Abstract: Method and system for presenting information on a user device are disclosed. The method includes collecting a plurality of data objects on the Internet, annotating each data object in the plurality of data objects in accordance with user-defined data and implicit data, wherein the user-defined data and implicit data form metadata associated with the plurality of data objects, creating correlations between the plurality of data objects using the metadata associated with the plurality of data objects, and presenting the plurality of data objects in multiple views on the user device simultaneously according to the correlations between the plurality of data objects.

Abstract: Sales associated with service providers is increased using an opportunistic approach based on an unexpected change in a schedule or services (time, location). Windows of opportunity (time, physical location) are automatically identified, and once such a window of opportunity is detected, the people affected directly from the change of a schedule are identified. This information is then used by services providers to act quickly, in order to enhance sales. Heuristics to determine a window of opportunity are based only on schedule changes (which are associated with a rule database), and without knowing who the affected people are or what their preferences (profile data) are.

Abstract: A system and method of automating and managing bids within the context of an Internet auction is disclosed. The present invention permits continuous monitoring and verification of auctions on the Internet based on criterion such as highest bid on an item, maximum permissible bid, and a restriction on the number of successful bids in the auctions by any given participant (0109). The present invention permits embodiments incorporating an auction profile database (0101) that is generated by an auction profile configuration tool (0102) to act as input to an item search manager (0104) that takes data from an item database (0105) and control from an item selector (0103) to then interact with an auction bid controller (0106) that communicates with the remote auction site via an auction command interface (0107).

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for building an index. A new indexi+1 is built and an anchor text tablei+1 and a duplicates tableti+1 are output using a storesi, a delta store, and previously generated global analysis computationsi, wherein the previously generated global analysis computationsi include an anchor text tablei, a rank tablei, and a duplicates tablei. New global analysis computationsi+1 are generated using the anchor text tablei+1, the duplicates tablei+1, and the previously generated global analysis computationsi.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for building an index in which global analysis computations and index creation are pipelined, wherein the global analysis computations share intermediate results.

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 of automating and managing bids within the context of an Internet auction is disclosed. The present invention permits continuous monitoring and verification of auctions on the Internet based on criterion such as highest bid on an item, maximum permissible bid, and a restriction on the number of successful bids in the auctions by any given participant (0109). The present invention permits embodiments incorporating an auction profile database (0101) that is generated by an auction profile configuration tool (0102) to act as input to an item search manager (0104) that takes data from an item database (0105) and control from an item selector (0103) to then interact with an auction bid controller (0106) that communicates with the remote auction site via an auction command interface (0107). In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an information processing system and computer readable storage medium is disclosed for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically disambiguating a term with multiple meanings are provided. Term disambiguation is based on both training data and the contents of the body of text in which the term occurs. Once the contextual meaning of a term has been determined, metadata associated with that term can be used to narrow the scope of an automated search. Consequently, documents that contain the term in a context other than the context of the body of text can be excluded from search results. User interface elements may be associated with selected key terms in a web page. User interface elements associated with key terms may be associated with the contextual meanings of those key terms. When such an element is activated, metadata associated with the meaning of the corresponding key term may be submitted to a search engine, which can use the metadata to focus a search for pertinent documents.

Abstract: Techniques for matching advertisements to articles are provided. According to one aspect, advertisements are automatically matched with to-be-published articles based at least in part on the concepts to which the advertisements and the articles pertain. The concepts to which the advertisements and the articles pertain are automatically determined so that no human intervention is required. The matching advertisements and articles are placed proximately to each other in a printed publication. As a result, when the articles are published, advertisements that relate to at least some of the concepts to which the articles pertain are seen next to those articles. This contextual advertisement positioning increases readers' interest in the advertisements, and helps to promote revenues for both advertisers and publishers.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically adding context-sensitive search-enabling user interface elements to a web page are provided. According to one technique, topical regions of a document are automatically determined by computer-implemented means. The document is automatically separated into topically different sections. For each section, at least some of the topics to which that section pertains are automatically determined. Between each of the sections, a user interface element is automatically inserted into the document. Each such user interface element is automatically associated with the topics to which the section immediately preceding that user interface element pertains. A user's subsequent activation of such a user interface element causes context-sensitive search results to be provided to the user.

Abstract: Techniques for providing information about “offline” content are provided. In one technique, content (e.g., televised or paper-printed content) is “tagged” with a service-associated icon and a keyword. A person seeing the icon in the content may submit the keyword to the service via his web browser. The service responsively submits search-limiting criteria, associated with the keyword, as query terms to a search engine. The search engine determines relevant web pages based on the query terms, dynamically generates search results and returns the search results to either the web browser or the service, which may dynamically generate and send to the web browser another web page containing the search results. Due to the automatic addition of the search-limiting criteria to the query terms, the set of web pages that the search engine determines to be relevant is narrower and more focused than the set otherwise would be.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing search results obtained in response to a user query. This may include examining document pointers returned by a search engine to identify a source from which the documents are available and generating at least two visual abstracts of each of the documents. Each of the visual abstracts may be of a different size. The method and system may also include formatting a stream of data such that when the data is displayed, a smaller one of the visual abstracts appears adjacent to a corresponding search result.

Abstract: A computing system and method receive a query; separate a plurality of information sources into individual elements of content (EOC); tag each EOC with metadata that indicate source, date, and other relevant information; pattern match each EOC; calculate the respective distance function from every EOC to every other EOC; and output EOC to a set of virtual buffers (404) containing appropriately related EOC less than a given distance value. The method further creates virtual summary buffers (406); then concatenates the EOC in each virtual buffer (404); applies a comparative analysis filter (318) to remove redundant sub-elements; and presents the results as summary digests (408).

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of actively engaging a user of a search system can include receiving from the user a search query for a search of a corpus of information and providing the user with search results for the search. The user can also be prompted to participate in a search-related activity wherein at least one aspect of the search-related activity is dependent on a context of the search. User input for performing the search-related activity can be accepted and an activity response can be provided to the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for processing search results obtained in response to a user query. This may include examining document pointers returned by a search engine to identify a source from which the documents are available and generating at least two visual abstracts of each of the documents. Each of the visual abstracts may be of a different size. The method and system may also include formatting a stream of data such that when the data is displayed, a smaller one of the visual abstracts appears adjacent to a corresponding search result.

Abstract: A computing system and method receive a query; separate a plurality of information sources into individual elements of content (EOC); tag each EOC with metadata that indicate source, date, and other relevant information; pattern match each EOC; calculate the distance function from every EOC to every other EOC; and output EOC to a set of virtual buffers (404) containing appropriately related EOC less than a given distance value. The method further creates virtual summary buffers (406); then concatenates the EOC in each virtual buffer (404); applies a comparative analysis filter (318) to remove redundant sub-elements; and presents the results as summary digests (408).

Abstract: Context-specific transaction proposals are automatically generated and presented to a user who expresses interest in a particular topic. A user viewing a World Wide Web page or other content item activates an interface to indicate that he or she is interested in additional information related to the subject of the page. A context vector or other representation of the content of the page being viewed is transmitted to an information server, which identifies possible transactions related to the content and proposes one or more of these transactions to the user. Transaction proposals can be presented together with a contextual search interface that allows the user to submit zero or more search terms together with the context vector as a search query.

Abstract: The resultant search result items from a search engine performing an Internet search are associated with similar or related advertisements. These associated advertisements, once acquired, may be viewed by a user on demand. An Internet user selects a query to submit to a search engine. For each search result item available from the query, a matching search of related product advertisements is then performed. For each related product advertisement found for a given search result item, the search result item is then flagged. This process is repeated until each search result item has been investigated and matched to related product advertisements when applicable. The user then designates a selection. This selection initiates a search of an advertisement database. Each product advertisement acquired is then formatted and displayed to the user.

Abstract: A distributed comparison shopping system is based on a decentralized, distributed architecture utilizing a peer-to-peer network. The system creates an active marketplace with real-time price comparisons, with the peer-to-peer nodes coordinating connectivity with other peers and building a dynamic network. Each message includes a fixed component and an adaptive update component. The adaptive update component contains search criteria and search status fields that are selectively modified as the message travels through the peer-peer network. A node that receives a message will interpret the search criteria and apply those criteria to a local search result. The node then either forwards the unmodified or the modified message to other nodes in its neighborhood, or, alternatively, requests an authorization to modify the message prior to rebroadcasting, from the source node.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing searches using contextual information associated with a Web page (or other document) that a user is viewing when a query is entered. The page includes a contextual search interface that has an associated context vector representing content of the page. When the user submits a search query via the contextual search interface, the query and the context vector are both provided to the query processor and used in responding to the query.