Abstract: Technologies are described herein for coreference resolution in an ambiguity-sensitive natural language processing system. Techniques for integrating reference resolution functionality into a natural language processing system can processes documents to be indexed within an information search and retrieval system. Ambiguity awareness features, as well as ambiguity resolution functionality, can operate in coordination with coreference resolution. Annotation of coreference entities, as well as ambiguous interpretations, can be supported by in-line markup within text content or by external entity maps. Information expressed within documents can be formally organized in terms of facts, or relationships between entities in the text. Expansion can support applying multiple aliases, or ambiguities, to an entity being indexed so that all of the possibly references or interpretations for that entity are captured into the index.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating a semantic translation rule to support natural language search. In one method, a first expression and a second expression are received. A first representation is generated based on the first expression, and a second representation is generated based on the second expression. Aligned pairs of a first term in the first representation and a second term in the second representation are determined. For each aligned pair, the first term and the second term are replaced with a variable associated with the aligned pair. Word facts that occur in both the first representation and the second representation are removed from the first representation and the second representation. The remaining word facts in the first representation are replaced with a broader representation of the word facts. The translation rule including the first representation, an operator, and the second semantic representation is generated.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are described that relate to iterators for applying term occurrence-level constraints in natural language searching. These tools may receive a natural language input query, and define term occurrence-level constraints applicable to the input query. The methods may also identify facts requested in the input query, and may instantiate an iterator to traverse a fact index to identify candidate facts responsive to the input query. This iterator may traverse through at least a portion of the fact index. The methods may receive candidate facts from this iterator, with these candidate facts including terms, referred to as term-level occurrences. The methods may apply the term occurrence-level constraints to the term-level occurrences. The methods may select the candidate fact for inclusion in search results for the input query, based at least in part on applying the term occurrence-level constraint.

Abstract: An Accessing Busy Resources service is adapted to receive subscription requests from clients for notification of when a busy resource is free, and to monitor network resources to determine if they are free. Upon notification, the Accessing Busy Resources service de-subscribes the client. The network client devices include Access Request units which make requests to access services and receive notification when the services are available.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to determine user-interest sensitive notes. User selected passages, user interest information, condensation transformations and optional meaning distortion constraints are identified. User foci expressed by the selected passages are determined based on the similarity of the elements in the selected passages to elements in the user interest information. User sensitive notes are determined by selectively applying the condensation transformations to the selected passages to preferentially retain user foci while eliding less salient information. Meaning distortions constraints are optionally applied in conjunction with condensation transformations or in creating the condensation transformations in order to reduce the likelihood of distorting the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to determine user-interest sensitive condensations of a passage. One or more passages are selected and user interest information, condensation transformations and optional meaning distortion constraints are identified. The foci of user interest within the selected passages are determined based the similarity of the elements in the selected passages to elements in the user interest information. The condensation transformations are applied to the selected passages to preferentially retain user foci while eliding less salient information. The resultant condensate provides signals the user-interest sensitive meaning of the passage. Meaning distortions constraints are optionally applied in conjunction with the condensation transformations or in creating the condensation transformations to reduce the likelihood of distorting the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for generating a semantic translation rule to support natural language search. In one method, a first expression and a second expression are received. A first representation is generated based on the first expression, and a second representation is generated based on the second expression. Aligned pairs of a first term in the first representation and a second term in the second representation are determined. For each aligned pair, the first term and the second term are replaced with a variable associated with the aligned pair. Word facts that occur in both the first representation and the second representation are removed from the first representation and the second representation. The remaining word facts in the first representation are replaced with a broader representation of the word facts. The translation rule including the first representation, an operator, and the second semantic representation is generated.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for coreference resolution in an ambiguity-sensitive natural language processing system. Techniques for integrating reference resolution functionality into a natural language processing system can processes documents to be indexed within an information search and retrieval system. Ambiguity awareness features, as well as ambiguity resolution functionality, can operate in coordination with coreference resolution. Annotation of coreference entities, as well as ambiguous interpretations, can be supported by in-line markup within text content or by external entity maps. Information expressed within documents can be formally organized in terms of facts, or relationships between entities in the text. Expansion can support applying multiple aliases, or ambiguities, to an entity being indexed so that all of the possibly references or interpretations for that entity are captured into the index.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are described that relate to iterators for applying term occurrence-level constraints in natural language searching. These tools may receive a natural language input query, and define term occurrence-level constraints applicable to the input query. The methods may also identify facts requested in the input query, and may instantiate an iterator to traverse a fact index to identify candidate facts responsive to the input query. This iterator may traverse through at least a portion of the fact index. The methods may receive candidate facts from this iterator, with these candidate facts including terms, referred to as term-level occurrences. The methods may apply the term occurrence-level constraints to the term-level occurrences. The methods may select the candidate fact for inclusion in search results for the input query, based at least in part on applying the term occurrence-level constraint.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for detecting entailment and contradiction. Packed knowledge representations for a premise and conclusion text are determined comprising facts about the relationships between concept and/or context denoting terms. Concept and context alignments are performed based on alignments scores. A union is determined. Terms are marked as to their origin and conclusion text terms replaced with by corresponding terms from the premise text. Subsumption and specificity, instantiability, spatio-temporal and relationship based packed rewrite rules are applied in conjunction with the context denoting facts to remove entailed terms and to mark contradictory facts within the union. Entailment is indicated by a lack of any facts from the packed knowledge representation of the conclusion in the union. Entailment and contradiction markers are then displayed.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to determine user-interest sensitive condensations of a passage. One or more passages are selected and user interest information, condensation transformations and optional meaning distortion constraints are identified. The foci of user interest within the selected passages are determined based the similarity of the elements in the selected passages to elements in the user interest information. The condensation transformations are applied to the selected passages to preferentially retain user foci while eliding less salient information. The resultant condensate provides signals the user-interest sensitive meaning of the passage. Meaning distortions constraints are optionally applied in conjunction with the condensation transformations or in creating the condensation transformations to reduce the likelihood of distorting the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: Techniques are presented to determine user-interest sensitive notes. User selected passages, user interest information, condensation transformations and optional meaning distortion constraints are identified. User foci expressed by the selected passages are determined based on the similarity of the elements in the selected passages to elements in the user interest information. User sensitive notes are determined by selectively applying the condensation transformations to the selected passages to preferentially retain user foci while eliding less salient information. Meaning distortions constraints are optionally applied in conjunction with condensation transformations or in creating the condensation transformations in order to reduce the likelihood of distorting the meaning of the passage.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for segmenting text into categorized discourse constituents and attaching discourse constituents into a structural representation of discourse. Techniques for determining hybrid structural and non-structural summaries of a text are also provided. A text is segmented based on a theory of discourse analysis into at least a main discourse constituent containing spatio-temporal information about a single event in a possible world view. The discourse constituents are then inserted into a structural representation of discourse. Non-structural techniques are used to determine relevance scores and important discourse constituents are determined. Relevance scores are percolated through the structural representation of discourse to determine supporting preceding discourse constituents that preserve grammaticality. A hybrid text summary is then determined based on the structural representation of the discourse and relevance scores.

Abstract: A telecommunications system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a packet network; a first plurality of network clients compatible with a first voice protocol of the network; a second plurality of network clients partially compatible with the first voice protocol; a third plurality of network clients compatible with a second voice protocol; a gatekeeper adapted to provide call control for the first plurality of network clients; a feature proxy adapted to receive registrations of the first plurality, the second plurality, and the third plurality of endpoints, and map such registrations to registrations with the gatekeeper and provide feature processing for the first, second, and third plurality of endpoints.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a conferencing server (104, 106), a recording server (114) operably coupled to the conferencing server; and one or more telecommunications clients (110). The telecommunications clients (110) can use the conferencing server to supervise conversations between two or more of the parties. The recording server (114) is used to record conversations among the parties and store them as one or more digital files. The telecommunications clients (110) may further be provided with user interfaces (112) that allow control of the recording server (114) for real-time playback during a conversation. The user interface allows the user to control backup; normal speed forward; fast forward; back to beginning; and go to end (i.e., back to real-time output for the call).

Abstract: An Accessing Busy Resources service is adapted to receive subscription requests from clients for notification of when a busy resource is free, and to monitor network resources to determine if they are free. Upon notification, the Accessing Busy Resources service de-subscribes the client. The network client devices include Access Request units which make requests to access services and receive notification when the services are available.

Abstract: A telecommunications system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an instant messaging (IM) server (106) and a VoIP server (110); and a plurality of system clients having both VolP and IM sub-clients. The system clients can log on to their respective servers in parallel. The IM server (106) and the VoIP server (110) can communicate lists of common participants and allow for IM conferences among at least subsets of the system clients while an audio or video teleconference is ongoing.

Abstract: A therapeutic table system for supporting a body of a user above a surface and for applying traction to a spine of a user lying on the therapeutic table system. The therapeutic table system includes a table assembly that includes a tabletop and a plurality of leg members. A support assembly is mounted on an upper surface of the tabletop for supporting a body of a user lying on the tabletop. The support assembly includes a hip support assembly for supporting hips of a user lying on the tabletop. The hip support assembly is positionable between an extended position and a contracted position. A traction assembly is mounted on a lower surface of the tabletop for moving the hip support assembly from the contracted position toward the extended position such that a user lying on the tabletop is placed in traction.