Abstract: Software restriction policy rules can be automatically generated by parsing through a specified metadata source and generating the rules in accordance with indicated preferences. Metadata sources can include storage locations, such as folders, in which case rules for each executable file in the folder can be generated. Metadata sources can also include trusted publisher stores, installation logs, difference files, and other like data sources. Indicated preferences can select from among rules based on the publisher, for files that are signed, or rules based on hashes or path information for unsigned files. In generating rules to prevent the execution of specified files, if an optimized set of rules is desired, a check can be made to determine if an exception to an existing rule can be generated instead of a new rule. The automated parsing of the indicated metadata source can provide for both completeness and correctness.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing information pertaining to one or more individuals or entities with whom a user has at least one pre-defined type of relationship (e.g., a social networking relationship) and information pertaining to the user's behavior with respect to the one or more individuals (e.g., manual designation, interaction with communications received from and/or sent to the user, and the like) to present relevant search results and/or advertisements to a user in response to receiving a search request are provided. Upon receiving a search request from a user, information about the user's relationships and behavior with respect to those relationships is utilized to determine user-relevant search results and/or advertisements. The search results and/or advertisements that are determined to be relevant to that particular user based upon the user's behavior and presented.

Abstract: Described is noise reduction technology generally for speech input in which a noise-suppression related gain value for the frame is determined based upon a noise level associated with that frame in addition to the signal to noise ratios (SNRs). In one implementation, a noise reduction mechanism is based upon minimum mean square error, Mel-frequency cepstra noise reduction technology. A high gain value (e.g., one) is set to accomplish little or no noise suppression when the noise level is below a threshold low level, and a low gain value set or computed to accomplish large noise suppression above a threshold high noise level. A noise-power dependent function, e.g., a log-linear interpolation, is used to compute the gain between the thresholds. Smoothing may be performed by modifying the gain value based upon a prior frame's gain value. Also described is learning parameters used in noise reduction via a step-adaptive discriminative learning algorithm.

Abstract: Data traffic, latency, and power consumption in a mobile unified communication environment are reduced by optimizing communication between a mobile client application and a mobile data server through determining optimum delay between exchanged messages and/or filtering portions of data not relevant to the mobile client application at the server. Additional optimizations include providing mobile client application relevant updates in an intelligent fashion based on user activity, screen resolution or displayed information, relevant contacts and relevance of information, and similar characteristics.

Abstract: Methods for integrating with and participating in a connectivity exchange are described herein. Service providers and users access the Internet via the exchange using one or more devices. These devices include user devices for accessing the Internet via the exchange and devices for service providers offering services to users via the exchange.

Abstract: A framework is provided for obtaining window information. The window information can be applied to different assignment models to assign windows to different groups. A group may correspond to a task being performed by a user. The window information can be semantic or temporal information captured as window events and properties of windows whose events are captured. Temporal information can be information about switches between windows. Semantic information can be window titles. Temporal information, semantic information, or both, can be used to assign windows to groups.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for multiplexed communication for duplex applications. Embodiments of the invention facilitate a multiplexed variant of long polling over a request/reply communication medium that (potentially significantly) reduces the resources utilized when exchanging messages. The lightweight address generation mechanism facilitates polling and routing for a pool of many clients and many services while minimizing allocated resources to each established session. Further, the benefits of a lower latency bidirectional communication medium between clients and services can be utilized.

Abstract: Architecture for playing a document converted into an audio format to a user of an audio-output capable device. The user can interact with the device to control play of the audio document such as pause, rewind, forward, etc. In more robust implementation, the audio-output capable device is a mobile device (e.g., cell phone) having a microphone for processing voice input. Voice commands can then be input to control play (“reading”) of the document audio file to pause, rewind, read paragraph, read next chapter, fast forward, etc. A communications server (e.g., email, attachments to email, etc.) transcodes text-based document content into an audio format by leveraging a text-to-speech (TTS) engine. The transcoded audio files are then transferred to mobile devices through viable transmission channels. Users can then play the audio-formatted document while freeing hand and eye usage for other tasks.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for the non-disruptive and reliable live migration of a virtual machine (VM) from a source host to a target host, where network data is placed directly into the VM's memory. When a live migration begins, a network interface card (NIC) of the source stops placing newly received packets into the VM's memory. A virtual server driver (VSP) on the source stores the packets being processed and forces a return of the memory where the packets are stored to the NIC. When the VM has been migrated to the target, and the source VSP has transferred the stored packets to the target host, the VM resumes processing the packets, and when the VM sends messages to the target NIC that the memory associated with a processed packet is free, a VSP on the target intercepts that message, blocking the target NIC from receiving it.

Abstract: Model adaptation may be performed to take a general model trained with a set of training data (possibly large), and adapt the model using a set of domain-specific training data (possibly small). The parameters, structure, or configuration of a model trained in one domain (called the background domain) may be adapted to a different domain (called the adaptation domain), for which there may be a limited amount of training data. The adaption may be performed using the Boosting Algorithm to select an optimal basis function that optimizes a measure of error of the model as it is being iteratively refined, i.e., adapted.

Abstract: A system and related techniques provide a platform for encoding high density geometric symbol sets, for example a triangular barcode-type of encoding which may be used to encode drivers' licenses, biometric IDs, passports, or other transaction or identification media. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, an inkjet, laser or other printer or output device may imprint a paper, plastic or other media with geometric symbols such as triangles in a defined array, to represent, for instance, name, address, or other identifying information, for instance such as digital facial photographs, iris or retinal scans, fingerprints, signatures, or other information. The geometric symbols may in one regard be arranged in a staggered format, separated in embodiments by a white space that may serve to reduce aliasing effects and other distortions.

Abstract: Within the field of computing, many scenarios involve the execution of an instruction set within a domain that is configured to support an execution context. However, various portions of the instruction set may be preferably executed in different domains, such as for promoting performance and for providing debugging features like the ability to simulate execution of a debuggee function without incurring side-effects in the debuggee. Portions of the instruction set may therefore be executed in different domains by inserting domain switch points in the instruction set specifying a target domain. The instruction set may then initiate execution in an initial domain, and upon reaching a domain switch point, may transition to the target domain. In some embodiments, the domain switch points may be automatically inserted into the target instruction set based on various domain switch criterion, such as performance, reliability, and affinity of an instruction with a particular domain.

Abstract: Various implementations are described herein for using a connectivity exchange to provide ubiquitous wireless connectivity and a marketplace for exchanging wireless connectivity. Wireless service providers join the connectivity exchange and enable users to access the Internet using their wireless connectivity via the connectivity exchange. Users are authenticated via the exchange and rates and terms for users to access the Internet are negotiated. General service providers provide services via the exchange.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a shared space for communicating information. In an embodiment a number of users associated with a computing environment can use a shared space to communicate information with one another. Each computing device of the computing environment can include a shared space application. The shared space application includes a number of interactive tools that can be used to persist various communications between associated computing devices of a computing environment.

Abstract: A collaboration system using peer-to-multi-peer distribution of messages representing changes to a shared workspace. Each peer determines a distribution mechanism for messages to each of the target peers sharing the workspace. The selected distribution mechanism may depend on capabilities of a home relay associated with a peer initiating a message. Further, messages to subsets of the target peers sharing the workspace may be distributed using a session for each subset on which each message is sent only one time. The subset of target peers associated with some of the sessions may be selected so that target peers for which communication attempts have failed are grouped in the same session. In some scenarios, the initiating peer may provide multiple routing paths for target peers in a session and the home relay server may appropriately forward the message to the target peers, using one of the routing paths.

Abstract: An information service provides search and notifications to inform when certain people (e.g., friends, family, business contacts, etc.) are nearby so as to facilitate communications with those people. Users may define lists of people whose locations may be tracked by positioning equipment based on personal communications/computing devices carried by the people. The information service processes this people and place data to identify those of the listed people that are in the user's vicinity, and provide notifications and user-initiated search results informing the user such as via the user's personal communications/computing device.

Abstract: A utility computing portal supports public and private modules for application development in a cloud computing environment. The public modules support downloads, customer support and access to a development community. The private modules are accessible to users with valid login credentials or those authenticated via a related entity, such as a Live ID. The private modules may include modules for testing, analysis, and billing. The utility computing portal also supports access to application configuration, for example, allowing a manager to change the number of front end and backend physical/virtual machines available to various application roles.

Abstract: Data in tables with foreign key relationship is synchronized in batches employing a two-pass process during playback based on whether the foreign key constraint is a linear dependency, self-referencing, or cyclic. A separate table containing a primary key of records and database timestamp columns for change operations may also be used for batch synchronization in addition to or instead of adding database timestamp columns to existing tables.

Abstract: A node on a serial bus, preferably a device such as a personal computer (PC), can emulate other devices using virtual device drivers. A PC connected to a 1394 bus exposes its CROM on the bus which presents an image to other nodes on the 1394 bus and describes the functional units supported by the node. The CROM can be changed dynamically by adding unit directories to the CROM detailing peripherals connected to the PC. The PC can then be enumerated as the connected device by other PCs on the bus. The PC can emulate or morph itself into any desired device or even multiple devices at the same time. The invention also allows a PC to create devices that don't yet exist on the bus. The invention allows a user to create virtual device objects with device properties to have just in case a user plugs the particular device in to the PC.

Abstract: A system, method, and medium are provided for presenting a user-interface to a user during a search session that includes information about the user's search history during that search session. A search session is instantiated, and search queries, search results, user selections of search results, and other information is recorded. Search results pages provided to the user in response to queries include a session tracker module that displays interactive information associated with recent search queries issued by the user during the same session, such that the user can quickly recall previously issued queries and corresponding search results.