Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for implementing a glow characteristic on part or all of a graphics object within a plurality of different graphics library environments. The glow characteristic is implemented by a client application utilizing a graphics library and drawing to no more than one frame buffer at a time. The same glow characteristic can be rendered on client devices utilizing different graphics libraries.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating an avatar in an augmented reality environment on a computing device, associating that avatar with a particular physical location, configuring the avatar to perform certain actions, configuring access rights for the avatar, and then storing the state of the avatar. At a later time, the user of another computing device visits the same physical location, views the physical location through the computing device, and the avatar is inserted into the image on the display of computing device and then performs the actions previously specified.

Abstract: Embodiments for increasing clarity and expressiveness in network communications can be configured to: obtain a message from a first user as part of a network-enabled conversation with a second user, the conversation having a plurality of associated messages; analyze the content of the message; automatically use a panel layout based on the content of the message, the panel layout defining a consistent set of expressive elements for at least one message of the plurality of messages associated with the conversation, the panel layout further defining one or more panels for presenting messages of the conversation with the expressive elements; integrate the message into at least one of the panels with the expressive elements; automatically select at least one embellishment from an available set of embellishment options based on the panel layout; apply the automatically selected at least one embellishment to the message to produce an embellished message.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an actively invalidated client-side network resource cache are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a client configured to request, for a client application, data associated with an identifier from a server; the server configured to provide the data associated with the identifier and to establish a queue associated with the identifier at a scalable message queuing system, the client being configured to subscribe to the queue at the scalable message queuing system to receive invalidation information associated with the data; the server being further configured to signal the queue of an invalidation event associated with the data; the scalable message queuing system being configured to convey information indicative of the invalidation event to the client; and the client being further configured to re-request the data associated with the identifier from the server upon receipt of the information indicative of the invalidation event.

Abstract: Embodiments for increasing clarity and expressiveness in network communications include: obtaining a message from a first user as part of a network-enabled conversation with a second user; applying at least one embellishment to the message to produce an embellished message, the embellishment including either an explicitly user-selected embellishment or an automatically generated embellishment based on content of the message; and causing transmission of the embellished message via a network to the second user.

Abstract: Embodiments for increasing clarity and expressiveness in network communications include: obtaining a message from a first user as part of a network-enabled conversation with a second user; analyzing the message to identify an expressiveness keyword indicative of an emotion, mood, or level of expressiveness; selecting a level or degree of emotional expressiveness to which a corresponding emotion or mood should be expressed in relation to the identified expressiveness keyword; applying, by use of a processor, at least one embellishment to the message to produce an embellished message, the embellishment including either an explicitly user-selected embellishment or an automatically generated embellishment based on content of the message, the at least one embellishment being configured in a manner consistent with the selected level or degree of emotional expressiveness; and causing transmission of the embellished message via a network to the second user.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an actively invalidated client-side network resource cache are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for managing multiple queues of non-persistent messages in a networked environment are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving a non-persistent message at a gateway process, the message including information indicative of a named queue; mapping, by use of a data processor, the named queue to a queue node by use of a consistent hash of the named queue; mapping the message to a queue process at the queue node; accessing, by use of the queue process, a list of subscriber gateways; and routing the message to each of the subscriber gateways in the list.

Abstract: Embodiments for increasing clarity and expressiveness in network communications include: obtaining a message from a first user as part of a network-enabled conversation with a second user; analyzing the message to identify an expressiveness keyword indicative of an emotion, mood, or level of expressiveness; selecting a level or degree of emotional expressiveness to which a corresponding emotion or mood should be expressed in relation to the identified expressiveness keyword; applying, by use of a processor, at least one embellishment to the message to produce an embellished message, the embellishment including either an explicitly user-selected embellishment or an automatically generated embellishment based on content of the message, the at least one embellishment being configured in a manner consistent with the selected level or degree of emotional expressiveness; and causing transmission of the embellished message via a network to the second user.

Abstract: Embodiments for increasing clarity and expressiveness in network communications include: obtaining a message from a first user as part of a network-enabled conversation with a second user; applying at least one embellishment to the message to produce an embellished message, the embellishment including either an explicitly user-selected embellishment or an automatically generated embellishment based on content of the message; and causing transmission of the embellished message via a network to the second user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model to manage revenue allocations among derived product developers in a networked system is disclosed. The model includes providing a first revenue value associated with a first digital component, providing a second revenue value associated with a second digital component, and combining the first revenue value with a second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with the second digital component, the second digital component including at least a portion of the first digital component.

Abstract: A computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model to manage revenue allocations among derived product developers in a networked system. The model includes providing a first revenue value associated with a first digital component, providing a second revenue value associated with a second digital component, and combining the first revenue value with a second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with the second digital component, the second digital component including at least a portion, of the first digital component.

Abstract: A system and method for managing multiple queues of non-persistent messages in a networked environment are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving a non-persistent message at a gateway process, the message including information indicative of a named queue; mapping, by use of a data processor, the named queue to a queue node by use of a consistent hash of the named queue; mapping the message to a queue process at the queue node; accessing, by use of the queue process, a list of subscriber gateways; and routing the message to each of the subscriber gateways in the list.

Abstract: A computer-implemented chat system having dual channel communications and self-defining product structures is disclosed. The system and method includes providing a first logical communication channel between a first chat client and a second chat client, the first logical channel conveying text chat messages between the first chat client and the second chat client; providing a second logical communication channel between the first chat client and the second chat client, the second logical channel conveying text chat command/control information between the first chat client and the second chat client; and using the chat command/control information to modify a 3D chat scene displayed on each of the first chat client and the second chat client systems.

Abstract: A computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model includes providing a first revenue value associated with a first avatar component, providing a second revenue value associated with a second avatar component, and combining the first revenue value with a second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with a third avatar component, the third avatar component being a derived avatar component that inherits characteristics of the first and the second avatar components, the third avatar component inheriting the first revenue value from the first avatar component, the third avatar component inheriting the second revenue value from the second avatar component.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for home page customization and e-commerce support is disclosed. The present invention relates to avatar home pages and the combination of a home page customization service with an e-commerce marketplace through which users can purchase home page decorations made by third party developers. Various embodiments include a “chat now” online matching system and a real-time map showing the geographical location of users in an online community.