Abstract: Image-hosted data encryption implementations are presented that encrypt and decrypt data within a host image. A bit stream representing a data item and a host image are accessed. The host image has pixels which include one or more color channels that are represented by bits that are interpreted when the host image is rendered and other bits that are not interpreted when the host image is rendered. The bit stream is inserted into the host image by injecting bits into the bits of the one or more color channels not interpreted when the host image is rendered. In this way, the inserted data is not seen when the host image is rendered. Decryption involves extracting bits associated with a bit stream from the bits of the one or more color channels of the host image pixels not interpreted when the host image is rendered, and then reconstructing the bit stream.

Abstract: Conflicts detected during synchronization of replicas are enumerated and resolved according to a specified policy, comprising conditions and actions or simply a specified action. Specified actions may be drawn from a set of standard actions and custom actions may also be composed. The conflicts are enumerated and resolved in logical groups. A logical group is a collection of one or more item envelopes, each comprising entities, such as items, links, and/or extensions. In an example configuration, both constraint-based conflicts, such as a name collision, and non-constraint-based conflicts are handled via the same application programming interface.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to systems and methods of data item synchronization. More specifically, the invention concerns synchronization of data entities utilizing an intermediary or shared storage system and associated data store. Each client sync device can include or be associated with an interface that facilitates communication between client synchronization devices and the intermediary storage system. The interface can send change information to the shared store utilizing change data packets including a data change attribute, a prerequisite knowledge attribute and a learned knowledge attribute. The data change attribute can specify changes to be made to certain data, while the attribute can include a complete copy or reference to a complete copy or single instance of data.

Abstract: Several embodiments of the present invention employ synchronization adapters for synchronizing information between “WinFS” and non-“WinFS” data sources. Examples of adapters include an adapter that synchronizes address book information between a “WinFS” contacts folder and a non-WinFS mailbox. In these instances, adapter developers might use the “WinFS” synchronization core services API described herein for accessing services provided by the “WinFS” synchronization platform in order to develop schema transformation code between the “WinFS” schema and the non-“WinFS” data source schema. Additionally, the adapter developer provides protocol support for communicating changes with the non-“WinFS” data source. A synchronization adapter is invoked and controlled by using the synchronization controller API and reports progress and errors using this API.

Abstract: A description of the hierarchically-structured document is accessed and converted into an early-bound object having at least some of the same properties as the hierarchically-structured document, and having at least some of the methods that may be performed on the hierarchically-structured document. When a function call is placed to the early-bound object, the early-bound object causes the appropriate corresponding changes to be affected on the hierarchically-structured document while maintaining change tracking information for the document. This reduces the difficulty when drafting source code for a program that interfaces with hierarchically-structured documents that can have varying structures and may be governed by complex change tracking rules.

Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronizing data stores. A framework including a sync runtime enables consistent and manageable synchronization between a data store and multiple, diverse back end data stores. The sync runtime provides services such as change enumeration, conflict detection, metadata management, item ID matching, sync interruptability, and the like that are accessible to configurable adapters over an application programming interface. Each synchronizing data store can uses a sync controller to initialize an adapter that can access the services provided by the sync runtime. The sync controller can use a profile to configure each adapter. The profile can identify conflict resolution policies, synchronization filters, source and destination folders, sync direction, and the like.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for identity mapping in synchronization systems. For example, entities can be mapped across various entity stores, such that an entity in one store can be identified with an entity in another store even if such entities are of different types. When entities are being synchronized across various entity stores, new or updated entity identities (and associated metadata) can be supplied to these stores as part of the same operation as that used for supplying changes during synchronization: entities can be merged and associated identity information and metadata can be changed accordingly; entities can be resurrected and new identity information can be created; metadata can be utilized even though entities are deleted, and so on.

Abstract: A method is provided for transferring a set of data over a network by monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization. The method identifies a maximum monitored level of actual utilization and calculates a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization. The threshold level represents a level below which a set of data, such as a software update, may be transferred or downloaded over the network without interfering with other network activity at the network interface. If the actual level of utilization is less than the threshold level, at least a portion or segment of the data is received over the network. If the actual level of utilization remains below the threshold level for an extended period of time, data may be transferred over the network in progressively larger segments to take advantage of unused bandwidth.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems and methods for the synchronization of two clients both utilizing a common storage platform (e.g., the new storage platform of the related inventions) to synchronize through an intermediary that is not using the same common storage platform (e.g., instead using a legacy storage platform that does not itself support synchronization for the new storage platform). Data is synchronized using the existing capabilities of the intermediary but where the data structure of the clients is preserved. An “adapter” is used to enable a client to interact with an intermediary by compensating for the intermediaries inability to preserve the data structure elements inherent to the client's storage platform. Specific embodiments are directed to either or both upload-syncing data from a client to a intermediary and/or download-syncing data from an intermediary to a client. Certain additional embodiments are further directed to compaction of data on the intermediary.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for identity mapping in synchronization systems. For example, entities can be mapped across various entity stores, such that an entity in one store can be identified with an entity in another store even if such entities are of different types. When entities are being synchronized across various entity stores, new or updated entity identities (and associated metadata) can be supplied to these stores as part of the same operation as that used for supplying changes during synchronization: entities can be merged and associated identity information and metadata can be changed accordingly; entities can be resurrected and new identity information can be created; metadata can be utilized even though entities are deleted, and so on.

Abstract: Conflicts detected during synchronization of replicas are enumerated and resolved according to a specified policy, comprising conditions and actions or simply a specified action. Specified actions may be drawn from a set of standard actions and custom actions may also be composed. The conflicts are enumerated and resolved in logical groups. A logical group is a collection of one or more item envelopes, each comprising entities, such as items, links, and/or extensions. In an example configuration, both constraint-based conflicts, such as a name collision, and non-constraint-based conflicts are handled via the same application programming interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and methodology for recognizing when an Information Transfer Request (ITR) should be modified, for creating such a modified request and for processing such a modified information transfer request to produce a desired response. Also disclosed is a client side component that can identify when an information transfer request in a particular format may not produce a desired response, a client side component that can reformat an information transfer request from one that may not produce a desired response to one that may produce a desired response and a server side component that can recognize reformatted information transfer requests and process those requests to produce the desired response.

Abstract: A system which facilitates electronic shopping, which includes a graphical image component residing on a user interface; and a shopping basket component associated with the graphical image component. The shopping basket component provides drag and drop capabilities such that a user can drag and drop representations of identified items from a plurality of sources using a computer pointer into the graphical image and descriptions of the items will be retained by the shopping basket component. The system allows for a user to concurrently effect multiple transactions with disparate items respectively associated a plurality of sources.

Abstract: A shopping basket system includes a shopping basket component and a wish or gift list component. The functionality of the shopping basket system may be invoked via a graphical image, such as an icon, on a web browser or a desktop of the client computer. The user may browse registered sites on the Internet and drag and drop products into the user's shopping basket. All products may then be purchased concurrently regardless of the site that the product was found. The drag and drop capability is provided by the programmability of the shopping basket. A common schema can be employed for describing items (e.g., products and services) to be purchased from registered sites. In one aspect of the invention the common schema is provided in the eXtensible Markup Language (XML). The shopping basket system is provided with a search engine for searching for products on a user's wish or gift list over the Internet. The search results are provided to the user, which can be added to the user's shopping basket list.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for transferring a set of data over a network by monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization. The method identifies a maximum monitored level of actual utilization and calculates a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization. If the actual level of utilization is less than the threshold level, at least a portion or segment of the data is received over the network. Each time a portion of the data is received, the monitoring step is repeated and a counter is incremented. The size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter and is increased when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A description of the hierarchically-structured document is accessed and converted into an early-bound object having at least some of the same properties as the hierarchically-structured document, and having at least some of the methods that may be performed on the hierarchically-structured document. When a function call is placed to the early-bound object, the early-bound object causes the appropriate corresponding changes to be affected on the hierarchically-structured document while maintaining change tracking information for the document. This reduces the difficulty when drafting source code for a program that interfaces with hierarchically-structured documents that can have varying structures and may be governed by complex change tracking rules.

Abstract: A description of the hierarchically-structured document is accessed and converted into an early-bound object having at least some of the same properties as the hierarchically-structured document, and having at least some of the methods that may be performed on the hierarchically-structured document. When a function call is placed to the early-bound object, the early-bound object causes the appropriate corresponding changes to be affected on the hierarchically-structured document while maintaining change tracking information for the document. This reduces the difficulty when drafting source code for a program that interfaces with hierarchically-structured documents that can have varying structures and may be governed by complex change tracking rules.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to systems and methods of data item synchronization. More specifically, the invention concerns synchronization of data entities utilizing an intermediary or shared storage system and associated data store. Each client sync device can include or be associated with an interface that facilitates communication between client synchronization devices and the intermediary storage system. The interface can send change information to the shared store utilizing change data packets including a data change attribute, a prerequisite knowledge attribute and a learned knowledge attribute. The data change attribute can specify changes to be made to certain data, while the attribute can include a complete copy or reference to a complete copy or single instance of data.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems and methods for the synchronization of two clients both utilizing a common storage platform (e.g., the new storage platform of the related inventions) to synchronize through an intermediary that is not using the same common storage platform (e.g., instead using a legacy storage platform that does not itself support synchronization for the new storage platform). Data is synchronized using the existing capabilities of the intermediary but where the data structure of the clients is preserved. An “adapter” is used to enable a client to interact with an intermediary by compensating for the intermediaries inability to preserve the data structure elements inherent to the client's storage platform. Specific embodiments are directed to either or both upload-syncing data from a client to a intermediary and/or download-syncing data from an intermediary to a client. Certain additional embodiments are further directed to compaction of data on the intermediary.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for transferring a set of data over a network by monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization. The method identifies a maximum monitored level of actual utilization and calculates a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization. If the actual level of utilization is less than the threshold level, at least a portion or segment of the data is received over the network. Each time a portion of the data is received, the monitoring step is repeated and a counter is incremented. The size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter and is increased when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.