Abstract: A local area network server may issue security certificates to client devices on the network for two-way authentication across the network. The certificates may be issued through a transaction performed over the network and, in some cases, may be automated. The server may have a self signed or a trusted security certificate which may serve as a basis for issuing certificates to various clients. After a certificate is issued, future communications on the network may be authenticated by both the server and client, and the communications may be encrypted using the certificates.

Abstract: Cloud based FVV streaming technique embodiments presented herein generally employ a cloud based FVV pipeline to create, render and transmit FVV frames depicting a captured scene as would be viewed from a current synthetic viewpoint selected by an end user and received from a client computing device. The FVV frames use a similar level of bandwidth as a conventional streaming movie would consume. To change viewpoints, a new viewpoint is sent from the client to the cloud, and a new streaming movie is initiated from the new viewpoint. Frames associated with that viewpoint are created, rendered and transmitted to the client until a new viewpoint request is received.

Abstract: Free viewpoint video of a scene is generated and presented to a user. An arrangement of sensors generates streams of sensor data each of which represents the scene from a different geometric perspective. The sensor data streams are calibrated. A scene proxy is generated from the calibrated sensor data streams. The scene proxy geometrically describes the scene as a function of time and includes one or more types of geometric proxy data which is matched to a first set of current pipeline conditions in order to maximize the photo-realism of the free viewpoint video resulting from the scene proxy at each point in time. A current synthetic viewpoint of the scene is generated from the scene proxy. This viewpoint generation maximizes the photo-realism of the current synthetic viewpoint based upon a second set of current pipeline conditions. The current synthetic viewpoint is displayed.

Abstract: The view frustum culling technique described herein allows Free Viewpoint Video (FVV) or other 3D spatial video rendering at a client by sending only the 3D geometry and texture (e.g., RGB) data necessary for a specific viewpoint or view frustum from a server to the rendering client. The synthetic viewpoint is then rendered by the client by using the received geometry and texture data for the specific viewpoint or view frustum. In some embodiments of the view frustum culling technique, the client has both some texture data and 3D geometric data stored locally if there is sufficient local processing power. Additionally, in some embodiments, additional spatial and temporal data can be sent to the client to support changes in the view frustum by providing additional geometry and texture data that will likely be immediately used if the viewpoint is changed either spatially or temporally.

Abstract: A “Dynamic High Definition Bubble Framework” allows local clients to display and navigate FVV of complex multi-resolution and multi-viewpoint scenes while reducing computational overhead and bandwidth for rendering and/or transmitting the FVV. Generally, the FVV is presented to the user as a broad area from some distance away. Then, as the user zooms in or changes viewpoints, one or more areas of the overall area are provided in higher definition or fidelity. Therefore, rather than capturing and providing high definition everywhere (at high computational and bandwidth costs), the Dynamic High Definition Bubble Framework captures one or more “bubbles” or volumetric regions in higher definition in locations where it is believed that the user will be most interested. This information is then provided to the client to allow individual clients to navigate and zoom different regions of the FVV during playback without losing fidelity or resolution in the zoomed areas.

Abstract: Images from web pages may be classified based on the text associated with the images. A system for identifying and classifying images may identify one or more web pages containing the image, determine topics from the text of the web pages, and develop a set of training phrases for a classifier. The classifier may be trained, then used to analyze the text in the web pages. The training set may include both positive examples and negative examples of text taken from the website. A positive example may include captions or other elements directly associated with the image, while negative examples may include text taken from the web page, but from a large distance from the web page. In some cases, the system may iterate on the classification process to refine the results.

Abstract: A management system for remote services may use an administrative server within a local area network to manage the remote services for many manageable entities. The administrative server may connect to a clearinghouse server outside the local area network to obtain information about available remote services and to consolidate some operations for interfacing to the remote services. In some embodiments, the clearinghouse server may act as a proxy for many different remote services and may enable some functions to be aggregated across different remote services, such as billing, authentication, provisioning, and other functions. The administrative server may configure the managed entities to access the remote services as well as other functions.

Abstract: A local area network server may issue security certificates to client devices on the network for two-way authentication across the network. The certificates may be issued through a transaction performed over the network and, in some cases, may be automated. The server may have a self signed or a trusted security certificate which may serve as a basis for issuing certificates to various clients. After a certificate is issued, future communications on the network may be authenticated by both the server and client, and the communications may be encrypted using the certificates.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for customizing content based on at least one operating characteristic of a mobile client. A mobile gateway receives content from a content source, such as an email server, a Web server, or some other content server. For example, content may include email, calendar, contact, task, Web, notification, financial, sports data, configuration information, etc. The mobile gateway customizes the content based on transforms assigned to each mobile client. Transforms account for differences in the software, display, processor, memory, communication channel, and the like, of each mobile client, without imposing additional processing burdens on the content server. Processing that is common among several transforms may be shared. Mobile clients may be any type of computer, including telephones, pagers, PDAs, laptops, and other mobile gateways.

Abstract: Multiple integrated computer servers can be installed. User interfaces can be presented and installation answers received. Servers and software can be installed according to installation answers. An installation answer provided on one server can be used to install other servers. Installation of computer servers can be an automated and distributed process. Decisions can be made to install applications on servers. Configuration settings can be received and used to install applications. A configuration setting can be received on one server and used to install applications on other servers. Computer servers can be installed by asking installation questions and receiving installation answers. Installation decisions can then be made regarding configuring a server. A knowledge base can be consulted and additional installation decisions can be made.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for customizing content based on at least one operating characteristic of a mobile client. A mobile gateway receives content from a content source, such as an email server, a Web server, or some other content server. For example, content may include email, calendar, contact, task, Web, notification, financial, sports data, configuration information, etc. The mobile gateway customizes the content based on transforms assigned to each mobile client. Transforms account for differences in the software, display, processor, memory, communication channel, and the like, of each mobile client, without imposing additional processing burdens on the content server. Processing that is common among several transforms may be shared. Mobile clients may be any type of computer, including telephones, pagers, PDAs, laptops, and other mobile gateways.

Abstract: The dynamic conversion of a data structure from an origin data format into a destination data format is described. Instead of using a single data conversion module to accomplish this data conversion, a gateway computer system identifies a sequence of format conversion modules that, when executed in sequence, converts the data structure from the origin to the destination data format. The conversion occurs dynamically during run time and reduces the amount of needed data conversion modules significantly, particularly when there is a large amount of possible origin data formats and destination data formats. This conversion is particularly useful when communicating over wireless networks since there is little standardization in wireless devices resulting in wireless devices having many different proprietary data formats.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for negotiating a secure end-to-end connection using a proxy server as an intermediary. The client first negotiates a secure connection between the client and the proxy so that any credentials exchanged will be encrypted. After the exchange of authentication credentials, the secure client-proxy connection is altered so that no further encryption takes place. The client and server then negotiate a secure end-to-end connection through the proxy, with the secure end-to-end connection being encapsulated within the insecure client-proxy connection. In this way, the overhead of creating a separate client-proxy connection for the secure end-to-end connection may be avoided, but the insecure client-proxy connection introduces only minimal overhead because it no longer encrypts any data that it carries.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies that facilitate purchase and/or transfer of a domain name and access of users to the internet, by using a well defined protocol to interact with a plurality of domain name registrars, via employing; a purchasing component, and a mapping component. Once a user has identified a domain name, the purchasing component can automatically query the provider(s) for terms of the service plan to obtain such domain name. The mapping component can then point to a DNS provider designated to host such domain name, to manage in-bound traffic. The subject invention can also be implemented in web services based hosted solutions directory, for example by designation of a trusted on-line registry that registers a plurality of service providers to supply services to clients, with a secure communication between the clients and the trusted on-line registry for selection of a service provider.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies that facilitate hosting of a domain name and access of users to the internet, by using a well defined protocol to interact with a plurality of Domain Name Service (DNS) providers, via employing; a purchasing component, and a configuration component. Once a user has selected a domain name, the purchasing component can automatically query the provider(s) for terms of the service plan to host such domain name. The configuration component can configure various records to a user's designated machines or IP addresses, to manage in-bound traffic to the user's domain name.

Abstract: An expert proxy server is described that is coupled to a number of wireless devices through a wireless network, and to a number of server computer systems through an external network such as, for example, the Internet. The expert proxy server acts as an agent for a wireless device by providing a service for the wireless device. Specifically, the expert proxy server determines that a service is to be provided to the wireless device. Next, the expert proxy server identifies an application that provides the service and then communicates with the identified application that provides the service. The expert proxy server compiles the results of the communication with the application and then transmits the compilation to the wireless device over the wireless network. Thus, the relatively smaller bandwidth of the wireless network is preserved by transmitting a minimal amount of information over the wireless network while leaving more extensive communications to occur over higher bandwidth external networks.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for synchronizing data stored at one or more message clients with data stored at a message server where the message clients may receive update notifications and may represent the data using different data structures than the message server uses to represent the same data. A token is associated with each data change that occurs at the message server. The message server sends each change and associated token to the message clients. When the message clients request a synchronization, the tokens they received are returned to the message server for comparison with the tokens the message server sent to the message clients. If the message clients do not return a particular token, the message server determines that the clients did not receive the corresponding change and resends the change to the message clients. Tokens may also be used to divide a change into one or more portions, with only one portion being provided initially.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products and data structures are described which allow a client to communicate with a server even though multiple proxies that require different authentication data must be traversed to allow such communication. In operation, the client first authenticates to a first proxy using authentication data appropriate for the first proxy. The client then authenticates to a second proxy using different authentication data that is appropriate for the second proxy. This proxy authentication continues through as many proxies as necessary until the client is in communication with the server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for caching content that has been customized based on one or more operating characteristics of a mobile client. A mobile gateway receives content from a content source and customizes the content using transforms assigned to each mobile client. Transforms account for differences between mobile clients without imposing significant processing burdens on the content server. Copies of the content, the transformed content, and a transform identifier are cached at the mobile gateway so that subsequent requests for the content may be satisfied without requiring access to the content source. Processing that is common among several transforms may be shared. Mobile clients may be any type of computer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for synchronizing data stored at one or more message clients with data stored at a message server where the message clients may receive update notifications and may represent the data using different data structures than the message server uses to represent the same data. A token is associated with each data change that occurs at the message server. The message server sends each change and associated token to the message clients. When the message clients request a synchronization, the tokens they received are returned to the message server for comparison with the tokens the message server sent to the message clients. If the message clients do not return a particular token, the message server determines that the clients did not receive the corresponding change and resends the change to the message clients. Tokens may also be used to divide a change into one or more portions, with only one portion being provided initially.