Abstract: Provided herein are systems, methods and computer readable media for programmatically generating and/or revising promotion offers for a merchant based on one or more merchant self-service indicators. In providing such functionality, the system can be configured to, for example, facilitate registration and verification of merchant identities, determine promotion content and parameters based on merchant self-service indicators, and monitor and analyze promotion offers for merchants with similar merchant self-service indicators. The system may determine the relative successfulness of a promotion offer for a merchant and/or category of merchant. In some embodiments, the system may be further configured to revise the promotion offer programmatically and/or upon receiving the merchant's approval of the programmatically generated proposed edits to the promotion offer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an instruction to add an assistant xbot as a participant in a conversation thread from a first user of a plurality of users participating in the conversation thread, monitoring the conversation thread including user inputs by one or more users of the plurality of users via the assistant xbot, analyzing the user inputs to identify intents based on a natural-language understanding module, sending instructions for prompting one or more users of the plurality of users to provide information for completing tasks associated with the intents via the assistant xbot within the conversation thread, executing the tasks based on the information provided by one or more agents, and sending instructions for presenting information associated with one or more of the executed tasks via the assistant xbot within the conversation thread.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a computer-implemented method of analyzing video interactions on internet-supported computer platforms, such as online social media platforms, to extract video intelligence, i.e. unique insights and recommendations for audience engagement optimization, network growth, advertising, and marketing purposes.

Abstract: A contents providing system for providing video contents through a social service includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to, manage information on a social network between users of the social service; and provide a together-watching function if at least one conversation partner is selected from a list of different persons related to a user according to the social network, wherein the together-watching function is a function that provides simultaneous display of a conversation screen with the at least one conversation partner and a video reproduction screen in which the video contents are reproduced.

Abstract: A trigger message indicative of a potential change to a publishing workflow is received. The trigger message is processed, resulting in a workflow modification message that includes a content item identifier, a related semantic identifier indicative of a semantic of the workflow modification message, and workflow characterizing metadata. The publishing workflow is retrieved by selection using the workflow characterizing metadata. At least one publishing workflow action of the retrieved publishing workflow is modified based on the workflow modification message, and the modified publishing workflow is executed.

Abstract: Disclosed in various examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable media for exposing a Representational State Transfer (RESTful) interface to users whereby management commands on a datacenter may be issued remotely from the users' workstations for secure, remote management of the datacenter. An application task automation command (e.g., a POWERSHELL® command) is executed remotely by creating a proxy command (e.g., based on a POWERSHELL® cmdlet code) to cause the application task automation command to be executed when the proxy command is remotely invoked and deploying the proxy command to a remote computer, such as the user's workstation. The remote computer issues a request including a user identifier and any parameters for the application task automation command when the corresponding proxy command has been invoked by the remote computer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an affinity graph are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method may include (1) receiving customer data for a plurality of customers and merchant data for a plurality of merchants; (2) generating an initial customer table for each customer from the customer data; (3) generating an initial merchant table for each merchant from the merchant data; (4) receiving transaction data from a plurality of sources; (5) enhancing the initial customer tables and the initial merchant tables; (7) associating each customer and each merchant with at least one attribute based on the enhanced customer tables and the enhanced merchant tables; (8) determining an attribute score for each attribute; and (9) determining an affinity for one of the plurality of customers based on the attribute score for an attribute that is common to the one customer and another one of the plurality of customers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed at adaptive representation of a price/volume relationship. In embodiments, a method may include receiving, from a campaign control system, a request for price/volume information. The request may include an identifier of an audience which is targeted by the campaign control system. The method may continue by generating a representation of a price/volume curve based on previously collected price/volume data for the target audience. In some embodiments, adjacent prices included within the representation are determined based on a change in volume between the adjacent prices. The representation can then be output to the campaign control system to enable the campaign control system to determine an initial bid calculated to achieve a desired pacing based on the representation. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed herein.

Abstract: A method, computer system, and a computer program product for selecting a media playlist based on learning past behaviors of a user is provided. The present invention may include receiving a plurality of current user data. The present invention may then include receiving a plurality of current external conditions data. The present invention may also include enriching a plurality of current raw data associated with the plurality of current user data, the plurality of user reactions to the media selections and the plurality of current external conditions data. The present invention may further include determining the plurality of current user data exceeds a threshold. The present invention may also include, in response to determining the threshold is exceeded, creating a dataset. The present invention may then include retrieving a media playlist. The present invention may further include sending the retrieved media playlist to a media device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for frequency capping of content are described herein. For example, frequency cap information may be configured to indicate a content exposure limit for a content presentation. The number of exposures to the content presentation at a particular household may be monitored. If the number of exposures is equal to or greater than the content exposure limit, the content may be prevented from being presented to the household. The frequency cap information may be used alone or in combination with other information, such as household demographic, timeframe, and day-part information.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are disclosed for generating entries for a searchable index based on rules generated by one or more machine-learned models. The index entries can include one or more tokens correlated with an outcome and an outcome probability. A subset of tokens can be identified based on the characteristics of an event. The index may be searched for outcomes and their respective probabilities that correspond to tokens that are similar to or match the subset of tokens based on the event.

Abstract: This disclosure covers methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems that determine a cluster effect representing the impact that a user's digital-content exposure has on other users' conversion actions. The disclosed methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems detect the downloads, purchases, or other forms of consumption of a featured item that result from users within the same cluster viewing digital content featuring the item. In some embodiments, the methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and systems apply the cluster effect by, for example, generating a conversion report representing the cluster effect or by providing tools that exploit the cluster effect in distributing digital content.

Abstract: A system for recommending personalized rewards based on customer profiles and customer preferences includes one or more processors configured to access customer parameters associated with the first customer and customer parameters associated with a plurality of second customers from a database. The values of customer parameters of the first customer are compared with the values of the customer parameters of the plurality of second customers to identify of the plurality of second customers having customer parameter values that correspond to the customer parameter values associated with the first customer. A list of reward purchase categories is determined based on analyzing customer profiles associated with the identified plurality of second customers. Personalized rewards associated with the selected one or more reward categories are transmitted to the user device associated with the first customer, the personalized rewards to accrue based on consumer purchase transactions by the first customer.

Abstract: A sound reproducing apparatus and a sound reproducing method are provided. The apparatus includes a noise assessment unit configured to assess an intensity of ambient sound, a processor that determines an omnidirectional audio output level based on the intensity of ambient sound, an omnidirectional speaker configured to reproduce a desired sound at the omnidirectional audio output level, and a directional speaker configured to reproduce the desired sound simultaneously with the omnidirectional speaker. The method includes the steps of assessing an intensity of ambient sound, determining an omnidirectional audio output level based on the intensity of ambient sound, and reproducing a desired sound simultaneously from an omnidirectional speaker and a directional speaker. The omnidirectional speaker is controlled to reproduce the desired sound at the omnidirectional audio output level.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for expanding a job search that includes an industry by adding other similar industries. A method identifies job titles of members in a social network and performs, utilizing a machine-learning program, semantic analysis of the job titles to identify similarity coefficients among the job titles. The machine-learning program utilizes social network data to identify the similarity coefficients. Further, the method includes an operation for receiving a job search query, from a first member, including a query job title, and for expanding the job search query with job titles that are similar to the query job title. The method further includes operations for executing the expanded job search query to generate a plurality of job results, and for causing presentation on a display of one or more of the top job results.

Abstract: A method and an interaction management system (IMS) embedded into a document editor/publisher define codified decision rules associated with actions, manage interactions, and automatically sequence a workflow independent of a participant's role from a live document in real time. The IMS generates an actionable element for execution of a response action(s) to a request action, by another participant(s) invoked in the live document. Using the codified decision rules, the IMS dynamically generates a permission set for the live document, comments, and regions within the live document. The IMS contextually anonymizes the participants invoked to act on the live document based on an anonymity requirement. The IMS tracks and maps the actions performed along the interaction path of the live document in real time, while transmitting and executing the permission set, until the live document reaches an intended closure and the comments reach a resolution to generate a re-deployable workflow sequence.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for personalized key object detection in a live video stream. The method includes streaming a live video stream in a window of a computing device and during the streaming, collecting biophysical data of an end user viewing the playing back and responding to ones of the collected biophysical data that indicate a positive reaction by associating a contemporaneously displayed frame of the live video stream with the positive reaction. Thereafter, each corresponding frame associated with positive feedback can be processed by identifying key words presented in text of the feedback to the corresponding frame, matching the identified key words to a tag of an object visually presented in the corresponding frame, and storing a reference to the object in connection with the end user as an object of interest for which targeted marketing may be presented.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure assist users with creative development of advertisements by converting successful advertisements into templates for use in the creation of new advertisements. The system and method suggest an advertisement to a user based on the type of content for which the user is advertising. For example, an advertisement may include a set of display criteria, and a set of creative content. The display criteria define a set of circumstances during which the advertisement may be displayed (e.g., a set of keywords that trigger the display of the advertisement). Advertisements that are particularly successful for a given set of display criteria are depersonalized and converted to templates. These templates may be provided during creation of new advertisements as suggested content.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, for serving content to a user. A method includes: receiving a request for content from a user, the content to be displayed in a slot associated with an online resource; determining an expected activity score for the user based at least in part on one or more criteria associated with a context of presenting the online resource to the user; comparing the expected activity score for the user to a threshold; selecting one or more content items to serve to the user based at least in part on the comparison; and serving the selected content items to the user responsive to the request.

Abstract: A frame to removably retain an interactive poster can comprise an electronics module to communicate with the interactive poster.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for generating mapping data structures based on predicted relationships across tracking data obtained from tracking online browsing histories of users to a network of websites.

Abstract: An online system presents advertisements and content items to its users in a feed of content items (e.g., a newsfeed). The online system enforces one or more advertising policies regulating insertion of advertisements into the feed. For example, an advertising policy specifies a minimum distance between advertisements in the feed. Based on a likelihood of the user interacting with an advertisement, the online system may modify one or more of the advertising policies to increase a likelihood of the advertisement being included in the feed. For example, an advertising policy is modified if the user has at least a threshold likelihood of interacting with the advertisement. To modify an advertising policy, the online system may ignore the advertising policy when selecting content for the feed or may modify conditions limiting inclusion of advertisements in the feed specified by the advertising policy.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and apparatus for pushing information. A specific embodiment of the searching method comprises: dividing words in a target text to generate a set of phrases; calculating a term frequency inverse document frequency for each of the phrases in the set in the target text; acquiring similarities between preset candidate keywords and the each of the phrases; calculating relevance of the candidate keywords to the target text, based on the term frequency inverse document frequency for the each of the phrases in the target text and the similarities between the candidate keywords and the each of the phrases; and selecting a to-be-pushed candidate keyword from the candidate keywords, and pushing the to-be-pushed candidate keyword to a first user terminal based on a preset relevance threshold, or based on the relevance and a preset pushing quantity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying, assembling, and transmitting content are described in the illustrative context of electronic program guides and program channels. Data is received over a network from a first user terminal that enables identification of the first user. Program information for a digital program is accessed. A determination is made as to how many interstitials are to be presented during a playback of the digital program. A prediction model is selected and executed to generate predictions of user responses to one or more placements of program interstitials. The user response predictions are used to determine positioning of interstitials with respect to the program. The interstitials are enabled to be displayed on the first user terminal in accordance with the determined positioning.

Abstract: A method for service control and user identity authentication includes recognizing a voice command of a virtual reality (VR) device user for initiating a service supported by a VR application, using a biometric sensor to collect one or more biometric characteristics of the VR device user, performing user identity authentication based on the collected one or more biometric characteristics, and communicating with a server that provides the service for performing the service if the user identity authentication is successful.

Abstract: A system and method enable exploration of cold ads in an online information system. Cold ads are ads that are new to the system and do not yet have reliable click through rate (CTR) estimates or click probabilities. The method and system selectively boost the click probabilities of cold ads to increase their likelihood of participating in and winning an auction so that the cold ad get more impressions, but without adversely affecting revenue in a production environment when cold ads are introduced.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method and software to associate attributes with digital media assets. Digital media contains specific assets, such as images, that can be replaced with other assets. The system, method and software permit the association of attributes with specific assets. The association of attributes and assets enables the provision of content that is enhanced and more impacting for a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing individuals are provided. A method includes recording interactions of a user with one or more computer-implemented applications and calculating parameter values for the user for a plurality of user attributes based on the interactions. The method can further include determining whether at least a portion of the parameter values are missing or conflicting and in response to determining wherein at least a portion of the parameter values are missing or conflicting, prompting the user to interact with at least one additional computer-implemented application that is associated with the portion of the parameter values. After the prompting, the method can include repeating the recording and the calculating to update the parameter values.

Abstract: A flight attendant evaluation system includes: a first biological sensor that measures first biological data of a customer on board transportation; a storage that stores attendant-associated data in which the first biological data, a seat identifier, and an attendant identifier are associated with each other, the seat identifier indicating a seat of the customer on board, the attendant identifier indicating a flight attendant in charge of the seat; an evaluation value calculator that classifies the attendant-associated data by the attendant identifier, calculates a stress indicator of the customer based on the first biological data associated with a first attendant identifier, and calculates an evaluation value of the flight attendant indicated by the first attendant identifier based on the stress indicator; and a display apparatus that presents the evaluation value.

Abstract: Techniques to customize bot messaging behavior are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise bot setup component operative to receive a bot customization control directive at a page bot associated with a web page, the web page comprising a plurality of page fields; present a bot setting user interface in response to the control directive; receive a first control directive in the bot setting user interface to enable a response assistant component of the page bot; receive a second control directive in the bot setting user interface to enable a response to an intent; receive a customization setting in the bot setting user interface to modify the enabled response to the intent; and save the customization setting for the response assistant component. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system for monitoring advertisements has a security camera and sensor that are positioned to monitor an area surrounding the advertising structure with the advertisement. The camera and sensor can be controlled by a control module. The control module can activate the camera in response to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating activity in the area surrounding the advertising structure. The camera can capture images of the area surrounding the advertising structure and provide the images to the control module. The control module can then provide the images to a server for access by a user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for effective utilization of idle cycles of users are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes identifying periods of a user's idle time by analyzing user activity data; obtaining measurements for parameters of the user's working environment; determining activities to present to the user during the identified periods of idle time by deriving user interests in view of user actions; matching one of the determined activities to one of the identified periods of idle time based on the obtained measurements; delivering, to the user, an activity that is representative of the matched activity, wherein the representative activity comprises an abbreviated activity sharing similarities with the matched activity; and delivering the matched activity to the user during the identified periods of idle time in response to a positive user response to the representative activity.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are therefore provided for disambiguating non-deterministic spoken dialog commands as they relate to points-of-interest and information regarding points-of-interest within or near the field of view of a user. An apparatus may include a processor and a memory including program code instructions. The program code instructions are configured to, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least: receive an indication of a user location; receive an indication of a field of view of the user at the location; receive a natural language utterance; generate, from the natural language utterance, a query, where the query includes at least one request determined from the natural language utterance, the location, and the field of view of the user; determine a point-of-interest associated with the query by conducting a search of a database using the generated query; and provide information associated with the point-of-interest via a user interface.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to evaluating different semantic interpretations of a search query. One example method includes obtaining a set of search results for a particular search query submitted to a search engine; obtaining a set of semantic interpretations for the particular search query; obtaining, for each semantic interpretation of the set, a canonical search query; generating a modified search query based at least in part on the particular search query and the canonical search query for the semantic interpretation; obtaining a set of search results for the modified search query for the semantic interpretation; and determining, for each semantic interpretation of the set, a degree of similarity between (i) the set of search results of the modified search query for the semantic interpretation, and (ii) the set of search results for the particular search query.

Abstract: An online system provides content to a third party system and allows the third party system to customize the content for presentation in conjunction with other content provided by the third party system. The third party system includes instructions in content provided by the third party system that, when executed by a client device, obtains the content from the online system via a frame rendered within the content provided by the third party system. Using layout information included within the content provided by the third party system, the client device presents the content obtained from the online system in conjunction with the content provided by the third party system. Hence, the layout information allows the third party system to specify placement or formatting of the content obtained from the online system.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes retrieving a set of comments associated with one or more content objects in a social-networking system, determining a score for each of the comments for a selected one of the content objects, where the score for each of the comments is based on signals associated with the comment, and the signals are related to a history of user interactions by a target user with the comments in the set, ordering the comments for the selected content object based on the respective scores, and presenting the ordered comments to the target user. The content objects may be presented in a newsfeed for the target user. The signals may be based on a history of user interactions by other users with the comments in the set, where the other users are connected to the target user in the social-networking system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for expanding a job search that includes an industry by adding other similar industries. A method accesses, by a social networking server, a plurality of job applications, with each job application being submitted by a member for a job in a company, the member and the job having a respective industry from a plurality of industries. Semantic analysis of the job applications is performed by a machine-learning program to identify similarity coefficients among the plurality of industries. A job search query is received from a first member, the job search query including a query industry, and the job search query is expanded with industries that are similar to the query industry. The social networking server executes the expanded job search query to generate a plurality of job results. Presentation is provided on a display of one or more of the top job results.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for searching a database using a user entered search query. A search query for a database is received by the computer and the computer applies condition-action rules based on natural language processing rules to identify one or more phrases within the search query that is associated an entity identifier. The computer further identifies any taxonomy variants that have been established for the identified phrases. The computer creates a search string that includes search query and the entity identifiers. The database search is conducted by the computer and the results are displayed for the user.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for detecting traffic in a shopping facility. A system for detecting traffic in a shopping facility comprises: a plurality of light emitters coupled to motion sensors configured to emit light when motion is detected by the motion sensor; a light detector having a field of view including at least one of the plurality of light emitters; a database; and a control circuit configured to obtain data from the light detector relating to light emitted from the light emitters, estimate a location of the light emitted from the light emitters based on location data associated with the light emitter stored in the database, and track a path of a customer based on successive light emissions from the light emitters.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a storage unit, a management unit that acquires attributes of communication apparatuses from a plurality of the communication apparatuses and stores identifiers of the communication apparatuses and the attributes in the storage unit in association with each other as communication apparatus information, and a selection unit that selects a distributor apparatus that is the communication apparatus distributing a content to the other communication apparatuses as a radio signal based on the communication apparatus information are included.

Abstract: An online system receives information describing a target group of online system users from a third party system and stores the information describing the target group. The online system subsequently uses the target group to select content for presentation to one or more users. For example, users included in the target group are identified as eligible to be presented with content items. Content items are associated with objectives satisfied when a specified interaction with the content item, or with an object associated with the content item, is received. Based on revenue obtained by the online system from presenting content based on the target group as well as interactions satisfying objectives associated with various presented content, the online system determines a monetization value for the target group. Based on the monetization value, the online system determines whether to continue storing the information describing the target group.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to generate synthetic respondent level data. An example method includes generating a first and second synthetic panel corresponding to a first duration of time based on a seed panel and first duration constraints; generating synthetic respondent level data corresponding to a second duration of time by linking synthetic panelists from the first synthetic panel to the second synthetic panel; and generating an output file based on the synthetic respondent level data.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for online content delivery are disclosed that operate to present an advertisement to a plurality of users, the advertisement associated with an advertiser and comprising a plurality of software components where at least one software component of the plurality of software components is an interactive software component; track use of the interactive software component by the plurality of users; calculate an aggregate value based on a value associated with each use of the interactive software component; and charge the advertiser an advertising fee corresponding to the aggregate value. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing conversion path performance measures and reports. In one aspect, user interaction data are obtained, were the user interaction data specify user interactions for a plurality of conversions. User interactions that are associated with each conversion are selected from the user interaction data, where the associated user interactions for each conversion are user interactions with a converting user during the conversion cycle for the conversion. Using the user interaction data for the selected user interactions, a quantity of user interactions that are associated with each conversion and occurred during the conversion cycle for the conversion are determined. In turn, conversion path performance measures are computed and reports specifying the conversion path performance measures are generated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes user nodes and edges connecting the user nodes; identifying, based on the social graph, a set of second users corresponding to second-user nodes that are within a specified social degree of separation from a first-user node corresponding to a first user; determining, based on the social graph, that a particular feature is enabled on computing devices associated with at least a threshold number of the identified set of second users; and enabling the particular feature on a computing device associated with the first user.

Abstract: A hybrid recommendation system uses offline testing and online testing to generate and optimize recommendation functions. The functions generate recommendations which may be presented online for product purchases. Indices are created from the recommendations. Lookups may be performed on the indices to select recommendations for a particular user. The selected recommendations may be filtered before presenting to the user.

Abstract: An item review system is disclosed that detects that an item reviewed or being reviewed by a user is similar to one or more items previously reviewed by the user. In some embodiments, the system provides an option for the user to modify the prior review of each such similar item, as may be desirable to capture the user's changed perception of the previously reviewed item. The system may additionally or alternatively display the prior review(s) as the user generates the new review, such that the user can take these prior reviews into consideration.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving a request for content to fill a block, the request including information about a size of the block and criteria for identifying eligible content items for inclusion in the block, determining a number of content items to be included in the block, including determining amounts of dynamic resizing to apply to content items, determining an estimate of a difference in conversion rates conditional on receiving an interaction in the different configurations that perform differing amounts of dynamic resizing, and applying the estimate when determining an efficiency for a number of permutations of allocations of eligible content items, establishing a price to be charged to each content sponsor associated with a permutation that has a highest efficiency, and providing the eligible content items and charging the content sponsors based on the established prices.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for shortening an original query into one or more sub-queries. The technique chooses the sub-query(ies) such that they preserve the original intent of the original query. To accomplish this goal, the technique uses graph-based analysis to generate a set of richly descriptive query-context-specific feature values for each sub-query, and then uses those feature values to score the relevance of that sub-query.

Abstract: A composer interface allows a user to provide input, such as text data, to the social networking system. Based on context information associated with the user and received input, the social networking system presents candidate data items to the user. Selecting a candidate data item allows the user to include the candidate data item in the input. Examples of context information include: users connected to the user, profile information associated with the user, and geographic information associated with the user. The candidate data items may be presented based on the probability of the user selecting a candidate data item.