Abstract: A system and method for data privacy in URL based context queries. A reference to a data object is received from a user. At least one entity that controls the data object is identified via the network. At least one permission for the data object is retrieved via the network, wherein the permission is associated with the entity that controls the data object. It is then determined, via the network, if the user is permitted to access to the data object using the permission for the data object and spatial data, temporal data social data and logical data available to the network that relates to the user and to the permission for the data object. If the user is permitted access to the data object, access is granted to the data object, and if the user is nor permitted access to the data object, access is denied to the data object.

Abstract: A system and method for deriving income from URL based context queries. A URL based user context query is received over a network from a user, wherein the user context comprises at least one user context criteria. A query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data, topical data and context query bid data that is available via the network and relates to the context so as to identify entries in a context query bid database that relate to user context criteria. A dynamic webpage is generated having content relating to the query and advertisements associated with the selected bid are inserted into the webpage. The dynamic webpage is transmitted to the user. The advertiser associated with the selected bid is charged a fee when a user interface event relating to the dynamic webpage occurs.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to creating contextually-targeted advertisements. In a particular implementation, advertisers may leverage a W4 COMN to deliver contextually-targeted and/or contextually-enhanced advertisements. In the implementations discussed below, an ad creation system utilizes data made available by the W4 COMN to facilitate the creation and placement of advertisements on a message delivery network, such as the W4 COMN itself.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating a message in an electronic messaging environment is provided. A method employed by the system may include generating a personalized communication model related to a user, determining the validity of a token associated with an intended recipient of the message based on information in the personalized communication model, extracting entities from the message, determining whether the entities extracted match the intended recipient, and indicating to the user whether the token is valid and whether the entities match the intended recipient. The tokens correspond to email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses associated with intended recipients. The personalized communication model includes the names and tokens associated with those individuals with whom the user communicates. The personalized communication model is seeded with information including social, spatial, temporal and logical information related to the user.

Abstract: In response to a request to search for media items, one or more gather terms and one or more filter terms are determined. Based on the one or more gather terms, a first set of media items is identified. A set of metadata associated with media items that belong to the first set of media items is identified. Based on the one or more filter terms, a set of qualifying metadata and a set of disqualifying metadata are established from the set of metadata. A second set of media items that are associated with metadata that include terms that satisfy matching criteria for one or more metadata from the set of qualifying metadata and do not satisfy matching criteria for any metadata from the set of disqualifying metadata is determined. The request is responded to with search results based on the second set of media items.

Abstract: Attendees or viewers of a presentation provide input marking specific points corresponding to a high level of interest. Received bookmarks are aggregated to generate overall level-of-interest values for various points in the presentation. A graphical depiction of these level-of-interest values is provided; users can navigate using this graphical depiction to find specific parts of the presentation having the highest level of interest or importance. User interface elements provide access to various filtering, display, and configuration options for the graphical depiction.

Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing bandwidth and cost in connection with a plurality of sensors in an ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs an ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes bandwidth information from each sensor in a group of sensors in the ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group exchanges data, including sensor data and multimedia content.

Abstract: A system and method is described for constructing a proximity-based ad hoc network among a plurality of sensor-enabled devices and for using such a network to facilitate data sharing among users of those devices (referred to herein for simplicity as “sensors”). The system and method advantageously enables data to be shared among co-located sensors in a manner that does not require local connections or communication among those sensors and that protects user privacy. The system and method also beneficially enables data to be transferred among heterogeneous sensor types that would otherwise be incapable of detecting and/or communicating with each other. The system and method may perform user-initiated data transfer as well as automatic data transfer responsive to sensor proximity and other factors, such as commonality of user interests or activities or membership in a social network.

Abstract: A system and method is described for constructing a proximity-based ad hoc network among a plurality of sensors and for using such a network to perform location tracking. The system and method uses time-coded data received from each of the sensors to determine a current proximity of each of the sensors to one or more beacons. Then, by leveraging information relating to the effective transmission ranges of the beacons, the system and method determines the relative location of each of the plurality of sensors with respect to other sensors within the plurality of sensors. Where actual (as opposed to relative) location information is available for a particular sensor, it can be used to generate or augment location information associated with other sensors known to be spatially and temporally proximate to the particular sensor. The current location information for each of the sensors is then used in providing location-based services.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for location-based visualization of geo-reference content are provided. Apparatus may include logic for causing a display of a map having at least one tag displayed therewith, and logic for causing the display of a set of content objects in response to selection of the tag, the set of content objects associated with the tag and the geographical location of the map. The content objects may be displayed in a viewing window adjacent the map and selectable by a user. The content objects may be filtered by a user, e.g., indicating that a content object is incorrectly tagged or geo-referenced. The apparatus may dynamically update the content based on user interaction. The set of tags and content objects displayed may vary based on a particular zoom level and associated tags may be displayed in response to selection of a tag and/or a content object.

Abstract: A centralized location system includes a location update application programming interface (API) to receive varying types of location inputs for a user from at least one location-providing application. A memory stores a location of the user and the location inputs, wherein the location update API periodically updates in the memory the location inputs when location updates are received from the at least one location-providing application. A location export API, upon request from a location-based service application, processes the location inputs to estimate a location of the user, which location estimate replaces the stored location in memory and is sent to the location-based service application. A user interface enables the user to specify a location granularity for at least one of the at least one location-providing application and the location-based service application.

Abstract: Communicating data by transforming images or other non-text data into subsets of text characters and communicating each subset in an electronic message that can carry only a limited number of text characters. An embodiment transforms portions of binary data of an image or other non-text data into subsets of hexadecimal data that represents text characters. The subsets of hexadecimal text character data are included in SMS messages that have a predefined maximum number of characters. A header is included in the SMS messages to identify the ordering of the data. The SMS messages are communicated to a receiving device that orders the messages, transforms each subset of hexadecimal text characters back into the binary data, and assembles the binary data into it prior form for rendering to a user of the receiving device. A server may process the SMS messages, such as by inserting additional SMS messages with advertising data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating information about a physical context of a user are provided. These methods and systems provide the capability to render a context avatar associated with the user as a composite image that can be broadcast in virtual environments to provide information about the physical context of the user. The composite image can be automatically updated without user intervention to include, among other things, a virtual person image of the user and a background image defined by encoded image data associated with the current geographic location of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for facilitating annotation of media objects by a user. Mechanisms present a user with an easily usable set of annotation suggestions that are most likely to be relevant to the particular user and/or media context. In general, existing annotations are analyzed to determine a set of suggested annotations. Annotation suggestions for a particular user are based on an analysis of the relevance, to the particular user, of existing annotations of one or more media objects so that the most likely relevant annotations are presented as suggested annotations. In particular embodiments, this analysis depends on whether the existing annotations were created and/or selected by the particular user, a member of the particular user's social network, or members of the general public.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for providing location information for a current location of a portable device, such as a camera-phone. In general, a current, generic location, e.g., cell ID, of the portable device is mapped to a more specific location description, e.g., the name of a specific city, that is defined by one or more users. In a specific implementation, one or more users of portable devices may be encouraged to contribute specific location descriptions with respect to media objects or the like that are managed on their portable devices. When a particular user ties a specific location to a media object or the like, the media object serves to also tie the particular user's current generic location or cell ID to the media object. Thus, a plurality of media objects and their associated specific and generic location descriptions can be analyzed to determine a most relevant specific location description for a particular generic location or cell ID.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically associating primary process data with reference data. The primary process data may include image, video, audio, text, search data, and the like. The reference data may include location, temperature, pressure, and the like. A primary process data processor device, such as a digital camera, is used to acquire the primary process data with time information, but without any reference data. A reference data collector device, such as a cellular telephone, is used to acquire the reference data with time information. The primary process data and the reference data are uploaded to a server and each are associated with a shared identifier, such as a user ID. Of the content and reference data associated with the shared ID, the server determines which primary process data and reference data were acquired near the same time, and automatically associates the reference data with the primary process data.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and methods for performing actions with respect to objects. An object having an action tag, that specifies that a particular action script is to be performed with respect to the object, is provided. The action tag can be in the form of a textual label or any suitable user interface object that can be associated with the object. A search is then performed in a plurality of reference action tags, that each correspond to a different action script, for the provided action tag. When a matching reference action tag is found for the provided action tag, the corresponding, matching action script is then invoked so that the matching action script is automatically performed with respect to the object.

Abstract: Attendees or viewers of a presentation provide input marking specific points corresponding to a high level of interest. Received bookmarks are aggregated to generate overall level-of-interest values for various points in the presentation. A graphical depiction of these level-of-interest values is provided; users can navigate using this graphical depiction to find specific parts of the presentation having the highest level of interest or importance. User interface elements provide access to various filtering, display, and configuration options for the graphical depiction.