Abstract: Systems and methods described herein provide selective synchronization of DNS records. A synchronization data store is synchronized by: obtaining a complete set of domain name system (DNS) records for a first data center; and copying the complete set of DNS records to the synchronization data store. After the synchronization data store is initialized, at a particular time interval, a snapshot of the complete set of DNS records is repeatedly collected. Differences between the copied complete set of DNS records of the synchronization data store and the snapshot of the complete set of DNS records are identified. The synchronization data store is updated with the differences and a determination is made as to whether the differences should be implemented at a second data center. When the differences should be implemented at the second data center, the differences are propagated to the second data center, otherwise they are not.

Abstract: A corporate information technology (IT) network can protect sensitive data sent to computers located outside of the IT network. For example, a customer of a company may control who can access his or her sensitive personal information by identifying his or her access preference included in an access control list, where the access preference describes a level of access that at least one remote employee or person may have to the customer's sensitive personal information. A data protection server may containerize the sensitive personal information and the access control list of the person in a data protection container. If a remote employee or a person requests access the customer's sensitive personal information, the data protection server may perform data protection related operations to provide the sensitive personal information to the remote employee or person.

Abstract: A system and method of providing real time account information for financial accounts is disclosed. The system includes an event based architecture including an event stream. Financial transaction processing systems publish transaction events to the event stream. A transaction service listening to the event stream detects new transaction events. The transaction service takes action to enrich transaction data. A middleware system reconciles existing transactions and persists transaction records in long term storage. The system can detect fraudulent transactions before the transactions have been posted to the financial account. The system can also be used to provide real time notifications to customers about potential fraudulent activity.

Abstract: A method for dynamically allocating computing resources to virtual computing machines in a shared system. An initial allocation is made for each computing resource. Current demand for each computing resource for each of the virtual computing machines is determined to identify changes in current demand. The system identifies a virtual computing machine for which usage of a first computing resource is approaching a first predetermined threshold allotted to the first virtual computing machine. The system identifies a second virtual computing machine in the system for which usage of the first computing resource is less than a second predetermined threshold of the first computing resource allotted to the second virtual computing machine. The server dynamically allocates at least part of the first computing resource from the second virtual computing machine to the first virtual computing machine to meet current demand for the first computing resource in the first virtual computing machine.

Abstract: Methods and systems described in this disclosure identify a driver of a vehicle. The driver may have a profile indicating vehicle settings, and at least one of the vehicle settings may not be overridden by the driver. The vehicle may be configured according to the vehicle settings in the profile, such that the vehicle may not operate outside of at least one of the vehicle settings that cannot be overridden. An insurance rate for insuring the vehicle may be generated based at least in part on the vehicle settings associated with the profile.

Abstract: A user may provide a financial card to an automated teller machine (ATM) or point of sale (POS) terminal and may be authenticated by providing a gesture and/or an image selection via a mobile device to the ATM or the POS. The gesture and/or image selection may be provided using a touchscreen of the mobile device. The gesture and/or image provided by the user via the mobile device may be compared to a stored gesture and/or image provided by the user during an earlier registration of the financial card. If there is a match between the gesture and/or image provided by the user via the mobile device and the previously stored gesture and/or image, then the user is authenticated and may access an account associated with the financial card.

Abstract: System and methods for pre-fetching data are provided. In one embodiment, an electronic device includes communications circuitry communicatively coupled to a data provider system over a network to obtain streaming data for completion of tasks. The electronic device also includes pre-fetch circuitry that identifies a dead zone in the network; calculates a pre-fetch data size amount based at least in part upon a size of the dead zone; and requests the pre-fetch data size amount of the data, to mitigate lost streaming ability in the dead zone.

Abstract: A system includes one or more sensors configured to acquire data indicative of a condition of one or more components of a vehicle. The system also includes one or more processors configured to receive the data, determine a risk profile for the vehicle based on the data, and determine an insurance cost for the vehicle based on the risk profile.

Abstract: A system to create a dehydrating environment from the waste cooling air from a data center including a drying room above the data center. Waste cooling air dries moisture laden product in the drying room and is returned to the data center. Also, a system to distribute waste cooling air from a data center. The system includes a reservoir tank and a local tank for waste cooling air. Both tanks include insulated walls that assist in maintaining a temperature within the reservoir tank. A reservoir tank blower conveys waste cooling air from the data center into the reservoir tank and pressurizes the interior of the reservoir tank. Pressurized waste cooling air from the data center is delivered from the local tank through the blower when a blower valve is opened.

Abstract: Techniques are described for user authentication based on a signal that is transmitted through an individual's body, and detected using device(s) in physical contact with the individual. A signal, such as an electrical signal or a vibrational signal, may be transmitted from a first device and received by a second device that is in physical contact with the individual. The received signal may be employed to determine a body signature for the individual. The body signature may identify the individual among a population of individuals, given the particular alterations to the propagating signal caused by the individual's physiology. Accordingly, the body signature may be employed as a form of biometric data that is useable to authenticate the individual to access a secure area, log in to a device or an application, or for other purposes.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for submitting financial instruments, cash and other value bearing documents for deposit at retail locations unaffiliated with the various financial institutions the deposits are directed to. The method includes identifying account holders and scanning the physical documents to be deposited with equipment at the retail location that is provided by a third party facilitator. The equipment at the retail location communicates with a third party facilitator system to lookup bank routing information and uses this information to complete a remote deposit transaction for the account holder with that account holder's particular financial institution. The system may include a standalone or distributed system having a memory in communication with a processor system configured to perform the method noted above.

Abstract: Utility programs run on multiple mainframes to periodically monitor a list of started tasks that have been defined in metadata files as running on each mainframe. Some of the utility programs is largely driven by metadata, and filters programmed to manage an output stream for each started task, as the output stream is generated, while remaining agnostic as to an origin of the output stream. When problems are detected in the output stream, users are notified via alerts, along with a suggestion of what to do. This batch dashboard application can be used by anyone with mainframe started tasks that need to be monitored. Once alerted to a problem, the users can logon to the online dashboard for that same list of started tasks and take actions to research and fix the problems.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying behavioral characteristics of a user related to operation of a computing device prior to an online account session. The method includes comparing the behavioral characteristics to a behavioral profile previously developed based on prior behavioral characteristics of the user, and determining an appropriate mark difficulty level based on a variation between the behavioral characteristics and the behavioral profile. The method includes selecting, from a plurality of prompts stored in a prompt database, a prompt that comprises instructions to draw a mark having the appropriate mark difficulty level, where other prompts of the plurality of prompts comprise instructions to draw other marks different from the mark, and providing the prompt to the user as part of a logon process for the online account session.

Abstract: Techniques for providing information related to insurance services solicit interaction from a user (e.g., during video game play). The solicited interaction identifies a real property. A virtual environment gaming landscape is generated. The gaming landscape includes a virtual representation of the identified real property. Additional interaction from the user with the virtual environment gaming landscape is solicited. A risk assessment related to the identified real property is performed based on user's interaction with the virtual environment gaming landscape. A recommendation regarding one or more services is provided based on the performed risk assessment.

Abstract: A vehicle liquid testing system includes a liquid testing apparatus with a form factor of a dipstick. The system includes a sensor that detects a property of a fluid in a vehicle and emits a signal indicative of the property. A transmitter receives the signal from the sensor and transmits the signal. A controller receives the signal from the transmitter and compares the signal from the sensor to a threshold level to determine a condition of the fluid.

Abstract: A system that includes a vehicle system that monitors characteristics of an autonomous and/or semi-autonomous driving program. The system includes a processor that receives a first set of data from the vehicle system. The first set of data is associated with the autonomous and/or semi-autonomous driving program. The processor determines a rate premium based on the first set of data. The processor then displays a visualization that includes the rate premium on a display. The processor receives a second set of data from the vehicle system. The second set of data is associated with monitored performance of the autonomous and/or semi-autonomous driving program. The processor adjusts the rate premium based on the second set of data and displays an adjusted rate premium.

Abstract: Techniques are described for routing service requests, in a service environment, based on a category of a previously terminated service session. A category is determined for a first service session involving an individual, the category being a topic, question, and/or problem discussed during the first service session. An activity record may be stored that identifies the individual and the category of the first service session. If the first service session is terminated, a reconnection dialog can be presented to request a reconnection. A second service request may be sent based on the selection through the reconnection dialog. Responsive to receiving the second service request, the activity record may be accessed and used to determine the category of the previous service session. The service request can then be automatically routed to a service representative suited to handle requests in that particular category.

Abstract: A system may employ one or more satellite sensors to monitor an area; detect a body or thing that should not be present in an area; formulate a response, such as documentation, notifying authorities, or deploying unmanned aerial vehicles; and execute the response. Monitoring an area can be based on a request for surveillance at the area.

Abstract: A system and method of using an intelligent voice assistant to assist a user is described. The intelligent voice assistant includes a voice module to control speech functionality and one or more other modules that provide a variety of other assistance, including a document explanation module, a push content module, a call connection module, or an enhanced assistant module. The modules may be configured as applications that are downloaded to the intelligent voice assistant and used to provide various assistance to the user to explain documents, pay bills, call a customer service representative, navigate to a target view on an application of a user device, or retrieve diagnostic data for sensors in communication with the intelligent voice assistant.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods capable of performing text exploration on large volume of corpus without prior knowledge in an accurate and efficient manner and may also provide any number of additional or alternative benefits and advantages. In particular, embodiments described herein provide a text exploration executable environment that uses unsupervised machine-learning to assist a human analyst with distilling key emerging themes from a corpus of hundreds or thousands of text files presented in a time series graphical user interface (GUI). A document may be a unit of text under analysis received from a particular data source, such as word-processing documents, paragraphs, sentences, chat sessions, speech-to-text call segments, online texts, social media postings (e.g., Tweets®), and other machine-readable text.