed to obtain the private data. The mobile device, in response to determining that the application program is not permitted to access the private data based upon the rule, can instruct the application program to avoid obtaining the private data.

Abstract: A technique for monitoring performance in a network uses passively monitored traffic data at the server access routers. The technique aggregates performance metrics into clusters according to a spatial hierarchy in the network, and then aggregates performance metrics within spatial clusters to form time series of temporal bins. Representative values from the temporal bins are then analyzed using an enhanced Holt-Winters exponential smoothing algorithm.

Abstract: Example methods disclosed herein include, in response to receiving a first message associated with a first registration request for a device, determining whether the device is currently assigned to a first call processor and performing a load balancing procedure to reassign the device to one of a plurality of call processors including the first call processor, the load balancing procedure to bias reassignment to the first call processor in response to the device being determined to be currently assigned to the first call processor. Such example methods further include, in response to receiving a second message associated with a second registration request for the device, causing the first call processor to de-register the device in response to determining that the second message is associated with a pending reassignment of the device from the first call processor to a second call processor included in the plurality of call processors.

Abstract: A network communication node includes an audio outputter that outputs an audible representation of data to be provided to a requester. The network communication node also includes a processor that determines a categorization of the data to be provided to the requester and that varies a pause between segments of the audible representation of the data in accordance with the categorization of the data to be provided to the requester.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for dynamic location-based message notification. In one embodiment, a method for providing alerts to a computing device includes identifying, via a set of location-specific computing resources, a current location of the computing device and sending at least one alert to the computing device, based on the current location.

Abstract: A method of recovering frequency and phase associated with an optical carrier signal in an optical communication system includes determining an estimated frequency offset based on a starting training sequence, determining a current frequency offset based on the estimated frequency offset and a current phase during steady-state operation of the optical communication system, determining a current frequency based on the current frequency offset, determining an estimated phase using training symbols inserted into the optical carrier signal, and determining the current phase associated with the optical carrier signal based on the estimated phase and a blind phase search algorithm. A corresponding systems and computer-readable device are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for facilitating online gift shopping includes: receiving an order for a gift for a recipient from an online shopper via a computer network; providing a gift notice for the recipient to inform the recipient that the gift has been ordered for the recipient; receiving a reply to the gift notice from the recipient via the computer network, wherein the reply includes gift feedback information; and updating a recipient profile responsive to the reply and based on the gift feedback information from the recipient, wherein the recipient profile is associated with the recipient. Computer program products and systems for facilitating online gift shopping are also provided.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products process an emergency communication. A profile is queried for a code received during the emergency communication. If the code matches the profile, then the emergency communication is blocked.

Abstract: A method for managing a data stream that is transmitted from a stream transmitter to a stream receiver disposed in an environment that includes at least one individual is provided. The method includes detecting an action of the individual in the environment and determining a demographic descriptor of the individual based on the detected action. The method further includes correlating the determined demographic descriptor and a content of the data stream to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, and, in response to the correlating the demographic descriptor of the individual and the content of the data stream satisfying the predetermined condition, automatically modifying the data stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for intelligent caching of concatenative speech units for use in speech synthesis. A system configured to practice the method can identify a speech synthesis context, and determine, based on a local cache of text-to-speech units for a text-to-speech voice and based on the speech synthesis context, additional text-to-speech units which are not in the local cache. The system can request from a server the additional text-to-speech units, and store the additional text-to-speech units in the local cache. The system can then synthesize speech using the text-to-speech units and the additional text-to-speech units in the local cache. The system can prune the cache as the context changes, based on availability of local storage, or after synthesizing the speech. The local cache can store a core set of text-to-speech units associated with the text-to-speech voice that cannot be pruned from the local cache.

Abstract: Methods for forwarding media content are disclosed. For example, a method identifies a known participant captured in the media content, detects an unknown participant captured in the media content and sends a request to a device of the known participant to identify the unknown participant and to provide contact information for the unknown participant. The method then receives from the device of the known participant, the contact information for the unknown participant and sends the media content to a device of the unknown participant using the contact information.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing for intelligent switching of languages and/or pronunciations in a text-to-speech system. As the system receives text, the text is analyzed to identify portions which should have speech constructed using a pronunciation distinct from the remaining portions of the text. The text-to-speech system uses multiple pronunciation dictionaries to generate and produce speech corresponding to the text, where the identified portions of the text are in a different language or have a different accent from the remainder of the text. Having generated speech corresponding to the text in multiple languages, accents, or dialects, the system combines the portions, then communicates the speech to the text recipient.

Abstract: A method of increasing resolution of an image includes generating vector contours associated with a first image and scaling the vector contours to a second resolution. The first image has a first resolution, and the second resolution is greater than the first resolution. The vector contours are rendered to generate a guiding image at the second resolution, and a second image is generated from the first image based on the guiding image, by using joint upsampling. The second image is generated at the second resolution. The vector contours can be generated by bitmap tracing binary images at different quantization levels. An apparatus and computer readable device implementing the method of increasing the resolution of an image are also provided.

Abstract: The reduction of multicast traffic collisions is facilitated. A device that is associated with a multicast group receives a multicast message requesting re-transmission of an acknowledgment message from the device. The multicast message includes information identifying the device within the multicast group of devices. In response to the device being determined to be identified by the information, the acknowledgement message can be re-transmitted after a defined transmit delay period after receipt of the multicast message. The defined transmit delay period can be based on the number of devices in the multicast group, based on the number of previous re-transmissions by the device and/or based on the number of devices for which re-transmission is requested.

Abstract: A system for providing differentiated services to traffic flows of a content distribution network is disclosed. In particular, the system may include determining if a first portion of an internet protocol address associated with a traffic flow includes an identifier for a node in the content distribution network by comparing the identifier to a set of prefixes for the content distribution network. Additionally, the system may include determining if a second portion of the internet protocol address matches a unique host address specified by the content distribution network for a customer of the content distribution network. If a rule for providing a differentiated service exists for the customer, the first portion is in the set of prefixes, and the second portion matches the unique host address specified for the customer, the system may provide the differentiated service for the traffic flow.

Abstract: An option list is customized for a user. Titles are retrieved that are related to the user's historical preference for content. A content database is then searched for an additional title of content that is unrelated to the user's historical preference for content. The option list is generated to include the titles and the additional title.