38th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 57 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100241564 | Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records - A banking system operates to cause financial transfers responsive to card data read from data bearing records by a card reader. The system includes at least one automated banking machine comprising a cash dispenser. The system is operative during a cash dispense transaction request to receive through an automated banking machine, user input of data corresponding to a mobile phone number. The system is operative to generate a security code for the requested cash dispense transaction. The system uses the phone number to send the generated security code to the mobile phone. The cash dispense transaction is allowed to proceed only if the system receives machine user input of the sent security code within a predetermined amount of time. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241565 | Transmission of sensitive customer information during electronic-based transactions - An exemplary method is implemented by a payment gateway for processing electronic transactions. A token-ID that is unique to each transaction is generated, and on receiving a request to initiate an electronic transaction from a merchant server, a first message is transmitted to the merchant server that includes a first token-ID. A communication is received from an electronic device of a cardholder that contains information about the cardholder's credit card account and the first token-ID. A record is stored that includes the first token-ID and information enabling the credit card account of the cardholder to be identified. On receiving a second request, that includes the first token-ID, from the merchant server for payment of a specified amount, the credit card account of the cardholder to be debited for the requested payment is identified based on the token-ID. A determination is made if the cardholder's credit card account was successfully debited for the requested payment, and a second message is transmitted to the merchant server that specifies if the requested payment transaction was successfully completed. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241566 | PAYMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD USING MESSAGE TRANSMISSION - Provided are a payment system and method using message transmission. The payment system using message transmission includes an indicator recognizing unit and a message transmitting unit. The indicator recognizing unit recognizes a payment request indicator included in a payment request message which is transmitted from a collector terminal to a remitter terminal. The message managing unit inserts a payment means into the payment request message so as for the payment means to be output on the remitter terminal when the payment request indicator is recognized, wherein the payment means performs payment according to a payment performing input from the remitter terminal. Due to such a construction, the payment request message can be distinguished from general messages, and the payment means can be inserted into only the payment request message. Therefore, if there is a payment request input on a message screen, the payment can be immediately performed. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify payment steps and to reduce inconvenience of payment. In addition, it is possible to reduce a security danger such as personal information leakage and to facilitate payment between persons. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241567 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR VERIFYING CUSTOMER SUPPLIED FINANCIAL ACCOUNT INFORMATION USING DEBIT AND CREDIT TRANSACTIONS - Embodiment of the invention describe methods and systems for verifying customer supplied financial account information verification using debit and credit transactions. These methods include electronically transmitting an electronic debit and credit transaction to the customer financial account, based on the customer supplied financial account information. The method also includes electronically transmitting a first statement descriptor, as part of at least one of the electronic debit transaction and the electronic credit transaction, that includes a first verification code. The method also includes electronically receiving, from the customer, a second verification code, and comparing, by the computer system, the transmitted first verification code with the received second verification code with respect to each other. The method also includes verifying, by the computer system, the customer supplied financial account information based on the comparison of the verification codes. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241568 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE FEATURE LICENSES BETWEEN DEVICES - A method and system for transferring licenses between electronic devices supporting licensable features. Specifically, in a method a request is generated for transferring a license between first and second electronic devices. The request includes first information unique to the first electronic device, second information unique to the second electronic device. The request is sent to a license distributor to generates a master key. The master key includes a removal key including the first information and an add key including the second information. The removal key is used to remove the license from the first electronic device when the first information matches official versions of the first information. The add key is revealed from the master key when the license is successfully removed. The add key is used to add the license to the second electronic device when the second information matches official versions of the second information. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241569 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MICROPAYMENT TRANSACTIONS - A micropayment system and method is presented for a payor U to establish payment to payee M for a transaction T, which typically has a very low value T | 2010-09-23 |
20100241570 | SECURE AND EFFICIENT PAYMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM - A method of processing commercial transactions carried out over the Internet ( | 2010-09-23 |
20100241571 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CARDLESS SECURE ON-LINE CREDIT CARD/DEBIT CARD PURCHASING - The invention is a system and method for cardless secure on-line purchasing using a credit/debit card. There is provided an on-line purchaser executing an on-line purchase with an on-line vendor having a credit/debit card payment screen. There is also at least one on-line credit/debit card service provider having an interface with the on-line purchaser the said on-line vendor. An e-authentication and credential service provider has an interface with the on-line purchaser and said at least one on-line credit/debit card service provider and provides means for secure on-line purchasing on a subscription basis by providing anonymity to the on-line purchase by hiding credit/debit card data during the on-line purchase making the purchase invisible to identity thieves and hackers. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241572 | Payment System and Method Using IC Identification Card - A payment system utilizes an IC identification card to identify a user, finds and verifies a bank account of the user. The payment system uses an IC identification card reader to read user identity information which includes a user identification card number. The system encrypts user identity information using a first encryption key and encrypts the user-entered bank account password using a bank encryption key corresponding to a participating bank, and sends the encrypted information to an intermediary platform, which sends a bank transaction request including user identity information, bank account password and transaction amount to the participating bank subsystem. The participating bank subsystem conducts the requested bank transaction with a user bank account, which is determined according to the user identification card number either by the intermediary platform or by the participating bank subsystem based on a mapping relationship between the user identity information and bank accounts. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241573 | Conducting Customized Market Surveys with Transactional Data - Systems and methods for consumer participation in a marketing survey and for development of marketing solicitations by corporate clients based on consumer transactional/demographic data are described. An individual seeking to participate in a marketing survey may first choose to be included in a database containing many surveys that have been added by corporate sponsors. The system may select a willing consumer for participation in the survey based on predefined preferred data metrics. Upon participation, the consumer may also receive a reward in the form of a cash payment or gift, which the system may credit directly to the consumer's bank account and/or to the consumer's account with a corporate affiliate. In addition, the platform may be used to generate marketing contact lists based on consumer demographic and transactional data for a corporate client. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241574 | SYSTEM FOR ANONYMOUSLY NEGOTIATING THE PRICE OF A PARTICULAR PRODUCT TO BE PURCHASED AT A LATER TIME FROM A PARTICULAR VENDOR - A system for anonymously negotiating the price of a particular product to be purchased at a later time from a particular vendor. The system uses at least one consumer terminal, an intermediary entity, and at least one vendor terminal to (1) identify a particular item for sale at a Brick and Mortar Retailer, whereby the particular item has a stated purchase price that was decided by the Brick and Mortar Retailer, (2) anonymously place an offer for the particular item at a desired price, whereby the desired price is less than the stated purchase price, (3) purchase the item at the Brick and. Mortar Retailer at the stated price, and (4) receive a credit equal to the difference between the stated price and the desired price upon submitting proof that the transaction at the Brick and Mortar Retailer has been completed. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241575 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ONLINE NEGOTIATION - A system, apparatus, article of manufacture and method for facilitating an automatic negotiation between a consumer and a vendor for purchase of an item is described. An electronic negotiation unit receives an offer to purchase the item, and automatically processes the offer. The processing is performed by a computer and includes accepting the offer if it is greater than a bottom line price for the item. The offer is rejected if the offer is below a negotiation range which extends below the bottom line price. If the offer is within the negotiation range for the item, the electronic negotiation unit automatically generates a counter offer price that is greater than or equal to the bottom line price. If the counter offer is within a final offer range the counter offer is designated as a final counter offer. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241576 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR SOCIAL NETWORK BASED TRANSACTIONS - A system, method and computer program product that comprises a non transient computer readable medium that stores instructions for: monitoring an offer to enter a transaction, wherein the offer is being distributed over a social networking community by a referring entity; wherein members of the social networking community interact through a network; detecting a completion of the transaction; and compensating the referring entity, wherein the referring entity differs from an initiator of the offer. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241577 | Method for Routing Users to Contact Center Agents - A method is provided in which a user selects the characteristics of an agent with which the user wants to talk. The user is allowed to add a selection of agent characteristics to an online “shopping cart” and transmit the content of the shopping cart to the contact center. The contact center uses the transmitted information to find an appropriate agent for the user. The method can be provided as part of a preferential treatment of users. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, preferential treatment is provided on the basis of one of: (1) a characteristic of a user, (2) a characteristic of a transaction in which the user participated, (3) the availability of a selection of agent characteristics which was made by the user in a prior session with the contact center. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241578 | Notification Management - In one embodiment, a system of notification management having a notification manager may comprise a memory configured to store instructions and to store information concerning a plurality of service providers and a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory, wherein execution of the instructions generates a notification based on status information provided by a service provider. The processor may also be configured to: (i) receive contact information and a designation concerning a service provider from a customer, the designated service provider being selected from the plurality of service providers stored in memory; (ii) send an alert to the designated service provider, the alert concerning the customer associated with the received contact information; (iii) receive status information from the service provider in response to the alert; and (iv) send the generated notification to the customer using the received contact information. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241579 | Feed Content Presentation - Feed content presentation techniques are described. In an implementation, data from a plurality of feeds of data is aggregated. The data that is aggregated may include an attribute that describes the data and is associated with a member of a social network service. The data is filtered for presentation based on one or more of a user context associated with a member that is to consume the presentation when the data is requested or a particular attribute of the data selected by a member that is to consume the presentation. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241580 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SELECTING A RELEVANT USER FOR INTRODUCTION TO A USER IN AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT - Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241581 | System and Method for Interactive Interview and Recruitment - The invention relates to a system and method for interactive interview and recruitment which comprises of plurality of interactive application means for collecting recruiters of hiring needs of first type seeking video interview assistance and of second type seeking automatch assistance; plurality of interactive application means for collecting resume of prospective applicants of first type seeking video interview assistance and of second type seeking automatch assistance; plurality of interlace application means for automatching the resume of second type and forwarding the same along with resume of first type to recruiters of first type, and the interface application means further automatching the resume of second type and forwarding the same to recruiters of second type; and plurality of interactive application means for enabling video communications between the interfaced first type applicants and the first type recruiters. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241582 | Career planning and job search management - Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for career planning and job search management. A method includes, in a network of interconnected computers, displaying a menu of web productivity tools on a graphical user interface (GUI) on an input/output (I/O) device of a computing system, the web productivity tools including a contacts manager tool, a scheduler tool, a resume builder tool, a personal statement builder tool, an interview preparation tool and a self-assessment tool, receiving an indication through the GUI of which of the web productivity tools to execute, executing the indicated web productivity tool, and integrating data received and stored for each of the web productivity tools. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241583 | RETAINING STATE INFORMATION IN A PUBLISH AND SUBSCRIBE SYSTEM - State information in a publish and subscribe system is retained. A state publication is received from a publisher for a topic with one or more delta publications. The state publication and the one or more delta publications are used to keep track of a current state associated with the topic. It is determined that a subscriber has connected to a topic and information pertaining to the current state is sent to the subscriber. This equates to either a list comprising the state publication and subsequent delta publications or a single publication. Such a single publication is maintained by the system and comprises a state publication updated by one or more subsequent delta publications. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241584 | FLEXIBLE DESIGN PENSION ACCOUNT - Apparatus and methods for configuring a flexible pension account are provided. A flexible pension account may be offered as a product of a financial institution. Terms governing contribution of funds to the account, distribution of funds from the account, modifications to the account and management of the account may be chosen to create an account customized toward individual customer needs. The flexibility within the account design allows for unequal contributions from a variety of contributors as well as unequal distributions to a variety of beneficiaries. The flexible design may be combined, in certain embodiments, with tax-deferred growth and a minimum income guarantee. Account management and modification may be in the hands of an account administrator. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241585 | Method for valuing forwards, futures and options on real estate - A system and method for matching buy and sell orders is provided. A daily cash index of real estate values for a local region is maintained and a trading instrument representative of an interest in real estate in the local region is created. In this regard, a cash settlement of the trading instrument is a function of the daily cash index on the date of said cash settlement. In addition, a plurality of buy orders relating to the instrument are generated; a plurality of sell orders relating to the instrument are generated; and the buy and sell orders are matched to determine a purchase and sale of the instrument. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241586 | Decision assistance platform configured for facilitating financial consulting services - A system includes instructions configured for enabling the one or more data processing device to facilitate preparing client-specific template information and determining client-specific consulting information dependent upon the client-specific template information. The client specific template information includes performance criteria, weightings, defined investment dataset information, filters configured for refilling investment dataset information and/or process instructions. Examples of client specific consulting information include investment index performance scores, performance scores of investments in an investment portfolio, objectively quantified investment choices, asset class corresponding to allocated investment within an investment portfolio, comparative performance analyses between allocated investments and non-allocated investments represented within an asset class, and other information utilized by an investor for making investment decisions. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241587 | Decision assistance platform configured for facilitating financial consulting services - A system includes instructions configured for enabling the one or more data processing device to facilitate preparing client-specific template information and determining client-specific consulting information dependent upon the client-specific template information. The client specific template information includes performance criteria, weightings, defined investment dataset information, filters configured for refining investment dataset information and/or process instructions. Examples of client specific consulting information include investment index performance scores, performance scores of investments in an investment portfolio, objectively quantified investment choices, asset class corresponding to allocated investment within an investment portfolio, comparative performance analyses between allocated investments and non-allocated investments represented within an asset class, and other information utilized by an investor for making investment decisions. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241588 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CONFIDENCE LEVELS FOR A MARKET DEPTH IN A COMMODITIES MARKET - A system and method are provided for providing improved market depth information for traders in exchanges such as a commodity exchange, for example. By adding a confidence rating or quality data to the depth information, the invention provides more useful depth information that should make it much easier for traders to see what is really going on in a market, such as which orders really are working with an intention to be filled. The confidence rating or quality data also may reduce the influence of automated tools on the market place. The confidence ratings may be based on historic behavior patterns of traders or accounts so that a history may be maintained for each trader or account and used to create an aggregated confidence rating for projected bid and offer price levels on a known bid volume showing the likelihood that any order may be filled, or to what degree. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241589 | Visual-Aided Position Sizing and Order Entry - Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, enable visual-aided position sizing and trading. A method includes displaying a graph of a financial instrument and account data representing an account balance, and receiving a risk value and an order type for the displayed financial instrument. The method displays a risk amount according to the risk value and account balance and the currency of the displayed financial instrument and an exchange rate between the financial instrument and the account balance. The method receives an entry price, a stop price and a profit target price, determines a position size and a risk/reward ratio value in response to the risk amount, entry price, stop price and profit target price, and displays the position size and risk/reward ratio value for direct order entry to a bank or broker. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241590 | METHOD OF CREATING A FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT - The present invention relates to a central processing station for creating a financial instrument, wherein the central processing station is configured to operate in accordance with the following steps: selecting a biological asset; and assigning one or more biological growth models to that biological asset; and determining a current value for the biological asset; and issuing, based upon said current value one or more redeemable certificates associated with the biological asset; and determining at any point in the future new current values of the certificates using the growth model. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241591 | System and Method for Electronic Spread Trading in Real and Synthetically Generated Markets - A system and method are provided to analyze synthetic and real markets that offer interchangeable tradable objects to find market opportunities that a trader may capitalize on. A synthetic market is an electronic market created out of real markets by a computer terminal or gateway. A real market is an electronic market that is offered by an electronic exchange. If a desirable market opportunity is found, the preferred embodiments can take action such as by sending orders to either one of the markets, or by sending orders to both markets. An advantage of the preferred embodiments, among many others, is that they can make “invisible” trading opportunities more readily apparent. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241592 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REVERSING ACCOUNTING DISTORTIONS AND CALCULATING A TRUE VALUE OF A BUSINESS - A method for reversing accounting distortions of financial information, comprising the steps of obtaining a set of financial information regarding an entity, the financial information including accounting distortions and notes detailing said accounting distortions; analyzing the financial information and notes to determine an accurate economic model; and using said accurate economic model to automatically determine the true profitability of an entity and comparatively value a plurality of expectations with respect to the financial information. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241593 | System and Method for Emulating a Long/Short Hedge Fund Index in a Trading System - A system comprises a memory operable to store a compound index that is based at least in part on a plurality of component indices. The plurality of component indices comprise an international developed markets equity index, a U.S. large-cap equity index, and a U.S. small-cap equity index. The compound index is further based at least in part on a plurality of weights, wherein each weight is associated with a respective one of the plurality of component indices. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to update the plurality of weights according to a regression analysis. The regression analysis is based at least in part on a respective set of returns associated with each of the plurality of component indices and with a hedge fund index. The plurality of weights are updated such that the compound index emulates the hedge fund index. The processor is further operable to determine a current compound index value based at least in part on the plurality of component indices and on the updated plurality of weights. The processor is further operable to transmit the current compound index value to one or more clients. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241594 | Apparatus and process to generate output - An apparatus and process, including an electronic system, the system for generating output in selling fixed income instruments, the system including a first computer system having an output device and at least one other computer system having an input device, the first computer system and the other computer system being respectively located, the computer systems being used in cooperation in a multiple computer system in electronically communicating data between the computer systems. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241595 | INFORMATION RECORD INFRASTRUCTURE, SYSTEM AND METHOD - A security mediator, comprising an input configured to receive a user information request; an automated index, stored in a memory, configured to store information for determining which of a plurality of remote databases stores information responsive to the request; an automated security rule base, stored in a memory, containing rules applicable to information responsive to the request stored in the plurality of remote databases; a communication port configured to communicate to a plurality of remote databases which store information responsive to the request: security information, a query corresponding to the request and associated rules applicable to the information responsive to the request at the respective remote database; and at least one processor being configured to apply at least one security rule responsive to the query of the automated security rule base, and index information derived from a plurality of the remote databases, in a manner which permits application of the rules and which restricts insecure use of the index. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241596 | INTERACTIVE VISUALIZATION FOR GENERATING ENSEMBLE CLASSIFIERS - A real-time visual feedback ensemble classifier generator and method for interactively generating an optimal ensemble classifier using a user interface. Embodiments of the real-time visual feedback ensemble classifier generator and method use a weight adjustment operation and a partitioning operation in the interactive generation process. In addition, the generator and method include a user interface that provides real-time visual feedback to a user so that the user can see how the weight adjustment and partitioning operation affect the overall accuracy of the ensemble classifier. Using the user interface and the interactive controls available on the user interface, a user can iteratively use one or both of the weigh adjustment operation and partitioning operation to generate an optimized ensemble classifier. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241597 | DYNAMIC ESTIMATION OF THE POPULARITY OF WEB CONTENT - Techniques are presented for estimating the current popularity of web content. Click and view data for articles are used to estimate popularity of the articles by analyzing click-through rates. Click-though rates are estimated such that a current click-through rate reflects fluctuations in popularity of articles through time. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241598 | METHOD, PROGRAM, AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING TWO-CLASS CLASSIFICATION/PREDICTION MODEL - A two-class classification/prediction model is generated in a simple operation by performing two-class classification with a classification rate substantially close to 100%. The two-class classification/prediction model is generated by a) obtaining a discriminant function for classifying a training sample set into two predetermined classes on the basis of an explanatory variable generated for each sample contained in the training sample set, b) calculating a discriminant score for each training sample by using the obtained discriminant function, c) determining, based on the calculated discriminant score, whether the training sample is correctly classified or not, d) determining a misclassified-sample region based on maximum and minimum discriminant scores taken from among misclassified samples in the training sample set, e) constructing a new training sample set by extracting the training samples contained in the misclassified-sample region, and f) repeating a) to e) for the new training sample set. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241599 | METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING USERS, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COLLECTING AND ANALYZING BEHAVIORS - A method for classifying users is provided, which includes obtaining user attribute information of a user, matching the user attribute information with pre-determined user groups and/or pre-determined characters, and classifying the user into a user group and/or character that is matched successfully. A device for classifying users, a method for collecting and analyzing behaviors, and a system for collecting and analyzing behaviors are also provided. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241600 | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program Product for an Instruction Predictor for a Virtual Machine - An apparatus for providing an instruction predictor for a virtual machine may include a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to train a neural network to predict a future instruction corresponding to a current instruction based on past instructions provided to the neural network, and provide the future instruction predicted to a virtual machine to enable the virtual machine to manage operation of the virtual machine based on the future instruction. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241601 | Apparatus comprising artificial neuronal assembly - An artificial synapse array and virtual neural space are disclosed. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241602 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING DYNAMIC LEARNING - The present invention provides methods and systems for facilitating dynamic learning for a user. The methods and systems include assimilating information related to the attributes associated with the user from multiple sources, linking the assimilated information with multiple learning conduits, selecting a subset of the multiple learning conduits based on a predefined criterion, customizing the selected subset of the multiple learning conduits based on the assimilated information, and providing the subset of the multiple learning conduits for facilitating dynamic learning for the user. The assimilated information is embedded into the multiple pre-existing learning conduits. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241603 | POLICY PROCESSOR FOR CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT - A policy processor is described that may be used to implement a system for managing the configuration of assets in a distributed computing network, such as an enterprise network. The policy processor resides on a managed node in the distributed computing network and operates to receive, evaluate and enact policies issued by one or more policy authorities in the distributed computing network. The policy processor utilizes a conflict resolution model to determine which policy rules included within the policies should be put into effect and which should not. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241604 | NOTIFICATION-BASED FORWARD CHAINING - In an embodiment, a computer system determines that a first rule in a ruleset comprising a plurality of rules is to be executed, where the first rule includes a condition and an action that is to be performed when the first rule's condition is met. The computer system dynamically modifies the first rule's condition to include a portion of software code configured to monitor and receive notifications from a data-change notification system. The computer system executes the dynamically modified first rule and executes a second rule in the ruleset. The computer system receives a notification from the data-change notification system indicating that execution of the second rule's action has modified data values being monitored by the first rule's software code portion and that, as a result of the modification, the first rule is to be re-executed. The computer system also re-executes the first rule based on the received notification. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241605 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING TRAFFIC-RELEVANT INFORMATION - A device is arranged to carry out a method for identifying traffic-relevant information in a moving vehicle, wherein image data of a visual sensor and map data of a navigation system are each pre-evaluated for the identification and the results of the pre-evaluation are combined and interpreted. The image and map data is scanned for traffic-relevant information and compacted to relevant image and map data in a first and second scene interpretations, and the relevant image and map data is supplied to a rule engine and to a state machine for interpreting the image and map data. The rule engine evaluates the image and map data and transmits an action to be executed to the state machine which carries out a transition in its state space including pre-defined states and outputs information which is assigned to the state or to the transition. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241606 | COMPUTERIZED IDENTIFICATION OF NORMAL AND ABNORMAL DIURNAL CORTISOL SECRETION PATTERNS AND LEVELS OF TESTOSTERONE FROM HUMAN SALIVA SAMPLES - Normal and abnormal diurnal cortisol secretion patterns are identified from human saliva samples by an in vitro method. First and second saliva samples are taken from one human individual at first and second predetermined times during the same day. A first cortisol concentration is determined in the first saliva sample, and a second cortisol concentration is determined in the second saliva sample. An abnormal secretion pattern is then compared to a normal secretion pattern with the help of a fuzzy logic algorithm. A function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is then determined for the human individual. Optionally, a testosterone level is determined from one of the samples and is used in combination with the cortisol concentrations to provide a redefined determination. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241607 | Security and remote support apparatus, system and method - Systems and methods for the security and remote monitoring of computers are described. A computer monitoring system is provided which includes a computer hard drive, a thin client communicatively connecting a plurality of software associated with the computer hard drive with at least one remote virtual server, a central monitoring station communicatively connected to the thin client, and at least one BIOS monitor, at least partially resident locally to the computer hard drive, wherein the central monitoring station enforces at least one action upon execution of at least one alert from the at least one BIOS monitor. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241608 | Decision Support Systems and Methods for Complex Networks - Methods and systems for automated decision support in analyzing operation data from a complex network. Embodiments of the present invention utilize these algorithms and techniques not only to characterize the past and present condition of a complex network, but also to predict future conditions to help operators anticipate deteriorating and/or problem situations. In particular, embodiments of the present invention characterize network conditions from operation data using a state estimator. Contingency scenarios can then be generated based on those network conditions. For at least a portion of all of the contingency scenarios, risk indices are determined that describe the potential impact of each of those scenarios. Contingency scenarios with risk indices are presented visually as graphical representations in the context of a visual representation of the complex network. Analysis of the historical risk indices based on the graphical representations can then provide trends that allow for prediction of future network conditions. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241609 | PRIORITIZING BRIDGES TO REPAIR BASED ON RISK - Embodiments of the invention are generally directed toward methods, systems, and computer-readable media for prioritizing bridge repairs using a risk-based analysis. An overall risk factor is generated for each of a plurality of bridges. The overall risk factor represents the probability of failure times the consequence on failure for the bridge. Repairs to bridges that pose a greater risk may be prioritized before repairs made to bridges posing a lower risk. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241610 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRESERVING AND ACCESSING INFORMATION RELATED TO DECISION-MAKING - Exemplary embodiments provide integrated functionalities for data retrieval, encapsulation and visualization to facilitate a user in making a decision. Exemplary embodiments provide controls which correspond to actions that the user takes in making a decision. The user can use a control to access one or more data sources, send queries to the data sources, retrieve results of the queries, and automatically display the results on a display device. Exemplary embodiments also provide scenarios, each encapsulating a decision-making process. A scenario encapsulates and displays data sources and controls used in making a decision. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241611 | System and method for interactively collaborating within a secure online social networking community - Interactive collaboration within a secure, server-based social networking community integrated with a secured document management system includes at least one of a plurality of professional functionalities and a plurality of integrative functionalities to members having a member virtual identity within the community. Members may assemble into a network of members that excludes at least one member of the community. Integrative functionalities include allowing networks of members to share documents in a remote secured environment and exclude access to documents from those not belonging to a particular network. Members may also access software applications to remotely create, delete, edit and manage documents and view information about documents in a plurality of customizable and selectable viewing options. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241612 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING MEDIA FILES - According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus are provided for managing media files on a mobile electronic device comprising a processor, a display, a memory and an input device. The method comprises storing in the memory a plurality of device library elements each associated with one of a plurality of corresponding media files, and storing in the memory a subset of the corresponding media files; storing in the memory a first menu list including and a second menu list; receiving a selection of one of the library elements; determining if the media file corresponding to the selected library element is stored in the memory; if the file is stored in the memory, selecting the first menu list; if the file is not stored in the memory, selecting the second menu list; and controlling the display to generate representative data for the selected menu list. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241613 | Co-operative locking between multiple independent owners of data space - Locking allocated data space is disclosed. An indication is received that certain previous version data is required to be retained. A map of metadata records, each associated with a journaling process write of previous version data which write includes previous version data required to be retained, is built. In some embodiments, the map associates a write time with each record in the map. A reclamation process checks to determine whether any storage proposed to be reclaimed is included in the map of record identifiers. In some embodiments, the determination is made based at least in part on the write time associated in the map with at least a first record identifier in time-sorted order. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241614 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ENABLING LONG-LIVED SNAPSHOTS - Decreasing disk costs make it possible to take frequent snapshots of past storage system states and retain them for a long duration. Existing snapshot approaches offer no satisfactory solution to long-lived snapshots. Split snapshots are an approach that is promising because it does not disrupt the current state storage system in either the short or the long run. An unsolved problem has been how to maintain an efficient access method for long-lived split snapshots without imposing undesirable overhead on the storage system. Skippy is a new approach that inexpensively indexes long-lived snapshots in parallel with snapshot creation. An embodiment of Skippy uses append-only index data structures to optimize writes while simultaneously providing low-latency snapshot lookup. Performance evaluations of Skippy indicate that this new approach is effective and efficient. It provides close-to-optimal access to long-lived snapshots while incurring a minimal impact on the current-state storage system. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241615 | MITIGATION OF OBSOLESCENCE FOR ARCHIVAL SERVICES - The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can determine costs associated with updating file formats. In particular, the architecture can interface with a network-accessible data storage service in order to determine a cost-benefit to the data storage service for a wide variety of conversion scenarios applicable to the particular topology of the data storage service. For example, the cost-benefit can differ for storage services configured according to a client-server model relative to storage services configured according to a distributed topology. Regardless, the architecture can identify a legacy format, select a converter for converting the legacy format to the updated format, and then determine the cost-benefit for a variety of conversion or migration scenarios. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241616 | PERPETUAL ARCHIVAL OF DATA - The claimed subject matter relates to a network-accessible, online data archival service with a data store for archiving data for clients of the archival service. The archival service can include an architecture that can facilitate perpetual sustainability and accessibility of data by conforming to a model. In particular, the model can describe or define a minimum set of extensible or pluggable components or modules needed to facilitate and guarantee sustainability of and accessibility to the data in perpetuity. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241617 | VIRTUAL SAFE DEPOSIT BOX FOR PERPETUAL DIGITAL ARCHIVAL - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates employing a safe deposit box that allows perpetual archiving of data. An online safe deposit box can store a portion of data, wherein the online safe deposit box is hosted by a data storage service provider. An archival model component can implement the online safe deposit box for perpetual archival of the portion of data. The archival model component can ensure at least one of the following: the online safe deposit retains the portion of data for a pre-defined duration; the portion of data within the online safe deposit box is accessible solely by an authorized entity; or the integrity of the portion of data is maintained, wherein the integrity is modified solely by an authorized user. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241618 | METHOD FOR RESTORING DATA FROM A MONOLITHIC BACKUP - A computer system and methods for restoring data from a copy of a database file. The method includes receiving a request to restore an item from the copy of the database file. The item includes a file and associated context information describing the file in a first intranet portal application environment. The method further includes retrieving a schema including the item from the copy of the database file and generating an item file comprising a copy of the file. The item file is independent of the context information. The method further includes generating a metadata file based on the context information, associating the metadata file with the item file, storing the item file and associated metadata file in a file system, and restoring the item to a second intranet portal application or to a third application via the file system. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241619 | BACKUP APPARATUS WITH HIGHER SECURITY AND LOWER NETWORK BANDWIDTH CONSUMPTION - A system for more secure, more efficient, more widely applicable backup, retention, and retrieval of data. An apparatus comprising improved means for de-duplication of data and securely storing data remotely with efficient retention and recovery. A method comprising disassembling data objects, efficiently de-duplicating, securely storing and retrieving backups in shared servers on a public network, and controlling retention. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241620 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DOCUMENT PROCESSING - A computer implemented document processor comprising: an information capture module configured with an interface to multiple document sources and to capture a plurality of data elements from documents sourced; an interface for receiving objectives and/or criteria; an information processor comprising an assessment module operable to analyse and assess a current state indicated by said data elements; one or more of: a profiles module; a scenario module; and a themes module; a memory; and an output module. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241621 | Scheduler for Search Engine Crawler - A scheduler for a search engine crawler includes a history log containing document identifiers (e.g., URLs) corresponding to documents (e.g., web pages) on a network (e.g., Internet). The scheduler is configured to process each document identifier in a set of the document identifiers by determining a content change frequency of the document corresponding to the document identifier, determining a first score for the document identifier that is a function of the determined content change frequency of the corresponding document, comparing the first score against a threshold value, and scheduling the corresponding document for indexing based on the results of the comparison. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241622 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR QUERY PROCESSING - An n-gram based query processing apparatus and method are provided. A query processing is performed using only a portion of n-grams out of all n-grams with respect to the search key. A candidate set of documents having a possibility of including the search key is extracted using a posting list with respect to the portion of n-grams. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241623 | USER GENERATED NOTES INTEGRATED WITH LOCATION-BASED APPLICATION - A system and method are disclosed for displaying geographically and/or temporally relevant multimedia notes on a mobile client device. The user creates a multimedia note through the mobile client device and transmits the note to the server. The server publishes the note and when the note becomes geographically and/or temporally relevant for other users, the server transmits the note to mobile client devices of those users. The server also tracks the route of a mobile client device and generates a web presentation with the tracked route including the multimedia notes embedded in various locations of the route. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241624 | PRESENTING SEARCH RESULTS ORDERED USING USER PREFERENCES - Systems and methods for presenting search results ordered, at least in part, based upon indicated user preferences are provided. User preferences for one potential search result over another that are free of position bias are obtained utilizing random relative order interchange of juxtaposed, ranked search results. Upon receipt of a search query, a determination is made to present at least a portion of search results satisfying the received query ordered based on user preferences, whether or not the order coincides with that determined using a ranking algorithm. In this way, presented search results are ordered, at least in part, according to user preferences, thus improving the relevance of the output relative to standard ranking algorithms alone. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241625 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on User Preference Information Extracted from an Aggregate Preference Signature - A method of selecting and presenting content based on inferred user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms and receiving search inputs from an input device and presenting a corresponding subset of content items. The method includes receiving selection actions of content items and analyzing the descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to learn a composite set of preferred descriptive terms of the plurality of users of the input device. The method includes inferring preferences of individual users from the composite set of preferred descriptive terms by decomposing the composite set of preferred descriptive terms into individual sets of preferred descriptive terms. The decomposition act utilizes prespecified statistical models of preferences. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and ordering a collection of content items based on the inferred preferences of said individual user. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241626 | CYBERTAG FOR LINKING INFORMATION TO DIGITAL OBJECT IN IMAGE CONTENTS, AND CONTENTS PROCESSING DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A CyberTAG for linking information to a digital object in an image contents, and an image contents display device, a method and a system using the same are provided. The CyberTAG includes: a tag ID field which serves to identify the digital object in the image contents and to link the digital object to additional information of the digital object; an object generation location field which serves to identify a location at which the digital object is generated while the image contents is displayed; a time field which serves to identify a time when the digital object appears while the image contents is displayed; and a modification value field which serves to trace the location of the digital object from when the digital object is generated to when the digital object disappears. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241627 | INFORMATION RETRIEVAL APPARATUS - An information retrieval device includes an input operation unit that can input a character through an operation of a user, a database that stores data of a plurality of character strings beforehand, an information extraction unit that checks a character string inputted by the input operation unit with the data of the character strings stored in the database, and extracts the data of a character string corresponding to the character string inputted by the input operation unit from the database, and a display unit that displays the character string extracted by the information extraction unit, wherein the information extraction unit performs the check by replacing each character in at least one of the character string inputted by the input operation unit and the character strings stored in the database with a character contained in a classified character group predetermined in compliance with an attribute of each character. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241628 | User generated image facades on virtual 3D structures displays on mobile platforms for mobile users - The present invention relates to the creation of user's generated elements for 3D virtual reality scenery for navigating users on computing devices. The present invention allows for an efficient gathering of content such as images of structures such as buildings external and/or internal facades by the users computing devices and to provide a means to individuals and/or entities to deliver possibly timely actual image and/or images of structures such as buildings external and/or internal facades to end users who are traveling with computing devices by vehicle and/or by foot in an urban and/or suburban region and/or inside structures such as buildings private and/or public areas such as for example office building, shopping malls and/or sport areas. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241629 | System and Methods for Database Distribution and Querying over Key-based Scalable Storage - A system includes one or more application nodes sending SQL queries to one or more query execution nodes. Each query execution node translates the SQL queries into key-based requests to the storage engine, which comprises one or more storage nodes. The system provides an abstraction layer with an external schema and an internal schema, maps the external schema into the internal schema; and generates one or more microshards for the storage node. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241630 | Methods for indexing and retrieving information - A preferred method for providing an indexing methodology, an index table and method for retrieving information are disclosed. In a preferred method, an association between a plurality of word elements from a first data corpus such as a query is identified through an identification information such as a number. Then, a preferred index table comprising additional information for identifying the association information such as numbers between the word elements and/or multiple word elements of other or target data corpuses such as a data source is also disclosed, which in conjunction lead to retrieval of irrelevance-free information. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241631 | Methods for indexing and retrieving information - A preferred method for providing an indexing methodology, an index table and method for retrieving information are disclosed. In a preferred method, an association between a plurality of word elements from a first data corpus such as a query is identified. Then, a preferred index table comprising additional information for identifying the associations between the several word elements of other data corpuses such as a data source is also disclosed, which in conjunction lead to retrieval of irrelevance-free information. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241632 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF DIRECTORY ENTRY ENCODINGS - In general, the invention relates to supporting multiple different character encodings in the same file system. In one embodiment, a method is provided for filename lookup that supports multiple character encodings. The method comprises storing filename data in a first character encoding into an indexed data structure. The method further comprises receiving filename data in a second encoding. The method also comprises looking up filename data in the indexed data structure using the second encoding. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241633 | METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING WEB PAGES AND ORGANISING CORRESPONDING CONTENTS - A method for classifying Web pages and organising their contents comprises a recording step of a plurality of Internet addresses, comprising executions of a plurality of automatic recording processes of the plurality of Internet addresses, and a selection step, for setting a corresponding pertinence value to said plurality of Internet addresses. The selection step sets the corresponding pertinence value to a pertinence value proportional to a hit thereof in the plurality of Internet addresses and selects the Internet addresses with pertinence value greater than a predetermined threshold value; the method further comprises a reduction step, which, starting from the Internet addresses with pertinence value greater than the threshold value, reduces the Internet addresses to the Internet addresses meeting one or more essentiality criteria, and a validation step for validating a subset of the Internet addresses meeting the essentiality criteria; the validation step comprises a human action. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241634 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF RANKING TRANSACTION CHANNELS ASSOCIATED WITH REAL WORLD IDENTITIES, BASED ON THEIR ATTRIBUTES AND PREFERENCES - A method and system for ranking transaction channels, for enabling transactions between two or more real world identities within one or more networks is provided. The real world identities have various transaction channels associated with them. Relationships between the real world identities and contexts are asserted by the identities, and also inferred by the system. Thereafter, a channel ranking score for each transaction channel is computed, based on the availability of the channel; and contexts and the relationships. The channels are ranked dynamically, and the most appropriate channel for transaction is selected based on the channel ranking scores. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241635 | System and Method for Quantifying and Calculating the Difference Between Occupations - Described is a system and method for quantifying and calculating a similarity between two occupations utilizing information provided by the Occupational Information Network (“the O*NET). More specifically, the system is in communication with the O*NET, which rates a plurality of occupations in terms of a plurality of quantifying values. The system accesses the quantifying values assigned to each of the two occupations and calculates the similarity therebetween. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241636 | E-MAIL RESPONSE SYSTEM - A method includes receiving, at a message processing system that includes a processor and a memory, a message from an originator. The message includes content related to a particular service of a plurality of services. The method includes selecting a set of potential responses to the message at the message processing system based on the particular service. The method also includes retrieving account information related to the originator of the message at the message processing system. The method further includes filtering the set of potential responses at the message processing system to provide a filtered set of responses. The set of potential responses is filtered based on the account information. When a first response has a confidence level that exceeds a threshold confidence level, the method includes sending the first response from the message processing system to the originator of the message without sending the filtered set of responses to an agent. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241637 | Systems and methods for managing foreign key constraints - Systems and methods consistent with the invention may include generating, via a processor, an entity relationship model to indicate a plurality of types of relationships between the entities, determining relationships between the database tables corresponding to the entities by using the entity relationship model, wherein the database tables are stored in a computer memory device, generating a graph based on the entity relationship model, generating sets of database elements representing the entities and corresponding data objects stored in the database tables, wherein the element sets are generated based on the generated graph, assigning ordering numbers to the database element sets and database elements included in the database element sets and executing the query transaction by using the data objects in an order based on the ordering numbers. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241638 | SORTING CONTACTS - A method, computer program product, and computing system for sorting contacts is provided. The method may include sorting a group of contacts within an address field of a message based upon, at least in part, a selected hierarchy. The method may also include displaying said group of contacts at a computing device according to said selected hierarchy. Of course, numerous other operations may be included without departing from the scope of this disclosure. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241639 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONCEPT-CENTRIC INFORMATION EXTRACTION - Disclosed are methods and apparatus for extracting (or annotating) structured information from web content. Web content of interest from a particular domain is represented as one or more tree instances having a plurality of branching nodes that each correspond to a web object such that the tree instances correspond to one or more structured data instances. The particular domain is associated with domain knowledge that includes one or more presentation rulesets that each specifies a particular structure for a set of data instances, a domain-specific concept labeler, one or more specified properties of the web objects in the tree instances, and a concept schema that specifies a representation of the data to be extracted from the web content. A structured data instance that conforms to the concept schema is extracted from the one or more tree instances based on the domain knowledge for the particular domain. Extraction of the structured data instances is accomplished by (i) using the domain-specific concept labeler to annotate a subset of nodes of the tree instances; and (ii) using a locally adaptive concept annotator to extract the structured data instances based on the annotated segments and the local properties associated with such annotated segments. The extracted structured data instance is stored as structured output records in a database. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241640 | METHODS OF POPULATING DATA STRUCTURES FOR USE IN EVOLUTIONARY SIMULATIONS - In particular, this invention provides novel methods of populating data structures for use in evolutionary modeling. In particular, this invention provides methods of populating a data structure with a plurality of character strings. The methods involve encoding two or more biological molecules into character strings to provide a collection of two or more different initial character strings; selecting at least two substrings from the pool of character strings; concatenating the substrings to form one or more product strings about the same length as one or more of the initial character strings; adding the product strings to a collection of strings; and optionally repeating this process using one or more of the product strings as an initial string in the collection of initial character strings. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241641 | VIEW MECHANISM FOR DATA SECURITY, PRIVACY AND UTILIZATION - A machine-implemented method and machine-readable media for transforming sensitive data in a database is provided. Sensitive data in the database are transformed based on a query context of a query. The query may also be transformed. The transformed query may be applied against the transformed sensitive data to construct a query result. The query result with the transformed sensitive data represents a lenticular view. The lenticular view represents a modified form of the sensitive data that an end-user is allowed access to. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241642 | MULTIPLE FORM POPULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method for populating a form includes storing differing forms in a database, each form having at least one information location for entering an item of user information, selecting a first form to provide a first selected form, and entering an item of user information into the information location to provide an entered item of information. Storing the entered item of information in the database to provide a stored item of information, selecting a second form, determining whether the information location of the second selected form corresponds to the information location of first selected form and retrieving the stored item of information to provide a retrieved item of information in accordance with the determining are also included. The retrieved item of information is entered into the information location of the second form to provide a populated form. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241643 | MAGNETIC DISK DEVICE AND METADATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes: a recording medium configured to record a plurality of metadata items for each of search data items, the metadata items being related to information of the search data items; a management module configured to manage, for each of the metadata items, logical addresses specifying the metadata items recorded in the recording medium; and a reader configured to read the metadata items from the recording medium by using the logical addresses managed by the management module. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241644 | GRAPH QUERIES OF INFORMATION IN RELATIONAL DATABASE - In one example, information may be stored in a relational database. The information in the database may define a graph, in the sense that the information may define a set of entities and relations between the entities. A user may want to query the information using a graph-based query language. A graph query engine may receive the query, and may convert the query into a relational query language, for execution by the relational database. The relational database may calculate views of the underlying tables. Each view corresponds to a particular relation, and the rows in each view are pairs of entities to which the relation applies. Since the views correspond very closely to the specification of a graph, the graph-based query may be translated into a relational query that performs relational algebraic operations on the views in order to answer the graph-based query. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241645 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING PERSONAL INFORMATION SEARCH AND INTERACTION ON WEB/DESKTOP APPLICATIONS - A system for integrating personal information search and interaction on web and desktop applications comprises enabling a user-interface (UI) component of an application for the entry of a query the UI component associated with context information. Entry of the query based on a natural language grammar is parsed to determine at least one natural language element. Element types associated with each natural language element are generated. A query command from a command list based on the natural language elements, the element types and the context information is interpreted. The query with arguments based on the natural language elements of the natural language query are executed to determine a result. The transformed result is output through said UI component by replacing said result for said query wherein outputting said transformed result comprises automatically adding email addresses, attachments and maps to said UI component. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241646 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MASSIVELY PARALLEL DATA PROCESSING - A system and method of massively parallel data processing are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method includes generating an interpretation of a customizable database request which includes an extensible computer process and providing an input guidance to available processors of an available computing environment. The method further includes automatically distributing an execution of the interpretation across the available computing environment operating concurrently and in parallel, wherein a component of the execution may be limited to at least a part of an input data. The method also includes automatically assembling a response using a distributed output of the execution. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241647 | Context-Aware Query Recommendations - Described is a search-related technology in which context information regarding a user's prior search actions is used in making query recommendations for a current user action, such as a query or click. To determine whether each set or subset of context information is relevant to the user action, data obtained from a query log is evaluated. More particularly, a query transition (query-query) graph and a query click (query-URL) graph are extracted from the query log; vectors are computed for the current action and each context/sub-context and evaluated against vectors in the graphs to determine current action-to-context similarity. Also described is using similar context to provide the query recommendations, using parameters to control the similarity strictness, and/or whether more recent context information is more relevant than less recent context information, and using context information to distinguish between user sessions. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241648 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus which executes a predetermined image processing using a data file stored in a data storage device. The image processing apparatus includes: an external interface unit that detachably connects with the data storage device; an input unit that accepts a setting input for a setup item relating to the predetermined image processing; a setting input detection unit that detects the setting input inputted through the input unit; a search condition generating unit that generates a search condition based on a setting value that is set for the setup item relating to the predetermined image processing, when the setting input detection unit has detected the setting input; an execution instructing unit that instructs a search unit to execute a data file search when the setting input detection unit has detected the setting input; the search unit that, in accordance with the instructions from the execution instructing unit, executes a data file search for a data file stored in the data storage device to output a search result based on the search condition that is generated by the search condition generating unit; and a display unit that displays the search result of the data file search. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241649 | Data Access Using Multilevel Selectors And Contextual Assistance - A method and system to derive association-explicit metadata, about a target data collection, that is useful to facilitate access and searching of the data collection, regardless of the organizational structure of the collection. The metadata may be generated to comprise DetailSelectors describing lowest level data elements; groups thereof that provide context for member DetailSelectors, plus Boolean properties for queries using such Selectors, and association links to higher-level GlueSelectors that comprise such DetailSelectors, as well as association links to yet higher levels, eventually to Items, which are of a level greater than the highest level GlueSelector, reference a predetermined collection of data in the target collection, and comprise suitable matches for all of the DetailSelectors represented. Such metadata may be used to present choices to a user for terms to add to a query while ensuring suitable match by information in at least one Item. Information about Groups of DetailSelectors and Groups of GlueSelectors, as well as information about content of a GlueSelector, may be presented to a user to reduce in the query and in the data thus located. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241650 | IMAGE-BASED INDEXING IN A NETWORK-BASED MARKETPLACE - A method and system to index and search item listings in a network-based publication system, such as a network-based marketplace. For example, a listing query may be received from a user, the listing query including a query image. The query image may then be processed to generate a plurality of index sets. Each index set of the plurality of index sets may correspond to a respective portion of the query image and may comprise a set of index values. Each index value of the set of index values may be indicative of an image attribute, such as light intensity, for a respective sub-portion of the corresponding portion of the query image. At least one result image from a database of listing images may be identified by comparing the plurality of index sets for the query image to pre-compiled index sets in an index database. Each pre-compiled index set may be associated with at least one listing image which, in turn, may be associated with an item listing on a network-based marketplace. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241651 | PROCESSING OF FILES FOR ELECTRONIC CONTENT MANAGEMENT - A file is received by for online storage and processing. Prior to storing, the file is bifurcated into content data and metadata for separate processing. The content data from uploaded files can be converted from a native format to a common format, and stored in a data store. The metadata from uploaded files can be stored in a database. When a request for the file is received, the file can be reassembled in the native format by converting the data content back to the native format and appending the metadata. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241652 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING PASSWORD-PROTECTED INFORMATION ACROSS AN ARBITRARY SET OF NETWORKS - Network information is stored for different services in different private databases. Users of a particular service may search, through documented APIs, web interfaces, or other means, that service's database for social network information, typically providing account credentials to authenticate themselves in order to gain search results. This invention enables users store their various network credentials in a third party service. Users of this third party service may submit queries to the service containing some identifying information about an individual, organization, or group; or identifying information about a product or service; or similarly stored private data. The third party service searches for identifying information that may be stored across that user's various networks through public and private APIs, by simulating a normal browser-based search, or by other means, typically assuming the identity of the searching user on each service. Prior to search, the third party service scans the user's computing device, indexes the results and uses the information to return results with the highest-degree of accuracy. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241653 | INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD, AND INFORMATION PROVIDING PROGRAM EMBODIED ON COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - In order to automatically enrich the contents of presentation, MFP includes a display control portion for outputting presentation data for display, a specifying instruction accepting portion for accepting an instruction for specifying part of the presentation data, a related information search portion for searching for related information related to a specified part specified by the specifying instruction, a conversion portion for converting the presentation data into transmission data that allows extraction of related information related to the specified part, and a transmission portion for transmitting the transmission data. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241654 | VIRTUALIZED DATA STORAGE SYSTEM OPTIMIZATIONS - Virtual storage arrays consolidate branch data storage at data centers connected via wide area networks. Virtual storage arrays appear to storage clients as local data storage; however, virtual storage arrays actually store data at the data center. Virtual storage arrays overcome bandwidth and latency limitations of the wide area network by predicting and prefetching storage blocks, which are then cached at the branch location. Virtual storage arrays leverage an understanding of the semantics and structure of high-level data structures associated with storage blocks to predict which storage blocks are likely to be requested by a storage client. Virtual storage arrays may use proximity-based, heuristic-based, and access time-based prefetching to predict high-level data structure entities that are likely to be accessed by the storage client. Virtual storage arrays then identify and prefetch storage blocks corresponding with the predicted high-level data structure entities. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241655 | APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF TRANSMITTING SENSING DATA OF SENSOR NODE FOR PROACTIVE DATA FILTERING IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK - An apparatus for and a method of transmitting sensing data of a sensor node for proactive data filtering in a wireless sensor network are provided. In the apparatus and method, a request query of sensing data and timer parameters are received, local sensing data sensed in the sensor node in response to the received request query are detected, a driving time of a timer applying the timer parameters based on the request query is set, and the local sensing data are transmitted when the local sensing data do not overlap sensing data of a neighboring sensor node within a wireless reception range of the sensor node by overhearing the sensing data of the neighboring sensor node during the set driving time of the timer. Thus, since a data transferring path is selected considering the remaining energy of the node, the energy exhaustion of the node is distributed, thereby improve the lifespan of the network. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241656 | DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND DATA MANAGEMENT METHOD - A file system transfer designation section for transferring the file system matching with file system transfer rules from the first volume of the first storage apparatus to the second volume of the second storage apparatus based on the first file system transfer rules, a file system storage information manager for updating storage information of the file system in accordance with transfer of the file system by the file system transfer designation section, and transmitting the updated file system storage information, and a search information manager for updating search information for searching the files based on a file search request from the client apparatus using the file system storage information sent by the file system storage information manager are provided. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241657 | PRESENTATION GENERATOR - A presentation generator may access one or more data sources structured into data fields. The user may create or modify a template by inserting one or more tags corresponding to data fields in the template. The template may also have one or more processing instructions for indicating the data sources and how the data sources should be queried. The processing instructions may also indicate how the data is to be grouped across various slides, pages, sections, etc. The generator may build the presentation based on the template, its tags, and its processing instructions. The resulting presentation may be accessed by a user-friendly application, such as a word processor, slide program, spreadsheet, report viewer, or other application. The user may update part or all of the presentation using information on the queries and data sources embedded in the presentation itself. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241658 | System and method for accessing electronic data via an image search engine - The present invention provides a system and method for accessing electronic data through entry of images as queries in search engine. The system uses various image capturing devices and communication devices to capture images and enter them into image database. Image recognition techniques encode images in a computer readable format. The processed image is then entered for comparison into at least one database populated with images and associated information. Once the newly captured image is matched with an image in the database, the information linked with that image is returned to the user. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241659 | SINGLE LIBRARY FOR ALL MEDIA CONTENT - Particular embodiments generally relate to using a single library that allows users to view media content located on a plurality of devices. In one embodiment, an interface allows a user to view content stored on multiple devices. Information may be received for a plurality of content stored on a plurality of devices. The information may be metadata that is stored in a library. The information may be used to display an interface that shows various content. The information displayed in the interface is agnostic of where the content may be stored on devices. For example, a unified interface is provided that allows users to view content in a manner that does not take the location of the content into account. In one example, a user may view all pictures that are found on the plurality of devices in a single list. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241660 | RETRIEVAL OF METADATA FOR PERIPHERAL DEVICES - Techniques whereby a client computer may request metadata relating to a peripheral device from one or more server computers are provided. Upon connecting to a peripheral device, the client computer receives information identifying the device, and generates a query, using the received information, for metadata relating to the device. The client computer may, for example, first attempt to execute the query locally to determine if metadata appropriate for use (e.g., not outdated) is stored on the client computer. If not, the client computer may issue the query to one or more server computers which stores metadata received from manufacturers and/or suppliers of peripheral devices. The one or more server computers may issue a response making the requested metadata available to the client computer and providing instructions relating to subsequent requests from the client computer, so as to manage the processing load borne by the one or more server computers. The client computer may employ the metadata to present a graphical interface that enables the user to manage the device. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241661 | Access To Data Stored In A File System - Presented is a method of operating a server to enable a client to access data stored by a file system. The method comprises: receiving from the client a request to perform an operation on the data; instructing the file system to perform a preliminary metadata operation and, before the metadata-operation has completed, instructing the file system to perform the operation on the data; waiting for the file system to complete both the metadata-operation and the operation on the data; and responding to the client. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241662 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FORMATTING INFORMATION WITHIN A DIRECTORY TREE STRUCTURE INTO AN ENCYCLOPEDIA-LIKE ENTRY - Method and apparatus for formatting information within a directory tree structure into an encyclopedia-like entry. The method includes performing a search by utilizing a selective one or more search methodologies including keyword search, hierarchical search, dichotomous key search, and parametric search to correlate a search criteria to a searchable database for generating one or more matching items, wherein the searchable database is formatted in the directory tree structure. The directory tree structure includes nodes comprising a collection of related data and branches comprising links between the nodes. Each matching item represents a node from within the directory tree structure. The method further includes selecting one of the matching items, formatting the collection of related data corresponding to the node of the selected matching item into an encyclopedia-like entry, and displaying the encyclopedia-like entry corresponding to the node of the selected matching item. The encyclopedia-like entry can include text, graphics, links to related topics within the directory tree structure, links to related web sites external to the directory tree structure, or any combination thereof. Utilizing the search methodologies can be performed by a server, preferably accessible over the internet through the public switched telephone network. | 2010-09-23 |
20100241663 | PROVIDING CONTENT ITEMS SELECTED BASED ON CONTEXT - Systems, methods, and computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that provide content items selected based on context are provided. Contextual indicators associated with a user are identified and utilized to determine one or more content items that the user is likely to desire to access at a particular point in time. Upon receiving an indication that the user desires to perform a context-aware search, the identified content items (or references thereto) are presented automatically to the user, that is, without the user having to input any search query terms. The indication that the user desires to perform a context-aware search may be received, for instance, upon receiving an indication that a selectable context-aware search button has been selected by the user. This single-button action is particularly useful for mobile computing devices, wherein alpha-numeric textual input is relatively difficult. | 2010-09-23 |