239 results about "Subject areas" patented technology

A system and method are directed towards providing non-requested content to a mobile terminal based on characteristics of, and tracked usage of the mobile terminal to request content through an online portal service, which provides access to content in multiple subject areas. A mobile user profile is created from the characteristics and patterns of the tracked usage. The tracked usage information includes the time, location, frequency at which the content was requested. Based on the mobile user profile information, content related to previously requested content is provided to the mobile terminal upon a trigger that is related to the requested content. The trigger event may include the mobile terminal returning to a location from which certain content was previously requested. The non-requested content may further be based on a related general user profile that indicates usage of an alternate electronic device to access content through the portal.

An Internet server matches experts offering consulting services in the biological sciences or the like with potential customers of such consulting services. The server presents each expert with a Web interface through which the expert inputs his or her qualifications and times of availability. The qualifications are organized in a two-tier hierarchy of broad subject areas and sub-areas within each area. The times of availability are organized in terms of starting time of availability and duration of availability from that starting time. The server also presents each customer with a Web interface through which the customer inputs the qualification and times of availability sought. The qualifications and times are organized in the same fashion as for the expert. The customer can input multiple service requests, each with different qualifications and times of availability. The server uses the input data to match experts with customers. At first, the experts and the customers are anonymous to one another. Once either an expert or a customer chooses to purchase the record concerning a match, the record with contact information is released, and the expert and the customer can contact each other. The server provides other functions, such as allowing a physician to contact a manufacturer or a product, using only the brand name of that product; allowing companies to conduct surveys of physicians; and providing distance learning.

A method and apparatus are provided for performing natural language translation in a finite domain, e.g., where the finite domain describes a specific subject area or field of use. In one embodiment, a method for translating user input relating to a finite domain includes receiving user input in a source language and translating the user input into a target language in accordance with the finite domain. In some embodiments, the resultant output is substantially grammatically correct and / or sociolinguistically appropriate.

Disclosed is in-camera generation of high quality composite panoramic images. Apparatus and method for automatically generating panoramic still photographs from a sequence of images collected during panning. Programming within the camera allows creating the panoramic image output from multiple captured stills and / or video frames without laborious user ''stitching''. A sequence of images are captured under control of the camera which span a desired subject area being panned (in any direction) by the user. As the images are being captured, the programming assures that the edges of adjacent images in the sequence sufficiently overlap one another as the desired subject area is being panned, as well as controlling other necessary camera adjustments (e.g., maintaining fixed focus). A set of sequential overlapping image frames is collected and combined to create at least one panoramic still photograph. The user can preferably change settings to control how the images are put together into the panoramic image output.

A subject area extracting unit extracts a main-subject area from the color image data; a correction amount calculating unit calculates a gradation correction amount based on the information on the thus-extracted main-subject area; a control zone extracting unit extracts a predetermined control zone from a brightness zone to which the main-subject area does not belongs; a determining unit determines whether or not the gradation correction amount on the control zone should be controlled, according to a predetermined control requirement; and a control unit controls the gradation correction amount according to the determination result of the determination unit.

Methods and apparatus for identifying experts in a subject area are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes receiving a request to locate a source of expertise in a subject area within an enterprise, and determining if there is at least one individual associated with the enterprise that has the expertise in the subject area. The method also includes identifying the individual if it is determined that there is the at least one individual who has the expertise in the subject area by comparing a profile associated with an initiator of the request with a profile associated with the individual. Information associated with the individual is provided such that the individual may be identified as the source of expertise in the subject area.