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A method and system are provided for tagging, indexing, searching, retrieving, manipulating, and editing video images on a wide area network such as the Internet. A first set of methods is provided for enabling users to add bookmarks to multimedia files, such as movies, and audio files, such as music. The multimedia bookmark facilitates the searching of portions or segments of multimedia files, particularly when used in conjunction with a search engine. Additional methods are provided that reformat a video image for use on a variety of devices that have a wide range of resolutions by selecting some material (in the case of smaller resolutions) or more material (in the case of larger resolutions) from the same multimedia file. Still more methods are provided for interrogating images that contain textual information (in graphical form) so that the text may be copied to a tag or bookmark that can itself be indexed and searched to facilitate later retrieval via a search engine.

A mental-model elicitation process and apparatus, called the Mental-Model Elicitation Device (MMED) is described. The MMED is used to give rise to more effective end-user mental-modeling activities that require executive function and working memory functionality. The method and apparatus is visual analysis based, allowing visual and other sensory representations to be given to thoughts, attitudes, and interpretations of a user about a given visualization of a mental-model, or aggregations of such visualizations and their respective blending. Other configurations of the apparatus and steps of the process may be created without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed.

Disclosed is an integrated handheld computer and telephony system. Integration of the handheld computer and telephony system is at the physical and operational level. For example, the integrated handheld computer and telephony system physically integrates a handheld computer with a mobile (e.g., cellular) telephone. In addition, the handheld computer is distinct from telephony system in that they are logically separable. However, they are also operationally integrated, for example, the telephony system executes a telephone application on the processor of the handheld computer. Likewise, the handheld computer can execute applications, for example, a phone book, that can be used to launch the telephony application.

An apparatus, method and system are disclosed for visually constructing and rapidly delivering distributed applications. The system includes a virtual appliance apparatus and a composite appliance apparatus, as well as a system for virtualizing hardware resources and for provisioning, executing and scaling distributed applications.

The present invention relates to a testing tool for testing of complex software systems having a plurality of interrelated system components and a suite of test scenarios for testing the performance of the plurality of interrelated system components. The testing tool includes an Automated Multidimensional Traceability Matrix system for determining linkages between interrelated system components, a means for identifying a change in one or more of the interrelated system components, a means for applying the Automated Multidimensional Traceability Matrix, a means for executing all of or a subset of the test scenarios associated with the interrelated system components that may be affected by the change and a means for evaluating the results of the executed test scenarios.

The present invention is an autonomous response engine and method that can more successfully mimic a human conversational exchange. In an exemplary, preferred embodiment of the invention, the response engine has a statement-response database that is autonomously updated, thus enabling a database of significant size to be easily created and maintained with current information. The response engine autonomously generates natural language responses to natural language queries by following one of several conversation strategies, by choosing at least one context element from a context database and by searching the updated statement-response data base for appropriate matches to the queries.

A system and method for a reporting information service using metadata to communicate with databases and a user interface. The invention includes software in a data access component, a report component, and a user interface component for populating, maintaining, and dispatching reports responsive to user requests for the reports via metadata. The data access component provides a logical view of data in a database via data access metadata. The report component populates, maintains, and dispatches reports via report metadata characterizing the reports. The user interface component renders the report dispatched from the report component via user interface metadata specifying rendering attributes for the report.

A frame of still picture data is captured at an instant specified by a user from video signals supplied from a given video source, such as a television receiver, a video camera, etc., and the image data is displayed. When the user specifies an area of image to be cut out from the displayed still picture, the image data in the specified area is cut out and recorded as a cutout image. Each cutout image recorded is displayed in the form of an icon. When any of the icons is selected by the user, the corresponding cutout image data is read and pasted in a part to be changed in the original image data. Thus an image can be easily created by user's choice.

A system and methods for shipping a package (12) from a package sender (16) to an intended recipient (18), utilizing Internet communications (30) to place shipping orders, request on demand package pickup, maintain and utilize prestored profile information, view shipping history, track orders, etc. A package sender (16) with an Internet-accessible computer (20) accesses an Internet site and associated shipping system (10) operated by a shipping service provider (14). The package sender (16) enters information required for shipping the package (12), including shipping options and methods for payment. The options and payment for the shipment transaction are validated. If the transaction is validated, printer indicia are communicated to the customer's computer (20), which is enabled to locally print a prepaid label (25) containing special machine-readable (876) as well as human-readable indicia (904). The shipping service provider (14) acquires the package by drop-off, standard pickup or on call pickup, scans the machine readable indicia, verifies other indicia of authenticity, and processes the package (12) in accordance with information encoded on the label.

This invention relates to providing a system for improved methods of promoting, forming and managing Internet-based communities on the Internet through and within standard web pages without requiring the installation of additional software on a user's computer or on web sites where the system is implemented by using the latest software tools, presentation techniques and Internet communication methods. Additionally, this invention provides real time monitoring of user counts to all visitors and web page owners when a page with the embedded URL is accessed. In particular, this invention permits web page visitors to initiate and participate in anonymous ad hoc chat sessions initiated from a selected web page. Additionally, this invention provides a web-based location which permits Internet users to join and participate in Internet-based communities and the related activities such as messaging other members, participating in member chat sessions and web resource sharing without the need to install software.

A gastric reduction apparatus that facilitates the creation of a transoral linear passageway through the stomach includes an elongated body including a proximal end and a distal end. The elongated body is generally sinusoidal shaped with at least one tissue engaging surface oriented such that a needle will pass therethrough. The elongated body also includes at least one needle passing channel respectively formed adjacent the at least one tissue engaging surface. The at least one needle passing channel generally passes through the center of the sinusoidal waveforms defined by the at least one tissue engaging surface such that a needle will pass entirely through stomach tissue contacting the tissue engaging surface of the elongated body. The elongated body further includes a suture passing channel.

A unified policy management system for an organization including a central policy server and remotely situated policy enforcers. A central database and policy enforcer databases storing policy settings are configured as LDAP databases adhering to a hierarchical object oriented structure. Such structure allows the policy settings to be defined in an intuitive and extensible fashion. Changes in the policy settings made at the central policy server are automatically transferred to the policy enforcers for updating their respective databases. Each policy enforcer collects and transmits health and status information in a predefined log format and transmits it to the policy server for efficient monitoring by the policy server. For further efficiencies, the policy enforcement functionalities of the policy enforcers are effectively partitioned so as to be readily implemented in hardware. The system also provides for dynamically routed VPNs where VPN membership lists are automatically created and shared with the member policy enforcers. Updates to such membership lists are also automatically transferred to remote VPN clients. The system further provides for fine grain access control of the traffic in the VPN by allowing definition of firewall rules within the VPN. In addition, policy server and policy enforcers may be configured for high availability by maintaining a backup unit in addition to a primary unit. The backup unit become active upon failure of the primary unit.

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for (i) skin assessment based on the utilization of bioimpedance and fractional calculus and implementation of methods for skin hydration assessment based on the utilization of bioimpedance and fractional calculus and systems thereof, (ii) an Opto-Magnetic method based on RGB and gray images data as “cone-rods” principles with enhanced qualitative and quantitative parameters for analyzing water based on Opto-Magnetic properties of light-matter interaction and systems thereof, and (iii) imaging and analyzing skin based on the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation and implementation of an Opto-Magnetic method with enhanced qualitative and quantitative parameters for imaging and analyzing skin based on Opto-Magnetic properties of light-matter interaction and systems thereof.

A control mechanism for a mobile communication device includes a first mode element, a second mode element and a third mode element. Each mode element corresponds to a distinct operational mode associated with a particular function of the mobile communication device. A physical switch mechanism, which has a first physical positional state corresponding to the first mode element, a second physical positional state corresponding to the second mode element, and a third physical positional state corresponding to the third mode element, is movable between each physical positional state to select an operational mode and to enable the mode element corresponding to the selected operational mode.

Internet-based business system and management programs therefor, and more particularly to financial investment management characterized by a unique system of attracting and identifying the Best Investors, including offering, facilitating and managing performance-based investment competitions based on model (virtual) investment portfolios, creating actual portfolios for the identified Best Investor, creating and operating actual mutual funds based on the identified Best Investors as fund managers, and providing a full suite of related subscriber and investor services associated therewith as a fund supermarket. The invention includes facilitation of daily feedback of one or more significant and appropriate financial performance metric(s), preferably the NAV (iTAV), of identified stocks and funds. Performance ranking of advice is provided so that the investor knows the track record (ranking), on an ongoing basis, of a particular advisor, thereby establishing credibility of comments. Important analytic tools are provided, including unique reports on: Overall Performance, Stratification, Volatility, Market Timing, Fundamentals, and GS / E or GE / S Ratio, which function as powerful decision tools for the site members, fund managers and subscribers. The top 100 Best Investors are recognized as the m100, which may be a list, a tracked index, and a Fund.

A rich user interface (UI) development framework that uses the schema of a data source to which it is relevant. The developer is able to rapidly create a data bound UI using a number of familiar gestures, including drag and drop, from the schema in a data tool window, using a designer tasks, or using a data form creation wizard. The system includes a UI generation component that allows a developer to input a number of different controls into the interface using associated control graphics. A data source object, type, or file can be passed to the UI generation component as an input. The developer chooses the desired controls and associates (or binds) the data entity of the data source with the control by any number of gestures.

A multimedia authoring and playback system and method in which the playback of multimedia content is presented in one or more windows or displays called “playback displays,” and in which additional windows or displays called “control displays” are included in some embodiments to provide various management and control functions. Included are features for creating, editing and distributing multimedia content, which may be viewed by recipients who play the content (and in some cases may be allowed to modify it); also included are features for programming playback behavior of multimedia content, interconnecting multimedia content, and exploring and navigating through multimedia content.

A metadata preparing device comprising a content reproducing unit (1) for reproducing and outputting content, a monitor (3) for monitoring the content reproduced by the content reproducing unit, a voice input unit (4), a voice recognition unit (5) for recognizing a voice signal input from the voice input unit, a metadata generation unit (6) for converting information recognized by the voice recognition unit into metadata, and an identification information imparting unit (7) for acquiring identification information that identifies respective parts in the content from the reproduced content supplied from the content reproducing unit, for imparting to metadata, wherein the generated metadata is so constructed as to be associated with respective parts in the content.

A system for verifying intent in a card not present transaction is provided. The system includes a late binding token that is distributable to consumers without necessarily being bound to an account. The system also includes a client software that locates a token server configured to facilitate managing and communicating with the late binding token. The system also includes a protocol concerning how to build a verifiably secure structured proposal that carries an offer to the consumer through the client software.

A method and system are provided for tagging, indexing, searching, retrieving, manipulating, and editing video images on a wide area network such as the Internet. A first set of methods is provided for enabling users to add bookmarks to multimedia files, such as movies, and audio files, such as music. The multimedia bookmark facilitates the searching of portions or segments of multimedia files, particularly when used in conjunction with a search engine. Additional methods are provided that reformat a video image for use on a variety of devices that have a wide range of resolutions by selecting some material (in the case of smaller resolutions) or more material (in the case of larger resolutions) from the same multimedia file. Still more methods are provided for interrogating images that contain textual information (in graphical form) so that the text may be copied to a tag or bookmark that can itself be indexed and searched to facilitate later retrieval via a search engine.

A Web application framework for creating Web-based applications is described. The framework includes an abstract command tag that predefines at least some generic Web application activities. When using the framework, one specifies at least one custom action that is desired to be performed by a Web application under development. In one embodiment, this includes creating a customized command tag that is capable of being embedded within a Web page. The customized command tag includes the ability to conditionally execute the specified custom action based on run-time conditions. The customized command tag is embedded in a Web page of the Web application.

The dilation introducer has a locked assembled configuration for placement of the dilation introducer against a patient's tissue to be treated, and an unlocked, collapsed configuration for dilating the patient's soft tissue down to tissue to be treated. Dilator tubes are successively released and advanced to progressively expand the patient's soft tissue down to the bone tissue to be treated. The dilator tubes and a guide insert may include spikes for engaging bone tissue. The dilation introducer may include a light emitter disposed in a dilator tube. A telescoping expander sleeve is also provided.

The invention includes systems and methods for selecting, arranging, adapting, substituting, supplementing, and optimizing content for mobile and / or other electronic devices. Mobilized content is accessible from any web-enabled electronic device including mobile phones and game devices as well as desktops and laptops. Mobilized content includes media files such as images, music, and videos as well as media clips of these files. In addition to mobilized media files and media clips, such methods and systems can also be used to enable mobile access to user's contacts, email, documents, tickets, and so on. Several methods enhance the usability of mobile phone with a graphical user interface with that enables the mobile user to select an option by pressing a single button on the keypad as an efficient alternative to scrolling from link to link.

A network management system is provided that allows a user to configure multiple devices according to a consistent set of policies. The system includes a device learning module that can read configuration data from a network device and automatically match that configuration data to existing policies and components of policies within the system. The device learning module also identifies unknown configuration data, which does not match any existing policy. The system further includes a grammar builder that can parse the unknown configuration data and construct a component or policy from the unknown data, by matching the unknown data to a grammar of configuration commands for the network device. The system also provided auditing capabilities, where policies are compared to running network configurations, and differences are identified.

A system and method for generating a profile of communication sessions involves generating ratings for a selected set of messages and metadata associated with content items that are shared by social network users participating in a communication session. Ratings may be based on keyword scores which may then be adjusted based on user participation parameters, social network characterization parameters, and user selected options. Communication session profiles change over time and so recomputation is effected on periodic or scheduled bases. Generated profiles may be stored, frequently retrieved, or used in applications such as but not limited to content filtering, recommending content shared by participating social network members, selecting relevant advertisements, providing topic suggestions or user list invitations.