Method and apparatus for monitoring the status and location of personnel using a remote timer. In some embodiments, a method includes execution of a subject application (app) on a network accessible device. A countdown timer of a remote server is initiated to monitor a time interval, the remote server communicating with the network accessible device over a network. Geo positions of the network accessible device are monitored during the monitored time interval. The remote server sends a notification to a monitoring device responsive to at least one of the following events: the monitored time interval ends without the remote server receiving an authorized personal identification (PID) value; or the remote server receives an unauthorized PID value prior to the conclusion of the monitored time interval. In further embodiments, a notification is sent based on an out-of-bounds geo position of the network accessible device during the time interval.

A duration to transmit multiple messages is calculated. A first request based on the calculated duration is transmitted. The first request is a request for reserving a time period to transmit. In response to receiving an approval of the first request, for each message in the multiple messages, a transmit time is calculated. A determination is made that a current time exceeds a particular transmit time for a particular message. In response to the determination, a second request is transmitted. The second request is a request for permission to transmit. In response to receiving an approval of the second request, the particular message is transmitted.

A method of presenting information to a party through a messaging application is described. Responsive to receipt of a communication from a party (e.g., the first user), a reply is sent. The communication and the reply is presented in an interface to the sender. The messaging system determines matching content that is relevant to one or both of the communication and the reply and determines a quality of the match. Determining the quality of the match may include determining a score for an advertisement based on the advertisement's responsiveness to content identified in the reply message that was sent. Based on a determination that the quality is above a threshold, the matching content is presented along with the communication and the reply.

A vehicle wheel overlay attachment system disclosed herein provides for wheel overlays, or wheel skins, that are readily installable over existing wheels by securing directly to a wheel center cap. The center cap is adapted to be inserted into the center hub portion of the wheel, much like a traditional center cap, but also contains a system for securing a wheel overlay to the center cap. When properly installed on the center cap, the wheel overlay will be snugly positioned over the wheel thereby changing the appearance of the vehicle wheel.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for sending and receiving prompts to end-users inside and outside the home. A prompt, for example, a message, image, or sound is presented to the end user in order to notify them of a health event, serve as a simple reminder, helps them through their daily activities. The invention includes, for example, the following components: a remote prompting client which runs on the end-user's home network and is typically associated with a physical display device. This entity has the ability to receive a prompt request from a remote prompting host, and display the prompt to the end-user; and a remote prompting host which runs on the end-user's home network and has the ability to scan the network and discover all existing remote prompting clients.

Methods, systems, and apparatus are described providing social networking engines. Specifically, the present specification relates to a method for implementing software containers implementing social network engines that may be configured to act in a zero-knowledge environment. In such implementations, all information pertaining to the social network engine associated with a user that is stored in the container is solely that of a user unless explicitly shared by the user. In some implementations, the containers may be configured to participate in a publish-and-subscribe network in order to share information. In addition, the containers may be provisioned with controls so that global operators may comply with local privacy rules.

The idle screen of a mobile telephone device is used to show updated information of a kind or from a source selected by a user (e.g. financial information, news, traffic etc.). Previously, the idle screen has been used to display the name of the network operator and alerting messages, such as 2 missed calls. Placing information of interest to the user in the idle screen makes that information instantly accessible without the user having to navigate to the required function (e.g. a micro-browser) and select it.

A method of operating a message system can include maintaining a list of users of the message system and maintaining a connection list and a message stream for each user of the message system. After receiving a message from a first user of the message system, the received message can be published on the message stream of the first user and on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list. If the received message is detected to be a reply to an earlier message from a second user, then the earlier message can be published on the message streams of the users identified in the first user's connection list, who are not in the second user's connection list.

A computer-implemented method includes receiving by one or more computer systems, a request from a client system of a consumer for a live, real-time video having specified attributes of a performance embedded in the live, real-time video; searching by the one or more computer systems a database of attributes of performances associated with live, real-time videos; and causing by the one or more computer systems a connection between the client system of the consumer with a system of a provider of a live, real-time video captured performance based on the specified attributes included in the request for the live, real-time video.

A method for operating a communication device is disclosed. One embodiment includes the steps of: generating an intermediary key corresponding to peer to peer (P2P) communication between a client and a counterpart client; transmitting the intermediary key to the counterpart client; obtaining an intermediary path corresponding to the intermediary key; receiving the data through the intermediary path from the client that did not receive an acknowledgement for data transmitted to the counterpart client because of a change of a network address of the counterpart client; and transmitting the data to the counterpart client if the counterpart client accesses the changed network address by using the intermediary key.