Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing policy-managed, peer-to-peer service orchestration in a manner that supports the formation of self-organizing service networks that enable rich media experiences. In one embodiment, services are distributed across peer-to-peer communicating nodes, and each node provides message routing and orchestration using a message pump and workflow collator. Distributed policy management of service interfaces helps to provide trust and security, supporting commercial exchange of value. Peer-to-peer messaging and workflow collation allow services to be dynamically created from a heterogeneous set of primitive services. The shared resources are services of many different types, using different service interface bindings beyond those typically supported in a web service deployments built on UDDI, SOAP, and WSDL.

Abstract: Described are techniques for processing data storage system management requests. A single one of a plurality of service processors of a data storage system is designated as an active service processor and a remainder of the plurality of service processors are passive service processors. Each of the service processors executes data storage system management server code including a web server. A data storage system management request is received from a client and is processed by the active service processor. When a first service processor currently designated as the active service processor becomes unhealthy, a second of said plurality of service processors which is designated as passive and is healthy is automatically selected as the active processor. Subsequent communications for data storage system management are transmitted over the network connection between the client and a web server executing on whichever service processor is currently designated as active.

Abstract: A system and method are directed towards managing interoperability between disparate IM networks. A clearinghouse server is provided that receives IM messages from disparate IM networks. The clearinghouse server examines the IM message to determine it is in a compatible protocol for a destination IM network. If the IM message is incompatible a translation service is used to translate the message into a compatible protocol. The translation service further determines if the destination IM network supports a feature employed by the received IM message. If the feature is supported or can be translated to a supported feature, the translation service will also perform the feature translation. Otherwise, the translation service may return an error message indicating that the received IM message includes an unsupported feature for the destination IM network. Upon satisfactory translation, the clearinghouse server forwards the translated IM message towards the destination IM network.

Abstract: A workflow manager application transfers message data received from an originating device via a communication network to a target application for processing. A graphical user interface displays the received message data and allows the user to view and designate one or more target applications for processing the message data. The workflow manger application is responsive to user input to transfer message data to the designated one or more target applications for processing the message data. Alternatively, the workflow manager application analyzes received message data to identify one or more target applications, and transfers the message data to the identified one or more target applications for processing.

Abstract: Application service requests received by an application hosting framework are automatically differentiated and categorized, and resource usage patterns associated with the requests are predicted. Resource usage data points are successively extracted from the hosting framework. Elements of an initial resource usage pattern matrix are computed from the data points. An estimate for the number of categories of requests is computed from the initial resource usage pattern matrix, where the requests in each category have similar resource usage patterns. Elements of a resource usage signature matrix and request categorization matrix are computed from the estimate for the number of categories of requests and the initial resource usage pattern matrix.

Abstract: An application for a system for providing a digital yearbook includes a server, a terminal and a database. The database is interfaced to the server and yearbook data is captured at the terminal, transferred to the server and stored in the database. The yearbook data is filtered and formatted based upon user profiles, creating customized views (subsets) of the yearbook for each of the users, including formatting and organizing the customized views for a desired viewing device of each user.

Abstract: An application for a system for providing a digital yearbook includes a server, a user computer and a database. The database is interfaced to the server and global yearbook data and private yearbook data is captured at the computer and transferred to the server. The yearbook data and private data are stored in the database and each user is provided with their own subset of the global yearbook data along with their own private yearbook data at a device for displaying such.

Abstract: Managing content interest data using peer-to-peer logical mesh networks. Instructions may be processor-executable to implement a given logical node of a logical mesh network that includes a number of such nodes. The given logical node may be configured to store identifying information of its peer nodes. In response to detecting a message-passing event, the given logical node may be configured to generate and convey an outgoing message, which may correspond to respective network-based content and may include indicia of the content, to its peer nodes. The given logical node may not convey the outgoing message to any node that is not a peer. Dependent upon indicia of network-based content included in an incoming message received from a given one of its peer nodes, the given logical node may be further configured to update its identifying information to add or delete a particular node as a peer node.

Abstract: According to the invention, a content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content objects from a content provider to a recipient is disclosed. The CDN includes a dynamic pricing engine and a second web location. The dynamic pricing engine is coupled to a first web location. The first web location, which is associated with a content provider, allows the recipient to order a content object. The delivery quote is solicited by the first web location for delivering a content object one or more times. The second web location delivers the content object to a recipient system of the recipient. The second web location is associated with the dynamic pricing engine. The dynamic pricing engine automatically produces the delivery quote, which is affected by at least one of the content object or a web location of the recipient system.

Abstract: A surveillance and communication system is provided and includes two-way audio communication capabilities and a covert video acquisition system. In one embodiment, a system for acquiring video data within an environment is provided. The system includes a device having an image acquisition component, an audio acquisition component, and a speaker provided within an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a portion of a user. The image acquisition component is configured to be utilized to acquire video data from a first viewpoint within the environment. A local data communication system is configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of video data from the image acquisition component. A surveillance component is fixed to a structure within the environment and configured to acquire video data from a second viewpoint within the environment that is elevated with respect to the first viewpoint.

Abstract: An apparatus for verifying subjects includes: a camera for photographing a plurality of subjects; a subject detector for detecting subject images of each of the subjects from the pieces of image information photographed by the camera; a subject tracking unit for tracking each of the subjects based on the movement of the subject images corresponding to each of the subjects and for forming tracking information of each of the subjects; a tracking information storage for storing the tracking information of each of the subjects; a subject selector for selecting a subject to be verified from the plurality of subjects based on the tracking information; a verification unit for verifying the selected subject; and a notification unit for notifying the verified result.

Abstract: A system for efficiently transmitting data from a first site to a remote site over a communication medium. The data includes a storage for storing data in sub-segment boundaries, such that few sub-segments are accommodated in each block. The system further includes a storage for storing data including signature data. Each one of the sub-segments is associated with a signature of considerably smaller size than its respective sub-segment. The system includes a processor configured to perform the following, as many times as required: receiving a block and partitioning it into sub-segments. For each sub-segment in the block the processor calculating a signature. It then determines whether the calculated signature matches a corresponding signature, if any, stored in the signature storage, and in case of no match (indicating that the sub-segment is new or has been modified), transmitting the sub-segment to the remote site and store the calculated signature in the signature storage.

Abstract: A multimedia collaboration system that facilitates more efficient, free-flowing collaboration sessions. The role of the presenter can be exchanged among participants in a collaboration session. The multimedia collaboration system is configured so that control of a collaboration session can be exchanged freely between participants in the collaboration session. The multimedia collaboration system enables participants in the collaboration session to determine the pace and course of the session.

Abstract: Communication modules are coupled in a communication ring and are operable to send and receive data from peripheral devices. The modules are operable to send and receive data streams on paths of the ring, and each module is operable, responsive to receiving a predetermined initialization signal, to operate as a master for initially blocking data in the first path and initially sending a block signal to a neighboring module downstream in the second path. The modules are operable, responsive to receiving the block signal in one of the paths, to block data in that one of the paths, so that responsive to initialization of one of the modules as a master, the master and the neighboring module create an inactive virtual link therebetween in order to prevent data from propagating around the ring more than once.

Abstract: The invention features a method, system, and computer program product. User input defining a form that has one or more fields is received. User input defining a set of entries associated with the form is also received, the set of entries identifying available connections to data repositories and fields of the form that are associated with the connections. Each data repository is connected with the fields associated with the data repository using one or more declarative statements that enable one-to-many mappings from fields in the form to data repositories as defined by the set of entries.

Abstract: A network switching device comprises hardware address table storage space, a priority comparison mechanism, and an address table management mechanism. The hardware address table storage space having a number of entries therein. Each one of the entries within the hardware address table storage space includes respective information designating a priority of a respective source network address. The priority comparison mechanism is configured for comparing the priority designating information of the received packet with the priority designating information of at least a portion of the entries within the hardware address table storage space in response to determining that a number of entries within the hardware address table storage space is equal to a capacity of the hardware address table storage space.

Abstract: A route designing method in which there is accepted an input of user information containing information about bandwidth of an access link serving as a link for connecting each of user sites to a relay node, and information showing the relay node connecting to the user site via the access link, topology information of a network for relaying the communications between the user sites is acquired, a communication relay port and a communication non-relay port are obtained based on the user information and the topology information, an upper limit of the communication bandwidth available for the user on the communication relay port is obtained, a route design so that the user sites are connected by a tree-shaped route is performed, and a result of the route design is outputted.

Abstract: A monitoring camera has a base, a camera module and a casing. The base has a parapet formed on the base. The parapet has a memory slot and at least one pair of guide slots formed oppositely on the parapet. Each guide slot has a notch extending toward the bottom of the parapet. The casing corresponds to and covers the parapet and has at least one pair of guide protrusions formed on the casing. The guide protrusions respectively engage corresponding guide slots. When unscrewing the casing, the guide protrusions will correspondingly move and be mounted in the notches and the memory slot is accessible. Therefore, the casing need not to be completely detached from the base to allow a removable memory to be installed or removed easily.

Abstract: A method and system for forwarding information such as data files to a recipient across disparate or incompatible communication networks, which are not constrained by incompatible user devices. The sender sends information such as a data file to an intended recipient via a messaging server. The messaging server communicates with the intended recipient using basic communication tools that are generally compatible regardless of the network that the recipient is subscribed to. The messaging server stores the information, creates and sends a notification message to the intended recipient that she has information to be retrieved. The notification message includes a unique access address associated with the message, at which the recipient can retrieve the information. Different unique access addresses are associated with different messages.

Abstract: A workflow manager application transfers message data received from an originating device via a communication network to a target application for processing. A graphical user interface displays the received message data and allows the user to view and designate one or more target applications for processing the message data. The workflow manger application is responsive to user input to transfer message data to the designated one or more target applications for processing the message data. Alternatively, the workflow manager application analyzes received message data to identify one or more target applications, and transfers the message data to the identified one or more target applications for processing.