Abstract: A method and system for serving advertisement or sponsored content information is provided. The method employed by the system may include receiving information that describes the capabilities of an ad serving device, receiving information that enables sensing the presence of individuals in a vicinity of the ad serving device, matching advertisement and/or sponsored content information to the ad serving device, and serving the advertisement and/or sponsored content information. Receiving presence information, matching, and serving of the advertisement and/or sponsored content information may occur in real-time. The ad serving device may be located at a fixed location or be portable and carried by an individual. Behaviors of individuals with portable devices may be determined and the advertisement and/or sponsored content information served may be related to the determined behavior.

Abstract: A system and method for managing access to content is provided. One example embodiment provides for a method including acts of identifying a filter of content based at least in part on the preferences a user and a subject presented in the content and presenting the content using the filter to the user. Another example embodiment provides for a system that includes a controller configured to identify a filter of content based on preferences of a user, to present content using the identified filter and to update the preferences of the user based on feedback from the user and the subjects presented in the content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for optimizing shopping. In one aspect, purchase items are recommended to a user based on the total purchasing costs of the recommended purchase items. In one embodiment, the total purchase cost includes not just the price of the purchase item but also includes weighted costs based on non-price purchasing cost factors. In another aspect, data is maintained that represents social relationships between members of a network of users and purchase recommendations are made to a user based on the relatedness between the user, the item and the other members of the network. In yet another aspect, purchase recommendations are made based on the best time to purchase a purchase item. In another aspect, item retailers can offer purchase item incentives to users based on the identity of and information about the shopper to whom the incentive is offered including bundling incentives in a unified redemption code.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing webpage content based on a screen orientation of a device are disclosed. Generally, a plurality of content chunks comprising a webpage to be displayed on a device is identified. An indication of a screen orientation of the device is received and webpage content to be displayed on the device is modified based at least in part on the screen orientation of the device, the identified plurality of content chunks, and a focus priority associated with each content chunk of the plurality of content chunks.

Abstract: Multiple entities are tracked over periods of time and information concerning these entities are collected. For each entity, the entities associated with the entity and the types of associations are determined. One or more entities of interest is/are identified. Different weights are assigned to the entities on the trajectories connecting with the entity or entities of interest based on their associations with the entity or entities of interest and their positions on the trajectories. Selected entities are ranked and surfaced based on their total weights for the entity or entities of interest.

Abstract: A system and method for Context Enhanced Mapping. A request is received from a user over a network for a map comprising an identification of a physical location, and at least one criteria. The physical location is mapped. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the physical location and criteria is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network and prioritized for inclusion based upon the user and context of the request. The map of the physical location and at least some of the retrieved spatial, temporal, topical, and social data is displayed on a user interface.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to creating contextually-targeted advertisements. In a particular implementation, advertisers may leverage a W4 COMN to deliver contextually-targeted and/or contextually-enhanced advertisements. In the implementations discussed below, an ad creation system utilizes data made available by the W4 COMN to facilitate the creation and placement of advertisements on a message delivery network, such as the W4 COMN itself.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for providing contextually relevant suggestions and content in response to user queries. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises receiving a request from a user and retrieving refinement data associated with the request. The method identifies one or more contextually relevant refinement items on the basis of the retrieved refinement data and provides the refinement data and a plurality of results associated with the request.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling access to content, and/or regions thereof, as well as controlling access to annotations to the content, or regions thereof. An audience can be specified for a region of content and one or more associated annotations. In response to a request for a content region, a content region definition, an audience definition for the content region, and at least one annotation for the content region and audience can be obtained, and the content region and the at least one annotation can be transmitted in response to the request if it is determined that the request is from a member of the audience, so that the content region and annotation can be experienced at an audience member's device.

Abstract: A system and method which may generate and/or maintain a signature profile for a user. The signature profile may be a representation or a symbol of a user which may yield to different kinds of searches. A signature processor server may generate an initial signature profile with user-supplied materials, including but not limited to: audio clips, video clips, and images. A crawler server may use the initial signature profile to mine the Internet, obtain web content relevant to the initial signature profile, and present the relevant web content to the user. The signature processor server may receive the user's feedback on the relevant web content so as to update and refine the signature profile.

Abstract: A system and method for Context Enhanced Mapping. A request is received from a user over a network for a map comprising an identification of a physical location, and at least one criteria. The physical location is mapped. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the physical location and criteria is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network and prioritized for inclusion based upon the user and context of the request. The map of the physical location and at least some of the retrieved spatial, temporal, topical, and social data is displayed on a display medium.

Abstract: A system and method for improved mapping and routing. A request for the determination of a route is received over a network. The request comprises an identification of a requesting user, and at least one objective. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network which relating to the requesting user and the request objectives are retrieved using a global index of data available to the network. At least one entity which satisfies at least one request objective and which has a physical location known to the network is selected using the retrieved spatial, temporal, topical, and social data. At least one physical route is mapped between a starting location and the selected entity and is displayed on a display medium. Sponsored and recommended content available to the network which relates to the requesting user, and at least one objective can additionally be displayed on the display medium.

Abstract: A method for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The method includes receiving a URI associated with a media object. The URI indicates a portion of the media object. The method further includes determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI. The method also includes providing the portion of the media object to a user. Furthermore, a system for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The system includes a memory, logic for receiving a URI associated with a media object, and a processor. The processor is for determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI, and providing the portion of the media object to a user.

Abstract: Virtual notes are provided that enable virtual communications between users. A user is enabled to input content into a note using an electronic device. The user is enabled to associate a virtual representation of the note with an entity to generate a virtual note. The user is enabled to position the virtual representation of the virtual note in a virtual space superimposed on the entity. The user is enabled to configure at least one attribute associated with the virtual note. The generated virtual note is transmitted to a notes database. Subsequent users can view and otherwise interact with the virtual note by interacting with the entity associated with the virtual note. For example, the subsequent users can interact with the virtual note by approaching the entity, or by viewing the entity on a map displayed by an electronic device.

Abstract: A system and method for determination and display of personalized distance. A request is received for the determination of a personalized distance over a network, wherein the request comprises an identification of a requesting user, and a plurality of real world entities comprising at least a starting location and an ending location. At least one route is determined between the first location and the second location. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the requesting user and each real world entity and the route is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network. A personalized distance is calculated via the network between the first location and the second location using spatial, temporal, topical, and social data relating to the requesting user and each real world entity and the route. A representation of the personalized distance calculated for the route is displayed on a display medium.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are one or more systems and methods to control communication access to a user via one or more communication clients, each of which provides a mode of communication, to communicate with a user, using communication access control items and communication access control conditions associated with each of the communication clients.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a system and method to identify one or more tasks, determine a community corresponding to an identified task, receive input from the determined community, e.g. valuation input, suggestions on a performer of the task, inquiry input, etc. A value is assigned for the task using input received from the determined community. The determined community that values the task may be responsible for paying an amount equal to the value of the task identified by the community in exchange for performance of the task.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for implementing a reality overlay device. A reality overlay device captures information that is pertinent to physical surroundings with respect to a device, the information including at least one of visual information or audio information. The reality overlay device may transmit at least a portion of the captured information to a second device. For instance, the reality overlay device may transmit at least a portion of the captured information to a server via the Internet, where the server is capable of identifying an appropriate virtual billboard. The reality overlay device may then receive overlay information for use in generating a transparent overlay via the reality overlay device. The transparent overlay is then superimposed via the device using the overlay information, wherein the transparent overlay provides one or more transparent images that are pertinent to the physical surroundings.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for capturing information that is pertinent to physical surroundings with respect to a device, the information including at least one of visual information or audio information. Overlay information for use in generating a transparent overlay via the device is obtained using at least a portion of the captured information. The transparent overlay is then superimposed via the device using the overlay information, wherein the transparent overlay provides one or more transparent images that are pertinent to and in correlation with the physical surroundings.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described by which one or more input words may be predicted based on partial input from a user using a predictive model that employs contextual metadata which characterizes the user in a multi-dimensional space in which the dimensions are defined by one or more of a spatial aspect, a temporal aspect, a social aspect, or a topical aspect.