28634results about How to "Reduce the burden on" patented technology

An apparatus for use with a surgical stapler to provide a reinforced surgical staple line. The apparatus includes an applicator that carries a first and second bioimplantable material connected by a hinge. An applicator clip may be provided to releasably secure the first and second bioimplantable material onto the applicator.

An apparatus for use with a surgical stapler to provide a reinforced surgical staple line. The apparatus includes an applicator that carries a first and second bioimplantable material connected by a hinge. An applicator clip may be provided to releasably secure the first and second bioimplantable material onto the applicator.

Candidate interpretations resulting from application of speech recognition algorithms to spoken input are presented in a consolidated manner that reduces redundancy. A list of candidate interpretations is generated, and each candidate interpretation is subdivided into time-based portions, forming a grid. Those time-based portions that duplicate portions from other candidate interpretations are removed from the grid. A user interface is provided that presents the user with an opportunity to select among the candidate interpretations; the user interface is configured to present these alternatives without duplicate elements.

The intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.

A system residing preferably in a television set-top box monitors the television watching habits of one or more viewers and creates one or more profiles for each viewers descriptive of various characteristics of each viewers, including television watching preferences and demographics. The set-top box is able to select among various available video programming segments to create customized and / or targeted video programs for delivery to the viewer or viewers as a linear program. The customized linear video programs may include targeted content, advertising, and other video programming.

The method includes automatically, without user input and without regard to whether a digital assistant application has been separately invoked by a user, determining that the electronic device is in a vehicle. In some implementations, determining that the electronic device is in a vehicle comprises detecting that the electronic device is in communication with the vehicle (e.g., via a wired or wireless communication techniques and / or protocols). The method also includes, responsive to the determining, invoking a listening mode of a virtual assistant implemented by the electronic device. In some implementations, the method also includes limiting the ability of a user to view visual output presented by the electronic device, provide typed input to the electronic device, and the like.

Current embodiments provide for authorization and payment of an online commercial transaction between a purchaser and a merchant including verification of an identity of the purchaser and verification of an ability of the purchaser to pay for the transaction, where the identity provider and the payment provider are often different network entities. Other embodiments also provide for protocols, computing systems, and other mechanisms that allow for identity and payment authentication using a mobile module, which establishes single or multilevel security over an untrusted network (e.g., the Internet). Still other embodiments also provide for a three-way secure communication between a merchant, consumer, and payment provider such that sensitive account information is opaque to the merchant, yet the merchant is sufficiently confident of the consumer's ability to pay for requested purchases. In yet another embodiment, electronic billing information is used for authorization, auditing, payment federation, and other purposes.

Methods, systems, and computer readable storage medium related to operating an intelligent digital assistant are disclosed. A user request is received, the user request including at least a speech input received from a user. The user request including the speech input is processed to obtain a representation of user intent for identifying items of a selection domain based on at least one selection criterion. A prompt is provided to the user, the prompt presenting two or more properties relevant to items of the selection domain and requesting the user to specify relative importance between the two or more properties. A listing of search results is provided to the user, where the listing of search results has been obtained based on the at least one selection criterion and the relative importance provided by the user.

Alignment accuracy between two or more patterned layers is measured using a metrology target comprising substantially overlapping diffraction gratings formed in a test area of the layers being tested. An optical instrument illuminates all or part of the target area and measures the optical response. The instrument can measure transmission, reflectance, and / or ellipsometric parameters as a function of wavelength, polar angle of incidence, azimuthal angle of incidence, and / or polarization of the illumination and detected light. Overlay error or offset between those layers containing the test gratings is determined by a processor programmed to calculate an optical response for a set of parameters that include overlay error, using a model that accounts for diffraction by the gratings and interaction of the gratings with each others' diffracted field. The model parameters might also take account of manufactured asymmetries. The calculation may involve interpolation of pre-computed entries from a database accessible to the processor. The calculated and measured responses are iteratively compared and the model parameters changed to minimize the difference.

Systems and methods for providing hands-free reading of content comprising: identifying a plurality of data items for presentation to a user, the plurality of data items associated with a domain-specific item type and sorted according to a particular order; based on the domain-specific item type, generating a speech-based overview of the plurality of data items; for each of the plurality of data items, generating a respective speech-based, item-specific paraphrase for the data item based on respective content of the data item; and providing, to a user through the speech-enabled dialogue interface, the speech-based overview, followed by the respective speech-based, item-specific paraphrases for at least a subset of the plurality of data items in the particular order.

A method for securing remote access to private networks includes a receiver intercepting from a data link layer a packet in a first plurality of packets destined for a first system on a private network. A filter intercepts from the data link layer a packet in a second plurality of packets transmitted from a second system on the private network, destined for an system on a second network. A transmitter in communication with the receiver and the filter performing a network address translation on at least one intercepted packet and transmitting the at least one intercepted packet to a destination.

Methods, systems, and computer readable storage medium related to operating an intelligent digital assistant are disclosed. A user request is received, the user request including at least a speech input received from a user. Two or more alternative interpretations of user intent are obtained based on the received user request. One or more commonalities and one or more differences among the two or more alternative interpretations of user intent are identified. A response is provided to the user, the response presenting at least one of the identified differences and eliciting additional user input to choose among the two or more alternative interpretations of user intent based on the at least one difference.

A method of inducing content uploads in an online network includes the steps of storing content relating to a first member of the network that is submitted by a second member of the network, receiving approval of the content from the first member, and associating the content with the first member. The uploaded content may comprise an image file containing a photo of the first member and a caption associated with the photo image. The second user uploads the content relating to the first member using a GUI. This GUI is made available to the second user through a hyperlink that appears when a profile page of the first member is accessed if the degree of separation between the first member and the second member is less than or equal to a maximum degree of separation set by the first user. On the other hand, the hyperlink to this GUI will not appear when the profile page of the first member is accessed by the second member if the degree of separation between the first member and the second member is greater than the maximum degree of separation set by the first user. The default setting for this maximum degree of separation is one.

A method of allowing a user to authenticate to an authentication service while isolating information associated with the user from the authentication service includes generating a service user identifier (SUID) associated with an authentication code source, a subscribing site and an authentication service. The method includes creating an association of the SUID with the information associated with the user, and isolating the association within the subscribing site. The method includes providing an authentication code generated by the authentication code-generating device from the user to the subscribing site, and providing the authentication code along with the SUID and information identifying the subscribing site to the authentication service. The method includes identifying the code-generating device, using the SUID and the information identifying the subscribing site, and generating an authentication decision for the authentication code with respect to the code-generating device, and providing the decision to the subscribing site.