Abstract: Techniques for processing handwriting input based upon a user's writing style. Some techniques employ the style in which the user writes a single character, while other techniques alternately or additionally employ a group of allographs that form a handwriting style. Some implementations of these techniques, such as those implemented in writing style analysis tool, analyze one or more characters written by a user to identify a community, such as a geographic region or cultural group, to which the user's handwriting style belongs. Other implementations analyze one or more characters of a user's handwriting in order to alternately or additionally categorize the user's handwriting into a particular handwriting style. The writing style analysis tool may then provide the user with a handwriting recognition application specifically configured for that user's personal handwriting style.

Abstract: A system and methods for service discovery and publication are disclosed. Application programs write requests for service discovery, publication, and subscription to a service discovery application programming interface. The service discovery application programming interface invokes one or more lower-level protocols to satisfy the discovery, publication and/or subscription request. Service information retrieved from lower-layer protocols is formatted into a consistent data model and returned to the client application. In addition, service information may be stored in a persistent data store managed by a discovery persistence service communicatively connected to the service discovery API.

Abstract: A method of controlling access to network services enables an authorized proxy client to access a service on behalf of a user. To permit the client to function as a proxy, the user registers proxy authorization information with a trusted security server. The proxy authorization information identifies the proxy client and specifies the extent of proxy authority granted to the proxy client. When the proxy client wants to access a target service on behalf of the user, it sends a proxy request to the trusted security server. The trusted security server checks the proxy authorization information of the user to verify whether the request is within the proxy authority granted to the proxy client. If so, the trusted security server returns to the proxy client a data structure containing information recognizable by the target service to authenticate the proxy client for accessing the target service on behalf of the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for scaling down a Web page image enables the image to be displayed on a standard television without horizontal scrolling of the image. A Web page image that initially has a horizontal dimension larger than the horizontal dimension of a television display is received from a web server and subsequently scaled down by a scaling factor that is based only upon the amount of scaling that is necessary to fit the image within the horizontal dimension of the television display. This scaling factor is used to scale the image horizontally and vertically, thus preserving the aspect ratio of the image. When a hyperlink from the scaled down Web page image is selected, coordinates to the hyperlink are scaled up based on the same scaling factor so that they will correspond with the server-side image map of the Web page image.

Abstract: A system and method of expanding the range of a mesh network by determining whether a route through a local Internet service provider is an optimal path between two nodes. If the route through a local Internet service provider is an optimal path, a routing table is updated to include the optimal path so that mesh nodes on the mesh network have access to the routing table.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates management and navigation of various data objects by making use of a unique time-line based navigation tool. In particular, objects can organized into a plurality of bands based on their respective subject matter. Each band can be created to designate a particular topic. Objects are organized within the appropriate bands based in part on a time parameter such as a time or date that the object was created, for example. The navigation tool allows a user to navigate or browse through the bands and objects according to a desired time parameter or range of time. Zooming and other browsing options are available to the user to view objects of interest at varying levels of detail. The objects are represented as ASCII thumbnails that are operational. Thus, the content of any object can be modified directly via the thumbnail.

Abstract: An embedded macro establishes logic for object properties that define actions that execute when an event triggers. When an embedded macro is associated with an event, a regular event property value is set to an empty string and a shadow property associated with the regular event property is created. An application that supports embedded macros recognizes the empty regular property value as an indicator that a macro is embedded in the event. A binary representation of the macro is accessed from the shadow property and is executed when the event associated with the embedded macro triggers. An action safe list identifies trusted embedded macro actions. Embedded macro actions not included on the safe list are not executed such that untrusted actions are blocked from execution.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and computer-readable medium for quarantining a file. Embodiments of the present invention are included in antivirus software that maintains a user interface. From the user interface, a user may issue a command to quarantine a file or the quarantine process may be initiated automatically by the antivirus software after malware is identified. When a file is marked for quarantine, aspects of the present invention encode file data with a function that is reversible. Then a set of metadata is identified that describes attributes of the file including any heightened security features that are used to limit access to the file. The metadata is moved to a quarantine folder, while the encoded file remains at the same location in the file system. As a result, the encoded file maintains the same file attributes as the original, non-quarantined file, including any heightened security features.

Abstract: An XML (eXtensible Markup Language) schema to define a list of terms to be recognized as semantic categories is disclosed. Using an instance of the XML schema, a user may easily define terms to be recognized as semantic categories without having to compile a complete recognizer plug-in. The XML schema may be written using any editing tool or XML schema editing tool to create an instance of the schema. An instance of the semantic category list schema is also referred to as a semantic category list file. Typically, the user completes all of the properties of the XML schema and specifies the list of terms to recognize directly in the XML schema. In addition to specifying terms directly in the XML schema, the user may use a binary representation of the list of terms because of size constraints. The user may also define actions in the semantic category list file.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to automatically target shared resources in a computer network which are pertinent to a query for information from a client and/or a server through the use of a shared resources portal. In one embodiment, a query is received in the shared resources portal from a requestor. The portal may then identify a target resource server to which to route the query by filtering the information provided by a number of shared resource servers in the network against information regarding an organizational role performed by the requester. The identified target resource server may be one which provides information pertinent to the organizational role performed by the requester. The query is then processed in the identified target resource server.

Abstract: Feedback and frame synchronization between media encoders and decoders is described. More particularly, the encoder can encode frames that are based on source content to be sent to the decoder. The encoder can determine whether the frame should be cached by the encoder and the decoder. If the frame is to be cached, the encoder can so indicate by encoding the frame with one or more cache control bits. The decoder can receive the frame from the decoder, and can examine the cache control bits to determine whether to cache the frame. The decoder can also decode the frame.

Abstract: A method and system for visually tracking a point of contact of an optical output from a computer input device includes an internal camera configured to visually track the point of contact of the optical output against a surface and an optical source to transmit the optical output from the computer input device. The camera also transmits the position of the point of contact as a computer input. In one form, the computer applies the position of the point of contact as an input to an application operating on the computer, such as a gaming application. In one form, the camera can visually track the movement of the computer input device along a surface.

Abstract: High throughput in data computations and processing is maintained while minimizing latency. A binary tree architecture is provided in which two trees are used simultaneously, and initiation of the trees is staggered to allow for optimal use of bandwidth. These techniques are desirable for erasure codes and other computations where the addition operator is commutative. Additionally, a ternary tree architecture may be used, in which three trees co-exist on the same set of nodes to maintain high throughput while further improving latency.

Abstract: Methods and computer-readable media are provided for ranking search results using feature extraction data. Each of the results of a search engine query is parsed to obtain data, such as text, formatting information, metadata, and the like. The text, the formatting information and the metadata are passed through a feature extraction application to extract data that may be used to improve a ranking of the search results based on relevance of the search results to the search engine query. The feature extraction application extracts features, such as titles, found in any of the text based on formatting information applied to or associated with the text. The extracted titles, the text, the formatting information and the metadata for any given search results item are processed according to a field weighting application for determining a ranking of the given search results item. Ranked search results items may then be displayed according to ranking.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a real-time data relocating mechanism is provided for multiprocessing environments, including supporting lock-free programs that run in parallel. The relocating mechanism moves an object by using a status field related to the data field, possibly in an interim (wide) object space, which is then copied to a to-space object. The status information for each data field of the original object contains information indicating where a current version of the data for each field is present, that is, in the original, wide or to-space object. In one example, a handshake mechanism of a garbage collector establishes preparation and copy phases between the mechanism and other threads that determine where memory accesses occur. Also described is support for program thread compare-and-swap (CAS) operations and/or multi-word atomic operations.

Abstract: To reduce the dependency of overlay networks on underlay networks to route messages, a virtual ring routing architecture may be formed that leverages the design of the overlay network to achieve their desirable scaling and robustness properties but also reduce the dependency on any underlay network to setup and maintain connectivity. More particularly, each node may have a single, fixed, location independent node identifier, to organize the nodes into a virtual ring. The connectivity between nodes through the actual network topology may be formed by a plurality of nodes in the virtual ring by maintaining connectivity to those nodes identified as virtual neighbor nodes within the virtual ring. The path segments defining communication connections between virtual neighbor nodes may be used to route messages between any pair of nodes in the network and may reduce route discovery overhead, reduce delay in transmission, and reduce or eliminate flooding to setup or maintain the path segments.

Abstract: A rights-managed email is provided for sending protected content from a sender to a recipient, whereby the recipient can render the protected content with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license. In the email, a main information portion has a message that the email is rights management protected, and an attachment portion has the protected content. The recipient if enabled can render the protected content in the attachment portion. If not enabled, the recipient can only review the main information portion having the message. The enabled recipient recognizes that the email has the protected content in the attachment portion thereof, discounts the main information portion of the email, and examines the attachment portion of the email and proceeds based thereon to render the protected content in the attachment portion.

Abstract: A garbage collection system and method in a multiprocessor environment having a shared memory wherein two or more processing units participate in the reclamation of garbage memory objects. The shared memory is divided into regions or heaps and all heaps are dedicated to one of the participating processing units. The processing units generally perform garbage collection operations, i.e., a thread on the heap or heaps that are dedicated to that processing unit. However, the processing units are also allowed to access and modify other memory objects, in other heaps when those objects are referenced by and therefore may be traced back to memory objects within the processing units dedicated heap. The processors are synchronized at rendezvous points to prevent reclamation of used memory objects.

Abstract: Utilization of wireless access points (APs) is optimized by dynamically managing transmitted AP power levels of beacon packets to control wireless AP coverage. This permits traffic congestion at one wireless AP to be reduced and shifted to other wireless APs. AP coverage management is provided by a centralized mechanism that employs various interpretations and/or measurements of client received power to handle dynamic changes in client workloads. The control does not require protocol changes to clients that utilize a wireless AP and can also incorporate hand-off costs and/or manufacturer specified power level constraints. Thus, these techniques can be employed in existing wireless LANs without impacting clients. Various instances are employable with continuous power and/or discrete power based wireless APs, providing a non-client impacted means to increase throughput and/or load balance.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for resource access control in computer systems. Our approach includes new techniques for composing and authenticating principals in an access control system. Our principals may comprise information that identifies the role of the user of a computer system, the mechanism by which the user was authenticated, and program execution history. Thus, when a principal makes a request, access control determinations can be made based on the principal's identity. Access control lists may provide patterns that are used to recognize principals, thereby ensuring a level of security without enumerating precise identifiers for all of the possible principles that may request a particular resource.