Abstract: Authentication is widely used to protect consumer data and computing services, such as email, document storage, and online banking. Current authentication models, such as those employed by online identity providers, may have limited options and configurations for authentication schemes. Accordingly, as provided herein, a model based authentication scheme may be configured based upon a policy and/or an authentication mechanism list. The policy may define the target resource, a user, a group the user belongs to, devices used to connect to the target resource, a service owning the target resource, etc. The authentication mechanism list may comprise predefined authentication mechanisms and/or user plug-in authentication mechanisms (e.g., user created authentication mechanism). Once the authentication scheme is configured, it may be enforced upon authentication requests from a user. Feedback may be provided to the user based upon patterns of usage of the target resource.

Abstract: In various embodiments, systems and methods are provided for facilitating enhanced advertisement display. In embodiments, an indication of an entity preference and a corresponding entity bid in association with an advertisement are received. Thereafter, the entity preference and the corresponding entity bid associated with the advertisement are provided for use in an advertisement auction when at least one search result for a query is associated with the entity preference. In such a case, the entity bid is used to participate in the advertisement auction.

Abstract: Various embodiments pertain to techniques for automatically classifying an IP address using information received as part of a request for an advertisement. In some embodiments, the information received can include an IP address associated with the request, a client identifier, and a unique request identifier, such as a request global user identifier (RGUID). In various embodiments, the information is analyzed and used to classify the IP address. For example, the IP address can be classified as belonging to a unique or real end user, belonging to a proxy, or belonging to a potential exploit. Advertisements can be served, or not served at all, according to the classification of the IP address. In various embodiments, some classifications of IP addresses can be further analyzed to determine a geo-location associated with the IP address or to enable processes to mitigate malicious or fraudulent request risks.

Abstract: Method and systems for generating notifications in a notifications system. A parameter-driven template received from a content provider contains one or more parameters related to a subscription for notifications. The notifications system enables an application based on the received template and executes it to map a recurring event to one or more subscribers as a function of the parameters specified by the content provider. In response to the recurring event, the notification system generates a notification. Other aspects of the invention relate to a computer-readable medium that defines the application for use in a notifications system.

Abstract: Authentication is widely used to protect consumer data and computing services, such as email, document storage, and online banking. Current authentication models, such as those employed by online identity providers, may have limited options and configurations for authentication schemes. Accordingly, as provided herein, a model based authentication scheme may be configured based upon a policy and/or an authentication mechanism list. The policy may define the target resource, a user, a group the user belongs to, devices used to connect to the target resource, a service owning the target resource, etc. The authentication mechanism list may comprise predefined authentication mechanisms and/or user plug-in authentication mechanisms (e.g., user created authentication mechanism). Once the authentication scheme is configured, it may be enforced upon authentication requests from a user. Feedback may be provided to the user based upon patterns of usage of the target resource.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing notifications. A web service embodying aspects of the invention is responsive to requests structured according to an extensible messaging framework and extracts request information, including at least a content provider identifier and a topic identifier, from the request to execute a selected notification management function.

Abstract: A schema-based service for Internet access to per-user services data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The services schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the services schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based service for Internet access to per-user services data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The services schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the services schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based service for Internet access to per-user services data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The services schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the services schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: Method and systems for generating notifications in a notifications system. A parameter-driven template received from a content provider contains one or more parameters related to a subscription for notifications. The notifications system enables an application based on the received template and executes it to map a recurring event to one or more subscribers as a function of the parameters specified by the content provider. In response to the recurring event, the notification system generates a notification. Other aspects of the invention relate to a computer-readable medium that defines the application for use in a notifications system.

Abstract: A schema-based contacts service for Internet access to per-user contact data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The contacts service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The contacts schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the contacts schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.