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: Embodiments provide systems and methods for activating applications in a distributed asynchronous system based on detecting touches on a display.

Abstract: A system and related methods for visually augmenting an appearance of a physical environment as seen by a user through a head-mounted display device are provided. In one embodiment, a virtual environment generating program receives eye-tracking information, lighting information, and depth information from the head-mounted display. The program generates a virtual environment that models the physical environment and is based on the lighting information and the distance of a real-world object from the head-mounted display. The program visually augments a virtual object representation in the virtual environment based on the eye-tracking information, and renders the virtual object representation on a transparent display of the head-mounted display device.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for image blending and/or facilitating image transitions. In an example, a map interface displays map information, such as of a town, through a visualization. A first image having a first level of detail and a first image type (e.g., satellite imagery of the town) may be displayed through the visualization. While zoomed into the town, a second image having a second level of detail and a second image type (e.g., aerial imagery of the town) may be displayed through the visualization. Instead of merely transitioning the visualization from displaying the first image to displaying the second image (during zooming), which may otherwise provide a visually abrupt transition, one or more intermediate blended images, having intermediate levels of detail between the first image and the second image, may be generated and displayed during the transition between the first image and the second image.

Abstract: Multi-stage cursor control techniques are described herein in which a control algorithm having multiple stages is applied to facilitate fine grained control over cursor movement and positioning. In one or more implementations, monitoring is performed to detect input provided via a controller for a computing device to manipulate a cursor within a user interface for an application. When input is detected, a multi-stage damping algorithm is applied to the detected input. The multi-stage damping algorithm may include both spatial and temporal dampening factors. Movement of the cursor is rendered in accordance with the damped input determined via application of the algorithm. Then, when input to manipulate the cursor is concluded, an attraction sequence is initiated to move the cursor to a target element contained in the user interface.

Abstract: Sharing an application in response to detecting one or more environmental events (such as user input). The mechanism operates multiple applications, and maintains a registry of endpoint interface entities. The endpoint interface entities may include hardware entities or hardware entities in association with environmental criteria. For each of at least some of the applications, the mechanism identifies at least one endpoint interface entity that is to interface with the endpoints at least a portion of the application. The selected endpoint interface entity is then allowed to interface with the application (or the portion). In some embodiments, the application is a transformation chain having endpoints.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to file system placeholders. In aspects, placeholders may be used by a client to represent remote file system objects. The placeholders may include metadata, searchable text, and may also include none, some, or all of the content of the represented remote file system objects. Search data from the placeholders is integrated into a local search database of the client such that the client is able to satisfy queries and identify relevant local and remote file system objects even when the client is offline with respect to remote storage.

Abstract: The techniques and systems described herein are directed to isolating part-centric motion in a visual scene and stabilizing (e.g., removing) motion in the visual scene that is associated with camera-centric motion and/or object-centric motion. By removing the motion that is associated with the camera-centric motion and/or the object-centric motion, the techniques are able to focus motion feature extraction mechanisms (e.g., temporal differencing) on the isolated part-centric motion. The extracted motion features may then be used to recognize and/or detect the particular type of object and/or estimate a pose or position of a particular type of object.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for seamless transitions between applications and devices. A network-based or local context service provides functionality for storing and retrieving context data. The context service can expose a create activity method for creating a unique activity identifier (“ID”). The activity ID is associated with an activity, such as the execution of an application on a computing device. The interface exposed by the context service can also expose a method for storing context data, such as data that can be used to return an application to its pre-transition state. The interface exposed by the context service can also expose a method for obtaining context data. The context service can also expose a method for completing an activity. The context data can also be exposed to other services, such as business intelligence network services that analyze the context data to provide recommendations or other types of information to users.

Abstract: A federated realm discovery system within a federation determines a “home” realm associated with a portion of the user's credentials before the user's secret information (such as a password) is passed to a non-home realm. A login user interface accepts a user identifier and, based on the user identifier, can use various methods to identify an account authority service within the federation that can authenticate the user. In one method, a realm list of the user device can be used to direct the login to the appropriate home realm of the user. In another method, an account authority service in a non-home realm can look up the user's home realm and provide realm information directing the user device to login at the home realm.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and managing per-application profiles are disclosed. A method may include receiving input designating at least a first profile policy and a second profile policy. At least a first application profile and a second application profile may be created based on the received first profile policy and the second profile policy. An application of the plurality of applications may be associated with both the first application profile and the second application profile. A first storage partition and a second storage partition may be created within a storage space of the computing device. The storage space may be associated with the application. The first storage partition may store application data while the application is running under the first application profile. The second storage partition may store application data while the application is running under the second application profile.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter includes techniques for storing sensitive data. An example system includes a processor and a computer-readable memory storage device storing executable instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to send authentication credentials to a service to request authorization to store sensitive data with the service. The example system also includes instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to capture sensitive data from a sensor on a device. The example system also includes instructions that can be executed by the processor to cause the processor to bypass storing the captured sensitive data in any non-volatile memory in the device and stream the captured sensitive data to the service from the sensor.

Abstract: In various embodiments, methods and systems for implementing multiple transaction logs in a distributed storage system are provided. A log stream component detects performance metrics of a plurality of log streams. The performance metrics are associated with requests from partitions in the distributed storage system. A transaction component receives a request to execute a transaction using a log stream. The request is received from a partition of the distributed storage system. The performance metrics of the plurality of log streams can be referenced, where the performance metrics indicate a performance capacity of a selected log stream to process the request. A log stream for executing the transaction is determined based on the performance capacity. The log stream selected can also factor request attributes of the request. The transaction component communicates the request to be executed, using the log stream to perform the transaction.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory management system temporarily maintains a memory page at an artificially high priority level. The memory management system may assign an initial priority level to a memory page in a page priority list. The memory management system may change the memory page to a target priority level in the page priority list after a protection period has expired.

Abstract: A computing device is described herein that automatically enters a data protection mode in response to determining that a certain number of persons are located proximate to the computing device, that an owner or authorized user is not located proximate to the computing device, or that a certain user gesture has or has not been recognized. When the device enters the data protection mode, sensitive data stored on the device is automatically rendered invisible and/or inaccessible to a user thereof. The sensitive data may be rendered invisible and/or inaccessible in a manner that is not likely to be apparent to the user of the computing device.

Abstract: Techniques to perform federated authentication are described. An apparatus may comprise a resource server may have an authentication proxy component to perform authentication operations on behalf of a client. The authentication proxy component comprises an authentication handling module operative to receive an authentication request to authenticate the client using a basic authentication protocol. The authentication proxy component also comprises an authentication discovery module communicatively coupled to the authentication handling module, the authentication discovery module operative to discover an identity server for the client.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for understanding tables for search. Aspects of the invention include identifying a subject column for a table, detecting a column header using other tables, and detecting a column header using a knowledge base. Implementations can be utilized in a structured data search system (SDSS) that indexes structured information, such as, tables in a relational database or html tables extracted from web pages. The SDSS allows users to search over the structured information (tables) using different mechanisms including keyword search and data finding data.

Abstract: Highlighted objects may traverse a graph representing an application's code elements and relationships between those code elements. The highlighted objects may be animated to represent how the objects are processed in an application. The graph may represent code elements and relationships between the code elements, and the highlighting may be generated by tracing the application to determine the flow of the object through code elements and across relationships. A user may control the highlighted graph with a set of playback controls for playing through the sequence of highlights on the graph. The playback controls may include pause, rewind, forward, fast forward, and other controls. The controls may also include a step control which may step through small time increments.

Abstract: A dynamic thumbnail corresponding to an application window is displayed that is capable of being modified based on modifications in the application window. The modifications of the dynamic thumbnail may be accomplished in real-time. In some embodiments, a dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to a user hovering a cursor over a taskbar button for a corresponding application window. In some embodiments, modifications to the dynamic thumbnail are reflected in the corresponding application window.

Abstract: Techniques for a trust service for a client device are described. In various implementations, a trust service is implemented remotely from a client device and provides various trust-related functions to the client device. According to various implementations, communication between a client device and a remote trust service is authenticated by a client identifier (ID) that is maintained by both the client device and the remote trust service. In at least some implementations, the client ID is stored on a location of the client device that is protected from access by (e.g., is inaccessible to) device components such as an operating system, applications, and so forth. Thus, the client ID may be utilized to generate signatures to authenticate communications between the client device and the remote trust service.