Abstract: A virtual application packaged for a specific executing environment may be executed on a processing device having an executing environment different from the specific executing environment. A reference, included in extracted installer metadata, to one or more key paths of a hierarchically-structured data store may be modified according to a set of rules related to the executing environment detected in the processing device. The modified extracted installer metadata may be provided to an installer for installing the virtual application. During execution of the virtual application, a request to read, write, or modify the hierarchically-structured data store may be intercepted and changed, such that a first key path included in the request may be mapped to a second key path, based on the detected executing environment. Similarly, a response to the request, which may include the second key path, may be intercepted and modified, to the first key path.

Abstract: Dynamic channel and transmission rate selection is described. In an example, a communication resource for transmitting data to a receiver is selected from several channels, each having several associated rates. The selection comprises storing a weighting factor for each channel/rate combination, monitoring transmission performance on a selected channel and rate, and inferring performance for other rates on the selected channel from the monitored performance. Each weighting factor is then updated using the monitored and inferred performances, and used to select a channel/rate combination for subsequent transmission. In another example, a communication device comprises a transmitter, a processor, and a memory arranged to store a weighting factor associated with each receiver, channel and rate combination.

Abstract: A virtual application packaged for a specific executing environment may be executed on a processing device having an executing environment different from the specific executing environment. A reference, included in extracted installer metadata, to one or more key paths of a hierarchically-structured data store may be modified according to a set of rules related to the executing environment detected in the processing device. The modified extracted installer metadata may be provided to an installer for installing the virtual application. During execution of the virtual application, a request to read, write, or modify the hierarchically-structured data store may be intercepted and changed, such that a first key path included in the request may be mapped to a second key path, based on the detected executing environment. Similarly, a response to the request, which may include the second key path, may be intercepted and modified, to the first key path.

Abstract: A mobile computing device that supports cost-aware application components for operation over a metered network. A current basis for computing usage charges over one or more networks may be made available to the cost-aware application components through an application programming interface supported by an operating system service. That service may receive a policy for charging for data usage over a network and may also obtain information defining data usage for the mobile computing device. Based on this information, the service may determine a current basis for charging for data usage. With this information, the application component can determine a manner for executing network operations that involve data transmission over the network, such as deferring the operation or selecting an alternative network.

Abstract: Allowing access to APIs based on application context. A method includes determining an application context for an application. A layer is determined for a base class library. Layers of the base class library are defined by one or more developer defined attributes associated with an API, where the API is included in the base class library. The base class library is divided into layers based on the developer defined attributes. The one or more attributes define which application contexts can access the API. If the layer matches the application context then access by the application to the API is allowed.

Abstract: Described herein are one or more implementations offering a centralized (e.g., single-point) user-interface, where a user may manipulate audio properties (e.g., volume level) for one or more audio submixes produced by each of multiple active operating-system processes.

Abstract: An indicator for a device may provide an indication that a threshold associated with a budget for a network resource has or will be reached. When a user requests a network operation that will consume the network resource, an amount of the network resource to be consumed by the operation is predicted, if possible. If the prior use of the network resource and the amount to be used to complete the network operation exceeds a threshold the user may be warned and given an opportunity to cancel the operation or adjust the way in which the operation will be performed. If the amount of network resource a network operation will consume is unknown, a rate of use of the network resource is determined and a time until the budget is reached is estimated.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, to eliminate DC leakage into surrounding AC values, scaling stage within a photo overlap transform operator is modified such that the off-diagonal elements of the associated scaling matrix have the values of 0. In certain embodiments, the on-diagonal scaling matrix are given the values (0.5, 2). In some embodiments, the scaling is performed using a combination of reversible modulo arithmetic and lifting steps. In yet other embodiments, amount of DC leakage is estimated at the encoder, and preprocessing occurs to mitigate amount of leakage, with the bitstream signaling that preprocessing has occurred. A decoder may then read the signal and use the information to mitigate DC leakage.

Abstract: Client check-in techniques are described. In embodiments thereof, a mobile device includes a communication interface for notification communication with one or more other devices associated with the mobile device. The mobile device has a selectable control for user selection to initiate a check-in notification that indicates a location of the mobile device and a timestamp of the date and time. The mobile device also includes a check-in service that is implemented to initiate communication of the check-in notification to the other associated devices responsive to a user selection to initiate the check-in notification.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for systems that utilize an interaction manager to manage interactions—also known as requests or dialogues—from one or more applications. The interactions are managed properly even if multiple applications use different grammars. The interaction manager maintains a priority for each of the interactions, such as via an interaction list, where the priority of the interactions corresponds to an order in which the interactions are to be processed. Interactions are normally processed in the order in which they are received. However, the systems and method described herein may provide a grace period after processing a first interaction and before processing a second interaction. If a third interaction that is chained to the first interaction is received during this grace period, then the third interaction may be processed before the second interaction.

Abstract: Decoding tasks are identified for decoding encoded video. Decoding tasks may include entropy decoding tasks, motion compensation tasks, inverse frequency transform tasks, inverse quantization tasks, intra decoding tasks, loop filtering tasks, or other tasks. Task dependencies are identified for the video decoding tasks. For example, one or more decoding tasks may depend on prior completion of entropy decoding tasks. The decoding tasks are prioritized based at least in part on the task dependencies. For example, a higher priority may be assigned to tasks that must be completed before other tasks that depend on them can begin. Prioritized decoding tasks are selected to be performed by hardware threads. For example, a first hardware thread may perform a first decoding task that does not depend on any uncompleted tasks while a second hardware thread performs a second decoding task that does not depend on any uncompleted tasks.

Abstract: A rich communication profile system with notifications. The system is a feedback mechanism that utilizes rich content, e.g., multimedia content, as one or more indicators that represent the status of a remote user. The system includes a state component that receives information relating to state of at least one entity. A notifications component dynamically renders at least one personalized graphical indicia representative of the entity's state. The entity can be a person, group of people, component, place, and object.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing stepping and state viewing in a debugger application. A start and end breakpoint are assigned, Source code execution begins, and upon reaching the start breakpoint, a logging feature begins storing one or more values that may be impacted upon execution of code between the start breakpoint and an end breakpoint. More lines of source code are executed until the end breakpoint is reached. When the end breakpoint is reached, the debugger is put into break mode. While in break mode, a playback feature is provided to allow a user to play back a path of execution that occurred between the start breakpoint and the end breakpoint. The playback feature uses at least some of the values that were stored with the logging feature to show how each referenced variable changed in value.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing electronic distribution of filtered calendars. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving control data. The control data may be configured to indicate a portion of master calendar data a user designates to transmit. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include filtering the master calendar data based on the control data to create filtered calendar data and transmitting the filtered calendar data.

Abstract: An earphone comprises an inner shell, a stem and a pivot connection. The inner shell has a generally circular periphery shaped to at least partially fit in a user's concha. The stem is mounted to the inner shell at a position spaced from a rotational center of the inner shell and supports a wire leading to the inner shell. The inner shell and the stem are rotatable relative to each other by the pivot connection to configure the earphone to fit the user's ear with the shell member positioned at least partially in the user's concha and the stem positioned exteriorly along an intertragic notch of the ear.

Abstract: User behavior modeling can include determining actions performed by various users. From the mined user actions, future actions can be predicted. Certain implementations include providing information and/or services based on the predicted future actions. Some implementations, include providing relevant information, services, and/or goods regarding the predicted future action.

Abstract: Automatic story production is implemented by the utilization of theme scripts with user assets to generate a quality finished product with minimum user input or direction. A user chooses a predesigned theme script to be applied to the user's assets to automatically create a story with a particular look and feel. Metadata and feature information, when available, is automatically gathered from the user assets to personalize the generated story. A user can include additional information and/or alter any aspect of the generated story to further personalize the resultant finished product.

Abstract: An infrared source is configured to illuminate the underside of one or more objects on or above a touchable surface of a touch panel. Infrared light reflected from the underside of the object(s) is detected by an infrared sensor integrated in the touch panel below the touchable surface.

Abstract: Methods of image segmentation using reduced foreground training data are described. In an embodiment, the foreground and background training data for use in segmentation of an image is determined by optimization of a modified energy function. The modified energy function is the energy function used in image segmentation with an additional term comprising a scalar value. The optimization is performed for different values of the scalar to produce multiple initial segmentations and one of these segmentations is selected based on pre-defined criteria. The training data is then used in segmenting the image. In other embodiments further methods are described: one places an ellipse inside the user-defined bounding box to define the background training data and another uses a comparison of properties of neighboring image elements, where one is outside the user-defined bounding box, to reduce the foreground training data.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can facilitate computer-assisted haggling and/or negotiation between multiple parties simultaneously. For example, various proxies associated with both buyers and sellers can be configured to negotiate with other proxies to buy or sell an item. The negotiations can be required to be progressive and during the negotiations a buyer or seller is, typically, allowed to withdraw his or her proposals. The architecture can include a registration component that can resolve concurrency and facilitate a registration of an agreement between two of the parties. The registration of an agreement can create a binding obligation between the parties after which other outstanding proposals can be terminated.