Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include information services, methods and systems to facilitate gathering and management of information by home users and professional users of information gathering, processing, and distribution services, and user interfaces through which users communicate with information services. In one embodiment of the present invention, a central information gathering, processing, and distribution service provides a simple, but robust and highly functional, interface to remote home users and professional users to allow the home users and professional users to continuously receive updated information gleaned from continuous searching of the Internet and other information sources by the information service. The interface allows users to define, refine, and stably store interests that define information searches continuously carried out, on behalf of the user, by the information gathering, processing, and distribution service.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for mapping information from a dynamic frame-based semantic network to a static working memory by utilizing a topological sorting algorithm which processes at least one queue of frames. Preferably, the algorithm is utilized with filtering to avoid unnecessary updates. The algorithm makes a marking pass and an updating pass across the queued frames. The marking pass orders a queue of class frames. The updating pass updates working memory elements of the working memory corresponding to the ordered class frames and working memory elements which correspond to instances of the class. After the updating pass, the working memory elements reflect local and inheritable slots and values from the semantic network. Such mapping allows the working memory elements to be further processed such as by matching against rules.