Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for computing a relevance rank or score of a point of interest based on its proximity to clusters of other points of interest (POI). The methods of the present invention are based upon novel approaches that use location information and weighting functions in order to filter and sort searches of hotels, destinations, and other properties or other points of interest. In one approach, a relevance rank of a target POI at a location is determined by obtaining a plurality of component POIs that are each within the same geographical region as the target POI. Component POI scores for each of the component POIs are calculated as a function of a distance between the locations of the component POI and the location of the target POI. The relevance rank of the target POI is a combination of the plurality of component POI scores.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically composing a class is provided. A query is parsed and a compiler object tree is generated that corresponds to the operators in the query. A set of feature requests and responses are initiated and a set of feature objects are generated that are executed at runtime. The language of the query may be extended by registering a new operator, and optionally a new feature for a query language, with a search engine without modifying the source code of the search engine. The new operator may be specified in a plug-in and provided to the search engine via the plug-in. An application converts an end user query into an application query that conforms to the query language supported by the search engine and includes the new operator. The application query may also include references to traditional programming constructs and search engine primitives.

Abstract: A system and method are directed towards using an icon, animation, or other indicator to search for content associated with one or more words, language characters, or other symbols on a display. A pointing device, such as a mouse, is used to drag and drop the indicator onto a displayed symbol. Display data near the drop location of the indicator are evaluated to determine one or more words or other symbols. A determined symbol is submitted to a search system to access a definition, a translation, an encyclopedia entry, an audio clip, an image, and/or other content associated with the determined symbol. The indicator may be controlled on a client device which initiates the search by submitting a search request over a network to a server. Resulting content is displayed in a separate result window, which may also include tabs, buttons, and/or other elements for selecting other content.

Abstract: Techniques for identifying duplicate webpages are provided. In one technique, one or more parameters of a first unique URL are identified where each of the one or more parameters do not substantially affect the content of the corresponding webpage. The first URL and subsequent URLs may be rewritten to drop each of the one or more parameters. Each of the subsequent URLs is compared to the first URL. If a subsequent URL is the same as the first URL, then the corresponding webpage of the subsequent URL is not accessed or crawled. In another technique, the parameters of multiple URLs are sorted, for example, alphabetically. If any URLs are the same, then the webpages of the duplicate URLs are not accessed or crawled.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for automatically evaluating the quality of digital images based on one or more color characteristics of the images. In some embodiments, a quality metric that indicates the likelihood that the digital images convey semantics is generated based on color characteristics of the digital images. The quality metric may be used, for example, to determine which keyframe to use to make a thumbnail to represent video data. In some embodiments, feature values are generated for an image based on color characteristics of the image, and the feature values are assigned to bins. In such embodiments, the quality metric may be generated to indicate how uniform the distribution of feature values is among the bins.

Abstract: Techniques for generating features that are used to rank documents in a search results page are provided. A query is received and may be modified before being compared to queries in a query log of previously-issued queries. The comparisons may be made in a variety of ways. The comparisons may allow query terms to be ordered and terms to be inserted. Relevance features are generated from the results of the comparisons. The documents that are referenced in a search results page (generated as a result of the query) are ranked based on the generated relevance features.

Abstract: The present invention provides for improving the search relevance of a search results page by including a perceived relevance factor. The system, device and method monitors user selection of elements in the search results page, where these selections indicate relevance of the element compared with the original search request. A perceived relevance factor for the element is then determined based on probabilistic-based computations accounting for the element, which may include a description, a thumbnail and/or meta data, and the position of the element on the search results page. Thereby, for future searches and search results page generation, relevance factors may be calculated based on various factors, including the element attribute based relevant scores and the perceived relevance factor.

Abstract: In accordance with aspects disclosed herein, impact that a user interface design has on a user's experience is measured. User response to one or more user interface designs is measured. Two or more user interface designs can be compared based on user response to each design. A single user interface design can be evaluated based on one or more measures of user response to the user interface, or two or more user interface designs can be compared using one or more user response measures corresponding to the user interface designs.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that may be used to selectively implement and/or search a composite database comprising a flat file and a relational database based on the query.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for segmenting and labeling a collection of token sequences. A plurality of segments of one or more tokens in a token sequence collection are partially labeled with labels from a set of target labels using high precision domain-specific labelers so as to generate a partially labeled sequence collection having a plurality of labeled segments and a plurality of unlabeled segments. Any label conflicts in the partially labeled sequence collection are resolved. One or more of the labeled segments of the partially labeled sequence collection are expanded so as to cover one or more additional tokens of the partially labeled sequence collection. A statistical model, for labeling segments using local token and segment features of the sequence collection, is trained based on the partially labeled sequence collection. This trained model is then used to label the unlabeled segments and the labeled segments of the sequence collection so as to generate a labeled sequence collection.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards providing an aging of account data points usable in recovering access to an account. The aging functionality of account data points is configured to enable users who may have had access to their account compromised or otherwise denied, still be able to recover access. Account data points are time stamped when associated with an account. When a request is received to delete the account data point, the account data point is instead placed into an aging status for a time period. During the aging status time period, the account data point may still be used to recover access to the account. Moreover, after access is recovered using a certain account data point, any account data points created after the certain account data point may be deleted to minimize unauthorized access to the account.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for providing one or more personalized identifiers to a user. In one method, the method obtains the user's personal information and user interest information from the user. The method generates a list of candidate identifiers taking into account the personal information or the user interest information. The method checks availability of the list of candidate identifiers using a database. The method provides a list of available identifiers to the user.

Abstract: A search engine stores different taxonomies that each specifies categories and relationships between the categories. When the search engine receives a request having a search query, the search engine determines which taxonomy, if any, it should use to generate a search engine results page. The search engine bases this determination upon information provided to it in the request, in one embodiment. For example, the search engine might select a taxonomy based on the particular environment from which the search query originated. However, the search engine can select the taxonomy based on other information, such as a role of the user. Thus, a medical researcher and a financial analyst for a particular corporation could receive search engine results pages that were generated with appropriate taxonomies for each of them.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are directed towards a system, method, and apparatus for managing a communication session by dynamically selecting a CODEC. A client device requests a communication session with a receiver device. If available, historical information may be used to establish an initial CODEC and its associated sampling frequency for the communication session. Signals, such as a white noise signal, and/or a ring tone may be sent between the client device and the receiver to determine a metric for the communication session. The metric may be used to adjust the CODEC and/or its sampling frequency for the communication session. In one embodiment, if it is determined that the sampling frequency is less than a minimum determined value, a message may be sent to the client device advising that the current communication session be terminated.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing power consumption by a plurality of sensors in a proximity-based ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs a proximity-based ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes power status information from each sensor in a group of spatially and temporally proximate sensors in the proximity-based ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group provides sensor data.

Abstract: An instant messaging service is operated in cooperation with an event plan manager system. Information is received regarding a planned event from an instant messaging client with which an event organizer is associated and, based thereon, information is provided indicative of the planned event to the event plan manager system. Information is received from the event plan manager system indicative of the planned event, as maintained by the event plan manager system. Invitation instant messages are caused to be provided to instant messaging clients with which invitees of the planned event are associated, wherein the invitation instant messages are correlated to the information indicative of the planned event as maintained by the event plan manager system.

Abstract: A massive amount of information is collected when tracking statistics such as web site usage data. To simplify the analysis of such data, it is advantageous to process and segment the web site usage data. One proposed method of segmenting the data is to create a reverse sorted associative container for each different web section of a web site. Page-views, time-spent, sessions, and other web viewing metrics may be used as keys in the reverse sorted associative container and web viewer identifiers are used as values associated with the page-view value keys. After creating the reverse sorted associative containers, each reverse sorted associative container is segmented on a percentile basis.

Abstract: A variety of techniques are described by which keyword sets and target audience profiles may be generalized in a systematic and effective way with reference to relationships between keywords, profiles, and the data of an underlying user population.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems directed to efficient cooling of data centers. Some embodiments of the invention allow encapsulation of cold rows through an enclosure and allow server fans to draw cold air from the cold row encapsulation structure to cool servers installed on the server racks. In other particular embodiments, the systems disclosed can be used to mix outside cool air into the cold row encapsulation structure to cool the servers. In some embodiments, the present invention involves utilizing a raised sub-floor design of a data center room.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards managing pushed vitality updates of recent user-generated content (UGC). A vitality service is arranged to receive pushed vitality updates that each include a resource identifier and at least one other type of vitality information referring to recent UGC on a network device. The vitality service is configured to manage the pushed vitality updates according to recency and to receive query requests for vitality information. In response to a query request, the vitality service searches for vitality updates and provides to another network device recent vitality information based on the query request. The recent vitality information includes at least one or more resource identifiers and one or more other types of vitality information so that the other network device can access the full UGC for display.