Abstract: The application describes a first system for monitoring changes to a target web page and also a second system for providing information on changes to a target web page. The first system is configured to display said target web page to a user; receive a user specification of at least one sub-region within said displayed target web page; download, at a subsequent time, said target web page; determine whether or not there have been any changes to said at least one sub-region, and if there are any changes, output an update comprising data from said at least one sub-region. The second system is configured to download a target web page associated with said user specification; and if there is a new link, download a new web page associated with said new link; generate an article derived from said new web page; and output said article as an update.

Abstract: A data storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices, each storage device comprising a plurality of storage nodes and each storage node comprising a plurality of logical partitions such that there are at least Q copies of a particular logical partition in the storage system. Each logical partition is divided into a plurality of sub-ranges which are individually lockable to both data input and data output whereby data in a particular logical partition is synchronisable sub-range by sub-range with the other copies of said particular logical partition. A method of maintaining such a data storage, including creating and updating data in the data store, recovering from failure of an element of the data store and/or increasing capacity in the data store.

Abstract: A search service provides a set of search results (420) in response to a search query from a user, and provides one or more suggested search queries (430), for selection by the user to generate more search results, at least one of the suggested search queries having a correspondence with a corresponding subset of one or more of the search results. The set of search results are sent with an indication of the corresponding suggested search queries, for presentation to the user with a visual representation of the correspondence. Such a visual representation can mean locating the suggested search query adjacent to its corresponding search result, and can enable a user to select an appropriate further search query more quickly with a minimum of clicks, or less time for a user reviewing less relevant information or more efficient use of screenspace.

Abstract: At least some embodiments of this invention provide for an easy way to share mobile content found as a result of searching and/or browsing on the Internet. Aspects of the invention provides software, systems (meaning software and hardware to run the software) or an exchange of signals with users to provide a mobile content service. Other related aspects provide methods for providing or using such a search service. According to one aspect there is provided a system to provide a search service for finding and sharing online content, the system being arranged to receive a search query from a user on a mobile device, send search results to a user's mobile device, prompt the user to select one or more items from the search results to be published, and publish the selected item or items.

Abstract: A search engine (50, 35, 45,103) can find content items in a first corpus (6, 30), and return search results to the user as items ranked according to mentions in a second corpus (7, 77, 87, 30), of the respective found content items. This introduces a degree of independence or separation between the scope and type of the information for ranking and the scope and type of the content items used for responding to the search query. The second corpus can be limited to human moderated discussion sites, to provide a more reliable measure of how topical is the item. The first corpus can be limited to mobile web pages. The ranking can also involve a count of mentions in plain text referring to the respective found content items, or be according to a social distance between the user and another user, to whom the respective content item is related.

Abstract: A search engine (50, 35, 60, 63, 103) interacts (17) with the user while they are accessing (7) an existing online content item to enable the user to create a mobile web version of at least a portion of that existing online content item. The mobile version is stored (37, 63) and indexed (35, 709) as a user created search result, retrievable by the search engine in response to a search query (47). This can produce better results than automated conversion, and thus improve mobile search. The interaction can involve constraining a size and text format of the mobile web version so it can reasonably be viewed on a screen of a hand held mobile device.

Abstract: A system (29, 39, 59) generates spoiled audio thumbnails representing corresponding audio content items for a user to browse, such that during audio presentation of a given thumbnail the audio presentation is spoiled by a voice over or similar, but still enables recognition of the corresponding audio content item. This can encourage users to access the original item, and avoid the original items being regenerated from the thumbnails, or being enjoyed instead of the original. This is particularly useful where the audio thumbnail has some value itself, such as for use as a ringtone by mobile users. It can be useful for music libraries and search engines.

Abstract: A method of generating displayable content is provided. The method includes obtaining a display package having a plurality of display elements defining a plurality of display frames. The method further includes rendering at least one selected group of the plurality of display elements. Each selected group is based on indicator information in the display package and comprises less than all of the plurality of display elements. Further included is saving a copy of each rendered selected group in a second display buffer. The method further includes rendering at least one display frame within the plurality of display frames such that at least a portion of the at least one rendered display frame comprises the saved copy of at least one rendered selected group. Further included is saving the at least one rendered display frame in a first display buffer that is different from the second display buffer.

Abstract: A user interface for a device comprises a plurality of layers. The content for the user interface is associated with one of the plurality of layers.

Abstract: The virtual file system is described that enables both real data resources, such as a content file, and virtual data resources, such as a field within a database or a state determined by a mark-up language element, to be accessed through a single root.

Abstract: A user interface for a device is provided, wherein the user interface generates a list of elements that is too large to be displayed within a region of the UI. The number of list elements to be displayed is determined and an appropriate subset of list elements are then chosen from the generated list of elements.

Abstract: Described are various methods and apparatuses for fine grained control of z-order elements in a presentation. A structure is defined containing user interface elements and an order is defined for rendering such user interface elements. It is desired that some elements may need to be rendered out of the defined order, therefore a raise user interface element is defined allowing for one or more user interface elements to be defined to be rendered out of the normally defined order. User interface elements may something to be presented on a display and may also include program code for defining behaviors.

Abstract: Described are various methods and apparatuses for automatic updating of variables in a data language. A dynamic variable is updated by parsing an instruction written in the data language containing the dynamic variable, creating the dynamic variable in memory, assigning a value for the dynamic variable, and updating the dynamic variable value without parsing the instruction written in the data language containing the dynamic variable. The dynamic variable may also be updated by creating an object associated with the dynamic value, wherein the object determines the value of the dynamic variable. Further, an observing a function value may be associated with the dynamic variable and then a notification is given to the object when the function value has changed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of browser-server communication in a communication system (10, 120) comprising browser (40), server (50) and remote server (170), and operable to transmit via HTTP channels (85, 100, 150) content and/or software in response to corresponding requests therefor between browser (40) and server (50) and/or remote server (170), characterized by the steps of: