Abstract: Systems and method for modifying an image in a video feed are described. In some aspects, a plurality of images are received from a plurality of client computing devices. Each image within the plurality of images includes a face. The plurality of images are modified according to a baseline face position and a baseline face size. At least a portion of the modified plurality of images are provided for display to at least one of the plurality of client computing devices.

Abstract: Methods and systems for bandwidth adaptive computing device to computing device communication are described. Bandwidth adaptive communication includes receiving a communication from a first participant, storing the payload data of the communication in a channel memory element associated with the first participant, and transmitting the payload data to a second participant.

Abstract: Systems and method for capturing content for sharing are disclosed. In some aspects, a content capturing application is instantiated on a first computing device. A visual output providing application is instantiated for execution within the content capturing application. The visual output providing application does not execute independently of the content capturing application. The visual output providing application is configured to display an image. The image displayed by the visual output providing application is provided for presentation via the first computing device. At least a portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is captured via operation of the content capturing application. The captured at least the portion of the image displayed by the visual output providing application is transmitted via a network to a second computing device.

Abstract: Methods for providing to the presenter visual feedback regarding the screen data received by one or more viewers in an online presentation environment having a presenter transmitting screen data to one or more viewers over a network may include: transmitting data representing changed visual data; receiving confirmation of receipt of the changed visual data from one or more viewers; generating a representation of the visual data received by one or more viewers responsive to the received confirmation data; and displaying the generated representation at the presenter. Corresponding systems may include: a transmitter which transmits data representing changed visual data; a receiver which receives confirmation of receipt of the changed visual data from one or more viewers; and a display generator which generates a representation of the visual data received by one or more viewers responsive to the received confirmation data, and which displays the generated representation at the presenter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bandwidth allocation and estimation are disclosed. A computer communicates via multiple active streams, each having a type. The computer determines whether to enable or disable bandwidth management. Upon determining to enable bandwidth management, the computer estimating a total available bandwidth, determines, for each stream, a requested bandwidth, and dynamically allocates a portion of the total available bandwidth among the active streams. Upon determining to disable bandwidth management, the computer foregoes dynamically allocating bandwidth among the streams.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sharing an image in a communication session are disclosed. In some aspects, a software application is run on a first computing device, while a communication application is run on the first computing device. The first computing device is associated with a presenter in a communication session implemented via the communication application. That one or more images were added to an image library of the first computing device since a time when the communication application started running on the first computing device is determined, using the communication application. The communication application facilitates transmission of at least one of the one or more images to one or more second computing devices. The one or more second computing devices are associated with one or more audience members in the communication session.

Abstract: Hosted searching of private LAN information is described. The apparatus includes a LAN crawler to automatically and repeatedly crawl a LAN having multiple devices, using a discovery module to discover the devices, a generic-probing module to attempt to collect the descriptive information according to a first set of probing requirements, and multiple specific-probing plug-ins each of which attempt to collect the descriptive information according to a second set of specific probing requirements. In another embodiment, the apparatus also includes a hosted on-demand search system including a centralized-search server to create and synchronize a private search database.

Abstract: Hosted searching of different local area network (LAN) information is described. The apparatus for hosted searching of different private LAN information includes a LAN crawler to automatically and repeatedly crawl a LAN having multiple devices, and a hosted on-demand search system including a set of one or more centralized-search servers to create and synchronize a separate private search database for each of the private LANs based on received reports from of different instances of the LAN crawler deployed on the multiple private LANs, at least some of which are operated by different entities.

Abstract: Techniques for searching a hierarchical database and an unstructured database with a single search query are described herein.

Abstract: Methods and systems for bandwidth adaptive computing device to computing device communication are described. Bandwidth adaptive communication includes receiving a communication from a first participant, storing the payload data of the communication in a channel memory element associated with the first participant, and transmitting the payload data to a second participant.

Abstract: Techniques for searching a hierarchical database and an unstructured database with a single search query are described herein. In one embodiment, a single search query is received that has syntax identifying an unstructured search string within a structured search query to automatically cause a search of the inverted index and use of the result to automatically search the hierarchical database. The unstructured search string is extracted from the single search query and an inverted index is searched according to the unstructured search string, wherein the inverted index includes virtual documents created from data stored in the hierarchical database, wherein each virtual document includes a unique identifier from the hierarchical database used to designate the data in the hierarchical database from which that virtual document was created, wherein a result of the inverted index search includes the unique identifiers of the virtual documents that meet the search.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling access to objects of a distributed computing environment are described. In one configuration, a computing device receives a request from a principal to access a protected object and evaluating the transitive closure of the list of group identifiers. The protected object is associated with an access control list and has a time-invariant list of group identifiers. The list of group identifiers includes the access list is associated with the protected object to identify at least one principal authorized to access the protected object.

Abstract: Systems and Methods to transmit and simultaneously display all video streams in a video conference by dynamically adapting video streams based on audio volume of the participants include allocating an amount of bandwidth to a participant in a videoconference; determining a level of activity exhibited by the participant during the videoconference, and changing the amount of bandwidth allocated to the participant responsive to the determined level of activity. In another aspect, a method for displaying video streams includes creating a graphical representation of a participant in a videoconference; displaying the created graphical representation; determining a level of activity exhibited by the participant during the videoconference; and altering the displayed graphical representation of the participant responsive to the determined level of activity.

Abstract: Methods and systems for receiving feedback from a scalable number of participants of an on-line presentation. One method includes analyzing a screen change data set at a first computing device of an on-line presentation environment, tagging the screen change data set as requesting acknowledgement by the one or more viewers, and transmitting the screen change data set to the one or more viewers. The method also includes receiving a confirmation of receipt of the tagged screen change data set, generating a representation of the tagged screen change data set in response to receiving the confirmation of receipt, and displaying the generated representation at a presenter.

Abstract: Methods and systems of authenticating a plurality of users for access to an on-line group activity are described. The systems and methods prevent overloading of any participant's computer due to authentication. In some configurations, multiple endpoints are designated as authenticators and requests for authentication are load balanced amongst the authenticators.

Abstract: A method, system, and/or apparatus for quickly detecting blocks or regions in an image whose pixels that can be coded efficiently by a pointer to the same block occurring in a reference image. The reference image is shared between an encoder and a corresponding decoder. One embodiment of the encoder quickly detects such blocks in an image by: (a) defining features such that substantially fewer features occur in an image than pixels, (b) correlating features in an image to a corresponding feature in the reference image, (c) estimating a displacement vector representative of the displacement of the correlated features, (d) estimating a seed point within the displaced block from which to grow the block, and (e) growing the displaced block to determine its size, shape, and/or dimensions.