Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing a repository of customizable itineraries are disclosed. Based at least in part on user input, trip components are selected from a repository of itineraries based at least in part on user input from a first user. The trip components represent events or locations. Recommendation input for customizing the trip components is obtained from additional users. A customized itinerary is selected based at least in part on the itinerary and the recommendation input. The customized itinerary comprises one or more user-selected modifications to a chronological order or one or more user-selected substitutions to the set of trip components. The customized itinerary is stored in the repository of itineraries.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured to control movement of a first instrument and a second instrument, each of which is on a robotic manipulator. In described modes of operation, movement of the first instrument is surgeon controlled based on surgeon input to the robotic system. Movement of the second instrument is also surgeon controlled, but its motion is defined by the chosen mode of operation which sets the amplitude and direction of the second instrument's motion relative to the actual or instructed motion of the first instrument. In this way, two instruments are simultaneously moved based on input from a single surgeon input device.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured to control movement of a first instrument and a second instrument, each of which is on a robotic manipulator. In described modes of operation, movement of the first instrument is surgeon controlled based on surgeon input to the robotic system. Movement of the second instrument is also surgeon controlled, but its motion is defined by the chosen mode of operation which sets the amplitude and direction of the second instrument's motion relative to the actual or instructed motion of the first instrument. In this way, two instruments are simultaneously moved based on input from a single surgeon input device.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured to control movement of a first instrument and a second instrument, each of which is on a robotic manipulator. In described modes of operation, movement of the first instrument is surgeon controlled based on surgeon input to the robotic system. Movement of the second instrument is also surgeon controlled, but its motion is defined by the chosen mode of operation which sets the amplitude and direction of the second instrument's motion relative to the actual or instructed motion of the first instrument. In this way, two instruments are simultaneously moved based on input from a single surgeon input device.

Abstract: In a surgical method using a robotic system, a distal end of a robotically controlled surgical instrument is positioned in a patient body cavity. Operation of the instrument is controlled in response to input provided by a surgeon at an input device. An image of the interior of the body cavity is captured for display on a display. A boundary in the body cavity is identified using the image processing software by distinguishing between different colors on the image.

Abstract: A robot-assisted surgical system includes a robotic manipulator configured for robotic positioning of a surgical instrument in a body cavity, a surgical instrument positionable in an operative site in the body cavity and at least one path-defining instrument insertable into a natural body orifice. The system is configured to determine a position of the path-defining instrument. A target resection path for the surgical instrument may be determined based on the determined position. The path-defining instrument may be a bougie or colpotomy ring.

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing a trust-based social graph for travel planning are disclosed. Social data is obtained from one or more social network services. Based at least in part on the social data, trust scores are determined between an entity and a plurality of additional entities. For one of the additional entities, the respective trust score is determined based at least in part on a respective relationship score and a respective similarity score for the additional entity. One or more respective connections are generated in a social graph between the entity and one or more trusted entities of the additional entities. The one or more respective connections with the trusted entities are generated based at least in part on the respective trust scores.

Abstract: Components associated with application entities can be grouped into one or more component groupings. A grouping can include, for example, components that include or specify parameters and settings for a gameplay entity of a gaming application. The grouping of components enables a single component group to be displayed through an editor interface instead of all the individual grouped components, which simplifies the view through the interface. A user can select important parameters to be exposed at the group level, such that those parameters can be accessed and set without having to access and search through the individual grouped components. The grouping can also be saved and used to develop subsequent entities, which can simplify the development process and ensure that necessary components are included for specific entity types.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed for integrating a live streaming video service with other computing systems and services. A live streaming video service exposes a network service API through which requests for identifiers for live video streams can be submitted. An API request can include context data obtained or generated by a user device, such as data defining the state of an application executing on the user device or data identifying the type of user device making the request. The context data can also be obtained or generated by an application store system or a merchant system. The context data and metadata associated with live video streams can be used to select one or more of the live video streams. Unique identifiers corresponding to the selected live video streams can be returned in response to a call to the API. The identifiers can be utilized to access the corresponding live video streams.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for attaching a first watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure. The apparatus comprises a spacing member and attachment members. The spacing member has two ends and outer edges that define a width of the spacing member. An attachment member is connected to each end of the spacing member at the outer edges. The attachment members are releasably attachable to the watercraft and the attachment members are freely rotatable about each end of the spacing member. Another example of the apparatus provides two spacing members, first and second attaching loops and a tension system. The first attaching loop extends from a first end of the two spacing members. The second attaching loop extends from a second end of the spacing members. The attaching loops are releasably attachable to the watercraft and it is freely rotatable about the ends of each of the spacing members.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for attaching a first watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure. The apparatus comprises a spacing member and attachment members. The spacing member has two ends and outer edges that define a width of the spacing member. An attachment member is connected to each end of the spacing member at the outer edges. The attachment members are releasably attachable to the watercraft and the attachment members are freely rotatable about each end of the spacing member. Another example of the apparatus provides two spacing members, first and second attaching loops and a tension system. The first attaching loop extends from a first end of the two spacing members. The second attaching loop extends from a second end of the spacing members. The attaching loops are releasably attachable to the watercraft and it is freely rotatable about the ends of each of the spacing members.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing instantiation of interface elements in a rich Internet application (RIA) that includes systematically creating a tree of descriptive nodes that describe the visual interface elements of the application. Only interface elements that are not stacked under other objects or not fully hidden on the screen are instantiated using the corresponding descriptive nodes. Detail objects corresponding to the descriptive nodes are then constructed and used by a rendering engine to render the visual interface elements of the declarative application. As the user moves to locations within the application that are stacked under other objects or are hidden, the descriptive nodes and detailed objects are created representing the interface elements of those locations for rendering by the rendering engine.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing instantiation of interface elements in a rich Internet application (RIA) that includes systematically creating a tree of descriptive nodes that describe the visual interface elements of the application. Only interface elements that are not stacked under other objects or not fully hidden on the screen are instantiated using the corresponding descriptive nodes. Detail objects corresponding to the descriptive nodes are then constructed and used by a rendering engine to render the visual interface elements of the declarative application. As the user moves to locations within the application that are stacked under other objects or are hidden, the descriptive nodes and detailed objects are created representing the interface elements of those locations for rendering by the rendering engine.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for history management a plurality of objects within an application, wherein each of the plurality includes at least a software method for saving the object's state and a software method for loading the object's state and a history manager function including a software method for recording an application interaction state for each user interaction with the application, wherein the application interaction state comprises the object's state for each of the plurality of objects at a time of the each user interaction with the application, wherein the user selects a desired one of the application interaction states to set the application to a desired one of the user interactions.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing instantiation of interface elements in a rich Internet application (RIA) that includes systematically creating a tree of descriptive nodes that describe the visual interface elements of the application. Only interface elements that are not stacked under other objects or not fully hidden on the screen are instantiated using the corresponding descriptive nodes. Detail objects corresponding to the descriptive nodes are then constructed and used by a rendering engine to render the visual interface elements of the declarative application. As the user moves to locations within the application that are stacked under other objects or are hidden, the descriptive nodes and detailed objects are created representing the interface elements of those locations for rendering by the rendering engine.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for history management a plurality of objects within an application, wherein each of the plurality includes at least a software method for saving the object's state and a software method for loading the object's state and a history manager function including a software method for recording an application interaction state for each user interaction with the application, wherein the application interaction state comprises the object's state for each of the plurality of objects at a time of the each user interaction with the application, wherein the user selects a desired one of the application interaction states to set the application to a desired one of the user interactions.

Abstract: An compensated voltage transformer includes a voltage transformer. The voltage transformer includes a primary winding that receives a supply voltage, a meter winding that generates a first voltage based on a first turns ratio between the primary winding and the meter winding, and a power winding that generates a second voltage based on a second turns ratio of the primary winding to the power winding. A current transformer includes a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding carries a load current that flows through the power winding and the secondary winding connects to the meter winding.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for history management a plurality of objects within an application, wherein each of the plurality includes at least a software method for saving the object's state and a software method for loading the object's state and a history manager function including a software method for recording an application interaction state for each user interaction with the application, wherein the application interaction state comprises the object's state for each of the plurality of objects at a time of the each user interaction with the application, wherein the user selects a desired one of the application interaction states to set the application to a desired one of the user interactions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for displaying anti-aliased text. Text on a computer display device typically contains "jaggy" edges (referred to as aliased text). The method of the present invention smoothes such "jaggy" edges by blending the edges of text into the color background the text is being rendered on. A mask or alpha channel is created through which the text is rendered. The mask is created by drawing the text at a larger size (typically 4 times the size) and shrinking the image down or by using an outline vector extraction method. The mask is used to blend a bitmap representation of the text into the background. The present invention utilizes run-length compression to encode the alpha channel data. Additionally, to avoid the need for an original bitmap, the present invention encodes the text color information into the mask data, creating a unique bitmap/mask hybrid. Due to the creation and storage of a hybrid bitmap/mask, the memory requirements are significantly decreased.