Abstract: A method and system for efficiently executing a delegate of a program by a processor coupled to an external memory. A payload including state data or command data is bound with a program delegate. The payload is mapped with the delegate via the payload identifier. The payload is pushed to a repository buffer in the external memory. The payload is flushed by reading the payload identifier and loading the payload from the repository buffer. The delegate is executed using the loaded payload.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for recognizing speech. The method includes receiving speech from a user, perceiving at least one speech dialect in the received speech, selecting at least one grammar from a plurality of optimized dialect grammars based on at least one score associated with the perceived speech dialect and the perceived at least one speech dialect, and recognizing the received speech with the selected at least one grammar. Selecting at least one grammar can be further based on a user profile. Multiple grammars can be blended. Predefined parameters can include pronunciation differences, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Optimized dialect grammars can be domain specific. The method can further include recognizing initial received speech with a generic grammar until an optimized dialect grammar is selected. Selecting at least one grammar from a plurality of optimized dialect grammars can be based on a certainty threshold.

Abstract: Example methods, apparatus and articles to manage routing in networks are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes identifying a first network element associated with a problematic network element; identifying a first maximum transmission unit of the first network element and a second maximum transmission unit of the problematic network element; determining whether the first and second maximum transmission units are different; and when the first and second maximum transmission units are different, identifying a value of a greater one of the first and second maximum transmission units and configuring the first network element and the problematic network element to each have the identified value.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for selecting a speech recognition model in a standardized speech recognition infrastructure. The system receives speech from a user, and if a user-specific supervised speech model associated with the user is available, retrieves the supervised speech model. If the user-specific supervised speech model is unavailable and if an unsupervised speech model is available, the system retrieves the unsupervised speech model. If the user-specific supervised speech model and the unsupervised speech model are unavailable, the system retrieves a generic speech model associated with the user. Next the system recognizes the received speech from the user with the retrieved model. In one embodiment, the system trains a speech recognition model in a standardized speech recognition infrastructure. In another embodiment, the system handshakes with a remote application in a standardized speech recognition infrastructure.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods related to managing and programming directional wayfinding content associated with a map. Embodiments include a system for programming directionally based textual instructions describing navigating to and from map locations along path segments between the locations. The textual instructions can then be arranged as output to a user in an order corresponding to a travel route to provide customizable textual instructions to a remote location that vary depending on the direction of the paths traversed in the route. Also disclosed are various methods and devices for delivering the textual instructions to an end user.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a method of browsing and displaying items from a collection is provided. Information about each of plurality of items in a collection is stored. A plurality of user-entered tags is obtained. Each tag comprises a term associated with one or more of the items in the collection. The tags are stored in machine-readable storage media. An image that is representative of an item is displayed on a display screen along with images that are representative of each of a plurality of associated tags. In response to a user selecting a particular one of the displayed tags, an image representing the selected tag is displayed along with a plurality of images that are representative of items associated with the selected tag. In response to the user selecting a particular one of the displayed items, an image that is representative of the selected item can be displayed along with a plurality of images that are representative of tags associated with the selected item.

Abstract: A method for scheduling tasks from a program executed by a multi-processor core system is disclosed. The method includes a scheduler that groups a plurality of tasks, each having an assigned priority, by priority in a task group. The task group is assembled with other task groups having identical priorities in a task group queue. A hierarchy of task group queues is established based on priority levels of the assigned tasks. Task groups are assigned to one of a plurality of worker threads based on the hierarchy of task group queues. Each of the worker threads is associated with a processor in the multi-processor system. The tasks of the task groups are executed via the worker threads according to the order in the hierarchy.

Abstract: A method and system for rendering a graphic object is disclosed. The method includes selecting a set of points of a graphic object for shading. At least one shading parameter is determined for application to the selected set of points of the graphic object. A shading parameter image is precalculated based on the determined at least one shading parameter. The shading parameter image is stored in a memory. The selected points are shaded using the shading parameter image to produce a shaded graphic object image via a graphic processor. The shaded graphic object image is rasterized into a frame image.

Abstract: System and method for expanding the capabilities of a PC-based software are disclosed. The system provides a technique for synchronizing a database associated with a PC-based software with a WAN server database. Additionally, a WAN server, associated with the WAN server database, is configured to provide substantially the same functionality as that of the PC-based software. This effectively facilitates web-access of the PC-based software and database by way of the WAN server and database. The WAN server may be configured to provide additional functions in order to expand the functionality of the PC-based software. The WAN server may also be configured to integrate distinct databases by either relaying information between the distinct databases or integrating the information from the distinct databases into a single database.

Abstract: A transaction facilitation system is disclosed that is configured to affect substantially real-time crediting and debiting of a gaming accounts maintained within a gaming environment and structured to communicate by a private restricted communication link with an issuing financial institution of a stored value account to effect real-time crediting and debiting of the stored value account. Financial transactions using the stored value account can be and used customer relationship purposes.

Abstract: State-of-the-art speech recognition systems are trained using transcribed utterances, preparation of which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The present invention is an iterative method for reducing the transcription effort for training in automatic speech recognition (ASR). Active learning aims at reducing the number of training examples to be labeled by automatically processing the unlabeled examples and then selecting the most informative ones with respect to a given cost function for a human to label. The method comprises automatically estimating a confidence score for each word of the utterance and exploiting the lattice output of a speech recognizer, which was trained on a small set of transcribed data. An utterance confidence score is computed based on these word confidence scores; then the utterances are selectively sampled to be transcribed using the utterance confidence scores.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to provide communication connections for partners based on communication references assigned to entities maintained by the partners. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving from a partner contact information of an entity; providing the partner with a real-time communication reference usable to at least initiate a request for a communication connection; and in response to receiving a request initiated via the real-time communication reference, providing a real-time communication connection between a requester and the entity using the contact information received from the partner.

Abstract: Methods and systems for connecting people for real time communications via a virtual reality environment. One embodiment includes: receiving a call for a real time communication session at a virtual object presented in a virtual reality world; indicating to a plurality of residents of the virtual reality world that the virtual object is being called; and responsive to an input from one resident of the plurality of residents, connecting the call to the resident for a real time communication session.

Abstract: A media system providing off screen pointer control is disclosed. A remote control device is adapted to be held and pointed by a user and controls a menu based on both on screen and off screen pointing. The on screen pointing may control a cursor or other pointer. The off screen pointing may provide a variable scrolling function or other control function.

Abstract: The innovation includes systems and methods of facilitating electronic commerce (e-commerce) via a proxy service. Such a method can include the acts of receiving a hypertext transfer protocol with secure socket layer (HTTPS) request from a client application and translating the HTTPS request to a format appropriate for an e-commerce web application. Additionally, such a method can include the steps of sending the translated request to the e-commerce web application via HTTPS and receiving a response based at least in part on the translated HTTPS request. The method can also include the acts of translating the HTTPS response to a format appropriate for the client application and sending the translated response to the client application via HTTPS. Secure information can be encrypted and stored at the client application separately from the encryption key, which can be stored by the proxy service.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for incentivizing. Point(s) are provided for solutions to problems, answers to questions, resolution to issues, etc. and these points may be utilized to obtain products and/or services.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to connect consumers to diverse advice sources of experts. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a list of experts to a mobile device via a wireless media channel for presentation to a consumer; responsive to receiving from the mobile device a selection of one expert from the list of experts, initiating a telephonic connection between the expert and the consumer prior to the consumer submitting a question for advice. In one example, the list includes information to indicate whether one or more of the experts are individually available to telephonically communicate with the consumer at a time when the list is provided to the consumer. In one example, initiating the telephonic connection includes: initiating a first call to the consumer; initiating a second call to the expert; and joining the first and second calls to make the telephonic connection between the expert and the consumer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to facilitate searches of communication references for real time communication connections. One embodiment includes: one or more web servers to assign a communication reference to an advisor for distribution by the advisor in one or more documents, to associate at least one keyword with the communication reference, to receive from the advisor a bid price on the keyword associated with the communication reference, and to present the communication reference selected based at least in part on the bid price in response to a search related to the keyword; a session border controller to interface with a packet switched network; and one or more telecommunication servers to determine contact information of the advisor based on the communication reference used by a customer to request a communication connection to the advisor, and to connect the customer to the advisor for real time communications using the determined contact information.

Abstract: An application control system and method is adapted for use with an entertainment system of a type including a display such as a monitor or TV and having display functions. The control device may be conveniently held by a user and employs an imager. The control system and method images the screen of the TV or other display to detect distinctive markers displayed on the screen. This information is transmitted to the entertainment system for control of an application or is used by the control device to control an application.