Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for managing data flows in a high-volume system. Jobs are grouped into pipelines of related tasks. A pipeline controller accepts schemas defining the jobs in a pipeline, their dependencies, and various policies for handling the data flow. Pipelines may be smoothly upgraded with versioning techniques and optional start/stop times for each pipeline. Late data or job dependencies may be handled with a number of strategies. The controller may also mediate resource usage in the system.

Abstract: Methods and systems of providing a job search to a jobseeker are disclosed. Based on previously stored user preferences, job listings can be presented to users. User preferences can be gathered through previous search requests, resume keywords, jobseeker applies to job listings, jobseekers viewing job listings, etc. The search request can include search criteria. As such, preference data related to the jobseeker is identified based on jobseeker online behavior. In one embodiment, a set of jobs listings having associated metadata that match the search criteria is identified. A subset of job listings that match the preference data is identified. The subset of job listings is a subset of the set of job listings. At least the subset of job listings can be provided to the jobseeker. In another embodiment, a set of job listings having associated metadata that match the search criteria and the jobseeker preferences is identified and provided to the jobseeker.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for rotating an advertisement on a single page or screen. The advertisement may be rotated when the user is active on the page or screen. In addition, the advertisement that replaces the original ad may be based on the user's activity, or may be based on the content displayed in the page or screen. This system and method may increase advertising inventory that is displayed on a page or screen by displaying advertisements for a set time interval, which results in increased flexibility for sellers and buyers of online advertising.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the present invention are related to a social network site with enhanced user interaction functionality. In particular implementations, a method includes accessing a list of contacts that are connected to an owner of a personal page of a social network; identifying one or more contact pairs from the list, wherein the contacts in each contact pair are not connected to each other; computing an affinity score for each identified contact pair; randomly selecting one or more of the contact pairs based on corresponding affinity scores; providing a friend connector user interface module to the owner of the personal page, wherein the friend connector user interface prompts the owner to invite the contacts of the selected contact pair to establish a connection association relative to the social network; and conditionally transmitting an invitation to the contacts of the contact pair based on one or more actions of the owner relative to the friend connector interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically delivering information to a user concerning the embedded code contained in a web page before the user downloads the web page are disclosed. A search engine, in addition to performing a standard subject matter word search requested by a user, searches each web page to be listed to the user as part of the search results for information indicating that there is embedded code in the web page. If it is determined that a web page contains embedded code, the search results graphical user interface is provided with additional information indicating to the user which web page in the results contains embedded code. The user may also be alerted if a web page contains embedded code known to be malicious and the order of the search results may be modified based on the embedded code information of the web pages in the results.

Abstract: A method of ascribing scores to web documents and search queries generates a hyperlink-click graph by taking the union of the hyperlink and click graphs, takes a random walk on the hyperlink-click graph, and associates the transition probabilities resulting from the random walk with scores for each of the documents and search queries.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating a message in an electronic messaging environment is provided. A method employed by the system may include generating a personalized communication model related to a user, determining the validity of a token associated with an intended recipient of the message based on information in the personalized communication model, extracting entities from the message, determining whether the entities extracted match the intended recipient, and indicating to the user whether the token is valid and whether the entities match the intended recipient. The tokens correspond to email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses associated with intended recipients. The personalized communication model includes the names and tokens associated with those individuals with whom the user communicates. The personalized communication model is seeded with information including social, spatial, temporal and logical information related to the user.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards employing an admission controller (AC) network device to coordinate voluntary requests by traffic source devices (TSDs) to transmit traffic over a network. The TSDs submit voluntary requests to transmit network traffic during an allocated time frame to the AC. The AC monitors historical network traffic data and, based on various allocation policies, provides permission to at least some of the TSDs in the form of a nonexclusive lease of bandwidth with a rate cap for an allocated time frame. The TSDs receiving the lease voluntarily agree to transmit traffic not exceeding the rate cap for the time frame of the lease. TSDs that receive a zero rate cap voluntarily agree not to transmit. However, urgent network traffic bypasses the AC. The allocation policies used to determine the rate cap and number of permitted senders include a reactive approach, a predictive approach, and a predictive-reactive approach.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a sprite will be generated determines a probability of a first page module being displayed on a web page together with a second page module, and if the probability exceeds a predetermined threshold, generates the sprite based on a first image within the first page module and a second image within the second page module, a rule indicating that the sprite contains the first image and the second image, and a style sheet code associated with the sprite.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for optimization of online advertising campaigns. Methods and systems are provided in which, in manner that may be partially or fully automated, during a period of advertisement serving in fulfillment of an agreement with an advertiser, allocated anticipated impressions are shifted from one portion of a topic-related taxonomy to another, such as from an overperforming node in the taxonomy to an underperforming node. Such shifting may be done using real-time or frequent advertisement performance monitoring and forecasting, but may be bounded or guided by a set of rules that the advertiser may provide.

Abstract: A method of detecting web pages belonging to at least one similarity class from a plurality of web pages includes determining clusters of the plurality of web pages based on characteristics of the content of the web pages. For each of the determined clusters, at least one metric is determined indicative of similarity among resource locators associated with the web pages of that cluster. A determination of web pages belonging to the at least one similarity class is based on the determined clusters and the determined similarity metrics.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for identifying a keyword that is a novel concept or anomaly based on prior search results for the keyword. Advertisements may be sold for the keyword, or the keyword may be purchased or recommended for purchase based on anticipation of increased future searches on the keyword.

Abstract: Mechanisms model, detect, and predict user behavior as a user navigates the Web. In one embodiment, mechanisms model user behavior using predictive models, such as discrete Markov processes, where the user's behavior transitions between a finite number of states. The user's behavior state may not be directly observable (e.g., a user does not proactively indicate what behavior state he is in). Thus, the behavior state of a user is usually only indirectly observable. Mechanisms use predictive models, such as hidden Markov models, to predict the transitions in the user's behavior states.

Abstract: A method for performing activities on a web site is disclosed. A user's browsing activities on a web site are captured. The user's browsing activities includes affixing labels to web pages and filling out forms. The captured activities are analyzed for patterns. Rules for performing activities on a web site are generated based on the patterns. Further activities are performed on the web site according to the rules and content from the web site is fetched. The fetched content is used in various web service applications, including crawlers.

Abstract: Techniques are described for organizing structurally similar web pages for a website. Fingerprints are made of the structure of the web pages using shingling by placing the web page's HTML tags and attributes in sequence and encoding the tags and attributes using a standard encoding technique. Fixed-size portions of the encoded sequence are taken and a set of values extracted using independent hash functions to compute the shingles. Alternatively, a DOM tree representation of HTML of the web page is generated and each path of the DOM tree encoded and values extracted using independent hash functions to compute the shingles. A specified number of shingles are retained as the fingerprint. The pages are then clustered based upon the URL and the similarity of the shingles. The clustered hierarchal organization of pages is further pruned by various criteria including similarity of shingles or support of the cluster node in the hierarchy.

Abstract: Routing text messages. A mobile message (MM) is received from an application program or other message source, and includes a destination identifier, such as a phone number. Based on the destination identifier, a routing server determines whether the MM is to be locally routed to a destination carrier, or forwarded to a remote server that provides access to the destination carrier. For local routing, the routing server determines a channel to the carrier based on predefined carrier information, the destination user information, and the carrier gateway dynamic information. The predefined carrier information indicates predicted availability or reliability of each of a plurality of channels to the carrier. The destination user information indicates availability of the destination user to receive messages, and includes a destination user criterion for determining one of the channels. The carrier gateway dynamic information indicates current and statistical traffic information for each of the channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user to access media objects, such as images, from a website without requiring the user to enter the website. In one embodiment, a search engine searches for websites that match a submitted search term. A selected URL to one of the resulting websites is submitted to a harvester that accesses a web page of the selected website and identifies a media object of the web page. The harvester determines the characteristic(s) of the media object, such as a dimension, an aspect ratio, a proximity to other media objects, etc. The harvester determines a second media object with substantially the same characteristic(s). The determined media objects, or subportions, are rendered in a client user interface. Relationships are mapped between a selected media object and projects that use the object. Manipulating a rendered portion causes a related operation on the whole media object.

Abstract: Interfaces, apparatuses, and methods for searching and navigating a set of objects are provided. In one example, an interface includes a field for entering filter criteria for searching a set of objects and a display portion for displaying tiles associated with the objects according to the filter criteria. The tiles are displayed such that the best match to the filter criteria is displayed centrally and/or larger relative to other displayed tiles within the display portion. For example, the set of objects may be ranked according to the filter criteria by a suitable algorithm to determine the object having the highest rank or best match to the filter criteria. Further, tiles associated with lower ranked objects may be displayed concentrically around the best match such that the display centers on the tiles associated with the highest ranked objects per the filter criteria.