Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include a process for monitoring and improving end-to-end video quality based on scaled and/or interpolated perceptual quality scores across various video views. The method may also include a process for improving search experience for user expectations. Additionally, the method may include a process for providing hardware virtualization and simulation for server hosting. Furthermore, the method may include a process for filtering network traffic in a hosting environment. The method may additionally include a process for testing applications in a hosting environment. The method may further include a process for supporting multi-touch applications. The method may also include a process for optimized graphics rendering. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-storage media for improving the freshness, or the apparent freshness, of search results are described. In an embodiment, the first portion of search results presented on a search results page are based on responsiveness to the search query and a second portion of results describe only recently published documents that are responsive to the search query. In an embodiment, a more recent version of the document, which is not directly used to determine responsiveness, is used to build the caption for a search result. Another way to make search results appear fresh is to include a publication time within the search result caption. In one embodiment, the publication time is generated by calculating a point in time between when a document is first added to a search index and the previous time the search engine visited the site where the document was found.

Abstract: A search engine system is described herein that provides an alternative data path for collecting results provided by index servers. The alternative data path collects the results in a direct and asynchronous manner; this is in contrast to a synchronous path used to deliver search results to end users via one or more aggregator modules. An analysis system can use the alternative data path to collect a large amount of richly descriptive information regarding the performance of the search engine system, circumventing bottlenecks and other constraints that would otherwise be imposed by the synchronous data path. The analysis system can analyze the information collected from the index servers to improve the performance of the search engine system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying user behavior data to improve search query result ranking are provided. Upon receiving an update file indicating that recent, significant user behavior data is available for a document associated with an inverted index, the update file is published periodically and frequently to an index server. After filtering out the relevant update information from the update file, the index server extracts identifiers of the documents having the associated user behavior data. The update file and the identifier of the documents are utilized to update an in-memory index containing representations of metadata indicative of the user behavior. The in-memory index is continuously updated and utilized to serve search query results in response to user search queries. Search query results from the in-memory index are ranked using the user behavior data prior to serving. Thus, results associated with recent, significant user-behavior metadata receive prominent placement on the search results page.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing an updating process to an in-memory index are provided. Upon receiving notice of document modifications covered by an inverted index associated with a search engine, in the form of an update file, a representation of the modification is published onto various index serving machines. Each index serving machine receiving the update file determines if the modifications are applicable to the index serving machine. If an index serving machine determines that it contains mapping information corresponding to the modified documents, the index serving machine utilizes the update file and associated mapping information to update an in-memory index. In embodiments, the in-memory index is used to provide results to user queries in tandem with the inverted index. In some embodiments, an extra in-memory index is maintained that is revised with constantly incoming metadata updates and the existing in-memory index is periodically swapped with the revised in-memory index.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media are provided for an optimized search engine index. The optimized index is formed by merging small lower level indexes of fresh documents together into a hierarchical cluster of multiple higher level indexes. The optimized index of fresh documents is formed via a single threaded process, while a fresh index serving platform concurrently serves fresh queries. The hierarchy of higher level indexes is formed by merging lower and/or higher level indexes with similar expiration times together. Therefore, as some indexes expire, the remaining un-expired indexes can be re-used and merged with new incoming indexes. The single threaded process provides fast serving of fresh documents, while also providing time to integrate the fresh indexes into a long term primary search engine index, prior to expiring.

Abstract: A search engine system is described herein that provides an alternative data path for collecting results provided by index servers. The alternative data path collects the results in a direct and asynchronous manner; this is in contrast to a synchronous path used to deliver search results to end users via one or more aggregator modules. An analysis system can use the alternative data path to collect a large amount of richly descriptive information regarding the performance of the search engine system, circumventing bottlenecks and other constraints that would otherwise be imposed by the synchronous data path. The analysis system can analyze the information collected from the index servers to improve the performance of the search engine system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and media are provided for an optimized search engine index. The optimized index is formed by merging small lower level indexes of fresh documents together into a hierarchical cluster of multiple higher level indexes. The optimized index of fresh documents is formed via a single threaded process, while a fresh index serving platform concurrently serves fresh queries. The hierarchy of higher level indexes is formed by merging lower and/or higher level indexes with similar expiration times together. Therefore, as some indexes expire, the remaining un-expired indexes can be re-used and merged with new incoming indexes. The single threaded process provides fast serving of fresh documents, while also providing time to integrate the fresh indexes into a long term primary search engine index, prior to expiring.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-storage media for improving the freshness, or the apparent freshness, of search results are described. In an embodiment, the first portion of search results presented on a search results page are based on responsiveness to the search query and a second portion of results describe only recently published documents that are responsive to the search query. In an embodiment, a more recent version of the document, which is not directly used to determine responsiveness, is used to build the caption for a search result. Another way to make search results appear fresh is to include a publication time within the search result caption. In one embodiment, the publication time is generated by calculating a point in time between when a document is first added to a search index and the previous time the search engine visited the site where the document was found.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying user behavior data to improve serach query result ranking are provided. Upon receiving an update file indicating that recent, significant user behavior data is available for a document associated with an inverted index, the update file is published periodically and frequently to an index server. After filtering out the relevant update information from the update file, the index server extracts identifiers of the documents having the associated user behavior data. The update file and the identifier of the documents are utilized to update an in-memory index containing representations of metadata indicative of the user behavior. The in-memory index is continuously updated and utilized to serve search query results in response to user search queries. Search query results from the in-memory index are ranked using the user behavior data prior to serving. Thus, results associated with recent, significant user-behavior metadata receive prominent placement on the search results page.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing an updating process to an in-memory index are provided. Upon receiving notice of document modifications covered by an inverted index associated with a search engine, in the form of an update file, a representation of the modification is published onto various index serving machines. Each index serving machine receiving the update file determines if the modifications are applicable to the index serving machine. If an index serving machine determines that it contains mapping information corresponding to the modified documents, the index serving machine utilizes the update file and associated mapping information to update an in-memory index. In embodiments, the in-memory index is used to provide results to user queries in tandem with the inverted index. In some embodiments, an extra in-memory index is maintained that is revised with constantly incoming metadata updates and the existing in-memory index is periodically swapped with the revised in-memory index.

Abstract: The embodiments contemplate a system and method for obtaining related results for a portion of a query and for generating an updated set of queries for a cache of a server. Other queries beginning with the portion of the query may be identified and obtained from a data structure that includes a server cache and a set of common queries. Once the other queries are identified, results for the other queries are obtained from the server cache or from a back-end database. A set of common queries, which may include deleted and additional queries, may be utilized to generate the updated set of queries for the server. Both missing queries and deleted queries that may belong to the server based on an assignment function are inserted into a queue, which is later delivered to the cache of the server. The transfer may occur during a low-activity or idle state.

Abstract: Packet signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values and historical delivery ratio information are combined to predict a delivery ratio for a communication link. Since packet SNR may be available with every received packet on the link, link SNR level is both accurate and easy to obtain. In one embodiment, a link quality classification algorithm uses delivery ratio and SNR history, based on local classification methods (such as k-Nearest-Neighbor, Kernel-based method) and global classification methods (e.g. Support vector machines) to classify links as either good or bad. In further embodiments, links may be classified at multiple different levels to indicate predicted link quality.

Abstract: A system, method, computer-readable media, and related techniques are disclosed for presenting one or more search queries and at least one search result corresponding to at least one of the queries. In an embodiment, the method may include receiving a portion of a search query. In response to receiving at least a portion of the search query, the method may be configured to present to a user one or more suggested search queries and at least one predetermined search result corresponding to at least one of the one or more suggested queries. The method may further include presenting at least one advertisement corresponding to at least one or more suggested search queries.

Abstract: The embodiments contemplate a system and method for obtaining related results for a portion of a query and for generating an updated set of queries for a cache of a server. Other queries beginning with the portion of the query may be identified and obtained from a data structure that includes a server cache and a set of common queries. Once the other queries are identified, results for the other queries are obtained from the server cache or from a back-end database. A set of common queries, which may include deleted and additional queries, may be utilized to generate the updated set of queries for the server. Both missing queries and deleted queries that may belong to the server based on an assignment function are inserted into a queue, which is later delivered to the cache of the server. The transfer may occur during a low-activity or idle state.

Abstract: Packet signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values and historical delivery ratio information are combined to predict a delivery ratio for a communication link. Since packet SNR may be available with every received packet on the link, link SNR level is both accurate and easy to obtain. In one embodiment, a link quality classification algorithm uses delivery ratio and SNR history, based on local classification methods (such as k-Nearest-Neighbor, Kernel-based method) and global classification methods (e.g. Support vector machines) to classify links as either good or bad. In further embodiments, links may be classified at multiple different levels to indicate predicted link quality.