Abstract: A method and system associated with a camera view of a moving-object in a scene. The method comprises detecting and tracking the moving object over multiple video frames, estimating an orientation of the moving object in each of the video frames, and constructing a cost map from the estimated orientations over the multiple video frames for finding a minimum cost path over the cost map. The Method also comprises determining regularized orientation estimates of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, and locating the vanishing point of the camera view based on an axis of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, the axis formed by using the regularized orientation estimates.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a client a request to access the file. The cloud controller determines a level of consistency that is associated with the file, and then uses this level of consistency to determine whether to communicate with a peer cloud controller when handling the request.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for facilitating access to a remote cloud service via a cloud controller for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller detects a request from a co-located client to access a network address that is in the same subnet of their local network. The cloud controller determines that the network address is associated with the remote cloud service (which executes in a cloud storage environment) and forwards the request to the remote cloud service.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for embedding a service provider display within a user interface for a collaborative workspace environment. The display may be generated based on information and resources provided by a service provider. The display may be used to select content provided by the service provider. Information gathered by the display may then be used by the service provider to provide one or more entities relating to the requested content to the collaborative workplace environment. The entities may be stored and used to generate a display of the selected content from the service provider. In some examples, the entities may be shared within the collaborative workspace environment such that other users may generate a similar view using the entities provided by the service provider. In some examples, the entities may comprise a URL relating to a webpage associated with the selected content.

Abstract: Described herein is a system and methods for enabling a user to seamlessly switch between different workspaces, groups and/or conversations is a collaborative workspace environment using a set of contextual canvases. The canvases are provided in a user interface and are associated with different contexts. Further, each canvas is used to display an associated entity. Thus, when a new context in the collaborative workspace environment is selected, the canvases are updated and used to display entities that are related to or otherwise associated with the newly selected context.

Abstract: Described herein is a user interface that enables messages within a collaborative workspace environment to be propagated to different workspaces that are associated with different tabs in the collaborative workspace environment. Thus, a comment made in a workspace associated with a first tab is reflected in a workspace associated with a different tab and vice versa.

Abstract: A method of identifying, with a camera, an object in an image of a scene, by determining the distinctiveness of each of a number of attributes of an object of interest, independent of the camera viewpoint, determining the detectability of each of the attributes based on the relative orientation of a candidate object in the image of the scene, determining a camera setting for viewing the candidate object based on the distinctiveness of an attribute, so as to increase the detectability of the attribute, and capturing an image of the candidate object with the camera setting to determine the confidence that the candidate object is the object of interest.

Abstract: A method and system associated with a camera view of a moving-object in a scene. The method comprises detecting and tracking the moving object over multiple video frames, estimating an orientation of the moving object in each of the video frames, and constructing a cost map from the estimated orientations over the multiple video frames for finding a minimum cost path over the cost map. The Method also comprises determining regularised orientation estimates of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, and locating the vanishing point of the camera view based on an axis of the moving-object from the minimum cost path, the axis formed by using the regularised orientation estimates.

Abstract: A method of identifying an object in an image is disclosed. At least one feature map for each of a plurality of cells in the image is determined. A self-dissimilarity between a first feature map associated with a first one of said cells and a second feature map associated with a second cell, is determined. The self-dissimilarity is determined by determining a sum over thresholds of a difference in area between the first feature map and the second feature map. An appearance signature for the object is formed based on the determined self-dissimilarity. A distance between the appearance signature of the object in the image and appearance signatures of each of a plurality of further objects is determined. The object in the image is identified based on the determined distances.

Abstract: A method of identifying, with a camera, an object in an image of a scene, by determining the distinctiveness of each of a number of attributes of an object of interest, independent of the camera viewpoint, determining the detectability of each of the attributes based on the relative orientation of a candidate object in the image of the scene, determining a camera setting for viewing the candidate object based on the distinctiveness of an attribute, so as to increase the detectability of the attribute, and capturing an image of the candidate object with the camera setting to determine the confidence that the candidate object is the object of interest.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for transferring and caching a cloud file in a cloud controller. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request for a data block of a target file that is stored in the distributed filesystem but not currently cached in the cloud controller. The cloud controller initiates a request to a cloud storage system for a cloud file containing the requested data block. While receiving the cloud file from the cloud storage system, the cloud controller uses a set of block metadata in the portion of the cloud file that has already been received to determine the portions of the cloud file that should be downloaded to and cached in the cloud controller.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques that facilitate of avoiding client timeouts in a distributed filesystem. Multiple cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem in a local storage pool. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a client system a request for a data block in a target file that is stored in the distributed filesystem. Although the cloud controller is already caching the requested data block, the cloud controller delays transmission of the cached data block; this additional delay gives the cloud controller more time to access uncached data blocks for the target file from a cloud storage system, thereby ensuring that subsequent requests of such data blocks do not exceed a timeout interval on the client system.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that uses overlay metadata in a cloud controller to generate incremental snapshots for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems. More specifically, the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the data stored in the cloud storage systems, with each cloud controller maintaining a metadata hierarchy that reflects the current state of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receiving new data from a client: (1) stores the new data in the cloud controller; (2) creates a metadata entry for the new data in the locally maintained metadata hierarchy; (3) updates the overlay metadata to point to the metadata entry and the new data stored in the cloud controller; and (4) then uses the overlay metadata to generate an incremental snapshot for the new data.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for executing a cloud command for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller presents a distributed-filesystem-specific capability to a client system as a file in the distributed filesystem (e.g., using a file abstraction). Upon receiving a request from the client system to access and/or operate upon this file, the client controller executes an associated cloud command. More specifically, the cloud controller initiates a specially-defined operation that accesses additional functionality for the distributed filesystem that exceeds the scope of individual reads and writes to a typical data file.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for restoring an archived file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. Furthermore, cloud controllers may archive infrequently-accessed files in an archival cloud storage system. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client system to access an archived file, and restores this archived file from the archival cloud storage system.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for synchronizing file updates between two cloud controllers of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to access a file in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller sends a synchronization update request for the file to a second cloud controller and in response receives a synchronization update for the file from the second cloud controller.

Abstract: A system and method for straight through payment processing when the merchant is known but the merchant's payment card acquirer is unknown. Payment instructions from a payee to the merchant are normalized for a target acquirer system which is selected either at random, based on business logic and data, or based on successful past straight through payments. Payments are attempted for each acquirer successively until a successful payment notification is received. The link to the merchant and acquirer is then saved for subsequent straight through payments to that merchant.

Abstract: A method of determining a property of an image (176) captured by a camera (127). Vanishing points (320, 330, 340) are in the image (176). Each pixel of the image (176) is associated with one or more of the vanishing points (320, 330, 340) based on an orientation of the image gradient at the pixel. The image is partitioned into a set of regions associated with a pair of the determined vanishing points based on the vanishing point associations for pixels in the image (176). Boundaries of the regions are aligned with the associated vanishing points. For at least one of the plurality of regions, a confidence value is determined for the property of the image based on pixels in the region. The property of the image is determined for one or more pixels within the image (176) based on the confidence value.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing metadata and data storage for a cloud controller in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems. More specifically, the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the data stored in the cloud storage systems, with each cloud controller maintaining (e.g., storing) in a local storage device: (1) one or more metadata regions containing a metadata hierarchy that reflects the current state of the distributed filesystem; and (2) cached data for the distributed filesystem. During operation, the cloud controller receives an incremental metadata snapshot that references new data written to the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller stores updated metadata from this incremental metadata snapshot in one of the metadata regions on the local storage device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to, among other things, managing browsing histories based at least in part on metadata and/or tags associated with a web request. In some examples, a web service may collect metadata associated with the web request. Based at least in part on the collected metadata, content tags associated with the web request may be identified. Additionally, in some examples, one or more browsing metrics may be generated. The browsing metric may be configured to identify at least a web request characteristic to be compared with a second web request characteristic.