Microsoft Patents
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Microsoft Patents by Type
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Patent number: 9326226
Abstract: A method that includes acts for resolving information about an entity associated with a beacon is illustrated. The method includes receiving a beacon signal. The beacon signal includes an identifier. The identifier is sent to a beacon resolution service. The method further includes receiving information identifying an entity associated with the beacon signal. Service information identifying one or more service categories for the identifier is also received. The method includes identifying one or more applications from among a plurality of beacon aware applications that are interested in one or more of the service categories sending information identifying the entity to the one or more applications.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 8, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor:
Bahram Bahram Pour
Patent number: 9326161
Abstract: Embodiments related to automatically adjusting wireless network settings based upon utilization of a wireless network link by applications are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method of adjusting a wireless networking setting for a wireless network link. The method includes monitoring data flow through a network interface controller to collect, for each of one or more applications running on the computing device and communicating over the wireless network link, flow performance data comprising information regarding an amount of data flow arising from the application. The method also includes monitoring link data comprising information regarding data being sent and received over the wireless network link, and based upon the flow performance data and the link data, controlling a network interface controller to adjust the wireless networking parameter to change a configuration of the network link.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 21, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventors:
Zhou Wang, Chen Zhao, Alain Gefflaut, William Dunlap, Wolfgang Manousek
Patent number: 9323325
Abstract: Technology is disclosed for enhancing the experience of a user wearing a see-through, near eye mixed reality display device. Based on an arrangement of gaze detection elements on each display optical system for each eye of the display device, a respective gaze vector is determined and a current user focal region is determined based on the gaze vectors. Virtual objects are displayed at their respective focal regions in a user field of view for a natural sight view. Additionally, one or more objects of interest to a user may be identified. The identification may be based on a user intent to interact with the object. For example, the intent may be determined based on a gaze duration. Augmented content may be projected over or next to an object, real or virtual. Additionally, a real or virtual object intended for interaction may be zoomed in or out.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 30, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Kathryn Stone Perez, Benjamin I. Vaught, John R. Lewis, Robert L. Crocco, Alex Aben-Athar Kipman
Patent number: 9321173
Abstract: Tracking and following technique embodiments are presented that are generally employed to track and follow a person using a mobile robotic device having a color video camera and a depth video camera. A computer associated with the mobile robotic device is used to perform various actions. Namely, in a tracking mode, a face detection method and the output from the color video camera is used to detect potential persons in an environment. In addition, a motion detection method and the output from the depth video camera is also used to detect potential persons in the environment. Detection results obtained using the face and motion detection methods are then fused and used to determine the location of one or more persons in the environment. Then, in a following mode, a mobile robotic device following method is used to follow a person whose location was determined in the tracking mode.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 22, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventors:
Harshavardhana Narayana Kikkeri, Michael F. Koenig
Patent number: 9323368
Abstract: A method for operating a digitizer with an autonomous asynchronous stylus includes sampling outputs from a digitizer, detecting from the outputs at least one pulsed signal transmitted from an autonomous asynchronous stylus at a defined rate, determining a location of the stylus interaction with respect to the digitizer, and tracking stylus interaction with the digitizer over subsequent pulsed signals transmitted from the stylus.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 10, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor:
Rafi Zachut
Patent number: 9323429
Abstract: An “Interactive Virtual Display,” as described herein, provides various systems and techniques that facilitate ubiquitous user interaction with both local and remote heterogeneous computing devices. More specifically, the Interactive Virtual Display uses various combinations of small-size programmable hardware and portable or wearable sensors to enable any display surface (e.g., computer display devices, televisions, projected images/video from projection devices, etc.) to act as a thin client for users to interact with a plurality heterogeneous computing devices regardless of where those devices are located relative to the user. The Interactive Virtual Display provides a flexible system architecture that enables communication and collaboration between a plurality of both local and remote heterogeneous computing devices.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 25, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Yan Lu, Wen Sun, Shipeng Li
Patent number: 9323436
Abstract: Technologies are described herein for utilizing drawing guides in determining the display of smart guides in a drawing program. The drawing program detects that an active drawing object is being manipulated on a drawing canvas. The drawing program determines if one or more drawing guides are visible on the drawing canvas. Upon determining that one or more drawing guides are visible on the drawing canvas, the drawing program treats the drawing guides as drawing objects in determining the display of smart guides on the drawing canvas and the snap-to positioning of the active drawing object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 5, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Daniel John Altin, Ankit Prasad, Hannes Ruescher
Patent number: 9323318
Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for dynamically applying power policies to a computing environment. For example, a computing environment may comprise one or more activity components (e.g., a display driver, an audio driver, an application, etc.) that may provide status information used to identify a scenario (e.g., a video game scenario, a full screen video playback scenario, etc.) that is activated for the computing environment. A power policy assigned to a currently identified scenario may be applied to the computing environment to dynamically improve performance and/or power conservation, for example. Activity components, scenarios, and/or power policies may be maintained in an extensible manner such that activity components, scenarios, and/or power polices may be added, removed, and/or modified by merely updating corresponding data structures, such as tables or registry keys, as opposing to updating power management software code.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 11, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Abhishek Sagar, Tristan Anthony Brown
Patent number: 9323636
Abstract: Embodiments are directed to predicting the health of a computer node using health report data and to proactively handling failures in computer network nodes. In an embodiment, a computer system monitors various health indicators for multiple nodes in a computer network. The computer system accesses stored health indicators that provide a health history for the computer network nodes. The computer system then generates a health status based on the monitored health factors and the health history. The generated health status indicates the likelihood that the node will be healthy within a specified future time period. The computer system then leverages the generated health status to handle current or predicted failures. The computer system also presents the generated health status to a user or other entity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 10, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Hao Xia, Todd F. Pfleiger, Mark C. Benvenuto, Ajay Kalhan
Patent number: 9323652
Abstract: A bottleneck detector may use an iterative method to identify a bottleneck with specificity. An automated checkpoint inserter may place checkpoints in an application. When a bottleneck is detected in an area of an application, the first set of checkpoints may be removed and a new set of checkpoints may be placed in the area of the bottleneck. The process may iterate until a bottleneck may be identified with enough specificity to aid a developer or administrator of an application. In some cases, the process may identify a specific function or line of code where a bottleneck occurs.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 18, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Charles D. Garrett, Christopher W. Fraser
Patent number: 9323651
Abstract: A bottleneck detector may analyze individual workloads processed by an application by logging times when the workload may be processed at different checkpoints in the application. For each checkpoint, a curve fitting algorithm may be applied, and the fitted curves may be compared between different checkpoints to identify bottlenecks or other poorly performing sections of the application. A real time implementation of a detection system may compare newly captured data points against historical curves to detect a shift in the curve, which may indicate a bottleneck. In some cases, the fitted curves from neighboring checkpoints may be compared to identify sections of the application that may be a bottleneck. An automated system may apply one set of checkpoints in an application, identify an area for further investigation, and apply a second set of checkpoints in the identified area. Such a system may recursively search for bottlenecks in an executing application.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 18, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Charles D. Garrett, Christopher W. Fraser
Patent number: 9323543
Abstract: Enforcing limitations on hardware drivers. The method includes from a system kernel, assigning I/O resources to the system's root bus. From the root bus, the method further includes assigning a subset of the I/O resources to a device bus. Assigning a subset of the I/O resources to a device bus includes limiting the device bus to only be able to assign I/O resources that are assigned to it by the root bus. From the device bus, the method includes assigning I/O resources to a device through a device interface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 4, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Yaron Weinsberg, Jinsong Yu, John Richardson, Christopher Wellington Brumme, Martin Taillefer
Patent number: 9323693
Abstract: Caching of an immutable buffer that has its data and address prevented from changing during the lifetime of the immutable buffer. A first computing entity maintains a cache of the immutable buffer and has a strong reference to the immutable buffer. So long as any entity has a strong reference to the immutable buffer, the immutable buffer is guaranteed to continue to exist for the duration of the strong reference. A second computing entity communicates with the first computing entity to obtain a strong reference to the immutable buffer and thereafter read data from the immutable buffer. Upon reading the data from the cache, the second computing entity demotes the strong reference to a weak reference to the immutable buffer. A weak reference to the immutable buffer does not guarantee that the immutable buffer will continue to exist for the duration of the weak reference.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 4, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Jinsong Yu, Andrew E. Goodsell, F. Soner Terek, Christopher Wellington Brumme, Ahmed Hassan Mohamed
Patent number: 9323723
Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for improving reading ease of text displayed by a device. Reading-related feedback, such as feedback that indicates user reading speed and/or user reading comprehension, can be received for a user of the device. One or more display-related characteristics, such as characteristics that indicate how text is displayed by the device, can be received for the device. Using the reading-related feedback and the one or more display-related characteristics, a reading model can be created that can indicate desired display parameters for displaying the text on the device. The desired display parameters indicated by the reading model may be used to improve reading ease of the text, displayed by the device, for the user.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 17, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor:
Robert L. Rounthwaite
Patent number: 9323460
Abstract: A hybrid drive includes multiple parts: a performance part (e.g., a flash memory device) and a base part (e.g., a magnetic or other rotational disk drive). A drive access system, which is typically part of an operating system of a computing device, issues input/output (I/O) commands to the hybrid drive to store data to and retrieve data from the hybrid drive. The drive access system assigns, based on various available information, a priority level to groups of data identified by logical block addresses (LBAs). With each I/O command, the drive access system includes an indication of the priority level of the LBA(s) associated with the I/O command. The hybrid drive determines, based on the priority level indications received from the drive access system, which LBAs are stored on which part or parts of the hybrid drive.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 20, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Mehmet Iyigun, Yevgeniy M. Bak, Eric M. Bluestein, Robin A. Alexander, Andrew M. Herron, Xiaozhong Xing
Patent number: 9323547
Abstract: Different processor cores in a computing device can support different features. In one or more embodiments, the features supported by each of multiple physical processor cores of a computing device are identified. A set of one or more features of the multiple physical processor cores to make available to virtual processor cores of the virtual machine are determined based at least in part on both the one or more features supported by each of the multiple physical processor cores and a number of virtual processor cores of the virtual machine. In additional embodiments, a multi-level scheduling model is used. An operating system level scheduler of an operating system schedules multiple applications for execution on multiple processor cores, and a user level scheduler of an application schedules application threads of that application for execution on one or more of the multiple processor cores.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 5, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
Inventor:
Ajith Jayamohan
Patent number: 9323592
Abstract: A remote procedure call channel for interprocess communication in a managed code environment ensures thread-affinity on both sides of an interprocess communication. Using the channel, calls from a first process to a second process are guaranteed to run on a same thread in a target process. Furthermore, calls from the second process back to the first process will also always execute on the same thread. An interprocess communication manager that allows thread affinity and reentrancy is able to correctly keep track of the logical thread of execution so calls are not blocked in unmanaged hosts. Furthermore, both unmanaged and managed hosts are able to make use of transparent remote call functionality provided by an interprocess communication manager for the managed code environment.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 8, 2010
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventors:
Jackson M. Davis, John A. Shepard
Patent number: 9325943
Abstract: A tele-immersive environment is described that provides interaction among participants of a tele-immersive session. The environment includes two or more set-ups, each associated with a participant. Each set-up, in turn, includes mirror functionality for presenting a three-dimensional virtual space for viewing by a local participant. The virtual space shows at least some of the participants as if the participants were physically present at a same location and looking into a mirror. The mirror functionality can be implemented as a combination of a semi-transparent mirror and a display device, or just a display device acting alone. According to another feature, the environment may present a virtual object in a manner that allows any of the participants of the tele-immersive session to interact with the virtual object.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 20, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Andrew D. Wilson, Philip A. Chou, Donald M. Gillett, Hrvoje Benko, Zhengyou Zhang, Neil S. Fishman
Patent number: 9323780
Abstract: Embodiments are directed to implementing locale-based sorting and to creating temporary metadata sorting values. In one scenario, a computer system sends a request for a contact list, where the request includes an indication of the user's locale. The contact list includes contact information for contacts of a specified user. The computer system receives the requested contact list, which includes various portions of appended, locale-specific sorting metadata for at least one of the user's contacts' fields. The computer system then sorts the contacts of the contact list according to the selected sorting criterion using the sorting metadata, where the sorting metadata includes a sorting order specific to the user's locale. After the contacts are sorted, the computer system presents the sorted contacts to the user in a user interface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 9, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
David Schwartz, Patrick Tousignant
Patent number: 9323790
Abstract: In a method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a personal catalog of media content, a plurality of media content listings is received from a plurality of network enabled media devices. The plurality of network enabled media devices has common ownership with the computer system, which comprises a network enabled media device. The plurality of media content listings and a media content listing of the computer system are used to compile a personal catalog of media content. The personal catalog of media content is displayed on the display device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 24, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventor:
David H. Sloo
Patent number: 9323833
Abstract: Online information is retrieved for a user. An original query submitted by the user is received which includes a plurality of query terms the user associates with particular online information the user is interested in. The original query is then analyzed using data from an online knowledge repository and a historical query log of a search engine to determine central concepts of the original query. A revised query results from this analysis which includes one or more of the central concepts. The revised query is then submitted to the search engine. Search results for the revised query are then provided to the user.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventors:
Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Anthony James Fader
Patent number: 9323946
Abstract: An authoring component determines the sensitivity of an authored document and generates a user interface conveying contextual educational information about data dissemination policies that apply to the document. The user interface also provides user input mechanisms that allow the user to provide inputs affect the enforcement of a given data dissemination policy on the document.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 7, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Inventors:
Brett A. Tanzer, Vidyaraman Sankaranarayanan, Lynn C. Ayres, Asaf Kashi
Patent number: 9323863
Abstract: A force directed graph may display recent activities of a message passing system as highlighted features over a larger graph. The force directed graph may display a superset of nodes and edges representing processes and message routes, then display recent activities as highlighted elements within the larger superset. The highlighted elements may display messages passed or computation performed during a recent time element of a time series. In some embodiments, the effects of activities may be displayed by decaying the highlighted visual elements over time.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 1, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Russell S. Krajec, Alexander G. Gounares
Patent number: 9323514
Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for generating a bundle package, digitally signing the bundle package, selectively disturbing the bundle package, and/or indexing one or more resource packages retrieved from the bundle package. That is, a bundle package (e.g., an application or game bundle package) comprises one or more app packages comprising application code configured to execute on various computing environments (e.g., operating systems, processors, etc.). The bundle package may comprise one or more resource packages comprising supplemental data used to provide optional user experience functionality for the application (e.g., French language support, high resolution textures, a gaming pad support, etc.). In this way, a client device may selectively download portions of the bundle package that may be relevant, which may mitigate download bandwidth, storage space, or resources otherwise used to obtain unnecessary portions of the bundle package (e.g.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 30, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Peter G. Constable, Erik Fortune, Sung-Gook Chue
Patent number: 9323921
Abstract: The disclosed architecture facilitates the sandboxing of applications by taking core operating system components that normally run in the operating system kernel or otherwise outside the application process and on which a sandboxed application depends on to run, and converting these core operating components to run within the application process. The architecture takes the abstractions already provided by the host operating system and converts these abstractions for use by the sandbox environment. More specifically, new operating system APIs (application program interfaces) are created that include only the basic computation services, thus, separating the basic services from rich application APIs. The code providing the rich application APIs is copied out of the operating system and into the application environment—the application process.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 13, 2010
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Galen C. Hunt, Donald Porter
Patent number: 9323867
Abstract: Various embodiments provide a search tool that utilizes multiple different search engines. The individual search engines are configured to conduct searches in different ways across a search space that includes different types of data sets. In at least some embodiments, the type of search engine that is utilized is a function of characteristics of the data set(s) that is (are) to be searched. In search spaces that include different types of data sets, combining and mixing different search engines to collectively search the search space can provide a desirably fast and robust user experience.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 3, 2006
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
David A. Matthews, Matthew R Lerner, David G. De Vorchik, Stuart Sechrest, Song Zou, Bret P Anderson
Patent number: 9324433
Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and computer-readable media for programming, reading, and servicing non-volatile storage device to improve data retention time and data density are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method of managing a non-volatile memory storage device includes generating output values based on an expected pattern of discrete states stored in memory cells of the storage device, comparing output values for the memory cells to expected output values using a pre-selected threshold, and based on the comparing, programming other memory cells of the storage device to refresh the programming of the other memory cells. Methods of performing service and management operations for interrupting a host system coupled a non-volatile memory storage device are also disclosed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 25, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor:
David Michael Callaghan
Patent number: 9323980
Abstract: Some implementations provide techniques and arrangements to address intrapersonal variations encountered during facial recognition. For example, some implementations transform at least a portion of an image from a first intrapersonal condition to a second intrapersonal condition to enable more accurate comparison with another image. Some implementations may determine a pose category of an input image and may modify at least a portion of the input image to a different pose category of another image for comparing the input image with the other image. Further, some implementations provide for compression of data representing at least a portion of the input image to decrease the dimensionality of the data.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Jian Sun, Qi Yin, Xiaoou Tang
Patent number: 9324299
Abstract: Atlasing and virtual surface techniques are described. In one or more implementations, virtual surface functionality is exposed by an operating system for access by one or more applications of the computing device. A virtual surface is created in response to a request from the one or more applications to be used to render visuals for display by a display device. The virtual surface is allocated in memory of the computing device by the exposed virtual surface functionality to have an area that is larger than an area to be used to display the visuals from the one or more applications.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 9, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC.
Inventors:
Leonardo E. Blanco, Silvana Patricia Moncayo, Hang Li, Mary Luo, Imran Majid, Joshua Warren Priestley, Benjamin C. Constable, Anuj B. Gosalia, Aleksandar Antonijevic, Daniel N. Wood, Max McMullen
Patent number: 9324320
Abstract: Pairs of feature vectors are obtained that represent speech. Some pairs represent two samples of speech from the same speakers, and other pairs represent two samples of speech from different speakers. A neural network feeds each feature vector in a sample pair into a separate bottleneck layer, with a weight matrix on the input of both vectors tied to one another. The neural network is trained using the feature vectors and an objective function that induces the network to classify whether the speech samples come from the same speaker. The weights from the tied weight matrix are extracted for use in generating derived features for a speech processing system that can benefit from features that are thus transformed to better reflect speaker identity.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 2, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Andreas Stolcke, Malcolm Slaney, Sree Harsha Yella
Patent number: 9324321
Abstract: The adaptation and personalization of a deep neural network (DNN) model for automatic speech recognition is provided. An utterance which includes speech features for one or more speakers may be received in ASR tasks such as voice search or short message dictation. A decomposition approach may then be applied to an original matrix in the DNN model. In response to applying the decomposition approach, the original matrix may be converted into multiple new matrices which are smaller than the original matrix. A square matrix may then be added to the new matrices. Speaker-specific parameters may then be stored in the square matrix. The DNN model may then be adapted by updating the square matrix. This process may be applied to all of a number of original matrices in the DNN model. The adapted DNN model may include a reduced number of parameters than those received in the original DNN model.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 7, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Jian Xue, Jinyu Li, Dong Yu, Michael L. Seltzer, Yifan Gong
Patent number: 9324055
Abstract: Techniques to manage remote events are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a remote event application arranged for execution by the processor circuit. The remote event application may be operative to manage remote event notifications for a publisher entity and a subscriber entity. The remote event application may comprise, among other elements, an event monitor component operative to receive an external event notification message with a publisher entity event for the publisher entity. The event monitor component may select a custom event receiver component associated with the publisher entity from among multiple custom event receiver components, and send the external event notification message to the selected custom event receiver component. The custom event receiver component may implement custom business logic, such as code callouts designed for specific application programs or system programs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 8, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Roma Shah, Vijay Balaji M., Sharad Nandwani, Pradeep Kamalakumar, Atanu Banerjee, Ashish Kumar Singhal, Suresh Sunku
Patent number: 9324063
Abstract: A reduced capability subset of an application referred to as a “starter application” is provided on a computer device prior to purchase and intended for use by a user purchasing the computer device. The starter application may monitor input from the user when the starter application is executing to ascertain opportunities to inform the user of an upgrade and then solicit the user for purchasing the upgrade. The starter application may use a limited access browser to contact a server to assist in the solicitation and complete the transaction. Upon completing the transaction, the upgrade is provided to the computing device. The upgrade may comprise the full capability version of the application, templates, clip art, or other software. The upgrade may entail transmitting the upgrade to the computer device or providing an authorization key to unlock the upgrade that is already stored on the computer device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 1, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Terry Farrell, Norbert van Woerkom, Robert McQuillan, David Mowatt, Pieter Retief Kasselman
Patent number: 9324112
Abstract: The author ranking technique described herein is a technique to rank authors in social media systems along various dimensions, using a variety of statistical methods for utilizing those dimensions. More particularly, the technique ranks authors in social media systems through a combination of statistical techniques that leverage usage metrics, and social and topical graph characteristics. In various exemplary embodiments, the technique can rank author authority by the following: 1) temporal analysis of link sharing in which authority is computed based on a user's propensity to provide early links to web pages that subsequently become popular; 2) topical authority based on the author's links and content updates in specific topic areas; and 3) popularity and influence based on nodal properties of authors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 9, 2010
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Peter Richard Bailey, Chad Carson, Scott Joseph Counts, Nikhil Bharat Dandekar, Ho John Lee, Shubha Umesh Nabar, Aditya Pal, Michael Ching, Paul Alexander Dow, Shuang Guo, Hyun-Ju Seo
Patent number: 9324979
Abstract: A slidable battery door assembly is described. In implementations, the slidable battery door assembly (hereinafter “door assembly”) includes a door that is slidable to control access to a battery compartment for a device. Also included is a battery contact inside the battery compartment that is coupled to the door. When the door is closed, the battery contact holds a battery in place and serves as a portion of an electrical circuit that includes the battery. The door may be slidably opened such that the battery contact releases the battery, allowing the battery to be removed from the battery compartment. Thus, the door assembly enables easy installation and removal of a battery. Further, the door assembly can be positioned to hold a battery securely in place and provide an electrically conductive connection between the battery and an electrical circuit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 22, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Kelong Zhao, Xianming Huang, Curtis Douglas Aumiller, Zhiwei Zhang, Minggang Ma, Luke M. Murphy, Peter W. Bristol, Jared I. Drinkwater, David M. Lane, Summer L. Schneider
Patent number: 9324113
Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for presenting social network connections in association with a search engine results page (SERP) are provided. Upon receipt of a search query, it is determined if the query is a name query and if social networking data associated with the user is available. If it is determined that the query is a name query and that social networking data associated with the user is available, it is determined if there is a connection match to the query. If it is determined that one or more social network connections of the user match the name query, the matching social network connection is presented in association with the SERP. Additionally, the user may add a presented social network connection as a first degree connection and/or send a message to a presented connection from the context of the SERP.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 28, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Eric Robert Scheel, Sameer Indarapu, Rinal Patel
Patent number: 9324168
Abstract: Technologies are described herein for correcting the layout of shapes in a diagram, and specifically for diagrams having constraint-based layouts, such as with lists of regions and shapes directly connected without connecting lines. A request is received to correct the diagram layout. Shape layouts are predicted for each region, followed by minimal region corrections corresponding to the corrected shape layouts. Corrected layouts are provided sequentially through the lists of regions while resolving conflicts. Virtual nodes may be utilized to preserve region layouts when flipping or rotating diagrams. A connection classification and prioritization system is used to layout shapes and regions within a diagram having one or more direct connections between shapes and/or regions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 25, 2010
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
John Edward Haug, III, Jie Li, Ramona Pousti Canan, Zach Andrew Barth, Amit Velingkar
Patent number: 9324184
Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for creating a three-dimensional model of an image. Image data, comprise a series of images of a location, such as along a route, can be received. The image data can comprise a first image element location for a first image element, where the first image element location may correspond to a three-dimensional point in the image, such as a location in the image with a depth from a point of observation. The first image element can be segmented into a first façade plane using the first image element location. The first façade plane can be merged with a second façade plane, resulting in a three-dimensional model of the image. The second façade plane can comprise a second image element, where the image data comprises a second image element location for the second image element.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 14, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Samuel Williams, Jett Evan Jones, Peter G. Sibley, Don Kim, Sandeep Kanumuri, Jonathan Rosenberg
Patent number: 9324182
Abstract: Techniques for single pass radiosity from depth peels are described. In one or more embodiments, radiosity for frames of a graphics presentation is computed using depth peel techniques. This may occur by rendering geometry for a frame and then computing two depth peels per frame based on the geometry, which can be used to determine occlusion of secondary bounce lights as well as color and intensity of third bounce lights for radiosity. The two depth peels may be generated in a single rendering pass by reusing rejected geometry of a front depth peel as geometry for a back depth peel. The use of depth peels in this manner enables accelerated radiosity computations for photorealistic illumination of three dimensional graphics that may be performed dynamically at frame rates typical for real-time game play and other graphics presentations.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 1, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventor:
Corrinne Yu
Patent number: 9325407
Abstract: Various techniques for providing network connectivity are described herein. In one example, a moving object includes an uplink device of the moving object to connect the moving object to a publicly available computer network. The moving object also includes a downlink device of the moving object to be communicatively coupled to a remote device at a specific segment along a route of the moving object. The remote device is to provide data received via the downlink device to a user. The moving object also further includes a cache store communicatively coupled to the uplink device and the downlink device. Implementations include the use of commercial airplanes for providing connectivity via intermittent access and refreshing of a cache store that makes content available to end users.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 15, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Eric Horvitz, Ashish Kapoor, Jie Liu, Ranveer Chandra
Patent number: 9325792
Abstract: An aggregation framework system and method that automatic configures, aggregates, disaggregates, manages, and optimizes components of a consolidated system of devices, modules, and sensors. Embodiments of the system and method include a low-power alert sensor, a data aggregator module, and an interpreter module. The low-power alert sensor is a sensor that is continuously on and continuously monitoring its environment. The low-power alert sensor acts as a watchdog and triggers other sensors to awaken them from a power-conservation state when there is a change or event that occurs in an environment. The data aggregator module manages the set of sensors within the system and aggregates sensor data obtained from the sensors. The interpreter module then translates the physical data collected by sensors into logical information. Together the data aggregator module and the interpreter module present a unified logical view of the capabilities of the sensors under their control.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
Inventors:
Kimberly Denise Auyang Hallman, Desney Tan, Ira Snyder, Peter Glaskowsky, Mats Myrberg, Michael Hall, Michael Koenig, Andrew Wilson, Greg Shirakyan, Matthew Dyor
Patent number: D754655
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 19, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Ralf Groene, Jan Raken
Patent number: D754659
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 20, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Young Soo Kim, Mike F. Deily, James Iming Tsai
Patent number: D754660
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 20, 2015
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Young Soo Kim, Mike F. Deily, James Iming Tsai
Patent number: D754681
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Jason Giles, Jeff Fleischmann, Joseph Wheeler
Patent number: D754702
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Matt Pinski, Mitchell Johnson, Brian Ralphs
Patent number: D754711
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 9, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Jeffrey Alan Herold, Nicholas R. Barling, Charla Pereira, Arianne Taylor
Patent number: D754715
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventor:
Matthew Frederick Gray
Patent number: D754725
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 30, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Larry Russell Butcher, Amish Patel, Eric T. Duong
Patent number: D754739
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 13, 2014
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2016
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventor:
Jeff Fleischmann