An authentication system and method of use thereof are provided to authenticate a user involved in a transaction. The system comprises a communications interface configured to receive a one-time code generated by an electronic device, wherein the one-time code is generated by an electronic device responsive to successful verification of biometric information at the point of use of the electronic device, and one or more processors configured to retrieve account information associated with a user of the electronic device, wherein the account information is retrieved in response to receiving the one-time code, and to use the retrieved account information to access account identifying information or identifying information associated with the user of the electronic device.

Embodiments of the disclosed innovations provide systems and methods for locating data associated with rendered documents. Some embodiments support the use of a handheld document data capture device.

A system and method is provided for optimizing a SyncML slow sync between a proprietary client and server. When a slow sync is detected, the client and server can depart from the normal SyncML protocol and process summary data without having to compare all items on a field-by-field basis.

Method and system for delivery of personal search services and advertising. The method includes collecting information from the user about the user's personal search engine, including, but not limited to digital content data sources, link crawl depth of those digital content data sources, and time interval to refresh the index of the digital content data sources created. In one embodiment of the present invention users do not pay a fee in return for allowing the provider to present advertising to the user as the user uses the invention. In another embodiment, advertisers purchase advertising display services from the provider to be displayed to specific users.

Methods and Systems for searching a database for objects, comprising: assigning a plurality of attributes to each of a plurality of objects in a collection; assigning each of the attributes to a kind; receiving a search query including at least one attribute specified by user; displaying a list of kinds associated with attributes specified by the user.

The invention provides a system and method for file synchronization. One embodiment of the system of this invention includes a software program stored on a computer readable medium. The software program can be executed by a computer processor to receive a file from a server; store the file as a cached file in a cache; determine if the cached file has been modified; and if the cached file has been modified, communicate the cached file directly to the database.

A private network system operates over a public network to provide an asymmetric service to members with information from other members and non-members. The system includes central servers and databases connected via the public network to client systems of public network users. The users may be members who communicate with a private protocol or non-members who communicate with the public protocol. A process for the private service includes communication of information between users via the private service servers. The private service server implements the private service, which includes a viral engine for network deployment. Features of the viral engine include genetic algorithms, data mining, personalization, frictionless service setup, user maximization, and member-controlled privacy. A sample setup process and contact update wizard that include several viral engine features are described.

A cluster of computer system nodes share direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network using a cluster filesystem. At least one trusted metadata server assigns a mandatory access control label as an extended attribute of each filesystem object regardless of whether required by a client node accessing the filesystem object. The mandatory access control label indicates the sensitivity and integrity of the filesystem object and is used by the trusted metadata server(s) to control access to the filesystem object by all client nodes.

The Shared Internet Storage Resource provides Internet-based file storage, retrieval, access, control, and manipulation for a user. Additionally, an easy-to-use user interface is provided both for a browser or stand-alone application. The entire method provides means by which users can establish, use, and maintain files on the Internet in a manner remote from their local computers yet in a manner that is similar to the file manipulation used on their local computers. A high capacity or other storage system is attached to the Internet via an optional internal network that also serves to generate and direct metadata regarding the stored files. A web server using a CGI, Java-based, or other interface transmits and retrieves TCP/IP packets or other Internet information through a load balancer/firewall by using XML to wrap the data packets. File instructions may be transmitted over the Internet to the Shared Resource System. The user's account may be password protected so that only the user may access his or her files. On the user's side, a stand-alone client application or JavaScript object interpreted through a browser provide two means by which the XML or other markup language data stream may be received and put to use by the user. Internet-to-Internet file transfers may be effected by directly downloading to the user's account space.

Methods and systems for searching for objects. A plurality of Attributes can be assigned to each of a plurality of objects in a collection. Each of the Attributes can be assigned to a Kind. A search query can be received including at least one Attribute specified by a user. A list of Kinds can be displayed. The Attributes can be grouped into Kinds such that searching the objects to determine if the objects have a particular Attribute is not performed if the objects do not have Attributes of that Kind associated with an object to be searched. Grouped Attributes can be subdivided into smaller groupings and resulting subdivisions can be given a numerical score indicating how far a subdivision is from all or none.