Abstract: A user attempting to obtain information about an object can capture image information including a view of that object, and the image information can be used with a matching or identification process to provide information about that type of object to the user. In order to narrow the search space to a specific category, and thus improve the accuracy of the results and the speed at which results can be obtained, the user can be guided to capture image information with an appropriate orientation. An outline or other graphical guide can be displayed over image information captured by a computing device, in order to guide the user in capturing the object from an appropriate direction and with an appropriate scale for the type of matching and/or information used for the matching. Such an approach enables three-dimensional objects to be analyzed using conventional two-dimensional identification algorithms, among other such processes.

Abstract: An approach is provided for custom zooming of geographic representation. A custom zooming application determines an input specifying a level of zoom for rendering a geographic representation presented at a device, the geographic representation including a plurality of objects. The custom zooming application determines respective degrees of relevance of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the device, a user of the device, related context information, or a combination thereof. The custom zooming application determines to render one or more of the plurality of objects with at least one different level of visibility with respect to other ones of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the respective degrees of relevance, the level of zoom, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A user attempting to obtain information about an object can capture image information including a view of that object, and the image information can be used with a matching or identification process to provide information about that type of object to the user. In order to narrow the search space to a specific category, and thus improve the accuracy of the results and the speed at which results can be obtained, the user can be guided to capture image information with an appropriate orientation. An outline or other graphical guide can be displayed over image information captured by a computing device, in order to guide the user in capturing the object from an appropriate direction and with an appropriate scale for the type of matching and/or information used for the matching. Such an approach enables three-dimensional objects to be analyzed using conventional two-dimensional identification algorithms, among other such processes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for facilitating sharing device connections across multiple physical and/or virtual (logical) computers. A method may include receiving a USB device request from a virtual host controller driver of a client when a host is not in a power save mode and passing a USB device request to a host controller driver of the client when the host is in a power save mode. A method may also include activating a sharing switch of a host controller to connect a device connection port to the host when the host is not in a power save mode and to connect the device connection port to the client when the host is in a power save mode. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for providing a virtual machine with dynamic direct assignment of a physical hardware resource. A method may include providing a virtual machine with a directly assigned physical hardware resource and an emulated hardware resource corresponding to the directly assigned physical hardware resource. The method may further include causing the virtual machine to hot-swap from using the directly assigned physical hardware resource to using the emulated hardware resource. The method may additionally include, subsequent to causing the virtual machine to hot-swap to using the emulated hardware resource, causing the directly assigned physical hardware resource to be hot-removed from the virtual machine Corresponding apparatuses are also provided.

Abstract: An approach is provided for custom zooming of geographic representation. A custom zooming application determines an input specifying a level of zoom for rendering a geographic representation presented at a device, the geographic representation including a plurality of objects. The custom zooming application determines respective degrees of relevance of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the device, a user of the device, related context information, or a combination thereof. The custom zooming application determines to render one or more of the plurality of objects with at least one different level of visibility with respect to other ones of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the respective degrees of relevance, the level of zoom, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Provided herein is a technique by which the display of an electronic reading device may be enhanced. An image of a first page may be displayed at a predefined contrast and an image of a second page may be displayed at less than the predefined contrast in an underlying relationship to the image of the first page. The first page and the second page may be consecutive pages in a page order. The page order may mimic a page order of a print copy. In response to the second page being a facing page to the first page in the print copy, the image of the second page may appear forward facing. In response to the second page appearing on the opposite side of the first page in the print copy, the image of the second page may be presented as a mirror image of the second page.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for spatially indicating notifications to a user via display regions that are arranged (e.g., perimeterally) about the display of an apparatus. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory including computer program code which provide for the presentation, in a first display region, of an indication of a notification associated with a first application and provide for the presentation, in a second display region, of a non-pictorial indication of a notification associated with a second application. The first and second display regions may, for example, be arranged along the edges of a polygonal display. As such, a user may be able to quickly discern which application is responsible for a particular notification, and the user's view of an underlying application provided on the display may not be obscured or diminished as a result of the issuance of the notification.

Abstract: An approach is provided for custom zooming of geographic representation. A custom zooming application determines an input specifying a level of zoom for rendering a geographic representation presented at a device, the geographic representation including a plurality of objects. The custom zooming application determines respective degrees of relevance of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the device, a user of the device, related context information, or a combination thereof. The custom zooming application determines to render one or more of the plurality of objects with at least one different level of visibility with respect to other ones of the plurality of objects based, at least in part, on the respective degrees of relevance, the level of zoom, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An improved technique provides location detection using wireless net-works such as Wi-Fi networks in a flexible, configurable manner that allows for variations in the environment and tracks target movement accurately in such an environment. Zones of different relative sizes and sensitivities can be defined, so as to vary the degree of resolution for different parts of the area being detected. Mechanisms are provided to take into account fluctuations in signal strength, and reduce the incidence of false positives resulting from incorrectly detecting zone or location changes due to fluctuations of signal strength. In addition, detection time can be configured for zone entry and/or exit. Self-adjustment based on heuristic analysis can also be implemented. Data can be sent or received based on the physical location as determined by the zone.

Abstract: An apparatus, comprising a processor, memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, working with the processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: receiving information from a first external apparatus indicating that the first external apparatus received a document associated with a uniform resource locator, evaluating the received information and the historic document information, aggregating at least part of the received information to the historic document information based at least in part on the evaluation, and providing at least part of the aggregated historic document information to a second external apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises receiving a text communication using a mobile electronic device, receiving location information and generating an illustrative representation of said text communication utilizing the text communication and the location information and displaying the illustrative representation. In accordance with an another example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a network interface for receiving a text communication, a location determining unit, at least one sensor, and a processor communicatively coupled with the network interface, the location determining unit and the at least one sensor; the processor configured to generate an illustrative representation of the text communication, and a display configured to display the illustrative representation.

Abstract: An improved technique provides location detection using wireless net-works such as Wi-Fi networks in a flexible, configurable manner that allows for variations in the environment and tracks target movement accurately in such an environment. Zones of different relative sizes and sensitivities can be defined, so as to vary the degree of resolution for different parts of the area being detected. Mechanisms are provided to take into account fluctuations in signal strength, and reduce the incidence of false positives resulting from incorrectly detecting zone or location changes due to fluctuations of signal strength. In addition, detection time can be configured for zone entry and/or exit. Self-adjustment based on heuristic analysis can also be implemented. Data can be sent or received based on the physical location as determined by the zone.