Abstract: Systems and methods that infer and classify user activity based in part on routing data. A storage medium can store raw data collected, and such acquired data can be subsequently be analyzed or distilled to generate abstract qualities about the raw data (e.g., velocity of user during route, level of difficulty, and the like). Various machine learning techniques, artificial intelligence methodologies, decision trees, and/or statistical methods can be employed to supply inference regarding the acquired raw data and/or the abstract qualities.

Abstract: High-density computer display visualization formats provide improved visualization of large amounts of threaded information. These visualization formats are suitable for a wide variety of threaded information environments including newsgroups, threaded Web discussions, chats, e-mail inboxes, etc. In one implementation, the threaded message visualization represents each post with a generally one-dimensional or narrow entry line. The entry lines are horizontal and arranged vertically in substantially the same indented threading arrangement as the text of a conventional prior art visualization. In other implementations, the appearance (e.g., color), length, and position of entry lines can represent additional selected information while maintaining the generally one-dimensional character of the entry lines.

Abstract: A wireless programmable user interaction system allows a user to interact with networked services relating to physical objects that have associated machine-readable tags. The system includes a portable interaction device in wireless communication with a local computer network. The portable interaction device includes a portable computing device, such as a hand-held computer, and an associated machine-readable tag reader (e.g., a bar code reader). An interaction system catalog in the portable computing device stores tag format information that correlates the tag identity information with an identity information category and related information. The interaction system catalog can indicate the types of information, interactions, or other computer network services that are available and relevant to the physical object. Upon selection of a desired network service by a user, a functional payload is delivered to the portable computing device over the wireless network connection to be executed.

Abstract: A real-time computer chat or discussion system includes a social accounting system that persistently maintains summary information regarding user participation in the chat system and displays the information at user computers as a social accounting pane. In one implementation, the social accounting pane is rendered simultaneously adjacent a discussion message pane in which discussion messages are rendered. The social accounting pane displays identifying information about each member of a discussion such as, for example, a user name and an email address. Members currently involved in or logged into the discussion are indicated with an attendance field. An entered field and an exit field indicate when each member last entered the discussion and, if not present, when the member last exited the discussion. The social accounting pane may also list a session field indicating the number of sessions or times each member has entered the discussion.

Abstract: Systems and methods that infer and classify user activity based in part on routing data. A storage medium can store raw data collected, and such acquired data can be subsequently be analyzed or distilled to generate abstract qualities about the raw data (e.g., velocity of user during route, level of difficulty, and the like). Various machine learning techniques, artificial intelligence methodologies, decision trees, and/or statistical methods can be employed to supply inference regarding the acquired raw data and/or the abstract qualities.

Abstract: Space-time trails are annotated automatically and/or manually with meaningful information. Mechanisms are provided for receipt of implicit and/or passive data (e.g., provided by sensors) as well as explicit and/or active data (e.g., provided by users). Extraction techniques are provided to either or both types of data to produce useful information to annotate or otherwise interpret data associated with a space-time trail. Persisted annotated trails can subsequently be employed to glean valuable information. Furthermore, goal-directed recommendations can be generated with respect to annotated trails, among other things.

Abstract: A unique system, method, and user interface that facilitate ordering personal items based on past personal interaction between a user and the user's correspondents are provided. In particular, the system provides alternative views of information, such as messages, that is organized around people using an ordering based on the history of communication between the recipient and sender. Social metrics can be calculated based on social metadata associated with the messages, for example. Metrics can be used to configure how or which messages are viewed and their order in one or more pane views. Each pane view can present different orderings of messages—which are displayed by the recipient or sender of the message. So for instance, instead of viewing messages in chronological receipt date, they can be viewed by the message's sender and ordered by the number of messages previously sent to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using a foot-based interface to interact with a computer are described. An application program from a plurality of application programs is executed on an operating system of a personal computer. The application program is configured to receive user input via a foot-based interface. Further, user input is received from the foot-based interface and mapped into a command. Moreover, the command controls an application program function. Also, the command is executed and an output corresponding to the execution of the command is generated. Additionally, the output is displayed to the user.

Abstract: Cross-monitoring sensor system and method in which a plurality of sensors each having a sensing element, circuitry for processing signals from the sensing element, an output interface for delivering processed signals, and an auxiliary input to which signals from another device can be input for processing and delivery by the output interface. Signals from each of the sensors are applied to the auxiliary input of another one of the sensors, and signals from the output interfaces of the sensors are compared to verify integrity of the system.

Abstract: Information is provided about the histories of authors in a computer mediated persistent conversation such as a newsgroup. The information may include any or all of how long an author has been active in the group, in what other newsgroups the author participates, to what other threads of conversation the author contributes, and which other participants the author most often engages in discussion. This information may be obtained as an aggregation of data obtained from the groups or communities automatically. The information about any selected user or group is then made available or otherwise provided to any other users so that they can decide whether the selected user or group is likely to provide helpful or useful information. Also, particular message type indicators may be applied to messages when they are posted by users. The message type indicators may also be obtained as an aggregation of data obtained from the groups or communities automatically.

Abstract: Angular rate sensor and method in which the parameters of a circuit which provides drive signals and processes signals from a sensing element are configured electronically by a programmable memory. Being configured in this manner, the circuit is extremely versatile and can be used with different types of sensing elements.

Abstract: A corridor search process is used to identify locations of interest along a travel route. The corridor search process identifies locations of interest along a travel route by using a grid search process that first identifies shape points that correspond to the travel route. Each shape point is associated with a portion of a grid system used to delineate a region of geography through which the route traverses. The portions of the grid system correspond to a corridor along the travel route. References to redundant portions of the grid system are removed, and locations of interest are identified based on an association between a location of interest with a particular portion of the grid system.

Abstract: High-density computer display visualization formats provide improved visualization of large amounts of threaded information. These visualization formats are suitable for a wide variety of threaded information environments including newsgroups, threaded Web discussions, chats, e-mail inboxes, etc. In one implementation, the threaded message visualization represents each post with a generally one-dimensional or narrow entry line. The entry lines are horizontal and arranged vertically in substantially the same indented threading arrangement as the text of a conventional prior art visualization. In other implementations, the appearance (e.g., color), length, and position of entry lines can represent additional selected information while maintaining the generally one-dimensional character of the entry lines.

Abstract: One embodiment of the system is implemented as a device for two-phase heat transfer. This device comprises a chamber containing a fluid, where a heated wall makes up a portion of the chamber. The device also comprises an actuator that emits pressure vibrations. The pressure vibrations dislodge vapor bubbles that form at the heated wall due to the heat in the wall.

Abstract: High-density computer display visualization formats provide improved visualization of large amounts of threaded information. These visualization formats are suitable for a wide variety of threaded information environments including newsgroups, threaded Web discussions, chats, e-mail inboxes, etc. In one implementation, the threaded message visualization represents each post with a generally one-dimensional or narrow entry line. The entry lines are horizontal and arranged vertically in substantially the same indented threading arrangement as the text of a conventional prior art visualization. In other implementations, the appearance (e.g., color), length, and position of entry lines can represent additional selected information while maintaining the generally one-dimensional character of the entry lines.

Abstract: A method for providing authentication of a user of a recipient unit when the recipient unit is off-line includes storing one or a plurality of challenge-reply sets associated with an article based on an on-line communication with a sender unit. Each of the challenge-reply sets includes at least a challenge-reply pair for use in off-line authentication of the user for a particular resource available through the recipient unit. When the user is offline, the method includes selecting at least one of the plurality of stored challenge-reply sets for off-line authentication of the user for the particular resource available through the recipient unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that rank search results. Such ranking typically includes determining a relevance of individual search results via one or more feature-based relevance functions. These functions can be tailored to users and/or applications, and typically are based on scoped information (e.g., lexical), digital artifact author related attributes, digital artifact source repository attributes, and/or relationships between features, for example. In addition, relevance functions can be generated via training sets (e.g., machine learning) or initial guesses that are iteratively refined over time. Upon determining relevance, search results can be ordered with respect to one another, based on respective relevances. Additionally, thresholding can be utilized to mitigate returning results likely to be non-relevant to the query, user and/or application.

Abstract: A treemap visualization generator provides treemap visualizations of arbitrary hierarchical data or data structures. The treemaps can be rendered as static images in various formats or can be displayed in applications that provide user interaction, such as zooming into smaller areas of the overall hierarchy. The treemap visualization engine includes a treemap generator object that receives an arbitrary set of hierarchical data from a caller resource and draws a treemap representation of the data onto an object provided by the caller resource. A treemap control object displays the treemap representation in an application. The treemap generator object and the treemap control object include various interfaces that are defined by methods and properties.

Abstract: A wireless programmable user interaction system allows a user to interact with networked services relating to physical objects that have associated machine-readable tags. The system includes a portable interaction device in wireless communication with a local computer network. The portable interaction device includes a portable computing device, such as a hand-held computer, and an associated machine-readable tag reader (e.g., a bar code reader). An interaction system catalog in the portable computing device stores tag format information that correlates the tag identity information with an identity information category and related information. The interaction system catalog can indicate the types of information, interactions, or other computer network services that are available and relevant to the physical object. Upon selection of a desired network service by a user, a functional payload is delivered to the portable computing device over the wireless network connection to be executed.

Abstract: A threaded text discussion or chat system includes a client graphical user interface that is rendered on display screens of user computers. In one implementation, the user interface includes a threaded discussion message pane and a social accounting pane that are rendered simultaneously adjacent each other on the display screen. Within the threaded discussion message pane, messages or turns are rendered or listed in a threaded or tree structure. The social accounting pane displays identifying information about each past and current member of a discussion.