Abstract: A marker buoy constructed of a main shaft extending vertically when in use and including a marker flag, a floating body, and a spool mounted to the main shaft.

Abstract: In many computing scenarios, an individual may interact with a device in a variety of roles, such as a student, an intern, and a gamer. While the individual may utilize the device in different ways for each role (e.g., using a particular set of files, applications, websites, and services), the device is not typically informed of the individual's role, and provides generalized device behavior irrespective of the individual's role. Presented herein are techniques for adapting device behavior based on the current role of the individual. Such techniques involve evaluating the individual's role determinants to identify and automatically select the individual's current role; selecting a current role profile, as a subset of the details of the individual profile that are associated with the current role, and excluding details that are not associated with the current role; and adjusting the device behavior according to the current role profile of the individual.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for providing an answer scheme for an information request. For example a requester user may submit an information request seeking an informational answer (e.g., how far is the moon from the Earth; what are fun Cancun activities; is my drawing an accurate octagon; etc.). The information request may be evaluated to identify an information request property (e.g., an interesting property, a factual question property, an opinion property, an expertise level property, etc.). An answerer pool and/or an interaction type may be identified based upon the information request property (e.g., a chat group of scientists, a onetime text message answer from a paid expert, a vacation forum, a screen sharing session, etc.). An answer scheme, comprising the answerer pool and/or the interaction type, may be provided to the requester user for obtaining the informational answer.

Abstract: A marker buoy constructed of a main shaft extending vertically when in use and including a marker flag, a floating body, and a spool mounted to the main shaft.

Abstract: An animal feeding system is provided. The feeding system includes a container that holds dry pet food, and a receptacle that gravitationally receives the pet food. The system also provides a conveyor system. The conveyor system moves the dry pet food from the receptacle and to a feeding bowl. Additionally, the animal feeding system includes a micro-processor. The micro-processor is configured to deliver start and stop signals to a motor in response to wireless signals sent from a control unit. The animal feeding system additionally comprises the control unit. The control unit offers a user interface for programming the system according to a desired feeding schedule. A method for feeding an animal using the feeding system is also provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to constructing an employee referral network, selectively communicating job opportunities to potential job referrers and to facilitating incognito job referrals. In one scenario, a computer system imports professional contacts for an employee from at least one source of professional contacts. The computer system categorizes the imported professional contacts according to criteria provided by the employee's employer, then further constructs an employee referral network that includes the employee's professional contacts that have met the criteria provided by the employee's employer and selectively communicates the job opportunities through the constructed employee referral network to those professional contacts who meet the employer's criteria.

Abstract: Technologies pertaining to learning a computer-executable imitation system that imitates behavior of an existing computer-executable system are described herein. Behavior of an existing computer-executable system can be monitored through monitoring data input to the existing computer-executable system and data output by the existing computer-executable system responsive to receipt of the input data. An imitation system that imitates the behavior of the existing system can be learned, wherein the imitation system comprises a relational model.

Abstract: A question processing system routes questions among participants in a balanced and sustainable manner. Any participant can act as an inquirer (who poses questions) and an expert (who answers questions). In one illustrative case, the question processing system operates by: receiving a question from an inquirer; determining at least one expert that is appropriate to answer the question; and routing the question to the expert. The receiving, determining, and routing are repeated with respect to other inquirers and other experts to achieve a desired balance of information exchange among the plurality of participants of the electronic question processing system.

Abstract: A system and method to track external devices attempting to connect to a protected network using probabilistic filters. When a connection from a new external device attempts to access the protected network, the memory of a protection system, which is organized as a probabilistic filter, is searched to determine if the IP address already exists in the memory of protection system. If the search locates the IP address, the protection system terminates the connection to the external device. If the search is negative, then protection device begins the authentication process for the external device.

Abstract: Technologies pertaining to learning a computer-executable imitation system that imitates behavior of an existing computer-executable system are described herein. Behavior of an existing computer-executable system can be monitored through monitoring data input to the existing computer-executable system and data output by the existing computer-executable system responsive to receipt of the input data. An imitation system that imitates the behavior of the existing system can be learned, wherein the imitation system comprises a relational model.

Abstract: A system and method to track external devices attempting to connect to a protected network using probabilistic filters. When a connection from a new external device attempts to access the protected network, the memory of a protection system, which is organized as a probabilistic filter, is searched to determine if the IP address already exists in the memory of protection system. If the search locates the IP address, the protection system terminates the connection to the external device. If the search is negative, then protection device begins the authentication process for the external device.

Abstract: Human computation games are provided wherein a player is shown a page, such as a web page. The player is then asked to provide one or more terms that are intended to cause a search engine to return the page in response to performing a query using the terms. The terms provided by the player during game play are then collected, stored, and utilized to improve the performance of the search engine.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a method for visualizing machine learning accuracy. The method includes receiving a plurality of training instances for the machine learning system. The method also includes receiving a plurality of results for the machine learning system. The plurality of results corresponds to the plurality of training instances. The method further includes providing an interactive representation of the training instances and the results. The interactive representation supports identifying inaccuracies of the machine learning system attributable to the training instances, the features used to obtain a featurized form of the training instance, and/or a model implemented by the machine learning system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an evolving advertising system automatically optimizes internet advertising. A data storage unit 250 may store an evolving advertisement unit 320 with an advertisement characteristic according to an initial configuration parameter. A communication interface 280 may transmit the evolving advertisement unit 320 as part of a primary website 310. A processor 220 may alter the evolving advertisement unit 320 automatically upon a trigger event by changing the advertisement characteristic to follow an automatically generated configuration parameter to optimize an advertisement performance metric.

Abstract: Described is processing the search results obtained from a search engine to determine advertisements that match properties of those search results. For example, the URL-related information or domain-related information in the search results may be used to select an advertisement. Also described are various conditions that may need to be met before an advertisement is selected. Further, an advertisement may be modified to include information in the search results, such as to insert a competing company's name that appears in a search result into the advertisement. Also described is a system for returning keywords in response to a URL/domain.

Abstract: Described is using per-user profile data (e.g., maintained in a browser cookie) as a factor in selecting advertisements to be presented to a user for a current context such as containing query keywords. For example, an advertiser may be willing to bid more if the current context's keywords match the user profile data that indicates a particular area of interest to the user and advertiser. Also described is updating the per-user profile data with the current context if doing so increases the expected utility of the per-user profile data, e.g., increases the predicted amount of revenue from advertisement clicking. Also described is other advertisement personalization based upon the per-user profile data, e.g., the ranking and/or appearance of the advertisements.

Abstract: Described herein is a system that facilitates modifying a relational model. The relational model is modified based at least in part upon an identity of a user, and the modified relational model is used to predict queries or advertisements that are of interest to the user. Examples of relational models that are modifiable include a Markov Logic Network, a probabilistic relational model, a BLOG relational model, a structural logistic regression relational model, a relational dependency network, or a probabilistic entity relationship model.

Abstract: Described herein is a system that facilitates modifying a relational model. The relational model is modified based at least in part upon an identity of a user, and the modified relational model is used to predict queries or advertisements that are of interest to the user. Examples of relational models that are modifiable include a Markov Logic Network, a probabilistic relational model, a BLOG relational model, a structural logistic regression relational model, a relational dependency network, or a probabilistic entity relationship model.

Abstract: Human computation games are provided wherein a player is shown a page, such as a web page. The player is then asked to provide one or more terms that are intended to cause a search engine to return the page in response to performing a query using the terms. The terms provided by the player during game play are then collected, stored, and utilized to improve the performance of the search engine.

Abstract: Described herein is a system that facilitates modifying a relational model. The system includes a first model component that is a relational model that includes a plurality of atoms. The system further includes a modifier component that automatically assigns values to a plurality of atoms in the relational model by clustering atoms of the relational model to create a second model component, wherein the second model component is a relational model.