Abstract: A system and method to facilitate exchange of unwanted gifts is disclosed herein. A user may submit an unwanted gift in exchange for another gift item or a gift credit. Potential exchange gifts from among other unwanted gifts matching certain criteria are identified and presented to the user for selection. If the user does not find the potential exchange gifts to his liking, a gift credit having a value comparable to his/her submitted unwanted gift is issued to his account. As other users submit their unwanted gifts and/or as the value of the user's gift credit changes over time, the user may receive notification of new potential exchange gifts to choose from.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing power consumption by a plurality of sensors in a proximity-based ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs a proximity-based ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes power status information from each sensor in a group of spatially and temporally proximate sensors in the proximity-based ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group provides sensor data.

Abstract: A computer based system and method for mobile and online Internet type advertising that includes advertisements in “tag maps”, which are interactive maps with associated text strings. The system allows advertisers to buy, lease or bid in real time for advertising opportunities associated with particular tags (text strings) within such tag maps. This is in the context of Internet web pages. This further allows advertisers to modify the display or content of the associated tag maps and/or advertising units.

Abstract: An interactive system and method based on the Internet and intended for advertising distribution uses collectively authored (user generated) content and maps that are interactive. The maps are personalized with the user generated content and with targeted advertising units and transmitted to a user. This provides an interactive user experience in terms of both the advertising and content generated by other users relating to an advertiser offer, but having the personalized aspect, making it more effective as advertising.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing bandwidth and cost in connection with a plurality of sensors in an ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs an ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes bandwidth information from each sensor in a group of sensors in the ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group exchanges data, including sensor data and multimedia content.

Abstract: The visualization of datasets by associating text (keywords) with location and optionally with time is provided. This visualization may help the user better understand and analyze the contents of the dataset. The visualization takes as input a keyword and related parameters such as location, importance/relevance factors, time, visualization level, and keyword category, and displays the selected keywords on a map, at their associated location, with the size or other characteristic of the keyword varying according to its relevance.

Abstract: Routing information (e.g., routing information displayed in an electronic map or provided as verbal travel directions) is generated and presented to a user in a tailored manner. A request for routing information is received from a user. Spatial data, temporal data, social data, or topical data is retrieved that is related to the user and/or to a location or change of location of the user. Based on the retrieved data and the routing information, information display data is generated, and is provided to an electronic device of the user to generate an information display. An attribute of the information display is configured/modified based on the location information and/or on the spatial data, temporal data, social data, and/or topical data. For example, a display attribute and/or an audio attribute of the information display may be modified.

Abstract: A media object, such as an image file, a video file, or an audio file, is analyzed to determine relationships between persons associated with the media object, which may include persons captured in the media object and/or a person that captured the media object. A representation of a first person captured in a media object is detected. The media object is analyzed to determine at least one indicator of a relation between the first person and a second person associated with the media object. A relationship between the first person and the second person is predicted based at least on the determined at least one relation indicator. The media object may be monetized in various ways, such as by directing advertisements to persons associated with the media object, and/or to persons having social connections to the persons associated with the media object.

Abstract: An offer is presented to a user via a user device, wherein the terms of the offer include at least one activity to be performed by the user or at least one behavior to be observed by the user and at least one incentive to be rewarded to the user responsive to the performance of the at least one activity or the observance of the at least one behavior. A determination is made as to whether the user has performed the at least one activity or observed the at least one behavior based on at least spatial, temporal, social and/or topical data obtained from a network-based tracking engine. Responsive to a determination that the user has performed the at least one activity or observed the at least one behavior, the user is provided with the at least one incentive.

Abstract: A media object, such as an image file, a video file, or an audio file, is analyzed to determine relationships between brands having representations captured in the media object, and persons associated with the media object (e.g., persons captured in the media object and/or a person that captured the media object). A representation of a brand captured in a media object is detected. The media object is analyzed to determine at least one indicator of a relation between the brand and a person associated with the media object. A relationship between the brand and person is predicted based at least on the determined at least one relation indicator. The media object may be monetized in various ways, such as by directing advertisements (e.g., advertisements related to the detected brand) to persons associated with the media object, and/or to persons having social connections to the persons associated with the media object.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for facilitating annotation of media objects by a user. Mechanisms present a user with an easily usable set of annotation suggestions that are most likely to be relevant to the particular user and/or media context. In general, existing annotations are analyzed to determine a set of suggested annotations. Annotation suggestions for a particular user are based on an analysis of the relevance, to the particular user, of existing annotations of one or more media objects so that the most likely relevant annotations are presented as suggested annotations. In particular embodiments, this analysis depends on whether the existing annotations were created and/or selected by the particular user, a member of the particular user's social network, or members of the general public.

Abstract: A location tracking privacy engine is described herein that is configured to allow users to define privacy policies that govern how location information about each user is provided to context-aware applications and services. Privacy policies can be defined in a highly flexible and context-specific manner such that the execution of a given privacy policy by the location tracking privacy engine is dependent on the existence of one or more social, topical, temporal or spatial conditions. Privacy policies are then executed automatically by the location tracking privacy engine when the conditions associated with the policies are determined to be satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein that automatically provides users with recommendations regarding location tracking privacy policies that may be appropriate to enact in certain contexts as well as a means for enacting such policies. Once a privacy policy is enacted, the manner in which location information associated with the user is provided to at least one application or service will be controlled in accordance with the privacy policy. The recommended privacy policies may represent privacy policies that have been enacted by other users in like contexts.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing bandwidth and cost in connection with a plurality of sensors in an ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs an ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes bandwidth information from each sensor in a group of sensors in the ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group exchanges data, including sensor data and multimedia content.

Abstract: A method for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The method includes receiving a URI associated with a media object. The URI indicates a portion of the media object. The method further includes determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI. The method also includes providing the portion of the media object to a user. Furthermore, a system for providing a portion of a media object to a user is provided. The system includes a memory, logic for receiving a URI associated with a media object, and a processor. The processor is for determining the portion of the media object indicated by the URI, and providing the portion of the media object to a user.

Abstract: A brand engine receives a request from a user device operated by a first user to display user information of a second user. User information of the first user is mapped to at least the user information of the second user by the brand engine. The mapping may map the user information of the first user to user information of further users in a social network. The mapping may map of any combination of spatial, temporal, social, and topical data related to the users. A modified representation of a brand profile of the second user is generated by the brand engine based on the mapping. The modified representation is transmitted to the user device. The user device displays the modified representation for the first user. The modified representation of the brand profile may include any combination of filtered and/or sorted brand objects, recommended brand objects, and/or modified brand objects.

Abstract: A brand engine receives a request from a user device operated by a first user to display user information of a second user. User information of the first user is mapped to at least the user information of the second user by the brand engine. The mapping may map the user information of the first user to user information of further users in a social network. The mapping may map of any combination of spatial, temporal, social, and topical data related to the users. A modified representation of received content is generated by the brand engine based on the mapping. The modified representation is transmitted to the user device. The user device displays the modified representation for the first user. The modified representation of the received content may include any combination of filtered and/or sorted content items, recommended content items, and/or modified content items.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing power consumption by a plurality of sensors in a proximity-based ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs a proximity-based ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes power status information from each sensor in a group of spatially and temporally proximate sensors in the proximity-based ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group provides sensor data.

Abstract: A system and method is described for constructing a proximity-based ad hoc network among a plurality of sensor-enabled devices and for using such a network to facilitate data sharing among users of those devices (referred to herein for simplicity as “sensors”). The system and method advantageously enables data to be shared among co-located sensors in a manner that does not require local connections or communication among those sensors and that protects user privacy. The system and method also beneficially enables data to be transferred among heterogeneous sensor types that would otherwise be incapable of detecting and/or communicating with each other. The system and method may perform user-initiated data transfer as well as automatic data transfer responsive to sensor proximity and other factors, such as commonality of user interests or activities or membership in a social network.

Abstract: A system and method is described for constructing a proximity-based ad hoc network among a plurality of sensors and for using such a network to perform location tracking. The system and method uses time-coded data received from each of the sensors to determine a current proximity of each of the sensors to one or more beacons. Then, by leveraging information relating to the effective transmission ranges of the beacons, the system and method determines the relative location of each of the plurality of sensors with respect to other sensors within the plurality of sensors. Where actual (as opposed to relative) location information is available for a particular sensor, it can be used to generate or augment location information associated with other sensors known to be spatially and temporally proximate to the particular sensor. The current location information for each of the sensors is then used in providing location-based services.