Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Oracle America, Inc.

Yahoo! Inc.

John Beatty

Yaroslav Faybishenko

Aravindan Ranganathan

Gary Franklin Ellison

Mark W Hapner

Sai Vs Allavarpu

Peter Yared

Hal L Stern

Gene H Kan

Larry Abrahams

Sheldon J Finkelstein

Sherif Botros

Steve Waterhouse

Douglass R Cutting

Thomas J Camarda

David M Doolin

Michael Belleville

In one example, a method for ranking items such as contest entries is provided. An exemplary method includes displaying sequential subsets of entries from a plurality of entries for a first user to vote on, e.g., making a selection of their preference of one over the other. The method further includes generating a first preference ballot of displayed entries based on selections by the first user, and ranking the plurality of entries based upon the first preference ballot and at least a second preference ballot received from another user. The ranking may be determined based on the first and second preference ballot by a Condorcet algorithm. Additionally, display of the entries may be determined based on previous selections associated with the contest entries, e.g., based on the state of the contest and/or the history of particular contest entries.

Web-based competitions using dynamic preference ballots

A distributed network identity is provided. An identity provider stores a portion of a user's personal information. A service provider accesses user information from one or more identity providers. System entities such as identity providers and service providers can be linked to enable information sharing and aggregation. User policies and privacy preferences are provided to control how information is shared. A single sign-on architecture is provided where an identity provider is used to facilitate cross-domain authentication and to enhance user convenience. Service delegation features are also provided.

Distributed network identity

In a system and method for the distribution of identities and reputation on a network, identity and reputation information may be distributed among nodes on a network (e.g. nodes on a peer-to-peer network). Embodiments may allow nodes on the network to evaluate other nodes' reputation using the distributed reputation information. Embodiments may allow nodes to iteratively increase confidence in a determined reputation of a node by determining the reputation of nodes that provide reputation information corresponding to the node. Embodiments may allow nodes to adjust a reputation of other nodes using results of transactions and prior reputations. Determined or adjusted reputation information and/or transaction information may be distributed among the nodes on the network. In one embodiment, transaction information may be divided into segments and the segments may be distributed among the nodes on the network.

Distributed identities

A system and method for adapters to provide nodes of a network access to a distributed search mechanism. Network nodes operating as consumer or requesting nodes generate search requests. Nodes operating as hubs are configured to route messages in the network. Individual nodes operating as provider nodes receive search requests and may generate results according to their own procedures in return. Hub nodes may resolve the search requests to a subset of the provider nodes in the network, for example by matching search requests with registration information from nodes. Communication between nodes in the network may use a common query protocol. Adapters may be implemented in the network to reformat messages exchanged in the network. Adapters may customize results. Adapters may enable nodes to function in a distributed search mechanism.

System and method for multiple data sources to plug into a standardized interface for distributed deep search

Systems and methods for resolving search queries to information providers in a distributing search network. In a network including nodes generating search requests and nodes providing information, a node may operate as hub to route search requests from requesting nodes to provider nodes. Providers may register with a network hub. Registration information may include address information and data indicating the queries or type of queries for which that provider may have relevant data. A hub may resolve search queries against provider registrations to determine a set of providers to which to route each search query. Several systems and methods of selecting some of the providers are described, including the use of bidding, ranking, and statistical data.

System and method for resolving distributed network search queries to information providers

A system and method for distributing search requests in a network. The system and method may also route search responses. Network nodes operating as consumer or requesting nodes generate the search requests. Nodes operating as hubs are configured to route the search requests in the network. Individual nodes operating as provider nodes receive the search request and in response may generate search results according to their own procedures and return them. Communication between nodes in the network may use a common query protocol. Hub nodes may resolve the search requests to a subset of the provider nodes in the network, for example by matching search requests with registration information from nodes. Search results may be customized at various stages in the network.

Method and system of routing messages in a distributed search network

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

John Beatty