Abstract: A method and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method, which provides content to supplement a presentation of an experiential data stream. The method includes a step of receiving a request for content configured to be included in said presentation of the experiential data stream. The method also determines content parameters from the request that are used to select the content. It also provides the content and records appropriate transaction information.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to establish a control link, establish a human communication channel, and create a shared social space that enables a local audience member and a remote audience member to simultaneously experience a recorded experiential data stream, whereby the local audience member and the remote audience member are enabled to communicate over the human communication channel about the experiential data stream.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform an operation for determining where to position received transitory audio within an experiential data stream of a shared social space so as to provide minimal disruption to the experiential data stream.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to determine user-interest sensitive condensations of a passage. One or more passages are selected and user interest information, condensation transformations and optional meaning distortion constraints are identified. The foci of user interest within the selected passages are determined based the similarity of the elements in the selected passages to elements in the user interest information. The condensation transformations are applied to the selected passages to preferentially retain user foci while eliding less salient information. The resultant condensate provides signals the user-interest sensitive meaning of the passage. Meaning distortions constraints are optionally applied in conjunction with the condensation transformations or in creating the condensation transformations to reduce the likelihood of distorting the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling the collaborative exchange and analysis of information are provided. Exemplary embodiments provide for the editing of information maintained in associated information units that may be distributed in parallel to a plurality of collaborative users. The information units may be distributed and retrieved with lightweight transport protocols. The information units obtained from multiple sources are automatically aligned and combined. Editing and display methods and systems further provide organizational and filtering tools. The information units may be redistributed and further collected in an iterative fashion.

Abstract: Computer methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture therefor, are disclosed for developing a complex-query pattern that is transformed into a region-matching transducer. A corpus-level transducer and the region matching transducer are combined. The combined transducer is applied to a corpus to identify strings therein that satisfy patterns defined in the corpus-level transducer, including the complex-query pattern, with each identified pattern being recorded in a corpus index. The corpus and the corpus index are made available for receiving a query with the query tag for querying the corpus and applying the query using the corpus index to identify locations in the corpus that satisfy the query.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and program products that present commentary audio in conjunction with an experiential data stream by detecting proximity of a playback position to an audio trigger position associated with a commentary audio clip and presenting the commentary audio clip accordingly.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that recommends activities. During operation, the system receives a piece of content obtained from text or converted to text from speech. The system then analyzes the received content to identify any activity type, indication of willingness to participate in any type of activities, and at least one piece of temporal information, which can be implicitly and/or explicitly stated in the content, and/or one piece of location information associated with the activity type. The system further recommends one or more activities, venues, and/or services that afford or support activities for a user based on the information extracted from the content.

Abstract: A modular flexible media handling apparatus includes an input module (28) through which flexible media enters the apparatus, at least one main path module (28, 30, 32, 34) through which flexible media passes along a main path (24), at least one lookaside module (36, 38) through which flexible media selectively passes along a lookaside path, and an output module (34) in which flexible media from the lookaside path and main path are merged.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling the collaborative exchange and analysis of information are provided. Exemplary embodiments provide for the editing of information maintained in associated information units that may be distributed in parallel to a plurality of collaborative users. The information units may be distributed and retrieved with lightweight transport protocols. The information units obtained from multiple sources are automatically aligned and combined. Editing and display methods and systems further provide organizational and filtering tools. The information units may be redistributed and further collected in an iterative fashion.

Abstract: A modular flexible media handling apparatus includes an input module (28) through which flexible media enters the apparatus, at least one main path module (28, 30, 32, 34) through which flexible media passes along a main path (24), at least one lookaside module (36, 38) through which flexible media selectively passes along a lookaside path, and an output module (34) in which flexible media from the lookaside path and main path are merged.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a computer controlled method configured to provide content to be presented with a presentation of an experiential data stream. The method includes receiving a request to provide the content which is configured to be included in the presentation of the experiential data stream, determining one or more content parameters related to the request, and providing the content. The content is structured to be able to be presented in conjunction with at least one prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream, and the content is either presented in addition to the prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream or presented instead of a target portion of the prerecorded portion of the experiential data stream.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to construct and use user-interest sensitive indicators of search results. A set of documents is determined based on one or more search terms. Passages within each selected document are identified based on the search terms. Condensation transformations applied to the passages to preferentially retain elements of the passage based on the search terms and user interest information. The resultant indicator is provides a user-interest sensitive signal of the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: A modular flexible media handling apparatus includes an input module (28) through which flexible media enters the apparatus, at least one main path module (28, 30, 32, 34) through which flexible media passes along a main path (24), at least one lookaside module (36, 38) through which flexible media selectively passes along a lookaside path, and an output module (34) in which flexible media from the lookaside path and main path are merged.

Abstract: When a hardware or software problem reoccurs, a customer is rarely able to remember and repeat the process that was performed by a customer service representative to correct the problem the first time. By capturing desktop events and/or one or more other available data streams during the first customer service engagement, and making a document containing that data available to the customer, the customer can solve a reoccurrence of the problem without having to contact the customer service center. The captured data is integrated into a single multimedia document, which has an indexing capability, highlights critical information, and includes annotations and/or comments. The integrated multimedia document can be distributed to the customer by the customer service representative during an engagement, over a customer accessible network site visited by the customer, or in a CD-ROM provided with the product.

Abstract: A computer controlled system provides for configuration-specific recovery of operation in a reconfigurable production system having a plurality of modules with a plurality of alternative capabilities for processing work units. The system includes a system controller having planning, scheduling, and performance failure identification functions. The planning function plans utilization of selected module capabilities in the production of jobs having not less than one work unit and the scheduling function schedules utilization of selected module capabilities in the production of jobs. The failure identification function identifies the failure of module capabilities to perform the work units for a scheduled job.