Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110060738 | MEDIA ITEM CLUSTERING BASED ON SIMILARITY DATA - Methods and arrangements for facilitating generation of media mixes for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information provided by a number of program participants. Those individuals that decide to be program participants are interested in organizing, maintaining and playing their music, based at least in part, on data derived from a population of other participants in the program. A program participant must send, and the system, receive, data representative of that program participant's media inventory. The system or program determines a relative similarity of each item from the collection of program participants as compared to each other item and from the similarity information clusters of similar items are identified. The clusters can be used to identify clusters of similar items in an individual program participant's media library and therefrom mixes of similar media items can be created. | 03-10-2011 |
20110250909 | REGISTERING CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICES FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS - Registering a client computing device for online communication sessions. A registration server receives a message that has a push token that is unique to the client computing device and a phone number of the client computing device from an SMS (Short Message Service) transit device, which received an SMS message having the push token from the client computing device and determined the phone number of the client computing device from that SMS message. The registration server associates the push token and the phone number and stores it in a registration data store, which is used for inviting users for online communication sessions. | 10-13-2011 |
20110252079 | Apparatus and Method For Inviting Users To Online Sessions - An apparatus, method, and machine-readable medium are described for establishing peer-to-peer (“P2P”) communication channels. In particular, in one embodiment, an invitation service performs a series of transactions to enable P2P communication between two or more mobile data processing devices. Prior to attempting to establish a P2P network communication channel, the invitation service may first collect network information for each of the mobile devices and use the network information to determine if a direct P2P network communication channel is feasible. If a direct connection is feasible, then the invitation service provides for direct P2P communication, pushing the necessary network information to each of the mobile devices. If, however, a direct connection is infeasible or if a direct connection is attempted and fails, then the invitation service may identify network information associated with a relay service. The network information may then be used by any pair of mobile devices to establish a connection through the relay service. In addition, in one embodiment, the invitation service can perform its functions without maintaining any per-connection state information for any of the mobile devices. | 10-13-2011 |
20110252146 | ESTABLISHING ONLINE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS BETWEEN CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICES - A method and apparatus for assisting in establishing an online communication session between client computing devices. An online communication session invite request message is received from an initiating client computing device, the message includes connection data of the initiating computing device and an online communication session endpoint identifier for an intended recipient. A set of one or more push tokens that are associated with the identifier is determined, where each of the push tokens identifies a client computing device. An online communication session invite message that includes the connection data of the initiating client computing device is transmitted to a set of intended recipient client computing devices that correspond with the set of push tokens. An invite accepted message is received from at least one of the set of intended recipient client computing devices that includes connection data of that computing device. An invite accepted message is transmitted to the initiating computing device that includes the connection data of each accepting computing device to allow the initiating computing device and each accepting computing device to establish a direct peer-to-peer online communication session. | 10-13-2011 |
20120011189 | Apparatus and Method For Matching Users For Online Sessions - An apparatus, method, and machine-readable medium are described for establishing peer-to-peer (“P2P”) communication channels. In particular, in one embodiment, a matchmaker service performs a series of operations to service match requests received from a group of mobile devices. In one embodiment, the matchmaker service groups the match requests into matchable sets based on the application for which the requests are received and one or more variables associated with the application. Match requests within each match set can then be matched based on variables such as the NAT type, connection type and language associated with each of the mobile devices. Other variables such as geographical location, experience level, and age of the match requests may also be used to render match decisions. | 01-12-2012 |
20120117250 | MULTIPLE CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICE INVITATIONS FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS - An online communication session invitation request message for an online communication session is received from an initiating client computing device. The invitation request message includes connection data of the initiating client computing device and an online communication session endpoint identifier of an intended participant of the online communication session. The session endpoint identifier is associated with a plurality of push tokens that correspond to a plurality of recipient client computing devices respectively. An invitation request message is sent in the form of a push notification message to each of the plurality of recipient client computing devices using the corresponding push tokens. Each invitation request message includes the connection data of the initiating client computing device. | 05-10-2012 |
20120185542 | REGISTERING EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS - A client computing device registers an email address as an identifier for online communication sessions. An email validation request message is received from the client computing device to validate an email address that includes the email address and an online communication session profile identifier that identifies an online communication session profile of a user of the client computing device. Responsive to determining that the email address has been validated, an email validated success message is sent to the client computing device. An activated email address request message is received from the client computing device that includes the email address and the online communication session profile identifier. The email address is then activated as an identifier associated with the online communication session profile to be used for online communication sessions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120233167 | MEDIA ITEM CLUSTERING BASED ON SIMILARITY DATA - Methods and arrangements for facilitating generation of media mixes for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information provided by a number of program participants. Those individuals that decide to be program participants are interested in organizing, maintaining and playing their music, based at least in part, on data derived from a population of other participants in the program. A program participant must send, and the system, receive, data representative of that program participant's media inventory. The system or program determines a relative similarity of each item from the collection of program participants as compared to each other item and from the similarity information clusters of similar items are identified. The clusters can be used to identify clusters of similar items in an individual program participant's media library and therefrom mixes of similar media items can be created. | 09-13-2012 |
20120246301 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING PEER-TO-PEER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS - In one embodiment of the invention, service providers generate bloom filters with the user ID codes of registered users and exchange the bloom filters with one another. In response to a request to locate a first user, a first service provider will query its own registration database to determine if the first user is registered with the first service provider. If the first user is not registered with the first service provider, then the first service provider will query its bloom filters to identify other service providers with which the first user may be registered. A positive response from a bloom filter indicates that the first user may or may not be registered with the service provider associated with that bloom filter, and a negative response indicates with certainty that the first user is not registered with the service provider associated with that bloom filter. | 09-27-2012 |
20120307655 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TWO WAY PUSH NOTIFICATIONS - A system and method are described for establishing two-way push communication between a provider and a mobile device. Providers (like mobile devices) register to listen for push notifications from a specified set of users. The presence of the provider is then continually monitored to determine whether the provider is currently listening over a pre-specified port. If so, in response to receiving a push notification for the first provider from the set of one or more users, a current network location over which the provider is listening for push notifications is identified and the push notification is forwarded to the first provider. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307656 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC ROUTING FOR PUSH NOTIFICATIONS - A system and method are described for dynamically routing push notifications to users over the most efficient network path. For example, in one embodiment, presence information associated with a device of a user is monitored. The presence information indicates whether the first device is currently connected to a wireless network and a current network location of the device. The channel quality for packets transmitted between the first device and a first gateway and between the first device and a second gateway is also monitored and is used to select between the first and second gateways when transmitting push notifications. | 12-06-2012 |
20120311329 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE INSTANT MESSAGING - A system and method for secure instant messaging are described. For example, in one embodiment, a first user identifies a second user for an instant messaging session with the ID code of the second user. The first user is provided with network information for the second user and a public key associated with the second user. The first user encrypts an instant message using the public key of the second user and a private key. In one embodiment, the first user encrypts the content of the instant message (e.g., any text and/or attachments) using the public key of the second user and signs the content using the private key of the first user. The encrypted message is transmitted from the first user to the second user. The second user decrypts the instant message using the second user's private key and verifies the signature with the first user's public key. | 12-06-2012 |
20120311686 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE IDENTITY SERVICE - A system and method for securely processing identity information. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a first user is registered on an identity service with one or more identification (ID) codes and a token. In response to a query from a second user to connect with the first user, a query signature is generated using the one or more ID codes and token of the first and second users, and a timestamp. The query signature is usable by network services to authenticate communication between the first and second users on the network over a specified period of time. In another embodiment, user ID codes and tokens are cached on mobile devices and/or a system cache to improve performance. The validity of the cached data is determined by calculating a fingerprint which, in one embodiment, is a hash of the ID code, token and a timestamp. | 12-06-2012 |
20130110938 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MATCHING USERS FOR ONLINE SESSIONS | 05-02-2013 |
20130227019 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INVITING USERS TO ONLINE SESSIONS - An apparatus, method, and machine-readable medium are described for establishing peer-to-peer (“P2P”) communication channels. In particular, in one embodiment, an invitation service performs a series of transactions to enable P2P communication between two or more mobile data processing devices. Prior to attempting to establish a P2P network communication channel, the invitation service may first collect network information for each of the mobile devices and use the network information to determine if a direct P2P network communication channel is feasible. If a direct connection is feasible, then the invitation service provides for direct P2P communication, pushing the necessary network information to each of the mobile devices. If, however, a direct connection is infeasible or if a direct connection is attempted and fails, then the invitation service may identify network information associated with a relay service. The network information may then be used by any pair of mobile devices to establish a connection through the relay service. In addition, in one embodiment, the invitation service can perform its functions without maintaining any per-connection state information for any of the mobile devices. | 08-29-2013 |
20130231146 | REGISTERING CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICES FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS - Registering a client computing device for online communication sessions. A registration server receives a message that has a push token that is unique to the client computing device and a phone number of the client computing device from an SMS (Short Message Service) transit device, which received an SMS message having the push token from the client computing device and determined the phone number of the client computing device from that SMS message. The registration server associates the push token and the phone number and stores it in a registration data store, which is used for inviting users for online communication sessions. | 09-05-2013 |
20130244614 | EMBODIMENTS OF A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURELY MANAGING MULTIPLE USER HANDLES ACROSS MULTIPLE DATA PROCESSING DEVICES - A system and method for are described for securely linking a phone number and user identification code in a directory database. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a first request from a first user device to register with a first service, the request identifying a phone number of the user device and including a fingerprint code uniquely identifying the first user device; registering the phone number in a directory service; receiving a second request from the first user device to register with a second service, the request including a user identification code which is not a phone number and the fingerprint code; registering the user identification code in the directory service; detecting that the first request and second request are from the same mobile device using the fingerprint code; and responsively linking the phone number and the user identification code in the directory database. | 09-19-2013 |
20130332607 | Synchronizing Handles For User Accounts Across Multiple Electronic Devices - The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to a user account from an electronic device. The system includes an identity service that provides a device token for the electronic device and a set of handles associated with the user account to the electronic device. Next, the identity service receives, from the electronic device, a handle registration containing one or more selected handles from the set of handles. Finally, the identity service transmits an identity certificate comprising an association between the selected handles and the electronic device to the electronic device, wherein the identity certificate and the association are used to route data associated with the selected handles to and from the electronic device. | 12-12-2013 |
20140362768 | Non-Waking Push Notifications - In some implementations, a mobile device can be configured to monitor environmental, system and user events. The occurrence of one or more events can trigger adjustments to system settings. In some implementations, the mobile device can be configured to keep frequently invoked applications up to date based on a forecast of predicted invocations by the user. In some implementations, the mobile device can receive push notifications associated with applications that indicate that new content is available for the applications to download. The mobile device can launch the applications associated with the push notifications in the background and download the new content. In some implementations, before running an application or accessing a network interface, the mobile device can be configured to check energy and data budgets and environmental conditions of the mobile device to preserve a high quality user experience. | 12-11-2014 |
20140364104 | Push Notification Initiated Background Updates - In some implementations, a mobile device can be configured to monitor environmental, system and user events. The occurrence of one or more events can trigger adjustments to system settings. In some implementations, the mobile device can be configured to keep frequently invoked applications up to date based on a forecast of predicted invocations by the user. In some implementations, the mobile device can receive push notifications associated with applications that indicate that new content is available for the applications to download. The mobile device can launch the applications associated with the push notifications in the background and download the new content. In some implementations, before running an application or accessing a network interface, the mobile device can be configured to check energy and data budgets and environmental conditions of the mobile device to preserve a high quality user experience. | 12-11-2014 |
20140365569 | MANAGING NOTIFICATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE DEVICES - Modifying a notification on one client device can trigger the generation and transmission of a silent notification to another client device that is associated with the same user account. The silent notification can include instructions to query for and modify a similar notification, if present, on the other client device. Silent notifications that are undeliverable can be stored in offline storage and delivery can be reattempted at a later point in time. | 12-11-2014 |
20150074407 | FEDERATED AUTHENTICATION OF CLIENT COMPUTERS IN NETWORKED DATA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES CALLABLE BY APPLICATIONS - A data processing method providing improved and efficient authentication of client computers by server computers, the method comprising: using authentication logic of a server computer, establishing a secure socket connection with a client computer; receiving, from the client computer, a request to use a communications service that is implemented at the server computer, and in response to the request, determining that the client computer is unauthenticated; providing a nonce value to the client computer; receiving from the client computer an encrypted identity token that includes the nonce and a user identifier, wherein the identity token has been encrypted using a provider computer and an encryption key of the provider computer, wherein the encryption key is known at the server computer; validating the identity token and obtaining the user identifier therein; creating and storing a session token that is uniquely associated with the client computer and that includes a session identifier, the user identifier, and a binding to the secure socket connection. | 03-12-2015 |