Abstract: Systems and methods are described for constructing predictive models, based on statistical machine learning, that can make forecasts about traffic flows and congestions, based on an abstraction of a traffic system into a set of random variables, including variables that represent the amount of time until there will be congestion at key troublespots and the time until congestions will resolve. Observational data includes traffic flows and dynamics, and other contextual data such as the time of day and day of week, holidays, school status, the timing and nature of major gatherings such as sporting events, weather reports, traffic incident reports, and construction and closure reports. The forecasting methods are used in alerting, the display graphical information about predictions about congestion on desktop on mobile devices, and in offline and real-time automated route recommendations and planning.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates and effectuates in situ search for active note taking. The system and method includes receiving gestures from a stylus and a tablet associated with the system. Upon recognizing the gesture as belonging to a set of known and recognized gestures, the system creates an embeddable object, initiates a search with terms indicated by the gesture, associates the search results with the created object and inserts the object in close proximity with the terms that instigated the search.

Abstract: A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.

Abstract: Learning, inference, and decision making with probabilistic user models, including considerations of preferences about outcomes under uncertainty, may be infeasible on portable devices. The subject invention provides systems and methods for pre-computing and storing policies based on offline preference assessment, learning, and reasoning about ideal actions and interactions, given a consideration of uncertainties, preferences, and/or future states of the world. Actions include ideal real-time inquiries about a state, using pre-computed value-of-information analyses. In one specific example, such pre-computation can be applied to automatically generate and distribute call-handling policies for cell phones. The methods can employ learning of Bayesian network user models for predicting whether users will attend meetings on their calendar and the cost of being interrupted by incoming calls should a meeting be attended.

Abstract: A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.

Abstract: Systems and/or methods are provided that facilitates revealing assistance information associated with a user interface. An interface can obtain input information related to interactions between the interface and a user. In addition, the interface can output assistance information in situ with the user interface. Further, a decision component that determines the in situ assistance information output by the interface based at least in part on the obtained input information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates navigating smoothly and gracefully through any type of content viewable on portable devices such as cell-phones, PDAs, and/or any other hybrids thereof. In addition, such navigation can be performed while preserving perspective and context with respect to a larger amount of content. Pointing devices can also be used to navigate through content—the amount or detail of the content being dependant on the speed of the pointing device. Additionally, a semi-transparent overview of content can be overlaid a zoomed-in portion of content to provide perspective to the zoomed in portion. Content shown in the semi-transparent overview can depend on the location of the pointing device with respect to the content.

Abstract: A system and method that facilitates and effectuates in situ search for active note taking. The system and method includes receiving gestures from a stylus and a tablet associated with the system. Upon recognizing the gesture as belonging to a set of known and recognized gestures, the system creates an embeddable object, initiates a search with terms indicated by the gesture, associates the search results with the created object and inserts the object in close proximity with the terms that instigated the search.

Abstract: Learning, inference, and decision making with probabilistic user models, including considerations of preferences about outcomes under uncertainty, may be infeasible on portable devices. The subject invention provides systems and methods for pre-computing and storing policies based on offline preference assessment, learning, and reasoning about ideal actions and interactions, given a consideration of uncertainties, preferences, and/or future states of the world. Actions include ideal real-time inquiries about a state, using pre-computed value-of-information analyses. In one specific example, such pre-computation can be applied to automatically generate and distribute call-handling policies for cell phones. The methods can employ learning of Bayesian network user models for predicting whether users will attend meetings on their calendar and the cost of being interrupted by incoming calls should a meeting be attended.

Abstract: A mobile device connection system is provided. The system includes an input medium to detect a device position or location. An analysis component determines a device type and establishes a connection with the device. The input medium can include vision systems to detect device presence and location where connections are established via wireless technologies.

Abstract: Learning, inference, and decision making with probabilistic user models, including considerations of preferences about outcomes under uncertainty, may be infeasible on portable devices. The subject invention provides systems and methods for pre-computing and storing policies based on offline preference assessment, learning, and reasoning about ideal actions and interactions, given a consideration of uncertainties, preferences, and/or future states of the world. Actions include ideal real-time inquiries about a state, using pre-computed value-of-information analyses. In one specific example, such pre-computation can be applied to automatically generate and distribute call-handling policies for cell phones. The methods can employ learning of Bayesian network user models for predicting whether users will attend meetings on their calendar and the cost of being interrupted by incoming calls should a meeting be attended.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates navigating smoothly and gracefully through any type of content viewable on portable devices such as cell-phones, PDAs, and/or any other hybrids thereof. In addition, such navigation can be performed while preserving perspective and context with respect to a larger amount of content. Pointing devices can also be used to navigate through content—the amount or detail of the content being dependant on the speed of the pointing device. Additionally, a semi-transparent overview of content can be overlaid a zoomed-in portion of content to provide perspective to the zoomed in portion. Content shown in the semi-transparent overview can depend on the location of the pointing device with respect to the content.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates navigating smoothly and gracefully through any type of content viewable on portable devices. Such navigation can be performed while preserving perspective and context with respect to a larger amount of content. The navigation can be key-based such that one or more keys of a keypad can be employed to browse through, zoom in, and/or zoom out of content. In one aspect, the content can be segmented into any number of sub-sectors or segments such that each segment can correspond to a particular number key, whereby particular portions of content can be viewed in greater or less detail by pressing or tapping on the corresponding number key. Furthermore, when viewing a first portion of content, nearby content can be glanced at by pressing and holding the respective key. When the key is released, the view returns to the first portion.

Abstract: A mobile device is provided that includes a position determination mechanism, and a data store of locations including positions for each location. The mobile device is configured to determine its own position and, based on the position of the mobile device, which location is preferred. Upon that determination, the mobile device is configured to orient a pointer in the direction of the preferred location such that a user can move in the direction of the pointer and ultimately arrive at the preferred location.

Abstract: Most information retrieval systems start with a user's explicit query. Systems and methods are provided that perform implicit or background queries to one or more information sources based on the ongoing activities of users. The methods provide users with the results of such automated contextualized searches in an unobtrusive manner. In one aspect, implicit queries are run when users are reading, working on or composing an application. Queries can be automatically generated by analyzing an application, and results can be presented in a variety of peripheral display configurations, including a small pane adjacent to a current window to provide peripheral awareness of related information that is automatically determined from existing user context and/or related content from the application.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods providing content-access-based information retrieval. Information items from a plurality of disparate information sources that have been previously accessed or considered are automatically indexed in a data store, whereby a multifaceted user interface is provided to efficiently retrieve the items in a cognitively relevant manner. Various display output arrangements are possible for the retrieved information items including timeline visualizations and multidimensional grid visualizations. Input options include explicit, implicit, and standing queries for retrieving data along with explicit and implicit tagging of items for ease of recall and retrieval. In one aspect, an automated system is provided that facilitates concurrent searching across a plurality of information sources.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods providing content-access-based information retrieval. Information items from a plurality of disparate information sources that have been previously accessed or considered are automatically indexed in a data store, whereby a multifaceted user interface is provided to efficiently retrieve the items in a cognitively relevant manner. Various display output arrangements are possible for the retrieved information items including timeline visualizations and multidimensional grid visualizations. Input options include explicit, implicit, and standing queries for retrieving data along with explicit and implicit tagging of items for ease of recall and retrieval. In one aspect, an automated system is provided that facilitates concurrent searching across a plurality of information sources.

Abstract: Most information retrieval systems start with a user's explicit query. Systems and methods are provided that perform implicit or background queries to one or more information sources based on the ongoing activities of users. The methods provide users with the results of such automated contextualized searches in an unobtrusive manner. In one aspect, implicit queries are run when users are reading, working on or composing an application. Queries can be automatically generated by analyzing an application, and results can be presented in a variety of peripheral display configurations, including a small pane adjacent to a current window to provide peripheral awareness of related information that is automatically determined from existing user context and/or related content from the application.