Abstract: In one embodiment, information pertaining to preferences of end users with respect to network access is received from a first entity, and properties of one of wireless access points (WAPs) are then configured based on the information pertaining to the preferences of end users.

Abstract: A near-duplicate component includes a fingerprint creation component and a similarity detection component. The fingerprint creation component receives a document of arbitrary size and generates a compact “fingerprint” that describes the contents of the document. The similarity detection component compares multiple fingerprints based on the hamming distance between the fingerprints. When the hamming distance is below a threshold, the documents can be said to be near-duplicates of one another.

Abstract: A near-duplicate component includes a fingerprint creation component and a similarity detection component. The fingerprint creation component receives a document of arbitrary size and generates a compact “fingerprint” that describes the contents of the document. The similarity detection component compares multiple fingerprints based on the hamming distance between the fingerprints. When the hamming distance is below a threshold, the documents can be said to be near-duplicates of one another.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of assisting in establishing a secure communication is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an encryption key that is shared with a credentialing device, receiving from a client device an encrypted session identifier that encodes a password, decrypting the session identifier with the key to extract the password, and authenticating a communication session for the device using a challenge-response protocol.

Abstract: A near-duplicate component includes a fingerprint creation component and a similarity detection component. The fingerprint creation component receives a document of arbitrary size and generates a compact “fingerprint” that describes the contents of the document. The similarity detection component compares multiple fingerprints based on the hamming distance between the fingerprints. When the hamming distance is below a threshold, the documents can be said to be near-duplicates of one another.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for secure communications. The techniques feature receiving over the first connection a login credential for the server, generated by the server without the use of any information identifying a computer user. The techniques further feature establishing a second secure connection with the server using a secure protocol and the login credential provided by the server.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of assisting in establishing a secure communication is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an encryption key that is shared with a credentialing device, receiving from a client device an encrypted session identifier that encodes a password, decrypting the session identifier with the key to extract the password, and authenticating a communication session for the device using a challenge-response protocol.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for secure communications. The techniques feature receiving over the first connection a login credential for the server, generated by the server without the use of any information identifying a computer user. The techniques further feature establishing a second secure connection with the server using a secure protocol and the login credential provided by the server.

Abstract: Methods and system for providing wireless access at a reduced rate. In one embodiment, access to a WAP is provided to an end-user at a rate subsidized by a first entity. The first entity includes advertisements in an end-user view.

Abstract: Methods and system to provide advertisements in a view of an end user accessing a wireless access point. The advertisements are related to the WAP based on a predetermined criterion.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a connection of a client device to a wireless access point is identified. Further, the appearance of a screen presented on the client device is modified to reflect the brand associated with a provider of the wireless access point.

Abstract: A system and method of efficiently replicating data structures in a distributed system of replicas. Each replica in the distributed system maintains a cursor indicative of the extent to which other replicas in the system are consistent with one another. By examining the information in its cursor, a destination replica requesting replication from a source replica is able to determine the extent to which it has been made consistent with that source replica via indirect paths, thus potentially improving the starting point of replication. The source replica similarly examines its cursor to potentially improve the starting point of replication with respect to the starting point requested by the destination replica. In this manner, redundant information transmitted from a source replica when replicating a destination replica is reduced.

Abstract: A compressed file produced by a server is used for updating a hypertext markup language (HTML) document cached on a client computer with changes so that it is identical to a changed HTML document stored on a server computer. Typically, when a user requests access to the HTML document on a server computer corresponding to the cached HTML document on the client computer, the cached HTML document is opened and processed by a client agent software module to produce a macro name file and a macro definition file. A checksum or macro name is determined for each construct or list in the cached HTML file. Each macro definition in the macro definition file is a concise content of the construct or list comprising a different portion of the HTML file. The client agent transmits the uniform resource locator (URL) for the site from which the cached HTML document was obtained and appends the macro name file (assuming that the server computer hasn't already generated the macro name file).

Abstract: A method and system generate performance data relating to the efficiency of an organization and include the steps of and instructions for describing a plurality of performance variables associated with the organization. The performance variables describe measurable properties of the organization. The invention further maps each of the performance variables to a normalized performance variable mapping that has a neutral value and at least one inflection point of the performance variable within a normalized range of values. Each inflection point describes effects of the normalized performance variable in changing from a positive influence to a negative influence on the organization's efficiency. Then the invention assigns a weighting factor to each of the normalized performance variables to produce a plurality of weighted normalized performance variables. The method and system calculate the efficiency of the organization as a function of the plurality of weighted normalized performance variables.

Abstract: A method and system for generating performance data relating to the efficiency of an organization and including the steps of describing a plurality of performance variables associated with the organization. The performance variables describe measurable properties of the organization. The invention further maps each of the performance variables to a normalized performance variable mapping that has a neutral value and at least one inflection point of the performance variable within a normalized range of values. Each inflection point describes effects of the normalized performance variable in changing from a positive influence to a negative influence on the organization's efficiency. Then the invention assigns a weighting factor to each of the normalized performance variables to produce a plurality of weighted normalized performance variables. The method and system calculate the efficiency of the organization as a function of the plurality of weighted normalized performance variables.