2246 results about "Network method" patented technology

Computer network method and apparatus provides targeting of appropriate audience based on psychographic or behavioral profiles of end users. The psychographic profile is formed by recording computer activity and viewing habits of the end user. Content of categories of interest and display format in each category are revealed by the psychographic profile, based on user viewing of agate information. Using the profile (with or without additional user demographics), advertisements are displayed to appropriately selected users. Based on regression analysis of recorded responses of a first set of users viewing the advertisements, the target user profile is refined. Viewing by and regression analysis of recorded responses of subsequent sets of users continually auto-targets and customizes ads for the optimal end user audience.

Methods and apparatus are described which enable transactions in electronic networks relating to digital assets, e.g., digital goods or services, through the use of title objects. A title object may have a number of elements and attributes which identify one or more digital assets and define access rights to the corresponding digital asset(s).

Social information, including computer communication information, is modeled according to a network approach, and users are provided with representations of patterns within their social spaces and graphical interface tools for navigating through the spaces. This can enhance the user's ability to seek out social information and manage their online social relationships. The social mapping includes automatically collecting computer communication information relating to multiple contacts who are in computer communication with each other, one of the multiple contacts being a selected user. The computer communication information is filtered according to one or more preselected criteria to maintain the number of contacts associated with the selected user at or below a selected threshold. The computer communication information is analyzed to determine extents of similarity between the multiple contacts. A visualization of a social map based upon the extents of similarity between the multiple contacts is rendered on a computer display screen so that a user can access and navigate information represented in the social map visualization.

A method for a computer network includes sending a first request from a web client for resolving a first web address of a web page to a client DNS server, sending the first request from the client DNS server to a POP DNS server within a POP server network, using a probe server in the POP server network to determine traffic loads of a plurality of customer web servers, each of the customer web servers storing the web page, using the POP DNS server to determine a customer web server from the plurality of customer web servers, the customer web server having a traffic load lower than traffic loads of other customer web servers in the plurality of customer web servers, requesting the web page from the customer web server, the web page including static content represented by an embedded URL, sending the web page from the customer web server to the web client, sending a second request from the web client for resolving the URL to the client DNS server. sending the second request from the client DNS server to the POP DNS server within a POP server network, using the probe server to determine service metrics of a plurality of web caches within the POP server network, using the POP DNS server to determine a web cache from the plurality of web caches, the web cache having service metrics more appropriate for the second request than service metrics of other web caches in the plurality of web caches, requesting the static content from the web cache, sending the static content to the web client, and outputting the static content with the web client.

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client and is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. Various extensions can be developed by third party developers for incorporation into the program or platform.

Methods and systems for performing load balancing and session persistence in IP (e.g., IPv6) networks are described herein. Some aspects relate to a destination options extension header that may be defined as a load balancing session persistence option (LBSPO) for storing a client identifier and a server identifier for each of a client and a server during a session. Packets sent between the client and the server may include the LBSPO with the client and server identifiers. A load balancer with a virtual IP address of a target application can perform session persistence and assign a destination server to a client based on a preexisting session between the server and the client, as determined by the LBSPO information. While a target VIP node may process data packets based on the LBSPO information, once established, the LBSPO information may remain unchanged for the duration of the session.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for user equipment positioning in networks. An example method includes computing a location of a user equipment (UE). The computing includes joint scheduling of UL subframes and receiving a Up Link Positioning Reference Signal (UL-PRS). The computing is performed by a network equipment that serves at least one cell site. The UL-PRS is received in a known subframe. The computing may also include estimating an arrival time the UL-PRS from the UE for a plurality of cell sites. In another embodiment, the computing includes determining a one-way delay between

Methods and systems are provided for providing network services using at least one processor, such as a network operations center that interfaces a base network. The network operations center may receive information identifying a user authorized to administer a first processor, which may be separate from the network operations center, and a base address that is routable in the base network. The network operations center may provide through the base network code and information for self-configuring the first processor as a gateway that interfaces the base network at the base address. The first processor may execute the provided code to self-configure itself as the gateway based on the provided information. The network operations center may then provide through the base network to the first processor additional information enabling at least one tunnel through the base network to a second processor, which may also be separate from the network operations center, when the first and second processors each provide to the network operations center a consent for enabling the tunnel.

A distributed network method for self-organizing a group of nodes into a bi-directional communication network where initially there is no central coordinator in the prospective network environment. The method involves engaging in the process of determining internodal communication capabilities en route to creating a network topology table, and then using that table as a guide (a) selecting, by nodal election, an appropriate central coordinator, and (b) establishing proxy nodes which enable full network bi-directional communication between all nodes, including otherwise communicatively-compromised hidden nodes.

Methods and systems are provided to link two Universal Plug and Play (“UPnP”) networks to enable the devices in one to communicate directly with the devices in the other. Specifically, a mobile station visiting a first UPnP network may establish communication with a second UPnP network via Web Services (“WS”) protocol with a network gateway of the second UPnP network. The UPnP devices in the first UPnP network can then communicate with those in the second. According to another aspect, a secure communication link is provided between the UPnP network and the remotely located mobile station. Specifically, a network gateway acts as an entry point to the UPnP network and authenticates and authorizes messages from the mobile station. According to yet another aspect, a mobile station lacking UPnP capabilities can communicate with UPnP devices using a network gateway that converts between WS messages and UPnP commands.

Methods and apparatus for selecting a cellular network to provide one or more communication services for a mobile communication device are disclosed. A scanning operation is performed by the mobile device to identify a plurality of cellular networks that support a voice communication service in a geographic coverage area. The mobile device then identifies which of the cellular networks makes a data communication service available to it. Advantageously, the mobile device assigns priority to or selects a cellular network that makes the data communication service available over a network that fails to make the data communication service available, and may register with that network. The data communication service may include, as examples, an e-mail communication service or an Internet access service. Preferably, the cellular network operates in accordance with GSM (Global System for Mobile) and GPRS (Generalized Packet Radio Service).

Methods and apparatus for performing proxy registration on behalf of a node with a Home Agent supporting Mobile IP are disclosed. A first registration request is composed on behalf of the node and transmitted to the Home Agent via a first Local Mobility Anchor, wherein the first Local Mobility Anchor is a regional controller via which registration is performed when the node moves within a region associated with the first Local Mobility Anchor. When the node moves within a region or between regions, the node is re-registered. Specifically, a second registration request is composed and transmitted to the first Local Mobility Anchor when the node moves within the region associated with the first Local Mobility Anchor. When the node moves into a second region associated with a second Local Mobility Anchor and outside the first region associated with the first Local Mobility Anchor, a second registration request is composed and transmitted to the Home Agent via the second Local Mobility Anchor, wherein the second Local Mobility Anchor is a regional controller via which registration is performed when the node moves within a region associated with second first Local Mobility Anchor.

Methods and apparatuses for targeting the delivery of advertisements over a network such as the Internet are disclosed. Statistics are compiled on individual users and networks and the use of the advertisements is tracked to permit targeting of the advertisements of individual users. In response to requests from affiliated sites, an advertising server transmits to people accessing the page of a site an appropriate one of the advertisement based upon profiling of users and networks.

A physical neural network is disclosed, which includes a connection network comprising a plurality of molecular conducting connections suspended within a connection gap formed between one or more input electrodes and one or more output electrodes. One or more molecular connections of the molecular conducting connections can be strengthened or weakened according to an application of an electric field across said connection gap. Thus, a plurality of physical neurons can be formed from said molecular conducting connections of said connection network. Additionally, a gate can be located adjacent said connection gap and which comes into contact with said connection network. The gate can be connected to logic circuitry which can activate or deactivate individual physical neurons among said plurality of physical neurons.

Method and apparatus for the self-organization of nodes into groups in network computing environments. Embodiments may provide the ability to deploy nodes on a network, and to allow the nodes to organize into groups without human intervention. In one embodiment, a node may broadcast a query looking for a master node for the group. If the query produces no responses, the node may self-elect as the master node for the group and the node may broadcast its presence as the master node. If two or more nodes self-elect as master nodes, the nodes may negotiate to determine which node will be the master node. If the master node becomes unavailable, the remaining nodes in the group may elect a new master node. Some embodiments may be implemented on a peer-to-peer platform, such as the JXTA peer-to-peer platform, which may allow the scope of the group to span subnetworks and networks.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for improving network operations by dynamically deploying services (such as web services or other network-accessible services) in a computing network. A process is defined whereby conditions such as usage metrics for incoming client requests (or other network conditions such as load balancing considerations) are monitored, and used to trigger dynamic deployment of web services to locations in the network in order to improve efficiency (e.g. by reducing response time to the client and/or reducing the burden on the back-end computing system resources). Service requests are dynamically routed to the destination where the service resides, in a manner which is transparent to the client. In an optional aspect, programmatic replication of system upgrades may be implemented by redeploying services using this same dynamic deployment approach, enabling the complexity of upgrading previously-deployed software to be reduced significantly. As another optional aspect, previously-deployed software may also be automatically and programmatically undeployed using disclosed techniques.

Methods and devices are provided for managing licenses in gaming networks. Some aspects of the invention are provided as a license manager module that operates as part of a server-based system for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Security and authentication techniques are provided to prevent unauthorized gaming software usage. Such gaming software may be, for example, downloaded to gaming machines in the network under the control of a gaming establishment's game management server that is in communication with a license manager device. In preferred implementations, a gaming machine is prevented from executing software for a game of chance unless the license for that game is valid and has not expired.

Methods and systems are provided for promoting and managing communications among a social support network. According to one embodiment, a communication system includes a closed communication service platform and a hardcopy-based communication appliance. The communication service platform provides a caregroup virtual private network (VPN) through which only registered members of the caregroup, authorized personnel of the communication service platform, processes associated with the communication service platform, and a target of the caregroup are permitted to exchange communications. The hardcopy-based communication appliance is associated with the caregroup VPN and used by the target and is operable to be communicatively coupled to the communication service platform to print inbound communications received from registered members of the caregroup, and to upload to the communication service platform outbound digital representations of annotated pages defining communications to be delivered to one or more members of the caregroup.

Methods, protocols and systems for communicating in a multi-hop wireless mesh network may include explicitly providing information relating to backhaul wireless link qualities in multi-hop wireless mesh network to next generation subscriber stations in a first mode. In a second mode, embodiments are configured to implicitly provide indicia of multi-hop wireless link qualities to legacy subscriber stations by adjusting a transmit power of frames sent to the legacy subscriber stations. Other embodiments and variations are described in the detailed description.

Methods and systems are provided for sharing images over a network. A first user selects an image for sharing and designates an image recipient. Metadata for the first image is transmitted from the first user's terminal to the image recipient's terminal. At least partly in response to receiving the metadata, the image recipient's terminal transmits a request for the first image at a first resolution to the first user's terminal. In response to the request, the first user's terminal transmits the first image at the requested first resolution to the image recipient's terminal.

Methods and systems are provided for intelligent call routing through distributed VoIP networks. A host name, representing a proxy, is assigned to and associated with a device. An IP address of a first proxy is acquired via a DNS query for the host name. The quality of the connection between the first proxy and the device is measured at least in part by calculating the round-trip delay for messages between the first proxy and the device. A DNS record for the host name is changed to specify the IP address of a second proxy. The IP address of the second proxy is acquired via a second DNS query for the host name. The quality of the connection between the second proxy and the device is measured at least in part by calculating the round-trip delay for messages between the second proxy and the device. The quality of the first and second connections is compared, and the IP address of the proxy with the higher-quality connection is assigned to the DNS record.

Methods and devices are provided for locating, identifying and provisioning devices in a network. According to some implementations of the invention, a combination of EPC code information and existing networking standards form the basis of identifying and provisioning methods. For example, first location information included in a DHCPDISCOVER request can be used to determine appropriate configurations for networked devices. In some such implementations, the first location information is read from an RFID tag near the networked device and is inserted in the DHCPDISCOVER request. The first location information may include any type of absolute or relative coordinate, positioning, cartographic or similar information and/or information from which such information may be derived. Second location information, which may be a logical name, is provided to the device. If the device is an RFID reader, the second location information may be included with reads from RFID tags that are transmitted from the RFID reader.

Method and apparatus for information conveyance in an end user device of a packet-based communication service where the end user device is connected to a PSTN-based communication device includes detecting a power up condition of the end user device connected to the PSTN-based communication device, detecting a packet-based network connection, retrieving an end user profile from the packet-based communication service attempting a communication registration operation and displaying one or more non-binary type messages at the end user device regarding the status of the communication service. The apparatus for enhanced information conveyance includes a main body having a local area packet network connection means, a wide area packet network connection means and a non-packet network connection means for connection of a PSTN-based communication device and a display panel body adapted to display information regarding the status of the communication service in a non-binary manner.

Methods and media are provided for backing up data stored in one or more network-communications devices that are located in a geographic area distinct from where the backup data is to be stored. System threads for performing interactive processing to initiate an automatic scheduling procedure and job queue using a producer thread, a trending thread for retrieving and monitoring system performance factors, a foreman thread for monitoring the system performance factors for determining when an assignment is performed, one or more worker threads capable of remotely extracting backup data from network equipment, determining and recording informational logs regarding a performed backup, and sending informational traps to a surveillance manager.