Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for initiating a monitoring session between a user device and a pet monitoring system including a base station and a plurality of monitoring devices. The base station receives a request to monitor the pet from the user device, activates the plurality of monitoring devices, receives data from the plurality of monitoring devices, locates the pet based on the received data from the plurality of monitoring devices, selects a selected monitoring device of the plurality of monitoring devices based upon at least one of the data from the plurality of monitoring devices and the location of the pet, and transmits the data from the selected monitoring device to the user device.

Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to dynamically identifying travel segments to be taken by a traveler traveling in a region are described herein, where observations about travel segments in the region are sparse and subject to alteration. A computer-implemented graph can be loaded into a memory, where the computer-implemented graph is representative of the region. The computer-implemented graph includes nodes that represent locations in the region and edges that represent travel segments of the region, where the edges have costs assigned thereto, and further where there is a defined statistical relationship between the costs. When an observation about a travel path is received, using the computer-implemented graph, inferences can be made about costs of traversing other travel paths in the region.

Abstract: A shared electrode battery includes multiple electrodes of one type (e.g., two or more cathodes) that share an electrode of another type (e.g., a shared anode). The multiple electrodes of the same type (e.g., the multiple cathodes) can have different characteristics, such as different chemistries, particle sizes and distributions, capacities, and so forth that are designed to provide particular features such as high energy density, high power density, high cycle life, fast charge, safety, and so forth. Multiple cathode-anode pairings of one of the multiple electrodes of the same type with the shared electrode are possible. Switching hardware is operable to select one of the multiple pairings at any given time, allowing the battery to provide power using the cathode having the desired characteristics at that given time. A single battery is thus able to provide these multiple different features.

Abstract: A server computing device and related method for providing recommendations to a user computing device are disclosed. In one example, user activity of a user device and friend activity of a friend device are received. A request for a recommendation is received from the user device. Based at least in part on the current location of the friend device, a recommendation is sent to the user device including a recommended service offered at a service location within a threshold distance along the user device's direction of travel, the recommendation being displayed on a display associated with the user device.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a pet includes a base station and a first monitoring device configured to capture first data relating to a first monitored area and to transmit the first data to the base station. The system further includes a second monitoring device configured to capture second data relating to a second monitored area and to transmit the second data to the base station, wherein the first monitored area and the second monitored area are adjacent. The base station is configured to determine a location of the pet as being in at least one of the first monitored area and the second monitored area. The base station is configured to determine a status of the pet based on at least one of the first and second data.

Abstract: Calendar and scheduling applications organize and display user events and provide event reminders. A method of triggering a reminder includes accessing a reminder which describes an event. An individual associated with the event, other than the user, is identified. A future time is predicted when the user will be within proximity of the individual. A time to trigger the reminder for presentation to the user is determined, such that the time to trigger the reminder occurs in advance of the predicted future time when the user will be within proximity of the individual. Based on a determination that the time for triggering the reminder has occurred, the reminder is triggered to be presented to the user.

Abstract: A method disclosed herein includes the act of computing a value of information for obtaining data from a personal sensor of a user for utilization in a utilitarian computing application, wherein a mobile computing device comprises the personal sensor of the user. The method further includes the act of requesting that the mobile computing device transmit a data packet to the computing device based at least in part upon the value of information for obtaining data from the personal sensor of the user.

Abstract: Various techniques for providing network connectivity are described herein. In one example, a moving object includes an uplink device of the moving object to connect the moving object to a publicly available computer network. The moving object also includes a downlink device of the moving object to be communicatively coupled to a remote device at a specific segment along a route of the moving object. The remote device is to provide data received via the downlink device to a user. The moving object also further includes a cache store communicatively coupled to the uplink device and the downlink device. Implementations include the use of commercial airplanes for providing connectivity via intermittent access and refreshing of a cache store that makes content available to end users.

Abstract: A server computing device and related method for providing recommendations to a user computing device are disclosed. In one example, user activity of the user of a user computing device and friend activity of a friend using a friend computing device are received. A request for a recommendation is received from the user device. Based on the user and friend activities, it is estimated that the user and friend will approach an intersecting location within a window of time, and the user and friend are available to meet in that window. A recommendation of a service offered within a distance of the location is sent, with the recommendation displayed on the user computing device.

Abstract: A computing system comprises an electronic personal assistant application program executed on a client computing device. Included are a health insurance retriever configured to retrieve health insurance information of a user, a history combiner configured to combined aggregated histories of a plurality of users into an anonymized combined time and location-based data, and a health recommender configured to identify at least one health condition of the user, determine a health recommendation at least on the identified health condition, and output the health recommendation including the recommended health care service, providers, and an indication of insurance coverage of the recommended service at each of the providers.

Abstract: A client computing device is disclosed that comprises a processor and an electronic personal assistant application program. The personal assistant application program may be configured to capture user data associated with user activities across a plurality of computer programs. The user data may be sent to a personal assistant user data interpretation engine. A health-related suggestion based on at least a subset of the user data and anonymized statistics of a user population retrieved from an aggregated knowledge base may be received. The health-related suggestion may be displayed on a display associated with the client computing device.

Abstract: A computing system comprises a client computing device configured to execute a personal assistant application program. The personal assistant application program is configured to receive user data from interaction of a user with the client computing device, user interaction with additional devices, or system networked to the client computing device, to sense a user condition based on the user data received, to analyze the user condition to identify a user health issue, present, via a user interface associated with the client computing device, a suggestion for the user to treat, overcome or improve the user health issue, assess a degree to which the user has followed the suggestion, and modify subsequent suggestions to the user based on the degree to which the suggestion was followed.

Abstract: A computing system for calculating a total calorie count is provided. The computing system comprising an electronic personal assistant application program executed on a client computing device, and including a purchase tracking module configured to receive notifications of purchases made for individual food items, a calorie tracking module configured to identify calorie counts associated with each purchased food item and to calculate a calorie count statistic based thereon, a calorie apportionment module configured to apportion the calorie counts of the food items to a user so that the calorie count statistic is based upon an apportioned total of the calorie counts of the food items that have been apportioned to the user; and a graphical user interface module configured to display a graphical user interface including an indicator of the calorie count statistic on a display associated with the client computing device.

Abstract: A computing system is provided. The computing system includes an electronic personal assistant application server configured to determine a target location for a selected user and time, determine a group of other registered users who are or will be physically present at the target location at or around the predetermined time, determine group health data representing a health condition of the group of other registered users, the group health data being determined based on anonymous medical records statistics for the group of other registered users, the anonymous medical records statistics including biometric data sensed by at least one biometric sensor associated with at least one user computing device of one of the other registered users, identify a health risk level for the target location using the group health data, and generate an activity warning for the target location based on the health risk level.

Abstract: Various techniques for providing network connectivity are described herein. In one example, a moving object includes an uplink device of the moving object to connect the moving object to a publicly available computer network. The moving object also includes a downlink device of the moving object to be communicatively coupled to a remote device at a specific segment along a route of the moving object. The remote device is to provide data received via the downlink device to a user. The moving object also further includes a cache store communicatively coupled to the uplink device and the downlink device. Implementations include the use of commercial airplanes for providing connectivity via intermittent access and refreshing of a cache store that makes content available to end users.

Abstract: Systems and methods of pre-launching applications in a computer system, said applications being likely to be activated by a user from a terminated and/or suspended process state, are disclosed. The pre-launching of an application may be based on the assessed probability of the application being activated—as well as the level of availability of system resources to affect such pre-launching. Applications may be pre-launched based on these and other conditions/considerations, designed to improve the user's experience of a quick launch of applications in the background. Several prediction models are presented to provide a good estimate of the likelihood of an application being activated by a user. Such prediction models may comprise an adaptive predictor (based on past application usage situations) and/or a switch rate predictor (based on historic data of an application being switched and, possibly, having a decay rate applied to such switch rate measure).

Abstract: Calendar and scheduling applications organize and display user events and provide event reminders. A method of triggering a reminder includes accessing a reminder which describes an event. An individual associated with the event, other than the user, is identified. A future time is predicted when the user will be within proximity of the individual. A time to trigger the reminder for presentation to the user is determined, such that the time to trigger the reminder occurs in advance of the predicted future time when the user will be within proximity of the individual. Based on a determination that the time for triggering the reminder has occurred, the reminder is triggered to be presented to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a physiological parameter of a subject through interrogation of an eye of the subject with an optical signal are described. Interrogation is performed unobtrusively. The physiological parameter is determined from a signal sensed from the eye of a subject when the eye of the subject is properly aligned with regard to an interrogation signal source and/or response signal sensor.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a physiological parameter of a subject through interrogation of an eye of the subject with an optical signal are described. Interrogation is performed unobtrusively. The physiological parameter is determined from a signal sensed from the eye of a subject according to a schedule, under the control of a scheduling controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods and computer storage media for detecting user input in an extended interaction space of a device, such as a handheld device. The method and system allow for utilizing a first sensor of the device sensing in a positive z-axis space of the device to detect a first input, such as a user's non-device-contacting gesture. The method and system also contemplate utilizing a second sensor of the device sensing in a negative z-axis space of the device to detect a second input. Additionally, the method and system contemplate updating a user interface presented on a display in response to detecting the first input by the first sensor in the positive z-axis space and detecting the second input by the second sensor in the negative z-axis space.