Abstract: A method to communicate driving status from a vehicle. The method includes obtaining, using a mobile device travelling in the vehicle, movement data of the vehicle, determining, using a computer processor of the mobile device, that the vehicle is in motion by analyzing the movement data based on a specified criterion, generating, in response to determining that the vehicle is in motion, driving status data of the vehicle by further analyzing the movement data based on the specified criterion, and transmitting, using the mobile device, the driving status data to a remote user away from the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufactures for addressing popular topics in a social sphere. The method or the system continuously monitors conversations in online forum(s), identifies trend(s) of interest, identifies one or more content items that match the trend(s), and delivers the one or more content items to appropriate forum(s). The method or the system may aggregates conversations in a target forum to identify a trend and automatically responds to the trend by identifying and delivering matching existing content items to a target forum. The method or the system may further catalog a newly created content item upon creation and may identify a trend by employing some third-party products or services, by executing one or more Internet bots to monitor the online conversions, or by using trending application(s) offered by forums or social network websites.

Abstract: A method to qualify a partner candidate, including accessing a social network to retrieve social network data about the partner candidate; parsing the social network data to extract a social network data item corresponding to a characteristics category relating to a characteristic of the partner candidate; determining per category weighting factors corresponding to characteristics categories and representing a focus of the social network; comparing, using a keyword library comprising pre-determined keywords and pre-determined keyword similarity measures, the social network data item and a self-described attribute of the partner candidate to generate a characteristics category score, wherein a range of the characteristics category score is determined by a corresponding per category weighting factor; and assigning the characteristics category score to the self-described attribute, wherein the characteristics category score represents a validity measure of the self-described attribute based on the social network

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for maintaining a calendar of a user. The method includes: accessing an online profile of the user corresponding to a first social networking website; identifying, on the first social networking website, a first entry referencing a physical location, where the first entry is entered on a first calendar date; identifying, on the first social networking website, a second entry referencing the physical location, where the second entry is entered on a second calendar date; calculating, based on the first calendar date and the second calendar date, a first frequency of user visits to the physical location; estimating, based on the first frequency, a future calendar date when the user is expected to visit the physical location; and creating, in the calendar, a future event scheduled to occur at the physical location.

Abstract: An electronic device that determines a geometric scale of an object using two or more images of the object is described. During operation, the electronic device calculates the size of the object along a direction using multiple images of the object that were taken from different perspectives (such as different locations and/or orientations in an environment) along with associated imaging-device characteristics. For example, the size of the object may be calculated using the images, the associated focal lengths of a digital camera that acquired the images, and the law of cosines. Using the scale of the object, an image of the object may be appropriately scaled so that it can be combined with another image.

Abstract: A method for repairing an error in a software application, including receiving an error including an error description detailing the error, identifying, using a plurality of commands, a network address of a client computer executing the software application and a file system location on the client computer, transmitting, using the plurality of commands, an error tool file to the client computer at the network address, storing, using the plurality of commands, the error tool file on the client computer at the file system location, installing, using the plurality of commands, an error tool on the client computer using the error tool file, executing, using the plurality of commands, the error tool on the client computer, repairing the error in the software application after executing the error tool, and receiving feedback in the form of an execution log from the error tool.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufactures for addressing popular topics in a social sphere. The method or the system continuously monitors conversations in online forum(s), identifies trend(s) of interest, identifies one or more content items that match the trend(s), and delivers the one or more content items to appropriate forum(s). The method or the system may aggregates conversations in a target forum to identify a trend and automatically responds to the trend by identifying and delivering matching existing content items to a target forum. The method or the system may further catalog a newly created content item upon creation and may identify a trend by employing some third-party products or services, by executing one or more Internet bots to monitor the online conversions, or by using trending application(s) offered by forums or social network websites.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for authenticating using a mobile device of a user. The method involves receiving a request for access to a secure resource and requesting credentials for accessing the secure resource from the user. The method further involves receiving a request to obtain the credentials from the mobile device, where the mobile device includes a mobile device user interface and a credential interface, and requesting the credentials from the mobile device. The method still further involves, in response to the credential interface authenticating the user on the mobile device using input received from the mobile device user interface, receiving the credentials from the mobile device. The method further involves determining that the user is authorized to access the secure resource based on the credentials and providing the user with access to the secure resource.

Abstract: A portable computing device associated with a user for tracking mileage in a motor vehicle, including a processor, a memory, a global positioning satellite (GPS) module configured to determine a physical location of the portable computing device, a tracking application stored in the memory of the portable computing device, wherein the tracking application is configured to activate based on a movement of the portable computing device, determine whether a threshold speed is reached by the portable computing device, record a number of miles traveled by the portable computing device in the motor vehicle to obtain tracking data, and display the tracking data for reconciliation by the user, wherein the tracking application determines physical locations of the user using the GPS module, wherein reconciling data includes indicating which tracking data is business related, and wherein the recorded mileage is configured to be downloaded into a financial application.