Abstract: A request is received, over a network from a requesting user to sort a plurality of comments relating to online content by a social status of a respective one of a plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. The social status of the each of the plurality of commenters is determined using a computing device. The plurality of comments are sorted, using the computing device, by the social status of the respective one of the plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. A representation of the sorted comments is transmitted, over the network, to the requesting user. The social status of commenters can reflect, in various embodiments, the status of commenters as favorite commenters of the requesting user, as members of the requesting user's social network, or as a top rated commenters in an online community.

Abstract: A request is received, over a network from a requesting user to sort a plurality of comments relating to online content by a social status of a respective one of a plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. The social status of the each of the plurality of commenters is determined using a computing device. The plurality of comments are sorted, using the computing device, by the social status of the respective one of the plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. A representation of the sorted comments is transmitted, over the network, to the requesting user. The social status of commenters can reflect, in various embodiments, the status of commenters as favorite commenters of the requesting user, as members of the requesting user's social network, or as a top rated commenters in an online community.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing targeted applications within a search engine results page. The method and system includes receiving a search query from a user and interpreting the search query. The method and system then first maps the interpreted query to one or more action templates, wherein mapping the interpreted query to one or more action templates comprises selecting one or more actions associated with the interpreted query. The method and system then maps the selected one or more actions associated with the interpreted query to a plurality of applications and selecting one or more applications associated with the one or more actions. Finally, the method and system displays the one or more applications within a search results page.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing targeted applications within a search engine results page. The method and system includes receiving a search query from a user and interpreting the search query. The method and system then first maps the interpreted query to one or more action templates, wherein mapping the interpreted query to one or more action templates comprises selecting one or more actions associated with the interpreted query. The method and system then maps the selected one or more actions associated with the interpreted query to a plurality of applications and selecting one or more applications associated with the one or more actions. Finally, the method and system displays the one or more applications within a search results page.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for determining a type of landing page to which to transfer web searchers that enter a particular query, the method comprising: classifying a landing page as one of a plurality of landing page classes with a trained classifier of a computer based on textual content of the landing page; determining, by the computer, characteristics of one or more query to be associated with the landing page; and choosing, with the computer, whether to retain or to change classification of the landing page to be associated with the one or more query based on relative average conversion rates of advertisements on a plurality of manually-classified landing pages when associated with the characteristics of the one or more query.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that may be used to determine a probability of whether a visitor to a web document is likely to click on a web advertisement. An exemplary method may include detecting one or more features in a web document. One or more expert statistical models to which the web document belongs may be determined and associated weightings may be determined based, at least in part, on the one or more features detected. A click-through-rate probability for a web advertisement to be placed on the web document may be estimated based on the one or more expert statistical models.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for securely, conveniently and effectively storing information in a secure data repository or database, and securely delivering such information to a respective user. The secure repository and database, referred to as a Vault, is a secure storage utility used for storing and safekeeping valuable personal information and documents associated with a user. The Vault can store and provide access to personal documents for a user, such as but not limited to, wills, irreplaceable pictures or video, financial documents/bills, contracts, account numbers and credit card numbers. The Vault can be provided as a service within a smart, cloud-based system, which intelligently gathers, stores and initiates actions for a variety of user documents.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for securely, conveniently and effectively storing information in a secure data repository or database, and securely delivering such information to a respective user. The secure repository and database, referred to as a Vault, is a secure storage utility used for storing and safekeeping valuable personal information and documents associated with a user. The Vault can store and provide access to personal documents for a user, such as but not limited to, wills, irreplaceable pictures or video, financial documents/bills, contracts, account numbers and credit card numbers. The Vault can be provided as a service within a smart, cloud-based system, which intelligently gathers, stores and initiates actions for a variety of user documents.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a multi-step challenge and response test includes steps or acts of: using an input/output subsystem for presenting a series of challenges to a user that require said user to correctly solve each challenge before a next challenge is revealed to the user; receiving the user's response to each challenge; and submitting a last response in the series of challenges to a server for validation. The method further includes: using a processor device configured to perform for each challenge in the series of challenges: internally validating the response by comparing the user's response to a correct response; and using the user's response, decrypting the next challenge to reveal the next challenge; wherein the next challenge remains obfuscated until a previous challenge is correctly solved.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards identifying auto-folder tags for messages by using a combinational optimization approach of bi-clustering folder names and features of messages based on relationship strengths. The combinational optimization approach of bi-clustering, generally, groups a plurality of folder names and a plurality of features into one or more metafolders to optimize a cost. The cost is based on an aggregate of cut relationship strengths, where a cut results when a relationship folder name and feature are grouped in separate metafolders. Furthermore, the plurality of folder names and the plurality of features are obtained by monitoring actions of a plurality of users, where the folder names are user generated folder names and features are from a plurality of messages. The metafolders may be used to tag new user messages with an auto-folder tag.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing a multi-step challenge and response test includes steps or acts of: using an input/output subsystem for presenting a series of challenges to a user that require said user to correctly solve each challenge before a next challenge is revealed to the user; receiving the user's response to each challenge; and submitting a last response in the series of challenges to a server for validation. The method further includes: using a processor device configured to perform for each challenge in the series of challenges: internally validating the response by comparing the user's response to a correct response; and using the user's response, decrypting the next challenge to reveal the next challenge; wherein the next challenge remains obfuscated until a previous challenge is correctly solved.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards identifying auto-folder tags for messages by using a combinational optimization approach of bi-clustering folder names and features of messages based on relationship strengths. The combinational optimization approach of bi-clustering, generally, groups a plurality of folder names and a plurality of features into one or more metafolders to optimize a cost. The cost is based on an aggregate of cut relationship strengths, where a cut results when a relationship folder name and feature are grouped in separate metafolders. Furthermore, the plurality of folder names and the plurality of features are obtained by monitoring actions of a plurality of users, where the folder names are user generated folder names and features are from a plurality of messages. The metafolders may be used to tag new user messages with an auto-folder tag.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing targeted applications within a search engine results page. The method and system includes receiving a search query from a user and interpreting the search query. The method and system then first maps the interpreted query to one or more action templates, wherein mapping the interpreted query to one or more action templates comprises selecting one or more actions associated with the interpreted query. The method and system then maps the selected one or more actions associated with the interpreted query to a plurality of applications and selecting one or more applications associated with the one or more actions. Finally, the method and system displays the one or more applications within a search results page.

Abstract: A system and method of generating bid values for sponsored search includes steps or acts of: receiving a bid phrase for an advertisement for an item, wherein the bid phrase specifies a search query for which the advertisement should be displayed; receiving first information at a first input/output interface, the first information related to a bidding behavior of the advertiser; receiving second information at a second input/output interface, the second information relating to a history of bids by other advertisers for the bid phrase; and generating a bid value for the bid phrase submitted for the advertisement for the search query, based on the information received.

Abstract: A request is received, over a network from a requesting user to sort a plurality of comments relating to online content by a social status of a respective one of a plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. The social status of the each of the plurality of commenters is determined using a computing device. The plurality of comments are sorted, using the computing device, by the social status of the respective one of the plurality of commenters associated with each of the plurality of comments. A representation of the sorted comments is transmitted, over the network, to the requesting user. The social status of commenters can reflect, in various embodiments, the status of commenters as favorite commenters of the requesting user, as members of the requesting user's social network, or as a top rated commenters in an online community.

Abstract: Methods and systems for presenting content such as articles based on utility are provided. In one embodiment, a plurality of articles are determined, each article in the plurality of articles including article content and a corresponding preview icon, the preview icon defining a link to the corresponding article content when presented. For each article in the plurality of articles, a user experience utility value is determined. And for each article in the plurality of articles, an economic utility value is also determined. A ranked order of the articles is determined based upon each article's user experience utility value and economic utility value. And a portion of the preview icons of the articles are presented on a graphical display page in a priority orientation based on the ranked order of the articles.

Abstract: Techniques for performing user classification based on email are provided. Emails stored in an email store may be analyzed to classify users. Information included in the stored emails may be extracted, and users may be classified into categories according to the extracted information. The extracted information may be analyzed in a manner so as to protect the personal information of the users according to any applicable privacy standards. Any number of types of emails may be analyzed to classify users in any number of ways. For instance, a plurality of commercial emails stored in the email store may be determined The commercial emails may be counted as conversions for an advertising campaign. The commercial emails may be parsed to extract commercial information. The commercial information may be parsed to generate user classification data. The user classification data may be used in various ways, including for targeting users with advertisements.

Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of a method or a system of contextual indexing of search results is disclosed.

Abstract: Automatic management of networked publisher-subscriber relationships in an advertising server network. The method comprises steps for constructing a directed graph representation comprising at least one publisher node (e.g. an Internet property), at least one subscriber node (e.g. an Internet advertiser), at least one intermediary node (e.g. an Internet advertising agent), and at least one edge (e.g. an advertising target predicate) wherein any one of the edges is directly associated with at least one target predicate. The directed graph representation is used in conjunction with an inverted index for retrieving a valid node list comprising only nodes having at least one target predicate that matches at least one event predicate. The event predicate (as well as any target predicate) is any arbitrarily complex Boolean expression, and is used in producing a result node list comprising only nodes that concurrently match the event predicate with an advertising target predicate and are reachable.

Abstract: A contextual advertising system selects online advertisements for display on a network location. The system may transform page content of a page received in a platform over a network into a textual representation. In addition, the system may transform received site content of a site into a site signature. The site includes the page. The system then may correct the textual representation utilizing the site signature to produce modified textual representation. The system may utilize the modified textual representation to select an online advertisement. Considering a page in the context of the entire website to which it belongs leads to better understanding and interpretation of the page topic(s) and thus yields more accurate ad matching.