Abstract: A technique for sharing a physical target board over an electronic conference includes transforming live video from a webcam into output video that provides an enhanced view of the physical target board. The output video is shared with one or more computing machines of conference participants to enable such participants to see the enhanced view of the physical target board in real time. The conference participants can thus enjoy enhanced images of the physical board and its content, which would otherwise be difficult or impossible to see.

Abstract: A technique for managing access to a distributed database includes providing a server configured to receive database requests from client machines over a network. The server intelligently responds to a database request by (i) sending a first query to the distributed database at a lower consistency level to obtain a first response and (ii) conditionally sending a second query to the distributed database at a higher consistency level to obtain a second response. The server sends the second query conditionally based on whether the first response meets a plausibility condition specified in the database request. If the first response meets the plausibility condition, the server returns the first response to the client to satisfy the database request and no second query is sent. Otherwise, the server sends the second query to the distributed database and returns the second response to the client.

Abstract: A technique communicates data between a first client device and a second client device. The technique involves establishing a regular communications pathway from the first client device to the second client device through a communications server, and establishing a highly confidential communications pathway from the first client device to the second client device. The highly confidential communications pathway circumvents the communications server. The technique further involves, after the regular communications pathway and the highly confidential communications pathway are established, conveying highly sensitive information from the first client device to the second client device only through the highly confidential communications pathway to avoid exposing the highly sensitive data to the communications server through the regular communications pathway.

Abstract: A technique provides a phone call from a caller device operated by a human caller to an answerer device operated by a human answerer. The technique involves receiving a call request from the caller device. The call request includes a call button identifier which uniquely identifies a browser call button which is rendered on the caller device to the caller. The technique further involves identifying a source phone number based on the call button identifier. The technique further involves placing a call communication to the answerer device operated by the human answerer. The call communication indicates the source phone number as a source of the call communication. Accordingly, if the answerer device already has the context of associated with the source phone number already saved (e.g., in a contact list), the answerer device is able to automatically display that context in response to the call.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for using voicemail fingerprints to detect when a call has been answered by voicemail. A voicemail fingerprint of a known voicemail greeting is stored in association with a telephone number. The voicemail fingerprint contains a set of audio analysis streams, each of which contains audio characteristics of the known voicemail greeting beginning at a different offset from the beginning of the known voicemail greeting. A current audio analysis stream is generated containing audio characteristics of audio received beginning when a call to the telephone number is answered. If the current audio analysis stream matches one of the audio analysis streams contained in the voicemail fingerprint of the known voicemail greeting associated with the telephone number, the call to the telephone number has been answered by a voicemail box of the telephone number, and may be transferred to a secondary destination.

Abstract: A computer system executing a computer audio application such as video conferencing applies audio detection and speech recognition to an input audio stream to generate respective audio detection and speech recognition signals. A function is applied to the audio detection and speech recognition signals to generate a non-speech audio detection signal identifying presence of non-speech audio in the input audio stream when the audio detection signal is asserted and the speech recognition signal is not asserted. A control or indication action is performed in the computer system based on assertion of the non-speech audio detection signal.

Abstract: A technique provides an electronic summary of source content. The technique involves performing, on the source content, a content recognition operation to electronically generate text output from the source content. The technique further involves electronically evaluating text portions of the text output based on predefined usability criteria to produce a respective set of usability properties for each text portion of the text output. The technique further involves providing, as the electronic summary of the source content, summarization output which summarizes the source content. The summarization output includes a particular text portion of the text output which is selected from the text portions of the text output based on the respective set of usability properties for each text portion of the text output.

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: Methods and systems for automatic setup and initiation of meeting resources are described herein. A meeting room, area, or resource may be equipped with a camera or other proximity based sensor to determine when a user enters the meeting area. The camera may perform initial recognition of a user, e.g., based on facial or body recognition. The system may then authenticate the user as the meeting organizer using a second recognition technique, e.g., voice recognition. Based on the user authentication, the system may query the meeting organizer's calendar (or other resource) for meeting information, download an associated meeting presentation from cloud storage, initiate meeting (e.g., screen sharing) software, notify any missing attendees that the meeting has begun, and launch the presentation on a shared screen. The meeting organizer may then control the presentation using video and/or voice. All may be completed without the meeting organizer being required to touch anything.

Abstract: A technique utilizes a smartphone during a public address system session. The technique involves operating a public address system to provide audio from a local human presenter to a local human audience, the local human presenter and the local human audience residing at a common physical public address location. The technique further involves establishing, while operating the public address system to provide audio from the local human presenter to the local human audience, an electronic connection between the smartphone and the public address system. The technique further involves providing, after establishing the electronic connection between the smartphone and the public address system, audio from a user of the smartphone to the local human audience through the smartphone, the electronic connection, and the public address system.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that processes a query from a user. During operation, the system obtains a set of travel products matching the query. Next, the system provides a minimum bid for each of the travel products and enables additional bidding on the travel products by a set of suppliers associated with the travel products. The system then generates a ranking of the travel products based on the minimum bid, the additional bidding, and a set of quality scores associated with the travel products. Finally, the system provides the travel products to the user based on the ranking.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates a purchase of a travel product. Upon detecting a participation of a user in a first qualification event associated with a first market segment, the system associates the user with the first market segment. Next, the system provides the user with a first discount offer on a first travel product associated with the first market segment. Upon obtaining an acceptance of the first discount offer from the user, the system uses the first discount offer to process a purchase of the first travel product by the user.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates a purchase of a travel itinerary. During operation, the system obtains a query containing one or more destination preferences provided by a user for the travel itinerary, wherein the one or more destination preferences include at least one of a region and an experience. Next, the system matches the one or more destination preferences to a set of destinations and generates a ranking of the destinations based on a set of criteria associated with the query. The system then uses the set of destinations to perform a search of available travel itineraries matching the query. Finally, the system provides the available travel itineraries to the user based on the ranking.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates a purchase of a travel product. Upon receiving a commitment to purchase the travel product from a first supplier by a buyer, the system presents the buyer with a first upgrade option of a first premium travel product from a second supplier. If the buyer accepts the first upgrade option, the system processes the purchase with the first premium travel product. If the buyer declines the first upgrade option, the system processes the purchase with the travel product.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates a purchase of a travel product. Upon receiving a commitment to purchase the travel product from a first supplier by a buyer, the system presents the buyer with a first upgrade option of a first premium travel product from a second supplier. If the buyer accepts the first upgrade option, the system processes the purchase with the first premium travel product. If the buyer declines the first upgrade option, the system processes the purchase with the travel product.

Abstract: A method of completing a booking based on a plurality of travel itineraries added to a travel online shopping cart that includes processing, from a buyer, the travel itineraries and a plurality of destinations; processing, from the buyer, at least: (i) travel party information and (ii) payer information for the travel itineraries and the destinations; obtaining from the buyer, an agreement that includes: (i) buying a subset of a) the travel itineraries and b) the destinations, and (ii) a penalty for subsequently canceling the booking; selecting, by a provider, at least one destination from the destinations to obtain a selected destination; processing, from the buyer, at least one travel itinerary that corresponds to the selected destination; performing a monetary transaction to complete the booking for the selected destination; and communicating that the at least one travel itinerary and the selected destination has been purchased by the buyer.