Abstract: In accordance with certain aspects, bound key operations on ciphertext and/or data are implemented. A bound key operation can receive both data to be signed and a bound key blob that is bound to one or more processors, recover a private key from the bound key blob, and generate a digital signature over the data using the private key. A bound key operation can alternatively receive both ciphertext and a bound key or bound key structure bound to one or more processors, recover or reconstruct a private key based on the bound key or bound key structure, and use the private key to generate plaintext corresponding to the ciphertext.

Abstract: Dynamic icons are described that can employ animations, such as visual effects, audio, and other content that change with time. If multiple animations are scheduled to occur simultaneously, the timing of the animations can be controlled so that timing overlap of the animations is reduced. For example, the starting times of the animations can be staggered so that multiple animations are not initiated too close in time. It has been found that too much motion in the user interface can be distracting and cause confusion amongst users.

Abstract: An automated “Voice Search Message Service” provides a voice-based user interface for generating text messages from an arbitrary speech input. Specifically, the Voice Search Message Service provides a voice-search information retrieval process that evaluates user speech inputs to select one or more probabilistic matches from a database of pre-defined or user-defined text messages. These probabilistic matches are also optionally sorted in terms of relevancy. A single text message from the probabilistic matches is then selected and automatically transmitted to one or more intended recipients. Optionally, one or more of the probabilistic matches are presented to the user for confirmation or selection prior to transmission. Correction or recovery of speech recognition errors avoided since the probabilistic matches are intended to paraphrase the user speech input rather than exactly reproduce that speech, though exact matches are possible.

Abstract: An amount is divided into equal portions (n) in a manner which eliminates rounding errors or remainders and has repeatable results.

Abstract: A wireless computer that pairs with a remote audio-video presentation device, such as a television. As a result of the pairing, a communication channel is established for the computer to transmit audio-video content for presentation through that device. Additionally, as part of the pairing, the computer and remote device select a side channel for communication of user commands. The wireless computer may display a user interface through which a user may input commands that control the manner in which the remote audio-video device presents the content. As a result, a user may use the wireless computer as a remote control for the audio-video device, controlling both the content presented and the manner in which it is presented. The side channel may use different frequencies than the channel used to communicate audio-video content, and may use very low power at frequencies in the digital TV spectrum.

Abstract: Extensions or additional software programs that are requested by a computer application running on an application platform are handled in an efficient manner by, among other things, regulating and tracking extensions that are downloaded. This allows the size of the application platform upon which the application is running to remain relatively small so as to mitigate strain on resources when the platform is initially deployed over a network (e.g., the Internet), thus making it easier and more likely for a user to install the application platform (and/or updates thereto). Requested extensions are subsequently added to and/or removed from the (already deployed) application platform based on, among other things, download metrics.

Abstract: Launching a debugging process. A method includes at a compute node on a cluster private network, receiving a debug job via a scheduler of a head node from a client on a public network. The head node is connected to both the cluster private network and the public network. The public network is external to the cluster private network. The method further includes beginning processing the debug job, and as a result initiating debugging by starting one or more debugger remote agents at the compute node. The method further includes beginning processing a user job in the presence of the started debugger remote agents at the compute node. The client is informed that the one or more debugger remote agents are ready to debug the user job. A debugger client at the client is connected to the one or more debugger remote agents.

Abstract: Various examples are disclosed herein that relate to staged element classification. For example, one disclosed example provides a method of classifying elements by forming elements for classification into a plurality of first-level sets in a first stage, generating primary groups within the first-level sets based on element similarity, forming a plurality of second-level sets from the first-level sets in a second stage, generating secondary groups within the second-level sets based on element similarity, and merging a plurality of the primary and/or secondary groups based on element similarity.

Abstract: A user profile for an online gaming service is created. The user profile contains user gaming information received from a first location. The user profile is stored in a database, and the user is permitted to access the user profile from a second location.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described for Point-to-Point Protocol-free (PPP-free) access and service authentication in a wireless network. An HRPD connection/session is established between an access terminal and the access network. Instead of setting up a PPP session and performing access (i.e., device access) authentication and service authentication using PPP, the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is utilized.

Abstract: Using client-server session parallelism (CSSP), a client device establishes multiple network communication sessions with different remote servers and requests the same unsegmented data item from each server. Whichever copy of the unsegmented data item is received earliest at the client device is provided to an application. The CSSP software may be part of a network stack, or it may be part of a particular application such as a browser or a media player. The servers are not necessarily CSSP-aware, but when they are, sessions may be load-balanced. CSSP sessions may also be transferred to other CSSP-aware servers in view of server loads, imminent server reboots, or other events. A CSSP client may notify a CSSP server of status information describing session(s) established at the client with other server(s), allowing the server to reallocate bandwidth to other clients when the CSSP client has sufficient alternate data sources.

Abstract: Described are embodiments for allowing clients that access a distributed file system to locally cache directory metadata. The client may request a read lease which allows the client to cache the directory metadata locally and service requests received from the same application which originally requested the directory metadata using the cache. In addition, the client may also request a handle lease which allows a client to delay the closing of a directory handle and allow the handle to be reused to service subsequent directory metadata requests from the same or a different application. A client may also request a write lease which allows an application on the client to modify the directory metadata, such as by creating or deleting new files in the directory, or changing their attributes, and cache those changes.

Abstract: Tools and techniques for indexing and searching dynamically changing search corpora are provided. These tools may receive requests to upload documents over a network to an online document repository, and present a user interface to facilitate the upload. The user interface may include devices that are responsive to user activation to grant permission to at least one other user to search for content contained within the documents. Through the user interface, these tools may receive selections from the user related to granting the permission, with the documents being associated with share parameters that incorporate the user selections. Finally, the tools may receive identifications of the documents to be uploaded.

Abstract: A method for rendering source content for display in a destination figure is provided. The method may include receiving the source content of the file, replicating the source content in a region surrounding the source content, such that replicated source content is aligned with the source content, extracting an axis-aligned rectangular tile containing the source content from the region, and rendering the axis-aligned rectangular tile onto the destination figure.

Abstract: A messaging entity configured in a memory of first node of a plurality communicatively coupled nodes is disclosed. The nodes are included in a distributed computing system. The messaging entity is configured to operate as a secondary messaging entity in a messaging server for the plurality communicatively coupled nodes. The messaging entity is communicatively couple to a primary messaging entity configured in a memory of a second node of the plurality of nodes. The primary messaging entity is configured to store a message; store a copy of the message. Also, the messaging entity is configured to be promoted to a new primary messaging entity in the event of failure of the primary messaging entity.

Abstract: A method of tracking a target includes classifying a pixel having a pixel address with one or more pixel cases. The pixel is classified based on one or more observed or synthesized values. An example of an observed value for a pixel address includes an observed depth value obtained from a depth camera. Examples of synthesized values for a pixel address include a synthesized depth value calculated by rasterizing a model of the target; one or more body-part indices estimating a body part corresponding to that pixel address; and one or more player indices estimating a target corresponding to that pixel address. One or more force vectors are calculated for the pixel based on the pixel case, and the force vector is mapped to one or more force-receiving locations of the model representing the target to adjust the model representing the target into an adjusted pose.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for presenting a software application to a plurality of users in a cloud computing environment. For example, an application that was designed for use by a single user is provided in a cloud based platform without re-architecting the application. Using a web-based interface, multiple cloud users may launch and execute the application. The various instances of the application are provided to the cloud users as if the application were designed as a multi-user application.