Microsoft Patents

Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products, services, and devices, including the Windows operating system, Microsoft Office application suite, Windows Phone operating system, Xbox game console platform, Windows Server, Windows SQL Server and Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

Microsoft Patents by Type
  • Publication number: 20200260601
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to display devices and mounting brackets for securing a bezel to a display device. In one example, a display device comprises a display unit and a bezel comprising at least one pocket. The display device comprises a mounting bracket comprising a display unit attachment portion affixed to the display unit and at least one tongue that extends at least partially into the at least one pocket. Adhesive binds the at least one tongue to at least one surface of the at least one pocket, thereby coupling the bezel to the display unit via the mounting bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Juseop PARK, John Charles MEYER, Bruce James SANDMEYER, Brian Walter AZNOE, Dallas Jamison CUTLER, James David WAHL
  • Publication number: 20200259958
    Abstract: A conference system is provided that includes a processor configured to provision a plurality of bridge telephone numbers having a plurality of different country codes, and receive a dial-out request for one of a plurality of attendees of a conference meeting for connecting to the conference meeting. The dial-out request includes a target telephone number associated with a communication device of the one of the plurality of attendees. The processor is further configured to select one of the provisioned plurality of bridge telephone numbers based on a result of a match between at least a country code of the selected bridge telephone number and the target telephone number, and cause dial-out to the target telephone number from the selected bridge telephone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Gareth Lyndon Eadred BRIDGES
  • Publication number: 20200259843
    Abstract: A digital ledger built upon a blockchain to provide users with the ability to securely, accurately, and verifiably share state information between distrustful parties is provided herein. The Verifiable Outsourced Ledger is hosted in a networked environment, accessible by multiple parties, and maintains an immutable view of the transactions submitted by authorized parties and a continuous view of the states shared between the parties that the parties can replicate independently locally to verify the integrity of the ledger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC.
    Inventors: Srinath Setty, Ramarathnam Venkatesan
  • Publication number: 20200258044
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining whether a user has deferred one or more emails. More specifically, a system and method may determine whether an email is likely to have been deferred by a user, perform at least one action on the email determined likely to have been deferred, determine a mode for providing an indication to the user to follow-up with the email determined likely to have been deferred, and cause an indication specific to the email determined likely to have been deferred to be provided to the user. In some instances, the notifications are based on a device associated with the user and/or may be included in at least one of a task management application and/or a calendar application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Huai-Hsien LIN, Chia-Jung LEE, Milad SHOKOUHI, Susan DUMAIS, Ahmed Hassan AWADALLAH, Bahareh SARRAFZADEH
  • Publication number: 20200257542
    Abstract: A configuration control transfer (“CCT”) system controls the transferring of control of configuration information of a device from a current configuration source to a target configuration source. A CCT server of the CCT system may send a request for the configuration information of the device where the configuration information of the device currently under control of the at least one first configuration source. The CCT server may also receive the requested configuration information, determine whether the second configuration source is able to support the configuration information of the first configuration source, and based at least on a determination that the second configuration source is able to support the configuration information, request that the device transfer control of the configuration information from the first configuration source to the second configuration source to unenroll the device with the first configuration source and enroll the device with the second configuration source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Tanvir Ahmed, Peter J. Kaufman, Shayak Lahiri, John Chadwell Spaith, Janani Vasudevan, Dennis Edward Flanagan
  • Publication number: 20200254800
    Abstract: An example printable structure comprises a first fabric layer that includes a first side that is printable with water-based ink. The first fabric layer is permissive to migration of the water based ink through the first fabric layer. A first adhesive layer is bonded to a second side of the first fabric layer. An ink migration barrier is bonded to the first adhesive layer opposite the first fabric layer, a second adhesive layer is bonded to the ink migration barrier opposite the first adhesive layer, and a second fabric layer is bonded to the second adhesive layer opposite the ink migration barrier. The second fabric layer is permissive to migration of the water-based ink through the second fabric layer. The ink migration barrier is configured to provide resistance to ink bleed from the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Minh Cao NGUYEN, Anthony James HEWETT, James Alec ISHIHARA, Denise Sara Kleinhans SADLER, Steven William PEPIN
  • Publication number: 20200259913
    Abstract: Architecture that enables a user to designate acceptance to receiving social cards from other user in a social network using a personal digital assistant. A mapping component maintains the mappings of all users who have accepted to participate in card sharing and the acceptance level. A whitelist of users can be created that lists the users to whom a social card can be sent from an endpoint. The user can create local groups dynamically at runtime on the local endpoint, where the local groups enable the sharing of the personalized content with multiple users concurrently. The shared card is selected by the sending user and becomes available to the PDA on the proactive canvas of the recipient's PDA along with other cards. Based on the user engagement history, these cards can be ranked among other cards social or non-social PDA cards. Conflation, push notifications, and filtering are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Rahul Gupta, Amar Kumar Dubedy, Gurpreet Singh
  • Publication number: 20200257998
    Abstract: A computing device, including memory, an accelerator device, and a processor. The processor may generate a plurality of data packs that each indicate an update to a variable of one or more variables of a combinatorial cost function. The processor may transmit the plurality of data packs to the accelerator device. The accelerator device may, for each data pack, retrieve a variable value of the variable indicated by the data pack and generate an updated variable value. The accelerator device may generate an updated cost function value based on the updated variable value. The accelerator device may be further configured to determine a transition probability using a Monte Carlo algorithm and may store the updated variable value and the updated cost function value with the transition probability. The accelerator device may output a final updated cost function value to the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthias TROYER, Helmut Gottfried KATZGRABER, Christopher Anand PATTISON
  • Publication number: 20200257858
    Abstract: A method for estimating a quality of semantic match of a first sentence to a second sentence comprises outputting a first hierarchy of representations of the first sentence at increasing degrees of semantic compression, outputting a second hierarchy of representations of the second sentence at increasing degrees of semantic compression, comparing a selected representation in the first hierarchy to each of a plurality of representations in the second hierarchy, comparing a selected representation in the second hierarchy to each of a plurality of representations in the first hierarchy, and outputting a match value indicating a quality of semantic match between the first sentence and the second sentence, the match value based at least on the comparisons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ahmed Hassan AWADALLAH, Miaosen WANG, Wei WANG, Madian KHABSA, Xiao YANG
  • Publication number: 20200257682
    Abstract: Automatically identifying insights from a dataset and presenting the insights graphically and in natural language text ranked by importance is provided. Different data types and structures in the dataset are automatic recognized and matched with a corresponding specific analysis type. The data is analyzed according to the determined corresponding analysis types, and insights from the analysis are automatically identified. The insights within a given insight type and between insight types are ranked and presented in order of importance. Insights include those having multiple pipelined attributes and other insights include multiple insights identified as having some relationship for the included insights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Rui DING, Shi HAN, Dongmei ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20200257852
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a spreadsheet application with an enhanced understanding of mathematical equations using a mathematical engine and a calculation engine. The disclosed spreadsheet application has many enhanced features, such as, but not limited to: analyzing complex equations, identifying dependencies, converting mathematical notation to spreadsheet notation, connecting variables in an equation to other cells of the spreadsheet, solving or simplifying equations, recommending different display representations of data, and a providing a math display mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christian CANTON, John CAMPBELL, Catherine HARLEY
  • Publication number: 20200257245
    Abstract: One disclosed example provides a computing device comprising a logic subsystem comprising a processor, and memory storing instructions executable by the logic subsystem. The instructions are executable to display via a display system one or more holographic objects, receive depth image data from a depth image sensor, detect a user input setting a trajectory for a selected holographic object, in response to detecting the user input setting the trajectory for the selected holographic object, determine the trajectory for the selected holographic object set by the user input, determine, based upon the depth image data and the trajectory, a surface intersected by the trajectory of the selected holographic object, and display via the display system the selected holographic object as travelling along the trajectory and changing in form upon encountering the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Addison Kenan LINVILLE, Jarod Wayne LENZ ERWIN, Dong Yoon PARK
  • Patent number: 10740195
    Abstract: This document relates to data storage techniques. One example can buffer write commands and cause the write commands to be committed to storage in flush epoch order. Another example can maintain a persistent log of write commands that are arranged in the persistent log in flush epoch order. Both examples may provide a prefix consistent state in the event of a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: James W. Mickens, Amar Phanishayee, Vijaychidambaram Velayudhan Pillai
  • Patent number: 10740258
    Abstract: An I/O processing system includes reception of a request to perform an I/O operation at a storage driver, and, in response to receiving the request, providing of the request to a storage device, and scheduling a timer associated with a callback routine to determine whether the storage device has completed the I/O operation, and, in response to expiration of the scheduled timer, determination of whether the storage device has completed the I/O operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Andrew Alexander, HoYuen Chau, Xiaozhong Xing, Danyu Zhu, Liang Yang, Vishal Jose Mannanal
  • Patent number: 10737185
    Abstract: In a virtual environment such as an online game, a voice chat audio signal controls the volume of chat audio signals between users. The volume of chat audio signals between users can be controlled depending on one or more factors such as volume of the user's voices spoken into their audio input device and the relative positions of virtual objects controlled by the users. In one implementation, a voice chat audio signal from a first user to a second user is reduced in volume if a distance between the virtual objects of the first and second players exceeds a threshold distance and if the volume in audio input device of the first player is less than a threshold volume. A volume of a user's chat input can also control aspects of a virtual environment. The result a more realistic audible chat interaction among users controlling characters in a virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Fargo
  • Patent number: 10739979
    Abstract: A histogram slider application accesses, from a data storage of a machine, file activities performed on the machine as a function of time. The histogram slider application determines points in time at which a level of file activities exceeds an activity level threshold that is based on historical levels of file activities on the machine. The histogram slider application generates a graphical user interface comprising a histogram indicative of the file activities over time and the determined points in time, a slider configured to move along a timeline that is parallel to the histogram, and a list of file activities corresponding to a first position of the slider on the timeline, the first position indicating a first time on the histogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin N. Truelove, Zi Gu, Naresh Kannan
  • Patent number: 10737172
    Abstract: A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis, a force sensor configured to determine an actuation force applied to the user-actuatable trigger, and a force-feedback motor operatively coupled to the user-actuatable trigger. The force-feedback motor is configured to activate based on a force-feedback signal and adjust a user-perceived state of the user-actuatable trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Schmitz, Gabriel Michael Rask Gassoway, Jonathan Shea Robinson
  • Patent number: 10740328
    Abstract: A processing unit can determine a first subset of a data set including data records selected based on measure values thereof. The processing unit can determine an index mapping a predicate to data records associated with that predicate and approximation values of the records. The processing unit can process a query against the first subset to provide a first result and a first accuracy value, determine that the first accuracy value does not satisfy an accuracy criterion, and process the query against the index. In some examples, the processing unit can process the query against a second subset including data records satisfying a predetermined predicate. In some examples, the processing unit can receive data records and determine the first subset. Data records can include respective measure values. Data records with higher measure values can occur in the first subset more frequently than data records with lower measure values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Bolin Ding, Silu Huang, Chi Wang, Kaushik Chakrabarti, Surajit Chaudhuri
  • Patent number: 10740367
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein for indicating a change to content in a document to a user. A document is displayed in a user interface to an application. Content then is introduced into the document from a source external to the document. After the content has been introduced into the document, the source of the content is queried for any changes to the content at the source. If a change has occurred, an indication of the change to the content at the source is introduced in the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Taylor, Robyn Sambo, James S. Masson, Michael Gary Heyns, Victor Poznanski, Ruth Kikin-Gil, Seth Fox, Yibing Zhu, Georges Krinker, Robin Emily Wakefield, Robert A. Little, Ali Taleghani
  • Patent number: 10740079
    Abstract: Methods and devices for selecting an application for download for use with hardware on a computer device may include receiving, from a remote application store, application metadata that includes at least one hardware constraint for an application in response to an application request for installation of the application. The methods and devices may include evaluating the application metadata to determine whether the at least one hardware constraint is satisfied on the computer device. The methods and devices may include installing the application when the at least one hardware constraint is satisfied on the computer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Viraf Rusi Gandhi, Doron Joseph Holan, Zachary Allan Lockard
  • Patent number: 10739986
    Abstract: Techniques for a circuit board for an input device are described. In at least some embodiments, an input device is integrated into a circuit board of an apparatus. For instance, a touch interaction region of the input device is formed by cutting and/or etching a portion of the circuit board such that the touch interaction region is moveable with respect to adjacent portions of the circuit board. According to one or more embodiments, an input device includes a switch such that movement of the touch interaction region actuates the switch to generate a click input event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyue Xie, Rahul Marwah, John Jacob Nelson, Ivan Andrew McCracken, David Otto Whitt, III
  • Patent number: 10740220
    Abstract: Performing breakpoint detection via a cache includes detecting an occurrence of a memory access and identifying whether any cache line of the cache matches an address associated with the memory access. When a cache line does match the address associated with the memory access no breakpoint was encountered. When no cache line matches the address associated with the memory access embodiments identify whether any cache line matches the address associated with the memory access when one or more flag bits are ignored. When a cache line does match the address associated with the memory access when the one or more flag bits are ignored, embodiment perform a check for whether a breakpoint was encountered. Otherwise, embodiments process a cache miss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Jordi Mola
  • Patent number: 10739988
    Abstract: A personalized persistent collection of customized inking tools is provided. In an ink-enabled application, a user is enabled to create new inking tools and to select properties to associate with the new inking tools according to the user's wants/needs. Inking tool elements illustrative of the properties associated with the user-customized inking tools are included in an inking tool tray displayed in a UI of the application. The user-selected properties associated with the user-customized inking tools are stored in a data store that is accessible by the application and other applications from various computing devices. The inking tool tray is consistent across applications and computing devices for allowing the user to create, keep, and roam a customized set of inking tools, and providing the user with one-click access to the user's customized inking tools. Advantageously, the user does not have to repeatedly set up an inking tool with often-used attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alex Jacob Simmons, Lisa Carolyn Cherian, L. Tucker Hatfield, Sarah Elizabeth Sykes
  • Patent number: 10740078
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of dynamically installing plugin(s) for application(s). An agent plugin is caused to run in a deployment of a specified application (e.g., across multiple machines in a cloud environment or “on premises”). The specified application is packaged to include the agent plugin. The agent plugin is used to install designated plugin(s) dynamically based on configuration information regarding the specified application. The configuration information indicates that the designated plugin(s) are to be installed in response to the specified application being deployed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip M. Hoff, Anthony Lavel Crider, Sung Hon Wu, Lubomir I. Birov, John A. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 10739993
    Abstract: A computing device includes a touch-sensitive user interface configured to present a unified collaborative session for two or more users, and an authentication module configured to simultaneously identify and authenticate multiple users physically co-located within a collaborative environment, allowing each of the multiple users to interact with the touch-sensitive user interface. A content module is configured to simultaneously provide one or more content portals within the unified collaborative session for each authenticated user. Each content portal is configured to enable an authenticated user to access, retrieve, and present user-owned content files within the unified collaborative session. In this way, multiple users may simultaneously access, retrieve, and present their own content files on a single computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Stanley T. Birchfield, Avronil Bhattacharjee, Kevin Juho Venalainen, Arthur Baker
  • Patent number: 10739875
    Abstract: A method includes detecting presence of a handheld device in proximity of a touch enabled device and negotiating communication capabilities between the handheld device and a digitizer system of the touch enabled device. At least one of the handheld device and the digitizer system is configured to match a defined communication capability of the other of the at least one of the handheld device and digitizer system. Input from the handheld device is tracked via an electrostatic communication channel between the handheld device and the digitizer system based on the defined communication configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Arie Gur, Amir Zyskind, Ilan Geller
  • Patent number: 10740349
    Abstract: A system for reuse of content within documents can include storage media on which a document graph is stored, and indexing software that, when executed by a processing system, directs the processing system to at least: identify content component types within a source document; and represent content components in a document graph at least connected by ‘contains’ edge to source document. A search of the document graph for reusable content can then be directed to related content components including those of a particular content component type or relevancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Bernhard S. J. Kohlmeier, Pradeep Chilakamarri, Bjørn Olstad
  • Patent number: 10740339
    Abstract: Systems and methods for query term weighting are disclosed. A server receives a search query for employment candidates, the search query comprising a set of parameters, each parameter having a weight. The server generates, from a data repository storing records associated with professionals, a first set of search results based on the set of parameters and the weights of the parameters in the set. The server transmits the first set of search results. The server receives a response to search result(s) from the first set of search results, the search result(s) being associated with a set of factors, the response indicating a level of interest in the search result(s). The server adjusts the parameters in the set of parameters or adjusts the weights of the parameters based on the response to the search result(s). The server provides an output based on the adjusted parameters or the adjusted weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nadeem Anjum, Skylar Payne, Jerry Lin, Benjamin John McCann, Erik Eugene Buchanan
  • Patent number: 10740086
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses manage rolling out of updates in a network-accessible server infrastructure which operates a plurality of instances of a supporting service. The supporting service is comprised by a plurality of service portions. The instances of the supporting service each include of the service portions. The instances of the supporting service are partitioned into a plurality of slices. Each instance is partitioned to include one or more of the slices, and each slice of an instance includes one or more of the service portions. A software update is deployed to the instances by applying the software update to the slices in a sequence such that the software update is applied to a same slice in parallel across the instances containing that same slice before being applied to a next slice, and waiting a wait time before applying the software domain to a next slice in the sequencing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Huaming Huang, Yue Zhao, Muhammad Usman Sharif, Abhishek Singh, Avnish Kumar Chhabra
  • Patent number: 10740388
    Abstract: A computing device initiates a linked capture session to enable automatic image sharing by multiple users and devices. The linked capture session is a group of devices that automatically share captured images during the linked capture session. The linked capture session may be initiated based on a location, a group of people, and/or a time duration. The images captured by devices that are connected in the linked capture session are automatically communicated to a remote storage system that allows all users to access the images through devices connected to the linked capture session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Michal Hlavac, Mark A. DeFalco, Mark Davis Schwesinger
  • Patent number: 10740541
    Abstract: Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to validate statements made as part of a document creation or editing process. As the user edits or creates a document using a document creation/editing application, statements made in the document can be submitted to a validation service in a proactive or reactive manner. The statement validation service receives the statement, resolves any coreferences using a coreference resolution process. Once coreferences in the statement have been resolved and replaced, entities are resolved using an entity resolution process. Predicates are then resolved using a predicate resolution process. Entity-predicate pairs are then used to traverse a knowledge graph to extract information relevant to the statement. Suggested corrections are created from the extracted information and presented to the user via the document creation/editing application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Zambre, Rohit Paravastu, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Rajeev Kumar, Srivatsava Daruru
  • Patent number: 10740420
    Abstract: A platform for generating query-answer pairs is described herein, wherein the platform is well-suited for generating query-answer pairs for a variety of topics. The platform comprises a topic-specific classifier that is configured to identify queries from a query log that are fact-seeking queries that belong to a topic. The platform further comprises a domain identifier component that identifies domains that are relevant to the topic, wherein the domains comprise pages. The platform further includes a passage extraction system that comprises a hierarchy of rankers, wherein the passage extraction system is configured to identify passages in the pages that belong to the domain that comprise answers to the fact-seeking queries that belong to the topic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Mridu Baldevraj Narang, Guihong Cao, Jinxi Xu
  • Patent number: 10740361
    Abstract: Systems and devices for the evaluation and analysis of the usage of commands within user interfaces are disclosed. In an example, operations for clustering and analysis of commands performed in a user interface may include: processing data that identifies a set of commands used in a software application; identifying coordinated usage of respective commands of the set of commands; identifying clusters of commands based on the coordinated usage among the respective commands; defining associations within the clusters of commands based on relevancy, wherein the relevancy is determined for a respective cluster from clustering parameters such as a confidence value and a support level value; and identifying output features in the software application based on the clusters of commands. In a further example, the output features may include a presentation of a suggested command, or a change to a presentation of a user interface object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Yi Zhang, Claudio A. Aldana Rosenberg, Kevin R. Beto
  • Patent number: 10740407
    Abstract: A facility for managing information about document-related activities is described. In some cases, the facility uses particular kinds of structures to represent, in a document graph, document-related activities performed by particular users. In some cases, the facility uses these structures to enable one user to subscribe to the document-related activities performed by another user. In some cases, the facility uses these structures to aggregate document-related activities performed by users in a group of users, such as by aggregating topics that are addressed by documents that are the subject of these document-related activities. In some cases, the facility uses particular kinds of structures to represent, in a document graph, tasks that certain users either can help with or need help with. In some cases, the facility uses these structures to match users that can help with a task with users that need help with a task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Mullins, Joshua Allen Cowhig, Robert Earl Standefer, III
  • Patent number: 10740389
    Abstract: Methods and devices for creating a sound log of activities may include receiving a detected sound from at least one sensor on a computer device. The methods and devices may include comparing the detected sound to a plurality of audio patterns stored in a sound database. The methods and devices may include identifying a sound event for the detected sound based at least upon the comparison of the detected sound to the plurality of audio patterns. The methods and devices may include identifying context information that provides a context for the sound event. The methods and devices may include updating a sound log with the sound event and the context information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, KKC
    Inventors: Priya Ganadas, Adolfo Hernandez Santisteban, Aaron Daniel Krauss, Andrew Frederick Muehlhausen
  • Patent number: 10740971
    Abstract: A wearable, head-mounted display system includes a near-eye display to display an augmented reality object perceivable at an apparent real world depth and an apparent real world location by a wearer of the head-mounted display system, and a controller to adjust the apparent real world location of the augmented reality object as a function of a field of view (FOV) of the wearer. The function is based on a bounding region of the augmented reality object and one or more overlap parameters between the bounding region of the augmented reality object and the FOV of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Ramsby, Joe Thompson, Dan Osborn, Shawn Crispin Wright, Brian Kramp, Megan Saunders, Forest Woodcroft Gouin
  • Patent number: 10740689
    Abstract: Quantum circuits are synthesized based on a projective gate set derived from a set of single-qubit gates, typically a basis set such as the Clifford+T gates or the V-gates. An initial projective gate set is used to determine at least one characteristic of a quaternion algebra, and the quaternion algebra is used to define a new projective gate set. Exactly synthesizable unitaries are identified, and a circuit approximating a target unitary is defined in the single-qubit gate set by mapping from the new projective gate set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Vadym Kliuchnikov, Jon Yard
  • Patent number: 10742990
    Abstract: A data compression apparatus is described which has an encoder configured to receive an input data item and to compress the data item into an encoding comprising a plurality of numerical values. The numerical values are grouped at least according to whether they relate to content of the input data item or style of the input data item. The encoder has been trained using a plurality of groups of training data items grouped according to the content and where training data items within individual ones of the groups vary with respect to the style. The encoder has been trained using a training objective which takes into account the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Nowozin, Ryota Tomioka, Diane Bouchacourt
  • Patent number: 10740549
    Abstract: Systems and methods for charting audio files and/or attributes of audio files associated with a spreadsheet are provided. For instance, when an audio file is associated with a spreadsheet, the audio file may be treated as a new type of data within the spreadsheet. In some aspects, a plurality of audio files may be associated with a spreadsheet, e.g., within a single cell or within a range of cells. In some aspects, the audio files themselves, as well as audio data (e.g., modulated data representing soundwaves, etc.), audio attributes (e.g., frequency, amplitude, sampling rate, codec, bitrate, volume, pitch, speed, channel, audio effects, author/artist, creation date and/or time, file name, file size, duration, etc.), and/or spreadsheet data (e.g., values in cells, user comments, etc.) may be incorporated into a report (e.g., a chart) using a spreadsheet charting function, either automatically or by user selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John Campbell, Jim Sun, Samuel C. Radakovitz, Matthew Hart Fichtner, Christian Canton
  • Patent number: 10740704
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a system and method for providing intelligently-selected collections of user-centric content in a web browser. When implemented as a method, the method includes maintaining a user-centric graph with a plurality of user-centric facts derived from user interaction with different computer services. The method further includes recognizing different contexts of interest to the user. For each context, a collection of user-centric facts pertaining to the context are recognized in the user-centric graph, such recognition being based on a relationship between user-centric facts in the user-centric graph. The method further includes, for each context, displaying intelligently-selected content based on the collection of user-centric facts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Vipindeep Vangala, Nishchay Kumar, Ankur Hayatnagarkar
  • Patent number: 10740553
    Abstract: A review workflow graph (e.g., graph database) is provided that is a graphical representation of a review workflow assigned to a document and/or an individual document section. In particular, contents of the document may be stored as nodes in the review workflow graph. As the reviewers perform the review workflow, results associated with one or more review processes may be recorded and stored in the review workflow graph with relationships to the content nodes. In aspects, the graph of nodes may be materialized into a view of the document and/or a review timeline. For instance, portions of the document that have been completed may be materialized, but content that is not yet complete (e.g., reached a milestone) may not be materialized. Additionally, the review timeline may be a visual or other representation of the temporal progress of the review workflow, including intermediate milestones as well as an ultimate completion deadline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Mullins, Robert Standefer
  • Patent number: 10740621
    Abstract: Techniques for classifying videos as standalone or non-standalone are provided. Feature (or attribute) values associated with a particular video are identified. Feature values are extracted from metadata associated with the particular video and/or from within a transcript of the particular video. The extracted feature values of the particular video are input to a rule-based or a machine-learned model and the model scores the particular video. Once a determination pertaining to whether the particular video is standalone is made, information about the particular video being a standalone video is presented to one or more users within the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gungor Polatkan, Mahesh S. Joshi, Fares Hedayati, Bonnie Bills
  • Patent number: 10740639
    Abstract: The electronic devices described herein are configured to enhance user experience associated with using a pen or other writing implement and capturing the content written or drawn. A cartridge device is coupled to or included in the pen or writing implement. The cartridge device is configured to collect pen input based on the pen being used by a user to write or draw. Collected pen input is saved on the cartridge device and, when a connection to a network storage device or cloud server is detected, the collected pen input is uploaded. The cartridge device may be associated with a user account based on user credentials, such that pen input stored and/or uploaded is associated with the user account on the cartridge device and don the network storage device or cloud server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Arunabh P. Verma, Sophie A. Beland, Oluwadara Oke, William M. Geraci, II, Kevin J. Jeyakumar
  • Patent number: 10740960
    Abstract: An augmented reality device includes a logic machine and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine to, for one or more real-world surfaces represented in a three-dimensional representation of a real-world environment of the augmented reality device, fit a virtual two-dimensional plane to the real-world surface. A request to place a virtual three-dimensional object on the real-world surface is received. For each of a plurality of candidate placement locations on the virtual two-dimensional plane, the candidate placement location is evaluated as a valid placement location or an invalid placement location for the virtual three-dimensional object. An invalidation mask is generated that defines the valid and invalid placement locations on the virtual two-dimensional plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Szymon Piotr Stachniak, Hendrik Mark Langerak, Michelle Brook
  • Patent number: 10740252
    Abstract: A processor may be coupled to a flash memory by way of an interface. The processor may be caused to read and/or write data, such as computer executable instructions, from/to the flash memory via the interface. An interface filter may be interposed between the processor and the flash memory to enhance the security and validity of data transactions associated with the processor and the flash memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan David Kelly, Christopher Lawrence Weimer, Mark Andrew Shaw, Priya Raghu
  • Patent number: 10740461
    Abstract: Identification of an entity performing a deletion or modification action on locally stored files and notification to mitigate risks to cloud stored files is provided. A local or remote file watcher may monitor locally stored files and detect a deletion or modification action. The file watcher may also identify an entity performing the deletion or modification action. The entity may be an application, a process, a user other than the user that is the owner of the files, or the user himself/herself. The file watcher may further determine one or more alert conditions or rules associated with the affected file(s) and/or the entity, that is under which circumstances an alert is to be issued. The alert notification(s) may be issued to the user, an administrator, a cloud storage service, and/or a data protection service such that protective measures can be taken if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Filip Chelarescu, John D. Rodrigues, Steven J. Bailey, Adam C. Czeisler
  • Patent number: D892836
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Wheeler, Aron Richard Chavez, Theodore Aaron Haberman, Yi-An Chien, Kenneth Lobb
  • Patent number: D892858
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Wheeler, Aron Richard Chavez, Theodore Aaron Haberman, Yi-An Chien, Kenneth Lobb
  • Patent number: D892859
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Wheeler, Aron Richard Chavez, Theodore Aaron Haberman, Yi-An Chien, Kenneth Lobb
  • Patent number: D892904
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Simon Cameron Dearsley, Benjamin S. Peterson, Go Osaki, Yan Shang