Abstract: Analysis of a history of previous location reports received from a tracked entity is performed and this analysis is utilized to estimate the relevance of future location reports over time. This is accomplished via associating a computed expiration time with each location report, wherein this expiration time is used by an application to estimate the relevance degradation of a location report over time. Thus, the expiration time value acts as a threshold that controls the shape of a relevance degradation curve of a location report.

Abstract: A protection system and associated method prevent the automatic crawler access to a company's web-based data, without impacting the ability of an interactive user, such as a consumer, to access the data and to conduct regular business transactions. In one embodiment, the protection system will not prevent the crawler from downloading data; rather, the data will be rendered non-extractable by the crawler. In another embodiment, the protection system will prevent crawler access to the data.

Abstract: A target device's location is estimated by a location estimation module (LEM) that comprises a probabilistic model (PM) for a plurality of sample points, each of which comprises a sample location and an expected distribution of signal values at that sample point. The location estimation module (LEM) makes a sequence (OS) of observations on, n=1, 2, 3 . . . , of signal values. Each observation corresponds to a respective location qn along the target device's path. The sequence of observations and the respective location constitute a hidden Markov model. The module estimates the target device's location qn based on the probabilistic model (PM) and the sequence of observations, wherein the sequence of observations comprises one or more future observations on+m for which m is a positive integer. In other words, the target device's location is estimated, at least partially, based on knowledge of its future.

Abstract: A model construction module (MCM) for constructing a probabilistic model (PM) of a wireless environment (RN) in which a target device (T) communicates using signals that have a measurable signal value (x), such as signal strength. The model construction module forms several submodels (611-631) of the wireless environment (RN). Each submodel indicates a probability distribution (F1-F3) for signal values at one or more locations (Q1-QY) in the wireless environment. The module combines the submodels to a probabilistic model (PM) of the wireless environment (RN), such that the probabilistic model indicates a probability distribution for signal values at several locations in the wireless environment. Alternatively, the model may insert new locations to a single model based on a combination of existing locations. The combination of submodels or existing locations comprises combining the inverse cumulative distribution functions of the submodels or existing locations.

Abstract: A method for determining an error estimate concerning a target device's location. The target device moves and communicates in a wireless environment using signals having at least one measurable signal value. A probabilistic model of the wireless environment indicates a probability distribution for signal values at several sample points in the wireless environment. A set of observations of signal values is made and the target device's location is estimated based on the probabilistic model and the set of observations. The error estimate (43) is determined as a combination of products over several sample points (SP). Each product comprises a probability distribution (41) for the sample point in question being the target device's location and a distance function (43) between the sample point in question and the target device's estimated location.

Abstract: Rather than attempting to compute an average position where the mobile object might reside, location reports are ranked according to their relevance using a combination of spatial, temporal, and associative factors. This is particularly beneficial when the number of location information sources is large due to many independent trackable mobile objects (mobile phone, car, credit cards, identity cards, etc.) one might be associated with.

Abstract: Described is a way for computing proximity (location-based proximity or preference-based proximity) between mobile wireless subscribers (who use different services) without either divulging their location/preference to the other (preservation of privacy). Privacy is kept by providing location/preference information in steps, along with an evaluation function. The services receive partial results and then locally compute the final result, or proximity. The term proximity includes not just physical proximity but also multi-dimensional data such as preference profiles and vectors (e.g., an affinity for baseball, apple pie, and ballroom dancing).

Abstract: Described is a way for computing proximity (location-based proximity or preference-based proximity) between mobile wireless subscribers (who use different services) without either divulging their location/preference to the other (preservation of privacy). Privacy is kept by providing location/preference information in steps, along with an evaluation function. The services receive partial results and then locally compute the final result, or proximity. The term proximity includes not just physical proximity but also multi-dimensional data such as preference profiles and vectors (e.g., an affinity for baseball, apple pie, and ballroom dancing).

Abstract: An automated system and associated method for building a comprehensive database of a configurable entity that is available from one or more Web sites, while removing redundancies. The system merges data tree structures that contain redundant data into more tractable data tree structures where those redundancies have been removed. More specifically, a feature of the present system is to automate the process of collecting information from one or more Web sites and convert the raw data into a logically fashioned, non-redundant tree structure. Advantageously, Web users would be able to retrieve information stored on one or more Web pages and locally merge the data.

Abstract: A system provides an interface for a client application to programmatically access a Web site. A simple data extractor returns a retrieved Web page in a well-formed syntax (such as XHTML) to the client application. Web forms crawled or otherwise retrieved from the Internet are translated into service interfaces, or APIs. The service interfaces are expressed in a simple object access protocol (SOAP), and are registered in a universal description, discovery, and integration (UDDI) registry. For each Web form analyzed, the present system automatically generates a program code that receives SOAP requests and translates them into regular Web accesses, thus providing applications and application developers with an easy, programmatic interface to Web sites such as search engines and other databases. The Web pages are first processed by a component that analyzes the forms and generates a service description (SD) file for each form.

Abstract: A method for estimating a receiver's location (X) in a wireless communication environment (RN) having several channels. Each channel has at least one signal parameter (V) that varies with location (X) differently from the other channels. A set of calibration data (CD) is determined for each calibration point, each set comprising the location (X) and at least one measured signal parameter (V) for each of several channels. The calibration data (CD) serve as a basis for a statistical model (SM) of the signal parameters (V) versus a receiver's location. A set of observed signal parameters (CO) is determined, the set comprising at least one signal parameter (V) for each of several channels at the receiver's location (X). A location estimate (LE) approximating the location (X) of the receiver (R) is determined on the basis of the statistical model (SM) and the set of observed signal parameters (CO).

Abstract: The present invention provides a manner for providing Web crawlers capable of efficiently accessing Web content not accessible via static hyperlinks. Log files are maintained of communications between a Web browser and a Web server resulting from real user accesses to the content associated with dynamic hyperlinks. These log files represent past user's accesses to the content and are used to generate Web crawler accesses. This approach allows a crawler to accurately mimic real users, resulting in a capability of the crawler to automatically access all the content that real users would have access to.

Abstract: Analysis of a history of previous location reports received from a tracked entity is performed and this analysis is utilized to estimate the relevance of future location reports over time. This is accomplished via associating a computed expiration time with each location report, wherein this expiration time is used by an application to estimate the relevance degradation of a location report over time. Thus, the expiration time value acts as a threshold that controls the shape of a relevance degradation curve of a location report.

Abstract: Rather than attempting to compute an average position where the mobile object might reside, location reports are ranked according to their relevance using a combination of spatial, temporal, and associative factors. This is particularly beneficial when the number of location information sources is large due to many independent trackable mobile objects (mobile phone, car, credit cards, identity cards, etc.) one might be associated with.

Abstract: An automated system and associated method for building a comprehensive database of a configurable entity that is available from one or more Web sites, while removing redundancies. The system merges data tree structures that contain redundant data into more tractable data tree structures where those redundancies have been removed. More specifically, a feature of the present system is to automate the process of collecting information from one or more Web sites and convert the raw data into a logically fashioned, non-redundant tree structure. Advantageously, Web users would be able to retrieve information stored on one or more Web pages and locally merge the data.

Abstract: A system and method for communication of information that has particular significance to a specific location only to those individuals that are at or near that geo-spatial location. In particular, providing safety factor data and alerts is a preferred use of the invention. The invention allows information to be tailored to the individual at that location by selectively filtering what is communicated and what is not. The system includes a transmitting proximity event server, a GPS client wireless component that can be a personal wireless communication device (such as Palm Pilot, cellular digital phones, etc.) or personal computer configured for use within a global position satellite network.

Abstract: A system (and method and programmable storage medium for storing program steps of the method) for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless device, includes a location tracker for continuously transmitting information to the wireless communication device for allowing a user to locate an alternate communication mechanism after the failure has occurred.

Abstract: A system and method for sorting information that has particular significance at a specific location only to those individuals that are at or near that geo-spatial location. The system includes a GPS client wireless component that can be a personal wireless communication device (such as Palm Pilot, cellular digital phones, etc.) or personal computer configured for use within a global position satellite network.