Abstract: Embodiments of the present inversion relate to a two-pass compression scheme that achieves compression performance on par with existing methods while admitting individual message decompression. These methods provide both storage savings and lower end-user latency. They preserve the advantages of standard text compression in exploiting short-range similarities in data, while introducing a second step to take advantage of long-range similarities often present in certain types of structured data, e.g. email archival files.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for smart interfaces that shift the burden of cognition from a user or data input source to the computer system controlling the software or user interfaces requiring data input. More particularly, according to embodiments of present invention, by using information known about a user or the user's preferences, a user's geographic location, and/or the geographic location of the site or product being used etc., rules about how to interpret data inputs can be applied to data entries so that the data entries are redisplayed or processed in a normalized format.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing users of web-accessible E-mail services with improved access to their E-mail messages and other information. In one embodiment, access to a search tool is provided to users of a web-accessible electronic mail service by software which integrates with a mail-enabled application running on a user's client machine. The software displays a field within a user interface of the mail-enabled application for receiving user input of a search term. The search term is used to build a URL that is communicated to a web-accessible E-mail service. A browser is launched to display at least one page resulting from the communication of the URL.

Abstract: An improved system and method is provided for training a multi-class support vector machine to select a common subset of features for classifying objects. A multi-class support vector machine generator may be provided for learning classification functions to classify sets of objects into classes and may include a sparse support vector machine modeling engine for training a multi-class support vector machine using scaling factors by simultaneously selecting a common subset of features iteratively for all classes from sets of features representing each of the classes. An objective function using scaling factors to ensure sparsity of features may be iteratively minimized, and features may be retained and added until a small set of features stabilizes. Alternatively, a common subset of features may be found by iteratively removing at least one feature simultaneously for all classes from an active set of features initialized to represent the entire set of training features.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, or systems relating to identifying a level of desirability of a hyperlink or search query using experience score.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reconstructing a full query based on a partial query are disclosed. Existing interfaces for search engines may be rigid and require users to submit full queries to perform searched. The methods and systems described herein may solve these problems by allowing a flexible way for users to submit a partial query and reconstruct a full query based on the partial query. A search may then be performed using the reconstructed query.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with categorizing or selecting potential search engine results are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for associating an unbidded term with a bidded term and for pricing search terms. The method for associating an unbidded term with a bidded term comprises selecting a first set of search engine results for the unbidded term, selecting a second set of search engine results for the bidded second term, comparing the first and second sets, and associating the unbidded term with at least one bidded term based on the results of comparing. The method for assigning monetary values to search terms comprises receiving bids for a first term, deriving a similarity function between the first and second term and pricing the second term based upon the derived similarity function and the bid on the first term.

Abstract: A method for processing a search query having a plurality of search terms for searching for documents includes segmenting the query to identify two or more units, expanding the query by selecting one or more substitutable units for at least one unit in the query, and calculating a substitution probability for each substitutable unit. For each substitutable unit, a co-occurrence probability is calculated with each of the remaining units in the search query. An occurrence probability is then calculated for each substitutable unit, and a score is calculated based on the combination of the substitution probability, the co-occurrence probability, and occurrence probability. The documents are ranked in an order determined by the score.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for providing search results that are ranked based on a predictor that predicts, for each of a number of objects, likelihoods that each particular object will be selected at different positions on a results list.

Abstract: A method for maximizing page yield in advertisement display to Web users includes tracking click activity associated with advertisements displayed to users through a hierarchal set of search results pages associated with a keyword; tracking bidding activity by advertisers related to the keyword and corresponding advertisements of the advertisements; applying at least one component model to the click or bidding activity as correlated with a particular search results page of the hierarchal set of search results pages via which the advertisements receiving the click activity are displayed, wherein the at least one component model generates a set of output values representative of the tracked click activity; and providing the output values to the at least one component model to iteratively optimize a number of advertisements displayed on the particular search results page via which at least some of the advertisements are displayed in response to a query for the keyword.

Abstract: A method and system directed to the communication of the trust characteristics of electronic messages using visual and audio postmarks. The postmarks may represent a particular trust level on a continuum that can range from suspicious to trusted. A message system may determine the baseline trust level of a message and assign a postmark to the message. The postmark can communicate the trust level of the message to a user without requiring the message to be opened or read. In one embodiment of the invention the user can create rules and filters to classify messages by trust level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for, in response to receiving a request, retrieving digital images that are associated with one or more keywords and which are similar to a digital image is provided. The request may be processed using a keywords index and a content index, and optionally, a session index that references data about what digital images users have viewed together in a session. A category associated with the identified digital image may also be used in processing the request, e.g., the category associated with the identified digital image may change the weight placed on various content attributes used in comparing the content of the identified digital image to other digital images. After the set of requested digital images are determined, request data, that identifies the set of requested digital images, may be sent to the requestor.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining the geographic range of a search query. A search query may include local intent which influences the results and advertisements that are displayed in response to the search query. The geographic range associated with the local intent may vary depending on the search query. The geographic range may be determined using probabilistic models that analyze historical searches to determine the geographic range of search queries.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for annotating video. A software application operating on a user computing device monitors a first display of video content transmitted over a network from a video server. The software application detects an action performed by a user of the user computing device on a first frame of the video content during display of the first frame. The action corresponds to the user identifying a portion of the displayed video frame upon which to overlay a visible marking on the first frame. The marking is associated with an object in the first frame. The software application iteratively derives a further position for the marking in a further frame of the video content, the further position associated with the location of the object in the further frame. The software application generates metadata associated with the user and transmits the metadata to a metadata sever.

Abstract: A system and method to facilitate exchange of unwanted gifts is disclosed herein. A user may submit an unwanted gift in exchange for another gift item or a gift credit. Potential exchange gifts from among other unwanted gifts matching certain criteria are identified and presented to the user for selection. If the user does not find the potential exchange gifts to his liking, a gift credit having a value comparable to his/her submitted unwanted gift is issued to his account. As other users submit their unwanted gifts and/or as the value of the user's gift credit changes over time, the user may receive notification of new potential exchange gifts to choose from.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer programs are provided for smart interfaces that shift the burden of cognition from a user to a computer system. More particularly, a method is presented for using a computer system to interpret data. The method includes an operation for accepting data from a data entry field of the user interface, where the data is provided to the data entry field in a selected format. The selected format is different from a common data format expected by the user interface. In another operation, the accepted data is normalized to conform to the common data format expected by the user interface. This normalization is based on information about one or more of a geographic location of the user, a geographic location of a server, and a geographic location of a product being used. Further, the method includes an operation for providing the normalized data in the common data format.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to online advertising inventory purchase controls.

Abstract: A system and method to facilitate efficient gift giving is disclosed herein. Gift giver, gift recipient, advertisers/sponsors, and third party service providers participate in providing input at the gift evaluation, selection, purchase, delivery, and consumption stages to increase the likelihood of the gift recipient's satisfaction and consumption of the gift. The interactive environment facilitates opaque gathering of information from the relevant parties relative to each other.

Abstract: A social environment is provided by creating an object in response to recognition of an entity in a portion of web content, wherein the object represents the entity, the object is associated with a type selected from a set of types, and the type is associated with a schema selected from a set of schemas, where the social environment includes a set of objects including the object, wherein the objects are instances of corresponding types in a rich system of predefined types, the schemas are associated with the types, metadata is associated with the objects, and there is at least one relationship between at least two objects selected from the set of objects, where the set of objects and the metadata are extensible, such that extensions provided by a first user are available for use by a second user. In one example, metadata provided by a first user is only available to a second user having a relationship with the first user.