Abstract: The invention relates to a method of presenting a commercial in a time slot to a viewer. The method includes providing one or more commercials to a receiver operatively coupled with a display device, with commercial having an associated agent. The agent is configured to place a bid for the time slot on behalf of the associated commercial. The bid includes a reward component to be granted to the viewer if the associated commercial is selected. Further, a profile database is maintained to store data related to local viewer preferences, which may include preference data, including the units preferred by the viewer for the reward component of the bid. At least one commercial may access the local viewer preference related data in the profile database and the agent may use the accessed local viewer preference related data to determine the bid to be placed for the time slot.

Abstract: Electronic program guide (EPG) processing techniques are disclosed which involve processing content-related information in the form of documents generated using a reference information model (RIM). The documents may be configured in an extensible mark-up language (XML) or other standard format. At least a portion of the content-related information is configured for consistency with corresponding portions of the RIM, the portion of the content-related information so configured thereby being suitable for processing by different EPG applications. The RIM preferably comprises multiple classes of information, and specifies properties of the classes utilizing attributes, relationships and states. For example, instances of the classes may be configured as objects in an object-oriented programming format, and one or more of the objects may contain structures represented as attributes.

Abstract: A recommender system is disclosed for generating a recommendation in a processing device such as a portable computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) or wireless telephone. The recommender system receives an input representative of an offer or other opportunity and one or more user-specified limiting factors. The recommender system generates the recommendation based at least in part on the input and a stored profile associated with the processing device. A characteristic of the manner in which the recommendation is generated is determined in accordance with the one or more limiting factors. The recommender system also preferably generates a ripeness indicator associated with the recommendation, the ripeness indicator being indicative of the manner in which the recommendation was generated.

Abstract: A method of and system for programming one or more personalized settings of a user for adjustable components of a vehicle, by using a communication device capable of communicating data to the vehicle. It includes providing the user with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag includes machine-readable information regarding personalized settings of the user for at least one adjustable component of the vehicle. The information from the RFID tag includes the identity of the user. First, information is read from the RFID tag using an RFID reader when the RFID tag is operationally proximate the RFID reader. Next, a profile database is queried to access a personal profile of the user based upon the identity of the user as read from the RFID tag. The personal profile includes personalized settings for each component of the vehicle to be set.

Abstract: A resource constrained device is disclosed which includes a tag reader, e.g., an RFID or barcode reader, a communication unit that can communicate information read from the tags to an information interface, and a controller. The controller is arranged to send the information to the information interface via the communication unit. The information interface returns a response, e.g., comprising an XML document. The response is used by the controller to adjust operational parameters which modify the performance of an operational unit, e.g., a washing machine.

Abstract: A method for creating a personality profile based upon an explicit association between icons/objects and attributes describing some of the values with which a person associates with themselves is disclosed. The person may own/acquire one or more icons/objects. The icon/objects in conjunction with labeling technology allow for accessing of object profiles. Using information from the object profiles, attributes for a personality profile are complied about the person. This personality profile projects an explicit, quantified image about the person, that could be used to tailor advertising, marketing, or other services.

Abstract: A wireless telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), smart remote control, or other Internet-enabled processing device includes a scalable parser which supports a designated subset of an extensible mark-up language (XML) grammar. The designated subset may be selected for a given device based on factors such as the computational and memory capabilities of that device, and the complexity of documents handled by that device. An XML document supplied to the device is parsed using the scalable parser. The results of the parsing may then be supplied via a well-known standard application programming interface (API) to an application program on the processing device, and used to control an operation of the device. Advantageously, the invention allows “thin” devices to process simple XML documents without requiring implementation of the complete XML grammar.

Abstract: A content conditioner applies a content profile associated with a given Internet-enabled processing device to a requested extensible mark-up language document or other type of content to be processed for presentation at the device. The resulting conditioned document is further processed using a stylesheet associated with the device, so as to generate an output suitable for presentation at the device. The content profile for the given device comprises one or more operations and corresponding parameters that are required to condition the requested document content for a desired consumption experience at the processing device. For example, the content profile may include a summarization program which specifies a manner in which summarization information derived from the retrieved document is to be presented at the device.