Abstract: Techniques are presented herein to enable a port of an electrical device to be selectively connected to either a first component or a second component of the electrical device. The port is configured to physically interface with an external device. The first component and second component perform different functions. A signal directing circuit is coupled to the port, and is configured to selectively connect the port to one of the first and second components.

Abstract: A user device is provided that includes an authentication application that runs on the user device. A calibration device is also provided that includes authentication algorithm configuration information and an authentication token. The user device is connected to the calibration device to receive the authentication algorithm configuration information and the authentication token. The user device then supplies to a target device to be authenticated an authentication request that includes the authentication token. The user device receives an authentication response from the target device. The user device then analyzes the authentication response with the authentication application based on the authentication algorithm configuration information to determine whether the target device is authenticated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first controlling device includes a processor to send a first pairing request to a remote device, receive a grant of access from the remote device, receive user input commands, receive a second pairing request from a second controlling device, grant access to the second controlling device, receive control commands from the second controlling device, and send control commands to the remote device based on the control commands received from the second controlling device and the user input commands, after the first controlling device loses a connection with the remote device, the processor being operative to send a third pairing request to the remote device and receive a denial of the third pairing request and an identification of the second controlling device from the remote device, send a fourth pairing request to the second controlling device, receive a grant of access from the second controlling device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining when an incoming call from a caller to a callee is to be routed for processing by a voice mail arrangement, and obtaining status information associated with the callee when the incoming call is to be routed for processing by the voice mail arrangement. The method also includes generating a first greeting based on the status information, and processing the call. Processing the call includes causing the first greeting to be played for the caller.

Abstract: A user device is provided that includes an authentication application that runs on the user device. A calibration device is also provided that includes authentication algorithm configuration information and an authentication token. The user device is connected to the calibration device to receive the authentication algorithm configuration information and the authentication token. The user device then supplies to a target device to be authenticated an authentication request that includes the authentication token. The user device receives an authentication response from the target device. The user device then analyzes the authentication response with the authentication application based on the authentication algorithm configuration information to determine whether the target device is authenticated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a first controlling device includes a processor to send a first pairing request to a remote device, receive a grant of access from the remote device, receive user input commands, receive a second pairing request from a second controlling device, grant access to the second controlling device, receive control commands from the second controlling device, and send control commands to the remote device based on the control commands received from the second controlling device and the user input commands, after the first controlling device loses a connection with the remote device, the processor being operative to send a third pairing request to the remote device and receive a denial of the third pairing request and an identification of the second controlling device from the remote device, send a fourth pairing request to the second controlling device, receive a grant of access from the second controlling device.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein to enable a port of an electrical device to be selectively connected to either a first component or a second component of the electrical device. The port is configured to physically interface with an external device. The first component and second component perform different functions. A signal directing circuit is coupled to the port, and is configured to selectively connect the port to one of the first and second components.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a user identifier circuit, a button pressure signature specifying a sequence of button pressure values sampled while a corresponding identified button of a user input device is pressed by a user; the user identifier circuit identifying the user of the user input device based on the button pressure signature; and the user identifier circuit outputting a message identifying the identified button and the identified user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises supplying, by a network node to a peer network node, a randomization seed assigned to the network node for generating a prescribed sequence of pseudorandom numbers according to a prescribed pseudorandom number generation function; encoding each data block having a corresponding position in an ordered sequence of a stream of data blocks, into a corresponding differentially-encoded data block based on applying a product of the corresponding data block and the corresponding pseudorandom number, having the corresponding position in the prescribed sequence, to a corresponding successively-preceding differentially-encoded data block from the prescribed ordered sequence, the data block recoverable solely based on a determined difference between the corresponding differentially-encoded data block and the corresponding successively-preceding differentially-encoded data block relative to the corresponding pseudorandom number; and outputting each differentially-encoded data block in

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying user selection preferences of an identified user having accessed the network, the identifying based on an accumulation of user selection inputs executed by the identified user, relative to input options presented to the user and identifying respective available network items, the accumulation including an identification of the input options not having been selected by the identified user; determining a group of network users having a highest correlation of shared interests with the identified user, based on identifying preferred network items for the identified user, and identifying first network users providing highest relative user affinity values for each of the preferred network items; and determining at least one of new network items most likely to be preferred by the identified user, based on determining, from among network items not presented to the identifier user, the preferred network items for each of the first network users in the group.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, by a website server device providing a website service, a request from an identified user of a user device, the request requesting network content provided within the website service; determining by the website server device an absence of new network content within the website service relative to a last prior access by the identified user to the website service; and obtaining, by the website server device for presentation to the identified user within the website service, an ordered list of network items most likely to be preferred by the identified user.

Abstract: A search system generates an ordered list of destination targets including identified individuals and data objects, based on applying a user context to an information context and to a connection context. The user context identifies a search context (i.e., the information the user is seeking) relative to an identity of the user, and the information context identifies destinations accessible by the user, including data objects and communications-based actions (e.g., voice over IP telephony calls, instant messaging session transcripts, etc.). The connection context identifies relationships between chosen destinations throughout the system, and the strength of those relationships determined from artifacts of the chosen destinations: the connection context is updated based on artifact detection. The portion of the connection context that is relevant to the user context is used to order the portion of the information context that is relevant to the user context, resulting in the ordered list of destination targets.

Abstract: Each data file of a distributed file system is identified by a corresponding globally-unique object identifier that is independent of any attribute of the data file. A node in the distributed file system has a file system that includes a plurality of directory entries, where each directory entry has a file name field, an attributes field, and an object identifier field configured for specifying a globally-unique object identifier. The globally-unique object identifier is universally reachable by any node of the distributed file system and uniquely identifies the data file, enabling the data file to be universally identifiable by any node based on the corresponding object identifier. The data file can be stored independently of a device file system based on providing a resolution between the data file name and its object identifier, followed by a resolution between the object identifier and a selected location for the data file.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying, by an apparatus at a user premises, a presentation of an addressable video stream to a user; detecting by the apparatus whether the user has supplied a user input, relative to the presentation, to at least one user input device; the apparatus selectively associating each user input detected relative to the presentation with a corresponding identified position of the addressable video stream; and generating, by the apparatus, a data structure enabling identification of an attention level by the user toward at least a portion of the addressable video stream, the data structure specifying an identifier for the addressable video stream and specifying whether the user supplied any user input relative to the presentation, including selectively adding to the data structure at least one user input and the corresponding identified position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a target template and processing the target template to identify at least one component of the target template. The method also includes searching at least one collection of content to identify at least a first instance of content that substantially matches the component of the target template. The first instance of content is presented as substantially matching the component. Finally, a first arrangement that includes the first instance of content is created. Such a first arrangement is associated with a mash-up related to the target template.

Abstract: A customer premises router identifies contacts based on web sites visited and searches conducted by a user device. The customer premises router also detects phone calls initiated by a user device (e.g., a Voice over IP telephony device), and identifies an association between a phone call to an identified called destination (e.g., a destination telephone number) and an identified contact, based on a prescribed association attribute. The identified associations are stored in nonvolatile memory. Any subsequent web request by a user device and related to the contact causes the customer premises router to supply to the user device the identified association specifying the contact and the identified called destination, enabling a user of the user device to determine the identified called destination for the contact, even if the visited web sites do not provide the identified called destination.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying, in a network, user selection preferences of an identified user having accessed the network, the identifying based on an accumulation of user selection inputs executed by the identified user, the user selection inputs accumulated relative to input options presented to the user and identifying respective available network items; classifying, by an apparatus in the network, the identified user into one of multiple user affinity categories relative to an advertisement campaign for a targeted product, the classifying based on determining whether one of the user selection inputs represents a view gesture of the user having viewed the targeted product; and selecting an advertisement asset for delivery to the identified user based on the classifying of the identified user into the one user affinity category.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying user selection preferences of an identified user having accessed the network, the identifying based on an accumulation of user selection inputs executed by the identified user, relative to input options presented to the user and identifying respective available network items, the accumulation including an identification of the input options not having been selected by the identified user; determining a group of network users having a highest correlation of shared interests with the identified user, based on identifying preferred network items for the identified user, and identifying first network users providing highest relative user affinity values for each of the preferred network items; and determining at least one of new network items most likely to be preferred by the identified user, based on determining, from among network items not presented to the identifier user, the preferred network items for each of the first network users in the group.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises identifying, in a network, user selection preferences of an identified user having accessed the network, the identifying based on an accumulation of user selection inputs executed by the identified user, the user selection inputs accumulated relative to input options presented to the user and identifying respective available network items; classifying, by an apparatus in the network, the identified user into one of multiple user affinity categories relative to an advertisement campaign for a targeted product, the classifying based on determining whether one of the user selection inputs represents a view gesture of the user having viewed the targeted product; and selecting an advertisement asset for delivery to the identified user based on the classifying of the identified user into the one user affinity category.

Abstract: A network provides distributed computing services based on participation in respective resource groups by computing nodes, each resource group including a corresponding resource requirement for any computing node that joins the corresponding resource group for execution of the corresponding distributed computing service. Each computing node, in response to determining its corresponding available node capacity, is configured for selectively creating and joining at least one new resource group for execution of a corresponding distributed computing service having a corresponding resource requirement, and/or selectively joining at least one of the available resource groups, based on the corresponding available node capacity satisfying the corresponding resource requirement. Each computing node also is configured for selectively leaving any one of the joined resource groups based on determined conditions.