Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for processing a payment request from a payor's mobile device. Payment Processing System (PPS) server may receive a payment request from a payor's mobile device, including an amount to pay but not any identification of a recipient. The PPS server may increment a balance of an escrow account and decrement a balance of the payor's account according to the amount of the request. The PPS server may generate a token, associated with the escrow account, including an alphanumeric string based on a random value generator. The PPS server may also generate a payload based on the token and transmit the payload to the payor's mobile device. Upon the recipient receiving and activating the payload, the PPS server may decrement the escrow account and increment the recipient's account.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for processing a payment request. A mobile device associated with a payor may generate a user interface having two screen portions. The first screen portion may be configured to display received and sent messages and further configured to receive a command to transmit a message. The second screen portion may be configured to access a third-party application and configured to populate a new message with a payload. The mobile device may receive an inputted amount in the second screen portion representing the payment amount. The mobile device may transmit a request including the payor's identification and the payment amount to a third-party Payment Processing System (PPS) and receive a payload from the PPS. The mobile device may populate and transmit a message to the recipient that contains the payload.

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: A notification message system can use a payment request message during an authorization process to generate a message recommending a tip amount. A customer provides a payment card number at a merchant. A merchant initiates an authorization request using the payment card number and an amount. The authorization message is transmitted to a merchant-acquirer, who then transmits the authorization message to issue processing system, who in turn transmits the authorization message to a consumer computing system. The consumer computing system can use an industry code to determine whether the merchant is one that customarily receives a tip. The consumer computing system calculates a suggested tip amount based on the transaction amount, then generates a message with the tip amount and pushes the message to a mobile device of the user associated with the payment card number. The customer can continue the transaction using that tip amount.

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: A secure location sharing system is disclosed that allows publishers to share their locations with subscribers. Each publishing device generates, encrypts and publishes its location information with a specified precision to a distribution service for distribution to one or more subscribing devices. The distribution service provides secure distribution of the location information to the distribution list but cannot access the publisher's precise location information, which remains encrypted until decrypted at the subscribing devices. Publishers can share their location information with varying levels of precision for different subscribers. Publishers can select at least two dimensions of location information precision: spatial and temporal. For less precise location sharing, the publishing device can randomize or otherwise obscure the precise location of the publishing device.

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for initiating and managing a chat session are described herein. According to one embodiment, user activities with respect to the data processing system are monitored, including user activities that are unrelated to chat services. In response to a request to initiate a chat session between a local user and a remote user, a first chat service account is selected from a list of chat service accounts associated with the remote user based on the monitored user activities. A chat session is initiated using the selected first chat service account of the remote user and a second chat service account selected for the local user. Certain information is displayed within a chat window indicating that the chat session is conducted between the first and second chat service accounts. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for maintaining presence settings of a user for buddies selected from different buddy groups regardless of which user accounts and which buddy accounts are used in a plurality of messaging services for the user and the buddies are described. The user may subscribe to the messaging services via one or more user accounts. Each buddy may subscribe to the messaging services via one or more buddy accounts. A presence setting may be associated with a buddy group including at least one buddy account of the buddies. One or more service specific settings matching the presence settings may be identified. Each service specific setting may specify a service specific presence of a messaging service for one of the user accounts and one of the buddy accounts. A presence notification message for the service specific setting may be determined to notify the messaging service for the presence setting.

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Abstract: A secure location sharing system is disclosed that allows publishers to share their locations with subscribers. Each publishing device generates, encrypts and publishes its location information with a specified precision to a distribution service for distribution to one or more subscribing devices. The distribution service provides secure distribution of the location information to the distribution list but cannot access the publisher's precise location information, which remains encrypted until decrypted at the subscribing devices. Publishers can share their location information with varying levels of precision for different subscribers. Publishers can select at least two dimensions of location information precision: spatial and temporal. For less precise location sharing, the publishing device can randomize or otherwise obscure the precise location of the publishing device.

Abstract: A record of an event is received in a common format. The record includes a time of the event, a type of the event, and an identity of a device that created the record in the common format using an event creation module selected based on the type of the event. A collection of records including the received record is managed, and a portion of the collection of records is provided in response to a user request. The portion is configured to be sorted according to user-configurable criteria and includes records with a plurality of types.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for maintaining presence settings of a user for buddies selected from different buddy groups regardless of which user accounts and which buddy accounts are used in a plurality of messaging services for the user and the buddies are described. The user may subscribe to the messaging services via one or more user accounts. Each buddy may subscribe to the messaging services via one or more buddy accounts. A presence setting may be associated with a buddy group including at least one buddy account of the buddies. One or more service specific settings matching the presence settings may be identified. Each service specific setting may specify a service specific presence of a messaging service for one of the user accounts and one of the buddy accounts. A presence notification message for the service specific setting may be determined to notify the messaging service for the presence setting.

Abstract: Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants.

Abstract: Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling a graphical user interface to display information related to a communication session. Information relating to data produced by a first participant to the communication session is displayed on a first display unit, wherein the information produced by the first participant is displayed at a first position on the first display unit. Data is received from a second participant to the communication session, and information relating to the data received from the second participant is displayed on the first display unit, wherein the information received from the second participant is displayed at a second position on the first display unit. The first and second positions are horizontally spaced apart.