Abstract: In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for automated creation of a mashup is provided, the method comprising: receiving data needs of a user; identifying sources of data to satisfy the data needs by comparing the data needs to available data sources; retrieving metadata relating to the identified sources of data from a source metadata store; identifying services to satisfy the data needs by comparing the retrieved metadata to available services; retrieving metadata related to the identified services from a service metadata store; and generating a plan for supplying data from the identified sources of data to the identified services based on the retrieved metadata from the source metadata source and the retrieved metadata from the service metadata source.

Abstract: In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing digital assets of a user over multiple home network-enabled devices, the method comprising: receiving information, from a plurality of home network-enabled personal devices, regarding digital assets accessed by the personal devices, wherein the plurality of personal devices are owned or operated by the user and the information is automatically gathered by each personal device tracking its own usage; storing the information; and providing, to one of the plurality of personal devices, identifications of digital assets accessed by the personal devices by accessing the stored information.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming location signatures for a device, the method comprising: retrieving information regarding one or more digital devices detected around the device during a first set time period; and creating a first signature for a location based on information regarding the one or more digital devices detected during the first set time period.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for operating a local virtual world proxy is provided. A virtual world view is received corresponding to a virtual world client. Information about resources available to the virtual world client is obtained. Virtual representations of one or more resources available to a virtual world client are fetched. Then the virtual representations are injected into the virtual world view. The virtual world view is then forwarded to the virtual world client for display to a user of the virtual world client.

Abstract: Data relating to usage patterns of the user are stored. The data includes a context portion having information as to the context in which items were used and an interest rating portion indicative of an interest of the user in one or more objects of interest. The data is clustered into clusters of data points. For each of the clusters, a centroid is determined. The centroid includes a context portion and an interest rating portion. A current context of the user is received. Clusters are selected by comparing a data point representing the current context with the context portion of one or more centroids. Based on the selected clusters, an interest rating is computed. The computed interest rating indicates an interest of the user in one of the one or more objects of interest, given the current context.

Abstract: Data relating to usage patterns of the user is stored, wherein the data includes an application portion having information as to items which were used and a context portion having information as to the context in which the items were used. The data is clustered into clusters of data points and centroid are computed, wherein the centroid includes an application portion and a context portion. Clusters similar to a current context of the user are selected by comparing a data point representing the current context of the user to the context portions of one or more of the centroids. For each of one or more items, a expectation value that the user wishes to use the corresponding item is computed, based on the application portions of the selected similar clusters, wherein the expectation values are used to recommend one or more of the items.

Abstract: A definition of a set of context variables to be considered is received, wherein the context variables represent categories of situations in which the computer system can be. A definition of a set of activities to be considered is also received, wherein the activities represent activities that can be performed using the computer system. For each context variable to be considered, a definition of a set of states to be considered is received, wherein the states represent situations in which the computer system can be. For each context variable to be considered, a specification of first probability distributions for each corresponding state is received. For each context variable to be considered, for each activity to be considered, a specification of second probability distributions to represent the likelihood of the activity being performed in the corresponding context is received. Usage data is generated using the first second probability distributions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data relating to usage patterns of the user is stored, wherein the data includes information as to items which were used and the context in which they were used. The data is then clustered into clusters of data points. Then a centroid is determined for each of the clusters. A cluster similar to a current context of the user is selected by comparing a data point representing the current context of the user to one or more of the centroids. For each of one or more items, a threshold based on values for a plurality of the centroids with respect to the corresponding item, wherein a threshold is used to compare with centroid value of an item in a selected cluster to determine whether to recommend the item.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for social networking is provided. A social profile is automatically built for a first user by monitoring the usage of an electronic device operated by the first user. A social network appropriate for the first user is determined by examining the first user's social profile. The appropriate social network is provided to the first user to join if the appropriate social network is available for the first user to join.

Abstract: A method for assessment of the suitability of a target therapy for a gastrointestinal-related disorder, such as ulcerative colitis, in a subject evaluates the presence, absence, and/or magnitude of expression of one or more genes in a 19- or 5-member gene panel in a sample. The method enables identification of the effectiveness of target therapies prior to starting a patient on such therapies.

Abstract: A method for determining user interests is provided, the method comprising: storing data items relating to usage patterns of the user, wherein the data items include an interest portion and a context portion; grouping the data items into context groups, each context group having data items with related context portions; for each context group, determining if the number of data items in the context group is greater than or equal to a first threshold; creating a first partition having context groups having a number of data items greater than or equal to the first threshold; averaging the ratings for interests in the data items in the context groups in the first partition, resulting in each context group in the first partition being a cluster; and deriving a user's interest by comparing a current context to a context group in the first partition.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data relating to usage patterns of the user is stored, wherein the data includes information as to items which were used and the context in which they were used. The data is then clustered into clusters of data points, wherein the number of data points per cluster is limited based on a preset value. Then a centroid is determined for each of the clusters. Clusters similar to the current context of the user are then selected by comparing a data point representing the current context of the user to one or more of the centroids. Then, for each of the one or more items, a probability that the user wishes to use the corresponding item is computed, based on the selected similar clusters, wherein the probabilities are used to recommend one or more of the items.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data relating to usage patterns of the user is stored, wherein the data includes information as to items which were used and the context in which they were used. The data is then clustered into input clusters of data points. It is determined if there are any input clusters that are similar to each other. Similar clusters are merged if there are any input clusters similar to each other. Any non-merged input clusters are divided into split clusters if the split clusters would not be similar to each other. The determining, merging, and dividing are then repeated using the merged, divided, and remaining unmerged and undivided clusters as input clusters.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data relating to usage patterns of the user is stored, wherein the data includes information as to items which were used and the context in which they were used. A correlation table is constructed. Correlation values between each item and each context are then stored in then correlation table, wherein the correlations are used to recommend one or more of the items.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for information searching based on user interest awareness. Information that represents user interest is obtained. One or more key terms are obtained from the user interest information. Then, a given query is enhanced based on one or more of the key terms for generating an enhanced query for searching.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting personalized search engines for accessing information is provided. Each personalized search engine represents one or more base search engines. Characteristic information, representing searching capabilities of each of the multiple personalized search engines is obtained. A personalized search engine is selected among the multiple personalized search engines for executing a query based on said characteristic information and the query.

Abstract: Techniques for determining situational patterns of use of computing systems are disclosed. A situational pattern of use can be determined based on the situations encountered by the computing system as the situations occur without having to predefine a set of situations. Generally, a situation can be determined and/or defined based on the context of use of the computing system when the use occurs. The context of use can, for example, be determined based on internal and external variables including the physical environment where a device is used and biological data associated with a person who uses the device. The state of use of the computing system can, for example, be determined based on the state (or status) of one or more components of the computing system (e.g., the state of one or more active applications that are being used by person). Similar to the context of use, the state of use can be determined as the use occurs without having to predefine potential uses of the computing system (e.g.

Abstract: A method and system for access to information using search engines is provided. A search engine is selected for executing a query based on search engine characteristic information and the query. The characteristic information for each search engine includes information representing searching capabilities of each search engine. Selecting a search engine further involves determining a similarity between the query and the characteristic information for each search engine, and selecting a search engine based on the similarities such that a search engine with the highest similarity may be selected for executing the query and returning search results.

Abstract: Techniques for identifying potential uses of computing systems are disclosed. A potential use of a computing system can be identified by considering the context that effectively represents a situation for the computing system and further considering a known situation to be a match for the situation. A known situation can be associated with a known corresponding state of use of the computing system. As such, a potential state of use of the computing system can be identified based on one or more known states of use of the computing system. A matching situation can, for example, be determined, based on pattern of use data that effectively associates a state of use with a situation in which the use may or has occurred. Identifying a potential state of use, among other things, allows making various applications, tasks, and/or services more accessible and/or effectively recommending what is likely to be used for a given situation.

Abstract: A method and system for generating playlists for content items is provided. Generating a playlist involves monitoring user interaction with one or more content items as user-content interactions, determining a context associated with one or more user-content interactions, and generating a playlist of the content items based on the user-content interactions and the associated context.