Abstract: A method of aiding a speech recognition program developer by grouping calls passing through an identified question-answer (QA) state or transition into clusters based on causes of problems associated with the calls is provided. The method includes determining a number of clusters into which a plurality of calls will be grouped. Then, the plurality of calls is at least partially randomly assigned to the different clusters. Model parameters are estimated using clustering information based upon the assignment of the plurality of calls to the different clusters. Individual probabilities are calculated for each of the plurality of calls using the estimated model parameters. The individual probabilities are indicative of a likelihood that the corresponding call belongs to a particular cluster. The plurality of calls is then re-assigned to the different clusters based upon the calculated probabilities. These steps are then repeated until the grouping of the plurality of calls achieves a desired stability.

Abstract: A software transactional memory system is described which utilizes decomposed software transactional memory instructions as well as runtime optimizations to achieve efficient performance. The decomposed instructions allow a compiler with knowledge of the instruction semantics to perform optimizations which would be unavailable on traditional software transactional memory systems. Additionally, high-level software transactional memory optimizations are performed such as code movement around procedure calls, addition of operations to provide strong atomicity, removal of unnecessary read-to-update upgrades, and removal of operations for newly-allocated objects. During execution, multi-use header words for objects are extended to provide for per-object housekeeping, as well as fast snapshots which illustrate changes to objects. Additionally, entries to software transactional memory logs are filtered using an associative table during execution, preventing needless writes to the logs.

Abstract: The dynamic updating of firewall parameters is described. One exemplary embodiment includes receiving a policy rule that includes a reference to a predefined container that specifies a permissible value range of at least one firewall parameter allowable under the policy rule, receiving a firewall parameter value, and populating the predefined container with the firewall parameter value if the firewall parameter value is within the permissible value range, thereby updating the policy rule.

Abstract: A set of DSML application programming interface (DSML API) functions is provided to facilitate the implementation of DSML-based directory service access. The DSML API includes a DSML document API class for building or accessing a DSML payload, and a DSML connection API class that handles connection and transport to a DSML server. To access a directory service, the client calls functions of the DSML document API class to generate a DSML request payload, and calls functions of the DSML connection API to transport a packet with the DSML request payload according to a pre-selected connection protocol, such as SOAP, to the DSML server for forwarding to the directory service.

Abstract: Systems and methods that integrate user assigned association among a plurality of resources or entities. The subject innovation employs an association component that relates such resources or entities, based on aggregate of user notions that are assigned for relationships; and/or based on how users perceive existence of relationships among such resources. Accordingly, resources can be related (e.g., linked, matched, tagged and the like) based on relevance of collective user behavior during tagging.

Abstract: Access to one or more data streams can be controlled by encrypting a description of how segments of the data streams can be assembled, for example, to produce an audio or video program. Access to the one or more data streams can also be provided by obfuscating names of at least some of the segments in order to make it more difficult to determine the proper order for assembling the segments. In at least some embodiments, the data contained in at least some of the segments themselves is not encrypted.

Abstract: Transmit user feedback from a user to a web syndication author. A first communication link is opened. Content data from the web syndication author is received. The received content data is stored on a first client device. The opened first communication link is terminated after receiving the content data. User behavior data is collected as a function of user interactions with the received content data on the first client device after terminating the first communication link. User feedback including the collected user behavior data is transmitted to the web syndication author by opening a second communication link.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and systems for providing secure user access to services offered by a service provider to a client application over a network. One embodiment includes receiving an application cookie from the client application and populating a service cookie based on information in the application cookie. Information in the service cookie is utilized as a basis for regulating a provision of services to the client application.

Abstract: An instant messaging client application is provided that receives requests to initiate instant messaging conversations and, in response to the requests, displays a notification window. The notification window includes information that may allow a user to decide whether or not the user would like to participate in the instant messaging conversation. The notification window is displayed gradually and removed gradually. The notification window contains an indication that another instant messaging user would like to initiate an instant messaging conversation and may include an identification of the remote user. The notification window also contains a description of the topic for the requested instant messaging conversation. The instant messaging client application may also display a notification window each time an instant message is received from a remote user and the application window is in a non-visible or non-active window.

Abstract: An interest center-point and a start point are created in an image. A potential function is created where the potential function creates a potential field and guides traversal from the starting point to the interest center-point. The potential field is adjusted to include a sum of potential fields directed toward the center-point where each potential field corresponds to an image. Images are displayed in the potential field at intervals in the traversal from the start point toward the interest center point.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for generating a help interface to present static help content and customized help content for an application. Help content data is accessed to define the static help content and a control command to support incorporation of the customized help content. The control command is implemented to determine a configuration of the application, and a user context is determined based on a user characteristic and the application configuration. The customized help content is then resolved based on the control command and the user context. In some cases, a help system may include a help viewer module or program in communication with a computer-readable memory storing the help content data. The help viewer may then render the help interface based on the static help content and customized help content resolved from the control command, the application configuration, and other aspects of the user context in which it is presented.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing a debugger for programs running under a transactional memory system. When running a particular program using the debugger, the system detects when a conflict occurs on at least one conflictpoint that was set in the particular program. A graphical user interface is provided that displays information related to the detected conflict. The graphical user interface can display transactional state and/or other details independently of a conflict. A conflictpoint can be assigned to one or more regions of source code in one or more transactions in the particular program. A conflictpoint can also be assigned to a particular variable in the particular program. When running the particular program in a debug mode, execution is stopped if a conflict occurs on any of the conflictpoints.

Abstract: A technique that enables a portable device to be automatically associated with a plurality of computers. Information that a computer can use to authenticate a portable device and establish a trusted relationship prior to creating an association with the portable device is created and stored in a data store that is accessible by a plurality of computers and is associated with a user of the portable device. When a computer discovers such a portable device with which it is not yet associated, the computer can identify a user logged into the computer and use information identifying the user to retrieve authentication information that is device independent and is expected to be presented by the portable device to authenticate it and allow automatic association.

Abstract: Relevant search results for a given query may be determined using click data for the query and the number of times the query is issued to a search engine. The number of clicks that a result receives for the given query may provide a feedback mechanism to the search engine on how relevant the result is for the given query. The frequency of a query along with the associated clicks provides the search engine with the effectiveness of the query in producing relevant results. Edges in a graph of queries versus results may be weighted in accordance with the click data and the efficiency to rank the search results provided to a user.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for translating declarative models. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate processing declarative models to perform various operations on applications, such as, for example, application deployment, application updates, application control such as start and stop, application monitoring by instrumenting the applications to emit events, and so on. Declarative models of applications are processed and realized onto a target environment, after which they can be executed, controlled, and monitored.

Abstract: Implementing desired business logic functionality. The desired business logic functionality may include a number of individual functions. A number of computer implemented modules are selected. Each module is configured to perform at least a portion of one of the individual functions. Additionally, each module includes a computer implemented interface for connecting to other modules. The implemented modules are connected to create a composite module. The composite module includes functionality for implementing the individual functions. The composite module includes computer implemented interfaces for connecting to other modules, including a UI module. As such, the composite module is reusable in implementing more complex functionality by being selected as a computer implemented module and being connected to other computer implemented modules. The composite module is agnostic to how a UI module exposes functionality to a user.

Abstract: A policy configurable file system includes a computer system upon which the policy configurable file system operates, a policy source for providing the configuration policies, and one or more file servers. The computer system includes software for enforcing one or more configuration policies. The policy source is typically either a policy server such that the policy is derived from the policy server, or a policy configurable file system, such that the policy is embedded in the policy configurable file system. The one or more file servers each uses a protocol, wherein the protocols of the one or more file servers are not all the same. In one case, the one or more of the configurable policies are separable from the policy configurable file system. In another case, the one or more configurable policies are downloadable to the computer system.

Abstract: Combining network connection maintenance operations that use a resource to extend battery life. Each of the network connections has a timer and a defined tolerance for early connection maintenance. After receiving notification of an event, the network connections are accessed to identify the connections for which a maintenance operation may be performed early based on the timer and the tolerance. In an embodiment, the maintenance operation includes sending a transmission control protocol (TCP) keep-alive packet on the connection.

Abstract: A distributed event processing system that can organize (e.g., order) input streams regardless of actual time of receipt is provided. This order may simply be arrival order or given explicitly on a specific event attribute, such as a timestamp or sequence number. Traditional standing event queries, such as a temporal correlation of events across multiple streams, often block if an input stream is slow or may produce an incorrect answer if events fail to arrive within the fixed time interval. In response to this situation, the subject innovation employs punctuation and heartbeats in connection with a robust and scalable event processing system. The innovation discloses mechanisms by which heartbeats and timestamps can be regularly generated by low-level nodes (e.g., sources) and propagated through the network, to unblock standing event pattern queries and align events from multiple distributed streams.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to providing URL-facilitated access to spreadsheet component elements. In embodiments, a client may discover and then access elements of an existing workbook directly through a URL. In embodiments, a client may also provide, through a URL, value(s) for parameter(s) defined by the existing workbook. If value(s) are provided by the client, the workbook may be recalculated using the value(s) before a requested element of the workbook is returned to the client. In embodiments, the workbook is recalculated using a transient copy of the workbook, which is then discarded and the original workbook remains unchanged. Data changed in the workbook is automatically reflected in returned elements of the workbook when a request for such element is refreshed.