Abstract: A recommender system for determining multimedia items to be presented in an online interface of a multimedia content provider. The recommender system continuously observes the user's behavior in order to define a context for the user which on the basis of which recommendations are computed. The recommender system observes a variety of events so as to improve the level of pertinence of the recommendations which are presented to the user in the online interface. The recommender system further observes the collection of multimedia items which are hosted by an online multimedia content provider system.

Abstract: A recommender system comprising at least one computing device which comprises one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media operatively coupled to at least one of the processors, wherein said computing device performs a method of assigning a user to one group of a set of groups, said set of groups comprising at least two distinct groups, and a method of providing said user with at least one recommendation.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for monitoring the quality of service of a service provider, the method comprising the steps of receiving first and second reports from first and second clients, respectively, the first and second reports having information relating to the quality of service provided by the service provider to the first and second clients, respectfully, and estimating the quality of service of the service provider by aggregating the information in the first and second reports and comparing the aggregated information with conditions set forth in an agreement involving the service provider.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating a user profile of a user of an online platform, a computer-implemented method for providing a first user with targeted information and a computer-implemented method for providing a user of an online platform with targeted advertisements.

Abstract: Method of detecting anomalous behavior in a computer network comprising the steps of—monitoring network traffic flowing in a computer network system,—authenticating users to which network packets of the network traffic are associated,—extracting parameters associated to the network packets for each user, said parameters including at least the type (T) of network services,—forming symbols based on a combination of one or more of said parameters, and—modeling and analyzing individual user behavior based on sequences of occurrence of said symbols (S).

Abstract: A system configured for: (A) identifying a first party of a plurality of parties as one of an excluded group of parties; (B) identifying a candidate group that includes each of the plurality of parties other than the excluded group of parties; (C) receiving, from the first party, a first-party utility value that the first party would associate with at least one of a plurality of different outcomes; (D) receiving, from a second party, a second-party utility value that the second party would associate with at least one of the plurality of different outcomes, the second party being part of the candidate group; and (E) determining which particular one of the plurality of outcomes should be selected based primarily on a set of utility values that comprises the second-party utility value. Step (E) may be made without substantially considering the first-party utility value, and Step (B) may be made without substantially considering the first-party utility value.

Abstract: Methods of inferring user preferences using ontologies use ontology structure based similarity and an inference mechanism in defining ontology filtering (OF). Items are recommended to users by identifying items that the users may prefer, but may not have been aware of. This is performed by computing personalized scores for concepts and selecting an instance having a highest score.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is a method that allows a group of independent participants to coordinate decisions with respect to the allocation of interdependent resources, while maintaining certain privacy guarantees. The present invention proposes a method to allocate inter-dependent resources by a set of at least three participants, this method comprising the steps of: a. receiving by a first participant a request for a first resource by a third participant, and agreeing between the first participant and the third participant on at least one of a pair of allocation/non-allocation keys for the first resource, the allocation key being related to the allocation of the resource and the non-allocation key being related to the non-allocation of the resource, b.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for monitoring the quality of service of a service provider, the method comprising the steps of receiving first and second reports from first and second clients, respectively, the first and second reports having information relating to the quality of service provided by the service provider to the first and second clients, respectfully, and estimating the quality of service of the service provider by aggregating the information in the first and second reports and comparing the aggregated information with conditions set forth in an agreement involving the service provider.

Abstract: Methods of inferring user preferences using ontologies use ontology structure based similarity and an inference mechanism in defining ontology filtering (OF). Items are recommended to users by identifying items that the users may prefer, but may not have been aware of. This is performed by computing personalized scores for concepts and selecting an instance having a highest score.

Abstract: This document describes an invention for searching methods for optimal solutions to configurable electronic catalogs. The document focuses on methods that take into account users' preferences and optimization constraints. These methods use constraint satisfaction techniques.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention include a comparison and tradeoff tool that is adapted for: (1) conducting an initial, computer-based search of options based on a set of two or more preferences specified by a user; (2) allowing a user to, based on the results of the initial search, (a) revise at least a first one of the set of preferences to specify that the first preference must be satisfied at an increased level in a subsequent search, and (b) revise at least a second one of the set of preferences to specify that it is acceptable for the second preference to either not be satisfied, or satisfied at a decreased level in the subsequent search; (3) conducting the subsequent search; and (4) displaying the results of the subsequent search to the user.

Abstract: A system configured for: (A) identifying a first party of a plurality of parties as one of an excluded group of parties; (B) identifying a candidate group that includes each of the plurality of parties other than the excluded group of parties; (C) receiving, from the first party, a first-party utility value that the first party would associate with at least one of a plurality of different outcomes; (D) receiving, from a second party, a second-party utility value that the second party would associate with at least one of the plurality of different outcomes, the second party being part of the candidate group; and (E) determining which particular one of the plurality of outcomes should be selected based primarily on a set of utility values that comprises the second-party utility value. Step (E) may be made without substantially considering the first-party utility value, and Step (B) may be made without substantially considering the first-party utility value.

Abstract: Method of management in a circuit-switched communication network (1), performed on or with the aid of at least a programmable apparatus (10) connected to said network. It comprises the step of computing and storing in an electronic memory a representation of the network based on B-blocking islands (Ni). Each B-blocking island consists of a set of nodes (A-g) linked in such a way that at least one route with at least an amount B of available concave resources exists between any pair of nodes in the set at the time t. The B-blocking islands (Ni) are organized in a hierarchy, wherein the hierarchical position of each Bi-blocking island depends on the choice of the values Bi used for defining said blocking island. The available bandwidth resources are thus summarized in order to reduce the complexity of network management tasks. Bottlenecks in the network are highlighted. The B-blocking-island hierarchy can be incrementally maintained.

Abstract: This document describes an invention for searching methods for optimal solutions to configurable electronic catalogs. The document focuses on methods that take into account users' preferences and optimization constraints. These methods use constraint satisfaction techniques.

Abstract: A system for identifying, comparing, scheduling and purchasing travel-related services. The system is preferably configured for: (1) receiving one or more travel constraints from a user; (2) identifying a plurality of travel itineraries that satisfy at least one of said travel constraints; (3) simultaneously displaying, on a display screen, a graphical representation of each identified travel itinerary and an alphanumeric description of a currently-selected travel itinerary. The user may quickly view the description of any particular displayed itinerary by selecting the graphical representation of that particular itinerary. Once the new itinerary is selected, the system highlights the graphical representation of the new itinerary and displays an alphanumeric description of the new itinerary. The system applies similar techniques in allowing users to define and view the various travel segments (and related travel constraints) that form the basis of the system's search for suitable travel itineraries.

Abstract: New methods of manipulating topological regions and properties have been discovered. These novel methods simplify complex spatial design problems. In some cases, the methods provide solutions or outputs where prior techniques fail entirely. Prior methods of reasoning about relations in two-dimensional space require computation with exact geometry even when only topological answers are required. For example, computing which sets of two-dimensional regions have simultaneous intersections would require explicitly constructing these intersections. These techniques become unnecessarily complex when regions have complex shapes. The present invention includes methods where topological properties of a set of regions in two-dimensional space can be manipulated by applications of topological computations. Two classes of these methods select and determine maximal and minimal simultaneous region intersections.