Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing contextual search on digital images includes tracking a plurality of movements of a user over one or more hot-spots on a digital image in response to the user viewing a web page. The computer-implemented method also includes receiving a selected hot-spot from the user. Further, the computer-implemented method includes displaying a pop-up on the selected hot-spot. The pop-up includes a search query and search results on the hot-spot. Moreover, the computer-implemented method includes providing relevant context to the user corresponding to the search query.

Abstract: A question conversion engine converts terms and phrases used in a user's question into terms and phrases that are more likely to produce information containing the search terms. The question conversion engine parses a user's question to associate each term in the user's question with a part of speech and to eliminate extraneous terms in the user's question. A term/phrase replacement map is used to replace terms and/or phrases in the user's question with replaced terms and phrases that are more likely to produce relevant information. The question conversion engine matches the user's question to a declarative expression thereby altering the semantics of the question into an expression that is more likely to produce optimum search results.

Abstract: A client communicates with private websites and/or public websites via a network. The client includes a security engine that prevents a user from unknowingly exposing private information. The security engine monitors web browsing for user submittal of information to a website. The security engine determines a category for the website and analyzes the information submitted to the website. The security engine determines if there is a risk of exposing information from the submittal and performs enforcement if it is determined that there is a risk.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products include job bots that are configured to periodically visit network sites that have stored therein one or more job postings. During each visit, the one or more job postings are analyzed and a searchable job post database is updated to add new job postings, modify changed job postings and delete any removed job postings. A search engine is provided for job seekers to search the searchable job post database where a consolidate list of job postings from the network sites is stored.

Abstract: A document analysis, commenting, and reporting system provides tools that automate quality assurance analysis tailored to specific document types. As one example, the specific document type may be a requirements specification and the system may tag different parts of requirements, including actors, entities, modes, and a remainder. However, the flexibility of the system permits analysis of any other document type, such as instruction manuals and best practices guides. The system helps avoid confusion over the document when it is delivered because of non-standard terms, ambiguous language, conflicts between document sections, incomplete or inaccurate descriptions, size and complexity of the document, and other issues.

Abstract: A remote access medical image exchange system utilizes a decentralized, i.e., self-organizing, distribution system combined with bid queues to establish a market place which allows for continuously negotiated prices with control (over who reads the images, when they are read and what the fee will be for such a reading) being placed in the hands of the patient/gatekeeper and the diagnostic physician.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for automating sharing data between subscribers of a multi-tenant database service. Users or customers associated with one organization that is a tenant of the multi-tenant database system are enabled to share data objects such as leads, opportunities, accounts, contacts, cases, tasks and custom objects, (or other data objects) and other information with their business partners (e.g., users or customers associated with a different organization that is a tenant) and get real-time updates on the shared data.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for managing user web browsing information. A web browser-integrated extension provides one or more controls for selecting how the extension stores web browser information collected during a user's browsing session. On a first selection, the extension automatically transmits user-identifiable web browsing information to a first remote storage. On a second selection, the extension automatically transmits anonymous web browsing information to a second remote storage. On a third selection, a transmissions of web browsing information is stopped.

Abstract: A message that includes an end user license agreement is received at a client from a service in a distributed computing system. The client determines whether to accept the end user license agreement. The message is processed if the end user license agreement is accepted.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a bookmarked web page and a system and a computer program implementing such a method. A method according to an embodiment of the invention includes a first phase, including steps for storing, in association with each other, user identification data and an active version of the web page. The method further includes at least one iteration of a second phase, including a step for sending from user's browser to a network server a request for change information about the bookmarked web page since the stored version was active. On response of the server, if the web page has changed, the user has the possibility to choose to keep the stored old version of the web page or to accept the current version of the web page. The network server may be a server associated with the web page, e.g., a web site server, or an ISP server.

Abstract: A method for determining a recrawl schedule of items on an intranet using a search appliance includes estimating, using the search appliance installed on the intranet, a change period for items on the intranet using a history of crawl information for the items. The change period for an item may be a frequency of change in content of the item. The method includes calculating a crawl period for each of the items, where the crawl period for an item is set relative to the change period for the item. The method includes determining whether to adjust the calculated crawl period for each of the items using adjustment criteria, adjusting the calculated crawl period for selected items determined for adjustment using the adjustment criteria and creating a recrawl schedule of the items on the intranet using a recrawl time for each of the items.

Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronizing data between endpoints using elements of centralized and decentralized synchronization systems and communication topologies are disclosed. Such systems and methods may in some cases synchronize some subset of data with a centralized endpoint while another subset of data is synchronized in a decentralized fashion directly with other endpoints. Such systems and methods may include a variety of cooperative functionality to assist in the synchronization of data between endpoints.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying and retrieving messages that satisfy a search query using the context of the message and term frequencies are provided. One embodiment includes identifying at least one category relevant to the search query, wherein a plurality of scored keywords are associated with each category, selecting at least one of the scored keywords that is relevant to an identified category, performing a plurality of searches of messages from a social networking messaging service to retrieve messages, where at least one search includes retrieving messages based on the original search query and one of the selected scored keywords, scoring the retrieved messages with respect to each of the at least one identified categories using at least the scored keywords relevant to each category, and returning at least the message with the highest score as the search result.

Abstract: A method and system for resolving search queries that are inclined towards social activities is provided. The method includes identifying phrases that are inclined towards social activities and storing such phrases. Further, search queries from users are received and search query suggestions are provided based on socially derived information corresponding to at least the user, if the search query comprises at least a part of one of more phrases that are inclined towards social activities.

Abstract: An image search engine server having an image search engine that performs image searches based on a search term that is augmented by a built-in thesaurus and/or a dictionary. For a thesaurus-based algorithm, the approach is to send a query back to the user, who can select the image search domain, sub-domain, and other hierarchical search refinements from one or more dropdown menus. The items in the dropdown menus that the user selects during the “query back” are used to augment the search string entered by the user to better refine the image search. If the user entered search string is a single string of dictionary word or words or the dictionary mode is elected, then synonyms for that search string are used to generate the augmented search string for the final context-based search operation. The result is improved image search results.

Abstract: A method and network architecture through which user-specific media profile data can be made available to third parties. A browser is optionally enhanced to facilitate playback and control of one or more media players, thereby allowing the user to play content via the browser. As the user plays content in the browser or any of the media players, information is collected about the content and stored in a database. By monitoring all media-related interactions made by the user within the browser, the collected content information can encompass information from a wide range of sources. User-specific profile data is then determined based on the collected data and such user-specific profile data is made available to third parties. The user-specific profile data can be used, for example, for social networking purposes, and may also be used to drive advertisements or other content to the user.

Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards enabling a mobile device user to perform a federated search across a plurality of disparate contact data stores, including a phone directory, IM store, an email address book, a buddy list, a social networking group, a SMS list, or any of a variety of other communication contact data stores. When a user inputs a character, a dynamic search is performed across the various contact data stores. The results of the search may be repeatedly updated based on additional input characters. The results of the search may be displayed on the mobile device organized by categories of the contact data stores and/or a preferred communication mechanism. The results may also indicate a preferred mechanism for communicating with the displayed name.

Abstract: A method for identifying influential individuals in a customer arrivals list, including importing a customer arrivals list from a hospitality enterprise data source, wherein the arrivals list includes a plurality of entries, each entry corresponding to a customer and including at least a name of the customer, collecting profile information for the name in a designated entry in the arrivals list, from sources on the web, when the collecting profile information identifies one or more individuals who have the name in the designated entry: determining a level of certainty for at least one of the one or more identified individuals, that the identified individual be the same individual as the customer corresponding to the designated entry, based on data in the designated entry, determining a level of influence for the designated entry, based on the collected profile information; and assigning a hospitality venue selection influence metric (HVSIM) to the designated entry, based on the determining a level of certaint

Abstract: A system and method provides information services related to multimodal inputs. Several different types of data used as multimodal inputs are described. Also described are various methods involving the generation of contexts using multimodal inputs, synthesizing context-information service mappings and identifying and providing information services.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure that supports searching of web links wherein a user profile is used to reorder search results in a search result list for improved searching. The Internet infrastructure consists of a plurality client devices with web browsers that are incorporated with user-profiling modules and a search engine server. The process of searching and reordering includes the search engine server receiving a search string along with a user profile from the user-profiling module (or retrieving the user profile from a database). Then, the search engine server stores the user profile in a database that is associated with the search engine server and delivers search results based upon the search string, and reorders the search results based upon stored data in the database.

Abstract: Web crawling configuration includes: obtaining, using one or more computer processors, a webpage comprising a plurality of nodes; presenting the webpage to a user; receiving a user selection of a node in the webpage, the node comprising at least one element; in response to the user selection of the node, presenting a web crawling configuration option pertaining to a web crawling action to be performed with respect to the node, the web crawling configuration option depending at least in part on a type of an element included in the node; receiving a user input specifying the web crawling configuration options pertaining to the web crawling action to be performed with respect to the node; and storing user specified web crawling configuration options, performing the web crawling action on the node according to the user input, or both.

Abstract: System and method for indexing rendered web page images. A web crawling engine stores the content and crawl time of a web page. A scheduling engine sends the content and crawl time to a rendering engine, and processes requests for embedded objects. If a requested object has been crawled, it sends the contents to the rendering engine. Otherwise it schedules the crawl of the object, and once the object is crawled, it resends the content and crawl time of the web page to the rendering engine. The rendering engine receives the content and crawl time of a web page, requests all embedded objects, and renders the web page to an image once all embedded objects are received.

Abstract: In embodiments disclosed, information on a click stream associated with a user and meta tags commonly used by search engines can be used to profile a user. The click stream may comprise network addresses and timestamps and may be the only source of user information used for the profile. The meta tags may contain metadata that correspond to the network addresses in the click stream, including network address categorization for these network addresses. The profile obtained for the user may be an existing profile that represents a person or a theoretical individual having attributes similar to or most closely match the user. Based at least in part on the profile, information regarding an item may be provided to the user or the item may be offered to the user. In some embodiments, the information may be filtered before being displayed to the user.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of gathering new data form a specific data source, categorizing this data into a hierarchical directory structure, and building parameters to further describe this data. A harvesting system is an application that can organize and locate external data; the harvesting system can be used to navigate, organize and locate this data. The harvesting system utilizes a defined data model, referred to as a core data structure, that describes the logical structure of the data. Within the core data structure are pointers, which refer back to the source data. The loading process can be manually done, or can be automatically accomplished using this harvesting process.

Abstract: Most valuable newly-updated information in current social network systems and web search engines become useless before users can timely search them out. The inventive system uses the communication mechanism and the preset query mechanism to help users timely get newly updates. System components include: a web crawler, a filter and a classifier to mine public newly-updated web pages from the web; a database to store various newly updates; an integrator to collect newly updates from other sources; a controller to send newly updates to corresponding users; a query box to store each user's preset queries and manager users' preferences; a communication platform to help users easily get preset queries. The method can help current social network systems and web search engines make better use of their newly updated data. Web search engines can better cooperate with social networks by using the method.

Abstract: A specification establishing method for controlling semiconductor process, the steps includes: sampling a plurality of sample groups from a population, each sample group being a non-normal distribution; filtering the sample groups; summarizing the filtered sample groups to form a non-normal distribution diagram; getting a value-at-risk and a median by calculating from the non-normal distribution diagram; getting a critical value by calculating the value-at-risk and the median with a critical formula; getting a plurality of state values by calculating the filtered sample groups with a proportion formula; and getting an index value by calculating the non-normal distribution diagram with the proportion formula. Thus, the state values indicate the states of the sample groups are abnormal or not by comparing the state values to the index value.

Abstract: The present invention is a system to permit access to document result pages on a domain or subdomain using a domain or a subdomain URL with a search engine, a user defined list that is utilized to enable any document result pages visibility and a first component that saves and transfers the document result pages to a web server. Web search engines may address the document result pages exactly as a human does, using the same URLs, on any desired domain or subdomain, including the main web site domain. There is also a second component where the document result pages are manually transferred to the web server and a plurality of browser based scripts that are inserted into the website HTML text to update the browser's displayed URL to a corresponding URL that accesses a particular document result page that is transferred to the web server.

Abstract: The current subject matter relates to a technique for securing the content of one or more websites that crawls, scrapes, and indexes web-pages associated with websites. Once the content is secured, purchase transactions across heterogeneous vendor websites can be initiated in a unified manner. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: A by-line extraction system detects a set of potential headlines from a title meta-tag of a crawled document, selects a candidate headline from the set of potential headlines, and extracts the by-line information from the document using the location of the selected candidate headline. The system constructs the set of potential headlines based on the title meta-tag. The system selects a candidate headline by evaluating the set of potential headlines in order of the lengths of the potential headlines. The system extracts the by-line information from the document by using the location of the selected candidate headline to extract a string representing a date, a name, or a source located within a minimum distance from the location of the potential headline.

Abstract: This invention provides a terminal searching for web pages on the web and extracting the prescribed data from the web pages and a server verifying and accumulating the extracted data. The prescribed data can be extracted from the web pages on the web in a manner that the process relating to the data extraction is distributed between the terminal and the server. Therefore, necessary processes up to the data extraction are distributed, and the burden placed on each apparatus can be lessened. Further, new data not formerly found in the web pages can be found out and extracted from the web pages that has been updated or newly made.

Abstract: A method for generating an ontology may include selecting, by a processing device, a tag in a tag cloud. The method may also include searching, by the processing device, an online encyclopedia for content corresponding to the selected tag and determining, by the processing device, at least one category to which the content belongs in the online encyclopedia in response to finding the content corresponding to the selected tag in the online encyclopedia. The method may additionally include adding, by the processing device, a class to the ontology corresponding to the at least one category of the content in the online encyclopedia.

Abstract: A search query is received. Personal information for a user is then determined. A search is performed in a general subdomain of general content using the search query. For example, the general subdomain of general content may be a WWW search. Then, a vertical subdomain is determined based on the personal information. A search is then performed in the vertical subdomain of specialized content using the search query. The search performed in the general subdomain and the search performed in the vertical subdomain generate general search results and vertical search results. The results may be combined and outputted to a client.

Abstract: Human computation games are provided wherein a player is shown a page, such as a web page. The player is then asked to provide one or more terms that are intended to cause a search engine to return the page in response to performing a query using the terms. The terms provided by the player during game play are then collected, stored, and utilized to improve the performance of the search engine.

Abstract: Methods for optimizing social media are disclosed. Such methods may include identifying at least one keyword utilized for at least one webpage, identifying social media correspondence referencing the at least one keyword, analyzing content collected from the social media to determine a frequency of references to the at least one keyword and generating at least one report including information based on the analysis. The report may include recommendations for optimizing social media by, for example, purchasing paid posts or links on a social media website. Systems for performing the methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computerized system, method and process allows telecommunications carriers to find, evaluate and select locations for equipment through direct access to end users, while providing citizens the opportunity to offer the use of their dwelling or other assets to carriers. The system and method further provides a computerized mechanism for (a) creating an inventory and marketplace for available properties for use in telecommunications networks, (b) providing quality and/or performance monitoring and control for wireless communication systems based on data in the clearinghouse, and (c) providing localized content over wireless networks using the clearinghouse.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: An approach that applies user context to searches in a virtual universe is described. In one embodiment, there is an enhanced virtual universe search tool that includes a receiving component configured to receive a query from an avatar that is online in the virtual universe. A scanning component is configured to scan a collection of avatar data describing attributes that are relevant to behavioral, search and informational needs of the avatar. A resource search component is configured to return search results for the query that are in accordance with the scanned collection of avatar data.

Abstract: A method of locating relevant documents wherein documents are given a fingerprint comprising weights associated with particular topic categories of a classification system, each weight representing a degree to which the document relates to the particular topic category. Documents whose fingerprints have a predetermined degree of mathematical overlap with the fingerprint may be considered relevant. Fingerprints of texts may be combined to define user fingerprints and user fingerprints may be combined to define community user fingerprints, which can be monitored. Changes in the interest of the online community may be monitored and automatically reported to advertisers who can then instantly adjust their advertising campaign. Similarly, changes in community interest may be reported to pharmaceutical companies monitoring drug side effects. The methods may be used in combination with keyword searching.

Abstract: A method of managing career opportunities is provided. In some embodiments, a method for providing career and job listing websites and optimizing the career and job listing websites for search engine optimization is provided. In various embodiments, the method comprises creating a career website that mirrors a company's website, extracting job information from the company, and optimizing the job information for maximum search engine placement.

Abstract: A system and method in accordance with the present disclosure provide collateral information to a user receiving primary information via a first user interface. The system and method receives a user request for the collateral information. A context is defined from the primary information. A user's probable collateral information needs are derived from the context. The system and method then map the needs to one or more information repositories, and query the information repositories and retrieve collateral information satisfying the needs. The collateral information is presented via at least one user interface, which may include the first user interface. The system and method provide user controls via the at least one user interface to facilitate exploration of the collateral information by the user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated information-search and information-retrieval systems that provide information, on a continuous or periodic basis, to users or subscribers. In one embodiment of the present invention, information is gathered from a user's computer, or from computers accessible from the user's computer, on an essentially continuous basis in order to provide a database of information from which meaningful and focused search queries can be automatically constructed. The search queries are then employed to find, on behalf of the user or subscriber, current information useful to, and needed by, the user or subscriber.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for determining the geographic range of a search query. A search query may include local intent which influences the results and advertisements that are displayed in response to the search query. The geographic range associated with the local intent may vary depending on the search query. The geographic range may be determined using probabilistic models that analyze historical searches to determine the geographic range of search queries.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining an adaptive crawl rate for a Web crawler based on historical publication data from a Web source are provided. A frequency of publication of the Web source is determined over a specified period of time, and an adaptive crawl rate is calculated using the frequency of publication. The Web crawler is then deployed at the calculated adaptive crawl rate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated information-search and information-retrieval systems that provide information, on a continuous or periodic basis, to users or subscribers. In one embodiment of the present invention, information is gathered from a user's computer, or from computers accessible from the user's computer, on an essentially continuous basis in order to provide a database of information from which meaningful and focused search queries can be automatically constructed. The search queries are then employed to find, on behalf of the user or subscriber, current information useful to, and needed by, the user or subscriber.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated information-search and information-retrieval systems that provide information, on a continuous or periodic basis, to users or subscribers. In one embodiment of the present invention, information is gathered from a user's computer, or from computers accessible from the user's computer, on an essentially continuous basis in order to provide a database of information from which meaningful and focused search queries can be automatically constructed. The search queries are then employed to find, on behalf of the user or subscriber, current information useful to, and needed by, the user or subscriber.

Abstract: A method to access trusted user generated content (UGC) is provided. User registration information containing one or more identities is obtained. Each identity corresponds to an internet social network that is facilitated by one of a plurality of social network sites. The social relationships are collected using the provided user identities at the different social network sites and user extended social networks are created for each user by joining the social relationships collected. Then, UGC is collected from the plurality of social network sites and the collected UGC is correlated with the extended social networks. The correlated UGC is filtered according to the user configuration of a user making a request, and then the results are presented to the requesting user. A search function is provided to obtain information on demand, or alternatively, a user receives feeds of information according to configured information regarding the user's extended social network.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure that supports search operations that are restricted by user favorite lists, related user metadata, and user trends that are based on client-stored user favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure contains a search engine server coupled to a plurality of web browsers resident on client devices that contain user/favorite lists and metadata. The search engine supports delivery of search result web links to the client device based upon a search string, favorite list, and related metadata. The search engine server gathers favorite lists and related metadata from the plurality of web browsers, anonymously and with user permission. The search engine server stores the gathered favorite lists and related metadata in a database that is associated with the search engine server, and delivers search results based upon the search string by putting restrictions on search results based upon stored data in the database.