Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates presentation of activity-based advertising based on receptive opportunities. During operation, the system identifies a number of topics. The system then receives a number of advertisements from advertisers, wherein a respective advertisement is associated with a topic. For a respective topic, the system determines a number of candidate advertisements associated with that topic to be pending presentations. The system further analyzes an activity in which a customer is engaged. Next, the system identifies a receptive opportunity to present one or more advertisements to the customer based on the activity analysis. The system then determines among the pending presentations one or more advertisements to present to the customer during the identified receptive opportunity. Subsequently, the system presents the determined advertisements to the customer during the opportunity period.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating presentation of activity-based advertising. During operation, the system receives a set of contextual data of a customer and makes a prediction of the customer's future activity. The system then receives a number of advertisements from the advertisers. Based on the prediction, the system chooses a received advertisement to present to the customer. The system further determines the customer's subsequent activity and confirms the prediction of the customer's activity. The system then receives payments from the advertisers whose advertisement is presented based on whether the prediction is confirmed.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an activity-based advertisement system. During operation, the system identifies at an advertising service provider a set of features that characterize a customer's activity. The system then receives at least one trigger from the trigger author, wherein the trigger is based on the features and specifies conditions for an advertising opportunity. The system then identifies an advertising opportunity for a customer when the conditions specified by the trigger are met. The system further presents one or more advertisements to the customer during the opportunity period.

Abstract: A sensing system includes a set of sensors and a data-fusing mechanism coupled to at least one of these sensors. In the set of sensors, at least one sensor is configured to store one or more measurement models for one or more phenomenon states. Furthermore, at least one sensor in the set of sensors is configured to sample a measurement value and generate a likelihood function based on the sampled measurement and the measurement models. The data-fusing mechanism coupled to a respective sensor in the set of sensors is configured to collect one or more likelihood functions generated by the one or more sensors and use the collected likelihood functions to compute an aggregate probability of a phenomenon state.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for improving link target accuracy for a mobile browser with a touch-screen display. The system receives a page with a plurality of selectable text objects and adjusts the page layout. The method further includes placing a number of targets within the web page. Each target is associated with one selectable text object, and the selectable text object can only be activated by the target. The targets are sufficiently separated from each other, thus allowing a user to hold the touch-screen display and select the selectable text object by tapping on the target with substantial accuracy. Another embodiment of the present invention allows a user to select a selectable text object by performing a gesture.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a user to visually compare the effects of one or more clothing sets in front of a mirror. During operation, the system detects and stores images of a user wearing a piece of clothing in front of mirror. Similar stored poses from either the user or from members of the user's social network can be retrieved later to compare the effects of the current piece of clothing to the retrieved clothing. The poses are then displayed in close proximity to the mirror so that the user can visually compare the effects. Displaying multiple such poses in sequence and in fast response to changes in the user's orientation creates the effect that the system is tracking the user's movements and presenting poses that are substantially synchronized to the user's movements.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for recognizing and classifying clothes. During operation, the system captures at least one image of a clothing item. The system further determines a region on the captured image which corresponds to a torso and/or limbs. The system also determines at least one color composition, texture composition, collar configuration, and sleeve configuration of the clothing item. Additionally, the system classifies the clothing item into at least one category based on the determined color composition, texture composition, collar configuration, and sleeve configuration. The system then produces a result which indicates the classification.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for recommending activities to a user. During operation, the system determines an activity-type distribution based on the user's personal profile and/or population prior information, thereby facilitating prediction of future activities for the user. The system further searches for and receives one or more activities based on the activity-type distribution. The system then scores each received activity and recommends a number of activities to be performed by the user in the future and a number of corresponding venues, based on the activity-type distribution and the weight distribution.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides recommender system for generating a recommendation of an item by combining a set of utility models adaptively to facilitate a decision-making process. The system includes a utility model database containing the set of utility models and a query module for receiving at least one query about the item from a querying entity. The system also includes a rule engine to specify a subset of utility models to be applied to the item and to specify a weight function of the specified utility models. Further included in the system is a set generator coupled to the utility model database, the query module, and the rule engine. The set generator computes a set of ratings by applying each of the utility model in the subset to the item and generates an overall rating for the item based on the weight function. The system further a communication module to return the overall rating.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that provides a user interface for a context-aware recommendation system which can be operated with one hand. The user interface includes a touch-screen display and a list of recommendations presented on the touch-screen display. The user interface further includes a plurality of graphic elements presented on the touch-screen display which allow a user to configure preferences associated with the activities. A layout of the leisure activities and the graphic elements allows the user to hold the touch-screen display and perform operations on the leisure activities and/or the graphic elements with one hand.

Abstract: A computer-controlled method to configure a network of devices acquires a specific instance of an abstract application of at least one component in a first network, captures and stores fields of the component in the abstract application, classifies the fields as to how the fields are to be used in matching, provides field values for fields within each component to be used in matching, and store the fields, components and values as a general instance of the abstract application. An apparatus has an acquisition mechanism to acquire a specific instance of an abstract application of at least one component in a first network, a generalization mechanism to identify and generalize fields and values associated with the component, and a store to store the fields, components and values as a general instance of the abstract application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for entering text. The system starts by receiving a sequence of finger-triggered events. The system then attempts to match the sequence of finger-triggered events to one or more predetermined sequences of finger-triggered events. If the sequence matches a predetermined sequence, the system outputs at least one character corresponding to the predetermined sequence.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that selectively transfers code to a data producer in a networked system. In this system, the data producer generates data and then sends the data to a device. The device receives the data from the data producer, and then uses code on the device to perform a processing operation on the data. Next, the system analyzes characteristics of the data to determine whether performing the processing operation on the data producer can reduce resource usage. If so, the system transfers the code from the device to the data producer, and subsequently executes the code on the data producer. By executing the code on the data producer, the system can optimize resource usage in the networked system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for accessing related computer objects. In one embodiment, computer objects related to a user's current task by a metric are listed. In another embodiment, other users related to a user's current task by a metric are listed. In one embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object determines whether the user accessed the computer object. In another embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object determines whether the user is referenced in the computer object. In other embodiments, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object involves other measures of relatedness. In one embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a computer object is related to another computer object determines whether the computer objects have a related user in common.

Abstract: In a method for determining whether a person is potentially unavailable for communication, sensors are provided at a location to obtain information regarding a state of availability for communication of a first person at the location. The information regarding potential unavailability of the first person for communication is presented to a second person. A system for determining whether a person is potentially unavailable for communication includes a data acquisition module that has sensor receiving ports and is configured to transmit signal data from the sensors over a network. An inferencing engine is configured to receive the signal data from the sensors over the network and to use the signal data to reach an inference regarding a person's presence and an inference regarding the person's potential unavailability for communication. A presence service presents the inferences to other persons over the network before such other persons attempt to communicate with the person.

Abstract: A system and method for connecting pending and preset telephone calls to facilitate transitioning to a phone call. Embodiments of the present invention include a method for anticipating and connecting a telephone call comprising identifying a trigger action associated with an anticipated outgoing telephone call, retrieving a phone number associated with said trigger action, and automatically setting a programmable speed dial button wherein by selecting the speed dial button, said phone number associated with said trigger action is dialed.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a shared window into which a remote user can input commands from a remote computer system subject to access control. The system operates by receiving a command from the remote user on the remote computer system, wherein the command is directed toward the local computer system in order to operate the local computer system. If the command passes a filtering process, the system executes the command to a local operating system so that the command can operate on the local computer system. The system also displays the command on the shared window on the local computer system so that a local user can view the command. The system additionally allows the command to be displayed on a remote copy of the shared window on the remote computer system, so that the remote user can view the command. In one embodiment of the present invention, if the shared window is in an approval mode, the filtering process involves allowing the local user to approve the command.

Abstract: In a plurality of electronic devices, a system and method is provided for providing interfaces on the plurality of electronic devices for interacting with at least one source of dynamically changing awareness information. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information for the electronic device in communication with the at least one source. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to others of the plurality of electronic devices. The awareness information can be a summary of electronic device statuses relating to a selected user. The awareness information can also include an indication of time since each of a plurality of electronic devices relating to a selected user has been in use.

Abstract: A system and method for connecting pending and preset telephone calls to facilitate transitioning to a phone call. Embodiments of the present invention include a method for anticipating and connecting a telephone call comprising identifying a trigger action associated with an anticipated outgoing telephone call, retrieving a phone number associated with said trigger action, and automatically setting a programmable speed dial button wherein by selecting the speed dial button, said phone number associated with said trigger action is dialed.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for providing distributed parties reciprocal information regarding each other's activities. For example, the method of the invention provides selected information regarding the availability of an intended recipient to engage in a communication session with an initiator, and reciprocally informs the intended recipient of the initiator's access to such information. Further, the method of the invention can provide a signal to an intended recipient to indicate an initiator's intention to establish a communication session. Further, the method of the invention provides a signal to each party to indicate whether a communication session has been established. In another aspect, the invention provides a method for informing the participants in a communication session of a party's intention to terminate its participation in the session.