Abstract: Embodiments retrieve a set of search results that have been previously identified as having at least one associated date or location. A timeline or map is displayed that visually represents the distribution of the dates or locations within the results. The timeline is displayed with a histogram graph corresponding to the number of dates in the search results at points along the timeline. The map is displayed with markers at the locations corresponding to the locations in the search results. The user can navigate the result set using the displayed timeline or map.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for creation, implementation, and use of computer-generated “smart” documents to which functionality is attached for providing contextually sensitive tools, controls and help content to users of those documents. Portions of documents are annotated with Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags and structure so that when a user enters those portions, such as by placing a computer cursor in those portions, the user is provided contextually sensitive tools, controls and/or help content. A document tools pane may open on the user's computer screen adjacent to the document being edited for providing the document tools, controls or help content related to the context of the text or data in which the cursor is located. If the user moves the cursor to another portion of the document, the user may obtain information associated with the context of the new portion of the document in which the cursor is located.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for downloading software components from a remote source to a software application for providing updates or additions to the application's functionality. All components and files that may be utilized to update or add to functionality available to the application are identified and are assembled on a manifest that may be located on a remote web server accessible by the application. If components of the application should be updated, or corrections or improvements to existing components are available, or new functionality is available that will transform the user's existing application and document into a “smart” application and “smart” document, the application may connect to the web server to download the required components.

Abstract: A reputation management system assigns reputation scores to various types of entities including, but not limited to people, products, advertisers and merchants. A reputation function is based on a directed graph including the reviewers and the reviews. The nodes in the graph represent the reviewers and the reviews and the links in the graph represent the ratings. Ratings may be negative in nature so the links which may include negative values which must be accounted for in the reputation function. The reputation function is iteratively solved until a convergence condition is met. Prior to convergence, when a stability condition is met nodes with negative reputations are removed from the reputation function.

Abstract: A system and method for online verification of data including receiving listing information associated with an entity, determining whether the listing information corresponds to an entry in a database, generating an identifier based on whether the listing information corresponds to an entry in a database, outputting the identifier to a user associated with the entity, initiating contact with the user using the listing information, receiving input from the user, and verifying the listing information using the input and the identifier.

Abstract: A blog search engine may receive a search query. The blog search engine may determine scores for a group of blog documents in response to the search query, where the scores are based on a relevance of the group of blog documents to the search query and a quality of the group of blog documents. The blog search engine may also provide information regarding the group of blog documents based on the determined scores.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for correcting text input from a stochastic input source is provided. After a text component such as a word or phrase is identified as erroneous where, for example, the stochastic input source translated the input incorrectly, a list of alternatives to the erroneous text component is provided to the user via a user interface that pops up directly into the document being prepared. The user begins editing the erroneous text component by typing directly into the document or by spelling aloud, in the case of a speech recognition device. As the user begins editing, the list of alternatives is filtered to provide only alternatives that may match the user's editing. With each additional character or letter entered by the user during editing, the list is further filtered. A suggested completion for the user's editing may be provided to the user by displaying the suggestion directly in the document.

Abstract: The correct spelling of resolved email names is automatically stored in a custom dictionary. Thereafter, a spell checker will recognize the name during the spell checking process, because the name is stored in the custom dictionary and the name will not be incorrectly marked as a spelling error. When an email editor resolves an entered email name, the email editor checks an address book or email name cache to determine whether there is an email address and/or an email display name corresponding to the name. The display name will be used to replace the email name that the user entered into the TO field. Once an email name has been resolved and the display name is provided in the TO field, the email editor will make the name available for adding to a custom dictionary. Once the display name string has been added to the custom dictionary, the email editor and any other client of the custom dictionary (e.g.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide for automatically performing actions on or in association with text or data strings that are recognized as belonging to certain semantic categories. Text entered by a user is passed to a recognizer application. If a given text or data string is recognized as belonging to a given semantic category, the recognizer application passes data corresponding to the recognized string back to a host application. In response to recognized text or data, a pointer to the object model of the host application may be passed to the recognizer application to allow the recognizer application to perform any function of the host application in response to the recognized string. Alternatively, after the recognizer application passes data corresponding to the recognized string back to the host application, the host application may fire an application level or document level event for causing an action component to perform desired actions on recognized strings.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for leveraging markup language data applied to text or data for providing helpful actions on certain types of text or data such as names, addresses, dates, stock symbols, book titles, etc. As text or data is entered into a document, selected portions of the text or data, such as sentences, paragraphs or spreadsheet cell ranges, along with any associated markup language data (e.g., XML) are passed to an action dynamically linked library for obtaining one or more actions associated with markup language elements applied to the text or data. The text or data may be passed to a recognizer dynamically linked library (DLL) for recognition of certain data types. The recognizer DLL utilizes markup language data associated with the text or data to assist recognition and labeling of text or data. The recognition process may continue iteratively for a given text or data selection until no new text or data is recognized and labeled.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for downloading software components from a remote source to a software application for providing updates or additions to the application's functionality. All components and files that may be utilized to update or add to functionality available to the application are identified and are assembled on a manifest that may be located on a remote web server accessible by the application. If components of the application should be updated, or corrections or improvements to existing components are available, or new functionality is available that will transform the user's existing application and document into a “smart” application and “smart” document, the application may connect to the web server to download the required components.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for creation, implementation, and use of computer-generated “smart” documents to which functionality is attached for providing contextually sensitive tools, controls and help content to users of those documents. Portions of documents are annotated with Extensible Markup Language (XML) tags and structure so that when a user enters those portions, such as by placing a computer cursor in those portions, the user is provided contextually sensitive tools, controls and/or help content. A document tools pane may open on the user's computer screen adjacent to the document being edited for providing the document tools, controls or help content related to the context of the text or data in which the cursor is located. If the user moves the cursor to another portion of the document, the user may obtain information associated with the context of the new portion of the document in which the cursor is located.

Abstract: A method for recognizing data, including strings and media objects, and annotating, or labeling, the data with a type label. After the data is annotated with a type label, application program modules may use the type label to provide users with a choice of actions. If the user's computer does not have any actions associated with a type label, the user may be provided with the option to surf to a download Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and download action plug-ins for that type label. One or more recognizer plug-ins perform the recognition of particular strings or media objects in an electronic document. The recognizer plug-ins may be packaged with an application program module or they may be written by third parties to recognize particular data that is of interest. One or more action plug-ins provide possible actions to be presented to the user based upon the type label associated with the data in an electronic document.

Abstract: A method and system for applying input mode bias is disclosed. A schema is applied to an input field of an electronic document. The schema is associated with a grammar that defines the set of acceptable strings that may be input into the input field. When text is input into the input field, the schema is determined and the associated grammar is determined. The grammar is then sent to the input method. Based on the grammar, the input method may determine what text the user is trying to enter. The grammar may also be used to apply semantic categories to text input into a document. After the text is entered it is compared to a grammar. If the entered text matches the form of the grammar, then the schema is applied to the text as a semantic category.

Abstract: The correct spelling of resolved email names is automatically stored in a custom dictionary. Thereafter, a spell checker will recognize the name during the spell checking process, because the name is stored in the custom dictionary and the name will not be incorrectly marked as a spelling error. When an email editor resolves an entered email name, the email editor checks an address book or email name cache to determine whether there is an email address and/or an email display name corresponding to the name. The display name will be used to replace the email name that the user entered into the TO field. Once an email name has been resolved and the display name is provided in the TO field, the email editor will make the name available for adding to a custom dictionary. Once the display name string has been added to the custom dictionary, the email editor and any other client of the custom dictionary (e.g.

Abstract: A method for semantically labeling strings in an electronic document and providing actions in association with those recognized strings is disclosed. Strings are recognized and annotated, or labeled, with a type label by a recognizer plug-in. After the strings are annotated with a type label, application program modules may use the type label and other metadata to provide users with a choice of electronic commerce actions. If the user's computer does not have any actions associated with that type label, the user may be provided with the option to surf to a download Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and download action plug-ins for that type label. An ActionGUID may be used to specify the class ids (CLSIDs) of the action plug-ins that may be used to provide actions for a particular semantic category type label. Each DLL has a class id (CLSID), which is a GUID.

Abstract: Application program interfaces (API) are provided for labeling strings while a user is creating a document and providing user actions based on the type of semantic label applied to the string. A recognizer API is provided and includes properties and methods or instructions which allow recognizer plug-ins to semantically label strings of text or cells or information. An action API is provided and includes properties and methods that are called upon when a user initiates particular actions such as opening a web browser, going to a particular URL, or opening an instance of a word processing or spreadsheet program. After the strings are annotated with a type label, application program modules may use the type label to provide users with a choice of actions. If the user's computer does not have any actions associated with a type label, the user may be provided with the option to surf to a download Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and download action plug-ins for that type label.

Abstract: An XML (eXtensible Markup Language) schema to define a list of terms to be recognized as semantic categories is disclosed. Using an instance of the XML schema, a user may easily define terms to be recognized as semantic categories without having to compile a complete recognizer plug-in. The XML schema may be written using any editing tool or XML schema editing tool to create an instance of the schema. An instance of the semantic category list schema is also referred to as a semantic category list file. Typically, the user completes all of the properties of the XML schema and specifies the list of terms to recognize directly in the XML schema. In addition to specifying terms directly in the XML schema, the user may use a binary representation of the list of terms because of size constraints. The user may also define actions in the semantic category list file.

Abstract: Methods for recognizing strings, labeling the strings with a semantic category and providing e-commerce actions based on the category is disclosed. The semantic category may include a type label and other metadata. Recognizer plug-ins perform the recognition of particular strings in an electronic document. The recognizer plug-ins may be packaged with an application program module or they may be written by third parties to recognize particular strings that are of interest. Action plug-ins provide possible actions to be presented to the user based upon the type label associated with the string. Tradenames, trademarks, formal names or types of consumer products may be labeled and actions to buy the products may be presented. The metadata may be used to implement coupon and affiliate programs to reward frequent shoppers or frequent recommenders. Numerous other e-commerce opportunities are presented via the semantic category and the metadata.