Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a cloud computing environment that includes a service cloud and one or more services accessing the service cloud. The service cloud includes multiple resources of different types that support the execution of the services accessing the service cloud. Each resource and service in the cloud computing environment is configured via a centralized configuration service. In addition, resource allocation and predictive performance monitoring engines allocate resources and monitor the resources allocated to the services accessing the service cloud.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a cloud computing environment that includes a service cloud and one or more services accessing the service cloud. The service cloud includes multiple resources of different types that support the execution of the services accessing the service cloud. Each resource and service in the cloud computing environment is configured via a centralized configuration service. In addition, resource allocation and predictive performance monitoring engines allocate resources and monitor the resources allocated to the services accessing the service cloud.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

Abstract: A controller to instruct execution in an environment of plural computing resources. The controller comprising: an information collecting unit to collect available resource information of computing resources available to execute an application indicating an amount and/or type of computing resource available in categories of computing resource; scalability information including an indication of application execution rate; and performance target information including an indication of performance targets. The controller further comprises: a configuration selection unit to select a configuration which will come closest to meeting, the performance targets; and an instructing unit to instruct the execution of the application using the selected configuration.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus (30) which, based on profiles of shoppers (100), along with the time spent by shoppers at each of a plurality of retail establishments, suggest offers most suitable to that particular profile. Shoppers' trails (past and present) are considered in order to generate and update profiles and predict future behavior and offer tailored incentives. For locating shoppers, an active Wi-Fi receiver on a mobile phone or other personal communication device can be identified by an access point (20, 22, 24) in a shop (10, 12, 14) by its MAC address as the shopper moves through a shopping centre, even if the device never connects to the access point. It is not necessary to identify the shoppers as named individuals; rather, it is possible to anonymously recognize them based on the MAC address.

Abstract: A stored data access controller, configured to control access to data items, stored in a data storage apparatus, composed of data values encoding a labelled link between a subject graph node and an object graph node. The stored data access controller comprising: a query module, configured to receive a query requesting a specified subset of the data items and further configured to obtain the specified subset of the data items as a preliminary query result. The stored data access controller further comprising: a suppression module, configured to obtain the preliminary query result from the query module, and to generate a revised version of the preliminary query result by selectively suppressing the data value of one or more graph nodes in accordance with access control information attributed to the label of a labelled link between the subject graph node and the object graph node.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for human verification by a contextually iconic visual public Turing test. There is provided a method comprising receiving a request to verify whether a client is human controlled, selecting, by contextual criteria, a plurality of images each having one or more associated tags from a database, generating a challenge question and a corresponding answer set based on associated tags of a subset of the plurality of images, presenting the plurality of images and the challenge question to the client, receiving a submission to the challenge question from the client, and responding to the request by verifying whether the submission is contained in the answer set to determine whether the client is human controlled. The contextual criteria may comprise subject matter, branding, or intended audience of a content provider sending the request, thereby facilitating human responses while deterring automated systems.

Abstract: A method of accessing a network securely using a personal device which can only access the network via one or more authorized access points, the method including establishing a connection between the network and the personal device via an access point; checking in the network whether the access point is on a white list of authorized access points for use with the network; if the access point is on the white list, allowing the personal device to access the network securely via the access point; and if the access point is not on the white list, not allowing the personal device to access the network securely.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for human verification by a contextually iconic visual public Turing test. There is provided a method comprising receiving a request to verify whether a client is human controlled, selecting, by contextual criteria, a plurality of images each having one or more associated tags from a database, generating a challenge question and a corresponding answer set based on associated tags of a subset of the plurality of images, presenting the plurality of images and the challenge question to the client, receiving a submission to the challenge question from the client, and responding to the request by verifying whether the submission is contained in the answer set to determine whether the client is human controlled. The contextual criteria may comprise subject matter, branding, or intended audience of a content provider sending the request, thereby facilitating human responses while deterring automated systems.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a microprocessor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The microprocessor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a detector apparatus for detecting a physical resource employed in providing a particular virtual resource in a computer network, the computer network including a plurality of physical resources each being operable to be employed in providing virtual resources and having an environment sensor outputting sensor data representing changes in an operating property of the physical resource. A detector apparatus embodying the present invention comprises a sensor data receptor operable to receive sensor data output by the environment sensors, a pattern extractor operable to extract a pattern from the received sensor data from a physical resource, and a pattern matcher, wherein the pattern matcher is operable to compare the extracted pattern with a unique pattern known to be generated by a particular virtual resource, and to detect that the physical resource is employed in providing the particular virtual resource when a match is found.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for human verification by a contextually iconic visual public Turing test. There is provided a method comprising receiving a request to verify whether a client is human controlled, selecting, by contextual criteria, a plurality of images each having one or more associated tags from a database, generating a challenge question and a corresponding answer set based on associated tags of a subset of the plurality of images, presenting the plurality of images and the challenge question to the client, receiving a submission to the challenge question from the client, and responding to the request by verifying whether the submission is contained in the answer set to determine whether the client is human controlled. The contextual criteria may comprise subject matter, branding, or intended audience of a content provider sending the request, thereby facilitating human responses while deterring automated systems.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which phishing-related data sources are processed into aggregated data and a given site evaluated the aggregated data using a predictive model to automatically determine whether the given site is likely to be a phishing site. The predictive model may be built using machine learning based on training data, e.g., including known phishing sites and/or known non-phishing sites. To determine whether an object corresponding to a site is likely a phishing-related object are described, various criteria are evaluated, including one or more features of the object when evaluated. The determination is output in some way, e.g., made available to a reputation service, used to block access to a site or warn a user before allowing access, and/or used to assist a hand grader in being more efficient in evaluating sites.

Abstract: A system and method for rendering pages, and a configuration server are disclosed. The system comprises at least one rendering server, at least one composition service server, and a configuration server. The method comprises receiving a request to render, checking cache for a web service, requesting the web service, and rendering. The configuration server comprises a storage module and a transmit module.

Abstract: Content searching and configuration of search results are described. In an implementation, a method includes in response to a search query, selecting a keyword based on heuristic data which describes a plurality of previously performed searched. A search is performed utilizing the search query and the selected keyword to locate content.

Abstract: A search engine receives a search query from a user and forwards the received query to a partner by way of a call to a generic proxy with the query for the partner. The generic proxy receives and processes the query, forwards the processed query to the partner, receives search results responsive to the forwarded query from the partner, and processes the received search results, all according to the configuration information corresponding to the partner. The generic proxy then forwards the processed search results to the search engine for further forwarding to the querying user. Accordingly, each of several partners has corresponding configuration information unique thereto and only the generic proxy need be developed for all of the several partners.

Abstract: A search engine receives a search query from a user and forwards the received query to a partner by way of a call to a generic proxy with the query for the partner. The generic proxy receives and processes the query, forwards the processed query to the partner, receives search results responsive to the forwarded query from the partner, and processes the received search results, all according to the configuration information corresponding to the partner. The generic proxy then forwards the processed search results to the search engine for further forwarding to the querying user. Accordingly, each of several partners has corresponding configuration information unique thereto and only the generic proxy need be developed for all of the several partners.

Abstract: An automatic dispenser for providing animals with cool fresh liquid (e.g., water). The feeder has self-cleaning and self-refilling features that provide periodic replacement of hot, stale or dirty fluid with cool fresh refills. Solenoid valves are controlled by one or more liquid sensors, a time delay relay, timer and optional thermostat to provide flexibility and customizing of drain/refill cycles as desired in order to reflect varying ambient conditions in which the equipment is operated. Provision is also made for remote actuation of drain and refill cycles.