Abstract: A method of classifying content items utilizes user-generated playlists. A content item is included in playlists from a plurality of distinct users. A server system receives, from respective users of the plurality of distinct users, respective playlist titles for the playlists. In accordance with a determination that the respective playlist titles from a threshold number of the plurality of distinct users specify a first attribute, the server system assigns the first attribute to the content item. The server system receives a request, from a first user via an application that is executing on a client device that is distinct from the server system, for content having the first attribute. In response to receiving the request, the server system selects the content item according to the first attribute and delivers the selected content item for playback to the first user.

Abstract: Mass amounts of information, such as entire libraries of songs or movies, for example, may be stored locally near end-users, and this information may be accessed and reproduced in response to commands received from a transmitting station via a network. When a radio or television station desires to transmit a song or movie, for example, the radio or television station can, rather than transmitting the entire song or movie, merely transmit a command for reproducing the song or movie. An end-user's performance reproduction device, such as an enhanced radio or a television set, then accesses and reproduces the locally stored song or movie. Since the radio or television station need not transmit the entire performance, network traffic can be significantly reduced. The performance reproduction device may actively request information from the radio or television station when fresh or additional information is needed.

Abstract: System for providing a high availability (HA) of services, includes a plurality of nodes forming a cluster. Some nodes have services running on them such that the cluster has only a single instance of that service; node locks active while accessing the active nodes; a router providing access to services hosted on the nodes. Services utilize the resources subject to the node locks. An HA master daemon running on one of the nodes. HA daemons on each node track availability of services hosted on the nodes and generate requests to HA master daemon to restore failed services and redirect the router to live services. The HA daemons activate node locks. Master daemon re-launches services on another node and updates the router. A target node executes a lock revoke to acquire the node lock from the source node when the services of the source node are live-migrated from the source node.

Abstract: An electronic messaging system includes a messaging server that identifies a recipient for an electronic message. The messaging system sends the recipient an electronic message that includes instrumented content. A web server monitors activity and determines whether interaction occurred with the instrumented content. The web server determines whether a sandbox intercepted the message based on whether interaction occurred, or did not occur, with the instrumented content within a threshold time period or with one or more activity characteristics.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a geo-social networking system automatically tags one or more social contacts of a first user to a photo of the first user by ranking the social contacts based on spatial and temporal proximity to the first user, and in response to the first user's selection of one or more top ranked social contacts, associating the selected social contacts to the photo.

Abstract: A realtime kernel supports realtime communications between communicants operating on respective network nodes. The realtime kernel handles the complex tasks of connecting to communicants, virtual areas, and other network resources, switching those connections in response to user inputs, and mixing realtime data streams. The realtime kernel enables developers to focus on developing high-level communications functionality instead of low-level plumbing code. The realtime kernel imposes relatively low computational resource requirements so that realtime communications performance can be achieved using a wide range of computing devices and network connections that currently are available.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the use of resources by a user includes a mobile device, a resource usage monitoring device, a message display system, and a third party system, each have communication interfaces, memory devices, and processing devices. The system is designed to detect the presence of a user within a physical location where resources may be accessed and determine a time-efficient set of resource allocations that the user may engage in while located in a particular physical location. In some embodiments, a message may be directed to the user through visual and/or audio displays to notify the user of the time-efficient set of resource allocations and direct the user to a particular location where such allocations may be effected.

Abstract: Modifying a behavior of a mobile application running on a mobile data processing system is provided. Information regarding a system function of the mobile data processing system is retrieved. It is determined whether the information regarding the system function meets a criterion of a policy trigger corresponding to the system function. In response to determining that the information regarding the system function does meet a criterion of the policy trigger corresponding to the system function, an action is performed to modify the behavior of the mobile application running on the mobile data processing system that corresponds to the system function meeting the criterion of the policy trigger.

Abstract: An access-control device that controls access to encrypted messages. During operation, the access-control device can receive an access key for a corrupted message, and can receive a cover message digest associated with the corrupted message. The access-control device stores the access key in association with the cover message digest, and stores the cover message digest in a block chain. A respective block of the block chain includes at least one cover message digest, and a hash value of a previous block of the block chain.

Abstract: In general, embodiments of the invention relate to a method for transmitting messages. The method includes determining that a first device and a second device are members of a communication group based on the first device and the second device concurrently accessing a file, receiving a message from the first device, making a first determination, in response to receiving the message, that the first device is a member of the communication group, and based on the first determination, making a second determination that the second device is a member of the communication group, and based on the second determination, transmitting a second message to the second device, wherein the second message is generated, based at least in part, on the message.

Abstract: A method and system of automating capture of electronic data provide a user with an effective universal Internet identity and e-mail address, comprehensive e-mail filtering and forwarding services, and e-receipt identification and data extraction. Detailed user e-mail preferences data stored at a central server may be selectively altered such that incoming correspondence is redirected in accordance with the user's preferences. Computer program code at the central server parses incoming e-mail header information and data content, selectively extracts data from identified types of correspondence, and forwards extracted data in accordance with user preferences data. Additional computer program code may manipulate the extracted data in accordance with format requirements and display the manipulated data to a user in a desired format.

Abstract: A rating of the quality of the presence information of a user at a communication device is determined by an aggregation client by determining a direct indicator of presence of a user at the communication device, determining a presence likelihood at the communication device, determining a time delay characteristic related to input on the communication device, and determining a quality of presence rating based on these factors. A graphical or numerical indication of the quality of presence rating is sent to other users' communications devices.

Abstract: An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. Techniques are provided to transform a buddy list from one messaging-mode to another messaging-mode. The transformation may include, for example, substitution or re-ordering of groups of buddies, substitution of buddy icons associated with buddies, substitution of information displayed about buddies, and substitution of controls for directing operation of the buddy list.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is described having a first operational mode and a second operational mode comprising: a first group of control elements to perform a first predefined set of functions in a first orientation associated with the first operational mode and to perform a second predefined set of functions in a second orientation associated with the second operational mode; and a display to render images having a first image orientation associated with the first operational mode and to render images having a second image orientation associated with the second operational mode.

Abstract: Mass amounts of information, such as entire libraries of songs or movies, for example, may be stored locally near end-users, and this information may be accessed and reproduced in response to commands received from a transmitting station via a network. When a radio or television station desires to transmit a song or movie, for example, the radio or television station can, rather than transmitting the entire song or movie, merely transmit a command for reproducing the song or movie. An end-user's performance reproduction device, such as an enhanced radio or a television set, then accesses and reproduces the locally stored song or movie. Since the radio or television station need not transmit the entire performance, network traffic can be significantly reduced. The performance reproduction device may actively request information from the radio or television station when fresh or additional information is needed.

Abstract: Restoration is provided in a communication system having two or more VPN endpoints coupled together through a network comprising a number of nodes interconnected through edges. VPN endpoints coupled through the network are adapted to communicate through a single connection with multiple other VPN endpoints. The single connection may be a VPN hose connection. A restoration topology, comprising backup edges corresponding to primary edges in the network, is determined for the network. A given primary edge is replaced with one or more backup edges if the given primary edge fails. A graph may represent the network and a tree may represent the connections in the network for VPNs connecting the VPN endpoints. The graph can be reduced to a second graph by determining shortest paths between each node in the tree and creating the backup edges from the shortest paths. The second graph can be reduced to a third graph by adding additional backup edges from tree nodes having non-tree edges to least common ancestor nodes.

Abstract: Self-referencing fields are synchronized during a synchronization pass of a two-way synchronization between a client computer and a server computer. When a synchronization operation is performed, a list of server tasks associated with the server and a list of project tasks associated with the client are loaded. For each task being synchronized two predecessor lists are maintained. During the synchronization, a comparison is conducted to determine whether to use the project task data or the server task data. When the project task data is used, then the predecessor IDs stored in the project predecessor list are used. When the server task data is used, then the predecessor IDs stored in the server predecessor list are used.

Abstract: Disclosed is a server that provides session-persistent concurrent licenses for resources accessed by clients. In one embodiment, rather than requiring a license when the server is initially accessed, a license is not requested until a client seeks access to a licensed resource. In one implementation, scripts for Web pages associated with licensed resources include requests for licenses from a license management facility. Certain resources conditionally request a license based upon the origin of the access request: the license request may be bypassed for access requests from “pre-licensed” applications. Session-based licensing allows equitable assessment of compensation to a service provider for use of the services. The server includes many resources, some of which require a license for access while others do not. The services of premium value are the only ones for which customers are expected to obtain/claim a license.

Abstract: Transmitting data from a source to a destination, includes receiving the data from the source and providing the data to the destination using a network, where the data is acknowledged to the source as being successfully received at the destination prior to all of the data being provided to the network. The source may be a primary storage device. The destination may be a secondary storage device. The data may be provided from the source in a first format and may be provided to the network in a second format that is different from the first format where the first format may be RDF and the second format may be TCP/IP or UDP. The destination may receive the data in a first format different from a second format used to transmit the data over the network. The first format may be RDF and the second format may be TCP/IP or UDP.

Abstract: In a method for transmitting data of various traffic types an xDSL modem is utilized. Detectors are used to detect the traffic types of the data which are to be transmitted and the detected traffic types are taken as a basis for dynamically adjusting a data transmission rate for the xDSL modem.