Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for selectively sintering particulate material, the method comprising: providing a layer (6) of particulate material; providing an amount of a radiation absorbent material over a selected surface portion of the layer (6) of particulate material; providing an amount of a material that comprises a plurality of electrically conductive elements (20) over at least part of the selected surface portion of the layer (6) of particulate material; and providing radiation (8) across the selected surface portion of the layer of particulate material so as to sinter a portion of the material of the layer (6) including causing the plurality of electrically conductive elements (20) to become embedded in the sintered portion of material.

Abstract: Methods, systems and programming for data traffic control and encryption. In one example, data traffic is received from a first node to be sent to a second node. The health of an encryption pathway between the first node and the second node is determined. The data traffic is sent to the second node over the network without going through the encryption pathway when the encryption pathway is not healthy.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing an image file associated with a first user of a communication system and detecting a face in an image corresponding to the image file. The method also includes accessing an event database associated with the communication system, the event database containing one or more events, each being associated with the first user and one or more second users of the communication system. The method also includes determining one or more candidates among the second users to be matched to the face, where each candidate is associated with an event in the communication system, and where a time associated with the image is in temporal proximity to a time associated with the event.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage media for accessing clinical information on a mobile device are provided. A plug-in application receives from a mobile device a set of authorization credentials and a request for clinical information. A set of clinical information is determined based on the set of authorization credentials. The set of clinical information is retrieved from clinical information servers, and the set of clinical information is parsed and populated into a generic hierarchical structure. The populated hierarchical structure is communicated to the mobile device where it is subsequently rendered for display.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes generating a waveform fingerprint based on captured ambient audio data; calculating a location of the computing system; sending the generated waveform fingerprint and the location to a server; and receiving instructions from the server to adjust one or more device settings of an output device of the computing system. The instructions being based at least in part on identifying one or more audio fingerprints that match the generated waveform fingerprint and correlating one or more of the identified audio fingerprints to a physical environment of the computing system. The method also includes adjusting one or more of the device settings of the output device of the computing system in accordance with the received instructions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a social networking system determines a user identifier of a caller placing a call to a receiving user based on the call's phone number, accesses one or more data stores for information associated with the caller, and present to the receiving user the information associated with the caller.

Abstract: The user enters a merchant location with a user device. An account management system logs an action of the user device at the merchant location. The account management system transmits a location-based offer to the user device. The user device receives the location-based offer and the user selects the location-based offer on the user device. The user desires to make a purchase from the merchant system and accesses the merchant website. The user initiates a transaction with the merchant via the merchant website. The account management system logs the user purchase activity and notes a conversion. For example, a conversion occurs when a user receives a location-based offer and then later purchases online a product or service from a merchant or manufacturer associated with the offer. The merchant system processes the transaction and the account management system logs the conversion of the offer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, device status information is received from a mobile device of a first user. The device status information may include: information related to power for the device, information related to network connectivity of the device, or a notification mode of the device. Outgoing messages may be identified to be sent to the first user. A value may be computed for each of the outgoing messages. The computed value may be based on an affinity score determined with respect to an originator of the message and the first user. Based on the computed value, at least one of the outgoing messages may be selected for placement into an outgoing message queue. Upon the detection of a triggering condition, the selected messages may be sent to the mobile device. The triggering condition may be based on the device status information and the respective values of the outgoing messages.

Abstract: A flexible layout system is disclosed herein that improves infinite scrolling capabilities and other animations in software calendars. In an implementation, a time period of a viewport in a user interface may change relative to a panel in a calendar. As the viewport changes, a mapping component informs other components of a new time period coming into view in the view port as a result of a scrolling event. The mapping component may also respond to requests from another component with layout information for the visual representation of the new time period (e.g. position and dimension). In this manner, the responsibility for determining layout information is encapsulated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing an image file associated with a first user of a communication system and detecting a face in an image corresponding to the image file. The method also includes accessing an event database associated with the communication system, the event database containing one or more events, each being associated with the first user and one or more second users of the communication system. The method also includes determining one or more candidates among the second users to be matched to the face, where each candidate is associated with an event in the communication system, and where a time associated with the image is in temporal proximity to a time associated with the event.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises maintaining a set of connections for the first computing device, intercepting a request from a software application executing on the first computing device to establish a connection with a second computing device, selecting from the set of connections an available connection, and assigning the available connection to the software application for connecting to the second computing device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a social networking system determines a user identifier of a caller placing a call to a receiving user based on the call's phone number, accesses one or more data stores for information associated with the caller, and present to the receiving user the information associated with the caller.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes receiving audio and visual data from a client system of a user in an environment, wherein the client system automatically and continuously captures the audio and visual data of the environment; identifying a specific point along a timeline associated with the user, the specific point corresponding to an event associated with the user; extracting, from the audio and visual data, one or more audio/visual segments, each audio/visual segment corresponding to the specific point along the timeline; generating, in a social graph associated with the user, a concept node that corresponds to the event in the life of the user; generating, in the social graph, an edge connection between the concept node and a user node corresponding to the user; and associating the one or more extracted audio/visual segments with the specific point along the timeline and with the generated concept node.

Abstract: In one embodiment, receiving, at a first computing device associated with a social-networking system and from a second computing device, a first request to verify an identity of a user of the social-networking system; sending, by the first computing device and to a mobile device associated with the user, a second request for information about the user; receiving, at the first computing device and from the mobile device, the information about the user; determining, by the first computing device, a confidence score indicating a probability that the identity of the user is true based on the information about the user received from the mobile device and information available to the social-networking system; and sending, by the first computing device and to the second computing device, the confidence score.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving visual information captured by a recording device associated with a first user, the visual information capturing aspects of a physical environment of the recording device; based on the visual information, identifying a second user within the physical environment; in response to identifying the second user, retrieving information about a particular action the second user has performed on the social-networking system with respect to a concept or third user; and in response to retrieving the information about the particular action, sending the information about the particular action to the first user while the first user and the second user are both within the physical environment.

Abstract: A location management system identifies points of interest that may be of interest to one or more users. The location management system defines a geofence boundary encompassing a particular point of interest. When the location management system determines that the user device is inside the geofence boundary—but not, for example, when the location management system determines that the user determines that the user device is outside the geofence boundary—the location management system instructs the user device to determine wireless signals available to the user device. The location management system then receives wireless signal data from the user device for available wireless signals. By matching the received wireless signal data to known wireless signals available at the identified points of interest, the location management system determines that the user device (and hence the user) is at the point of interest.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a mobile device determines a notification mode based on the mobile device's user interface mode, and transmits a message comprising the notification mode to a server, causing the server to transmit one or more messages to the mobile device based on the notification mode.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving one or more audio/visual recordings from a user, the audio/visual recordings continuously capturing audio/visual information around the user, the audio/visual recordings being made by a client computing device of the user automatically and without manual user input and with one or more sensors of the client computing device; processing the audio/visual recordings to extract one or more audio/visual segments, each audio/visual segment covering a specific time period or relating to a specific event in the user's life; and posting the audio/visual segments to one or more points, respectively, along a timeline corresponding to the user's life.

Abstract: In one embodiment, receiving, at a first computing device associated with a social-networking system and from a second computing device, a first request to verify an identity of a user of the social-networking system; sending, by the first computing device and to a mobile device associated with the user, a second request for information about the user; receiving, at the first computing device and from the mobile device, the information about the user; determining, by the first computing device, a confidence score indicating a probability that the identity of the user is true based on the information about the user received from the mobile device and information available to the social-networking system; and sending, by the first computing device and to the second computing device, the confidence score.