Abstract: A system that employs an explicitly and/or implicitly trained model in order to return entity-specific computer-based search results is provided. The innovation can provide for a customized search model that focuses search in connection with achieving information that is meaningful with respect to goals of an entity. The model can be used to modify a search query in accordance with a goal of the entity or to generate the search query thereby returning meaningful and/or targeted results to the user. The system can automatically gather entity-related data thereafter determining or inferring a goal as well as training the model. Moreover, the system can selectively configure (e.g., order, rank, filter) and render results to a user based upon the model.

Abstract: A system that can analyze a multi-dimensional input thereafter establishing a search query based upon extracted features from the input. In a particular example, an image can be used as an input to a search mechanism. Pattern recognition and image analysis can be applied to the image thereafter establishing a search query that corresponds to features extracted from the image input. The system can also facilitate indexing multi-dimensional searchable items thereby making them available to be retrieved as results to a search query. More particularly, the system can employ text analysis, pattern and/or speech recognition mechanisms to extract features from searchable items. These extracted features can be employed to index the searchable items.

Abstract: While interacting with a messaging interface, keywords or other search criteria are automatically identified and used to perform a search. Search results and sponsored links (or advertisements) are displayed to the user within the messaging interface. To alleviate privacy concerns, this process will not be performed unless the user has explicitly opted-in to the search feature. In another embodiment, the user can highlight keywords in an outbound or inbound message to trigger a search without leaving the messaging interface. In another embodiment, the user can input a search keyword or phrase to trigger a search without leaving the messaging interface.

Abstract: The subject invention provides for a system and method that facilitates detecting and preventing spam in a variety of networked communication environments. In particular, the invention provides several techniques for monitoring outgoing communications to identify potential spammers. Identification of potential spammers can be accomplished at least in part by a detection component that monitors per sender at least one of volume of outgoing messages, volume of recipients, and/or rate of outgoing messages. In addition, outgoing messages can be scored based at least in part on their content. The scores can be added per message per sender and if the total score(s) per message or per sender exceeds some threshold, then further action can be taken to verify whether the potential spammer is a spammer. Such actions include human-inspecting a sample of the messages, sending challenges to the account, sending a legal notice to warn potential spammers and/or shutting down the account.

Abstract: Document summarization is performed by scoring individual words in sentences in a document or document cluster. Sentences from the document or document cluster are selected to form a summary based on the scores of the words contained in those sentences.

Abstract: Architecture for detecting and removing obfuscating clutter from the subject and/or body of a message, e.g., e-mail, prior to filtering of the message, to identify junk messages commonly referred to as spam. The technique utilizes the powerful features built into an HTML rendering engine to strip the HTML instructions for all non-substantive aspects of the message. Pre-processing includes pre-rendering of the message into a final format, which final format is that which is displayed by the rendering engine to the user. The final format message is then converted to a text-only format to remove graphics, color, non-text decoration, and spacing that cannot be rendered as ASCII-style or Unicode-style characters. The result is essentially to reduce each message to its common denominator essentials so that the junk mail filter can view each message on an equal basis.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates and effectuates optimizing a classifier for greater performance in a specific region of classification that is of interest, such as a low false positive rate or a low false negative rate. A two-stage classification model can be trained and employed, where the first stage classification is optimized over the entire classification region and the second stage classifier is optimized for the specific region of interest. During training the entire set of training data is employed by a first stage classifier. Only data that is classified by the first stage classifier or by cross validation to fall within a region of interest is used to train the second stage classifier. During classification, data that is classified within the region of interest by the first classification is given the first stage classifier's classification value, otherwise the classification value for the instance of data from the second stage classifier is used.

Abstract: Email spam filtering is performed based on a combination of IP address and domain. When an email message is received, an IP address and a domain associated with the email message are determined. A cross product of the IP address (or portions of the IP address) and the domain (or portions of the domain) is calculated. If the email message is known to be either spam or non-spam, then a spam score based on the known spam status is stored in association with each (IP address, domain) pair element of the cross product. If the spam status of the email message is not known, then the (IP address, domain) pair elements of the cross product are used to lookup previously determined spam scores. A combination of the previously determined spam scores is used to determine whether or not to treat the received email message as spam.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates propagating selected advertisements among users of interactive services. Interactive service users can be targeted for specific types of advertisements for particular products or services. When a user selects at least one advertisement for more detailed viewing, the advertisement can be distributed to or shared with one or more other users. These other users may be part of the original user's social network. Thus user-selected advertisements can be shared among users who are familiar with each other's current or future interests. In some cases, user-selected advertisements can replace system-selected advertisements. As a result, advertisers can benefit from increased exposure of and interest in their advertisements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates incrementally updating spam filters in near real time or real time. Incremental updates can be generated in part by difference learning. Difference learning involves training a new spam filter based on new data and then looking for the differences between the new spam filter and the existing spam filter. Differences can be determined at least in part by comparing the absolute values of parameter changes (weight changes of a feature between the two filters). Other factors such as frequency of parameters can be employed as well. In addition, available updates with respect to particular features or messages can be looked up using one or more lookup tables or databases. When incremental and/or feature-specific updates are available, they can be downloaded such as by a client for example. Incremental updates can be automatically provided or can be provided by request according to client or server preferences.

Abstract: The present invention involves a system and method that facilitate extracting data from messages for spam filtering. The extracted data can be in the form of features, which can be employed in connection with machine learning systems to build improved filters. Data associated with origination information as well as other information embedded in the body of the message that allows a recipient of the message to contact and/or respond to the sender of the message can be extracted as features. The features, or a subset thereof, can be normalized and/or deobfuscated prior to being employed as features of the machine learning systems. The (deobfuscated) features can be employed to populate a plurality of feature lists that facilitate spam detection and prevention. Exemplary features include an email address, an IP address, a URL, an embedded image pointing to a URL, and/or portions thereof.

Abstract: Various embodiments can utilize information that is displayed for a user to automatically generate a list of keywords and use that list as a means to display supplemental information that is relevant to the keywords. In at least some embodiments, the displayed information is analyzed using an extraction algorithm to identify words or, more generally, character strings of interest. If these words or character strings of interest are determined to constitute relevant search terms or “keywords”, then a special user interface portion can be used to display this supplemental information along with the information that is already displayed for the user. This supplemental information can include the search terms themselves, ads that pertain to the search terms, and/or search results that have been ascertained from a web search engine.

Abstract: Disclosed are signature-based systems and methods that facilitate spam detection and prevention at least in part by calculating hash values for an incoming message and then determining a probability that the hash values indicate spam. In particular, the signatures generated for each incoming message can be compared to a database of both spam and good signatures. A count of the number of matches can be divided by a denominator value. The denominator value can be an overall volume of messages sent to the system per signature for example. The denominator value can be discounted to account for different treatments and timing of incoming messages. Furthermore, secure hashes can be generated by combining portions of multiple hashing components. A secure hash can be made from a combination of multiple hashing components or multiple combinations thereof. The signature based system can also be integrated with machine learning systems to optimize spam prevention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that can employ machine learning techniques to automatically fill one or more fields across a diverse array of web forms. In particular, one or more instrumented tools can collect input or entries of form fields. Machine learning can be used to learn what data corresponds to which fields or types of fields. The input can be sent to a central repository where other databases can be aggregated as well. This input can be provided to a machine learning system to learn how to predict the desired outputs. Alternatively or in addition, learning can be performed in part by observing entries and then adapting the autofill component accordingly. Furthermore, a number of features of database fields as well as constraints can be employed to facilitate assignments of database entries to form values—particularly when the web form has never been seen before by the autofill system.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for providing improved input and output capabilities for computing devices are provided herein. An output manager is provided that can determine an appropriate layout for a user interface at a display area based on size and shape parameters associated with the display area. The output manager can additionally sense alterations to the display area and dynamically adjust a determined layout based on the sensed alterations. Further, the output manager can facilitate the connection of an associated device to one or more external display devices to facilitate the combined use of the external display devices and resident display areas at the associated device. An input manager is additionally provided that can obtain input from a target user by sensing patterns associated with the target user and select an appropriate input based on the sensed patterns.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for filtering messages—the system includes a seed filter having associated therewith a false positive rate and a false negative rate. A new filter is also provided for filtering the messages, the new filter is evaluated according to the false positive rate and the false negative rate of the seed filter, the data used to determine the false positive rate and the false negative rate of the seed filter are utilized to determine a new false positive rate and a new false negative rate of the new filter as a function of threshold. The new filter is employed in lieu of the seed filter if a threshold exists for the new filter such that the new false positive rate and new false negative rate are together considered better than the false positive and the false negative rate of the seed filter.

Abstract: Phishing detection, prevention, and notification is described. In an embodiment, a messaging application facilitates communication via a messaging user interface, and receives a communication, such as an email message, from a domain. A phishing detection module detects a phishing attack in the communication by determining that the domain is similar to a known phishing domain, or by detecting suspicious network properties of the domain. In another embodiment, a Web browsing application receives content, such as data for a Web page, from a network-based resource, such as a Web site or domain. The Web browsing application initiates a display of the content, and a phishing detection module detects a phishing attack in the content by determining that a domain of the network-based resource is similar to a known phishing domain, or that an address of the network-based resource from which the content is received has suspicious network properties.

Abstract: Providing for generation of a task oriented data structure that can correlate natural language descriptions of computer related tasks to application level commands and functions is described herein. By way of example, a system can include an activity translation component that can receive a natural language description of an application level task. Furthermore, the system can include a language modeling component that can generate the data structure based on an association between the description of the task and at least one application level command utilized in executing the computer related task. Once generated, the data structure can be utilized to automate computer related tasks by input of a human centric description of those tasks. According to further embodiments, machine learning can be employed to train classifiers and heuristic models to optimize task/description relationships and/or tailor such relationships to the needs of particular users.

Abstract: Multiple pieces of information can be arranged into a single construct that allows the employee to ascertain information quickly while at her workstation. Selection of information for placement into the construct can employ various statistical models and the like. Selective pieces of information can be masked for a user's construct based upon access rights of the user. Constructs can be configured by a user based on personal preferences as well as by an administrator. Population of metadata upon the construct can be performed automatically through an instruction of the administrator or be overridden by a user request. In addition, various types of synchronization can be implemented between constructs, such that identical or near-identical information is populated upon multiple constructs.

Abstract: The present invention provides for generating inputs that can be provided to a message classification module to facilitate more reliable classification of electronic messages, such as, for example, as unwanted and/or unsolicited. In one embodiment, a sending messaging server provides an appropriate response to address verification data thereby indicating a reduced likelihood of the sending messaging server using a forged network address. In another embodiment, it is determined if a messaging server is authorized to send electronic messages for a domain. In yet another embodiment, electronic message transmission policies adhered to by a domain are identified. In yet a further embodiment, a sending computer system expends computational resources to solve a computational puzzle and includes an answer document in an electronic message. A receiving computer system receives the electronic message and verifies the answer document.