Abstract: Non-fungible token (NFT) platforms in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are described. In an embodiment of the NFT platform includes generating an instant NFT that includes data, at least one record, and a first timestamp, where the instant NFT is privately maintained and not publicly accessible; determine a modification to the at least one record associated with the instant NFT to generate several records associated with the instant NFT, where the modification is indicative of a transaction associated with the instant NFT; protect the instant NFT and the modification to the at least one record associated with the instant NFT, where the modification to the at least one record is associated with a second timestamp; detect an indication to mint the instant NFT as an NFT; and mint the instant NFT as an NFT on a public blockchain.

Abstract: Systems and techniques to facilitate content access within an NFT platform are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method for content security. The method receives a request from a requesting party, wherein the request includes: information about a transaction to be performed, a reference to a token corresponding to the transaction, and an address of a receiving party corresponding to the transaction. The method recovers, from a smart contract associated with the token, at least one address list, wherein: the at least one address list comprises a token banlist, and the token banlist comprises at least one address banned from receiving the token. The method determines whether the address of the receiving party is listed on the token banlist. When the address of the receiving party is listed on the token banlist, the method transmits a transaction rejection to the requesting party.

Abstract: Non-fungible token (NFT) platforms in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are described. In an embodiment of the NFT platform includes generating an instant NFT that includes data, at least one record, and a first timestamp, where the instant NFT is privately maintained and not publicly accessible; determine a modification to the at least one record associated with the instant NFT to generate several records associated with the instant NFT, where the modification is indicative of a transaction associated with the instant NFT; protect the instant NFT and the modification to the at least one record associated with the instant NFT, where the modification to the at least one record is associated with a second timestamp; detect an indication to mint the instant NFT as an NFT; and mint the instant NFT as an NFT on a public blockchain.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for enabling the automation of blockchain processes within an NFT platform, through structures and techniques for generating and maintaining descriptors of content and users, are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method for selecting personalized token-directed actions. The method determines a tag including metadata associated with a token. The method determines a profile associated with a user, wherein the user is at least one of an owner of the token and a content creator associated with the token. The method performs a clustering based at least one of the tag and the profile, wherein the clustering includes a collection of tokens sorted according to at least one of shared categories of tokens and shared categories of token users. The method identifies an action corresponding to the token, based on the clustering, wherein the action governs future token access by the user. The method initiates the action.

Abstract: A dynamically expandable and contractible fault-tolerant storage system employs a virtual hot spare that is created from unused storage capacity across a plurality of storage devices. This unused storage capacity is available if and when a storage device fails for storage of data recovered from the remaining storage device(s). On an ongoing basis, the storage system may determine the amount of unused storage capacity that would be required for the virtual hot spare (e.g., based on the number of storage devices, the capacities of the various storage devices, the amount of data stored, and the manner in which the data is stored) and generate a signal if additional storage capacity is needed for a virtual hot spare.

Abstract: A proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information via at least one network and for building-up a good quality version of the media information. When a user device communicates with the proxy apparatus using a particular bandwidth and requests that media information be provided, the proxy apparatus first determines if a version of the media information encoded for the user device's connection bandwidth has been stored in the proxy apparatus. If a version of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth is not available from the proxy apparatus, the proxy apparatus sends a request to a media server for the media information. If the version of the media information has missing packets, the proxy device sends retransmission requests to the media server to obtain the missing packets, thereby building-up a good quality version of the media information.

Abstract: A proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information via at least one network and for building-up a good quality version of the media information. When a user device communicates with the proxy apparatus using a particular bandwidth and requests that media information be provided from a media server, the proxy apparatus first determines if a version of the media information encoded for the user device's connection bandwidth has been stored in the proxy apparatus. If a version of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth is not available from the proxy apparatus, the proxy apparatus sends a request to a media server for the media information. Once the media server receives the request, the media server begins to stream a copy of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth to the user device via the network and proxy device.

Abstract: A combination and a method are provided. Automatic speech recognition is performed on a received utterance. A meaning of the utterance is determined based, at least in part, on the recognized speech. At least one query is formed based, at least in part, on the determined meaning of the utterance. The at least one query is sent to at least one searching mechanism to search for an address of at least one web page that satisfies the at least one query.

Abstract: A dynamically expandable and contractible fault-tolerant storage system employs a virtual hot spare that is created from unused storage capacity across a plurality of storage devices. This unused storage capacity is available if and when a storage device fails for storage of data recovered from the remaining storage device(s). On an ongoing basis, the storage system may determine the amount of unused storage capacity that would be required for the virtual hot spare (e.g., based on the number of storage devices, the capacities of the various storage devices, the amount of data stored, and the manner in which the data is stored) and generate a signal if additional storage capacity is needed for a virtual hot spare.

Abstract: A method and system for automatic speech recognition are disclosed. The method comprises receiving speech from a user, the speech including at least one speech error, increasing the probabilities of closely related words to the at least one speech error and processing the received speech using the increased probabilities. A corpora of data having common words that are mis-stated is used to identify and increase the probabilities of related words. The method applies to at least the automatic speech recognition module and the spoken language understanding module.