Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for determining that a current user profile in a system should be modified or changed. An audience detection component detects that a characteristic has been detected that does not match at least one characteristic in the current user profile. The audience detection component determines how the profile should be modified or restricted based on the inputs received from the sensors. The modified profile is then provided to a recommender system so that appropriate content may be suggested to the consumers without any further intervention or action required by the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving conjunctive queries, comprising relational predicates and external predicates, such as XML predicates. The method and apparatus obtain results from a relational engine or from an external engine, and then use the obtained results as input for the other engine, so as to optimize the activity of the other engine. The process may repeat further times, with the results obtained by the other engine being input to the first engine. The method and apparatus further disclose handling value, being isomorphic hierarchical subtrees.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving conjunctive queries, comprising relational predicates and external predicates, such as XML predicates. The method and apparatus obtain results from a relational engine or from an external engine, and then use the obtained results as input for the other engine, so as to optimize the activity of the other engine. The process may repeat further times, with the results obtained by the other engine being input to the first engine. The method and apparatus further disclose handling value, being isomorphic hierarchical sub-trees.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving conjunctive queries, comprising relational predicates and external predicates, such as XML predicates. The method and apparatus obtain results from a relational engine or from an external engine, and then use the obtained results as input for the other engine, so as to optimize the activity of the other engine. The process may repeat further times, with the results obtained by the other engine being input to the first engine. The method and apparatus further disclose handling value, being isomorphic hierarchical subtrees.

Abstract: A method for managing communication among a plurality of social network members. The method comprises defining a multi participant task, setting at least one forward rule limiting the distribution an invitation message for participating in the multi participant task, forwarding the invitation message to at least one addressee from a plurality of social network members, allowing the at least one addressee to forward the invitation message to at least one additional addressee from the plurality of social network members under the at least one forward rule, monitoring a plurality of feedbacks to the invitation message to determine whether the multi participant task is achieved, and updating a status of the multi participant task according to the determination.

Abstract: A query network is disclosed, comprising sets of nodes and edges connecting pairs of nodes. The nodes of the query network are associated with edge-defining queries. A method is taught for fully evaluating such a query network. A language is further disclosed for constructing queries. The query network may be used to model a social network, a professional network or the like.

Abstract: Improved information processing techniques for measuring similarity between instances in an ontology are disclosed. For example, a method of measuring similarity between instances in an ontology for use in an information retrieval system includes the following steps. A set of instances from the ontology is obtained. At least one of the following similarity metrics for the set of instances is computed: (i) a first metric that measures similarity between instances in the set of instances with respect to ontology concepts to which the instances belong; (ii) a second metric which measures similarity between instances in the set of instances where the instances are subjects in statements involving a given ontology property; and (iii) a third metric which measures similarity between instances in the set of instances where the instances are objects in statements involving a given ontology property.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving conjunctive queries, comprising relational predicates and external predicates, such as XML predicates. The method and apparatus obtain results from a relational engine or from an external engine, and then use the obtained results as input for the other engine, so as to optimize the activity of the other engine. The process may repeat further times, with the results obtained by the other engine being input to the first engine. The method and apparatus further disclose handling value, being isomorphic hierarchical subtrees.

Abstract: Improved information processing techniques for measuring similarity between instances in an ontology are disclosed. For example, a method of measuring similarity between instances in an ontology for use in an information retrieval system includes the following steps. A set of instances from the ontology is obtained. At least one of the following similarity metrics for the set of instances is computed: (i) a first metric that measures similarity between instances in the set of instances with respect to ontology concepts to which the instances belong; (ii) a second metric which measures similarity between instances in the set of instances where the instances are subjects in statements involving a given ontology property; and (iii) a third metric which measures similarity between instances in the set of instances where the instances are objects in statements involving a given ontology property.

Abstract: A device, computer readable medium and method for monitoring a group of entities. The method includes: receiving entities information, entity dependency information and entity association information; generating a model of the group of entities that includes multiple abstract dependency instances; evaluating at least one parameter of the group of entities in view of at least one parameter of the model; and dynamically updating the model. A method for dependency resolution, the method includes: defining multiple levels of reactive rules; detecting a certain level situation in response to a lower level event and a previous certain level situation; and providing at least one dependency resolution indication in response to an detection of a high level situation.