Patents Examined by Dennis-Doon Chow
  • Patent number: 8832552
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for automating avatar selection for groups are disclosed. A representative method includes providing a software application accessible to multiple users, and a database of available avatar characteristics that are selectively combinable to create user-specific avatars with which the users can represent themselves to each other in the application. User(s) associated with a group provide an instruction that associates a first set of the available avatar characteristics with the group. For users associated with the group, access is then restricted to the first set of avatar characteristics, and for users not associated with the group, access is restricted to a different second set of available avatar characteristics. Avatar characteristics in the first set may be selected by an automated procedure that analyzes user-specific avatars of some users, and selects which of the available avatar characteristics to include in the first set based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Juha Arrasvuori, Elina Ollila
  • Patent number: 8607142
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for aligning document actions specified in a documented procedure with demonstrated user actions. The apparatus includes an alignment device for computing an alignment between the document actions and the demonstrated user actions based on at least one similarity metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bergman, Vittorio Castelli, Eugene Rogan Creswick, Tessa A. Lau, Daniel A. Oblinger
  • Patent number: 8266539
    Abstract: Variables incorporated into a hypertext markup language document enable location of hypertext elements. Once the variable is located, the information contained within the identified hypertext element may be used in other applications. The information may be received, as a recognized input, by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Oleg B. Rashkovskiy
  • Patent number: 8196058
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image data storage unit, an operation unit, a generation unit, a display unit and a control unit. The image data storage unit stores plural pieces of image data. The operation unit allows a user to input an instruction. The generation unit outputs one of a first list of the stored image data in a first display form and a second list of the stored image data in a second display form according to the instruction. The control unit controls the display unit to display the one. When the generation unit switches from outputting the one to outputting the other in accordance with the input instruction, the control unit controls the display unit to display the other so that image data, which is displayed at a particular position in a previous display form, is displayed at a particular position in a current display form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Saitoh
  • Patent number: 8176433
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a computer program window define an area of a computer program window and compute a hash value for the defined area. The computed hash value is stored and the hash value is recomputed for the defined area after a predetermined time period. The recomputed hash value is compared with the stored. If the stored hash value and the recomputed hash value are different, the method and system overwrite the stored hash value with the recomputed hash value, and generate a notification. Recomputing, comparing, overwriting and generating are performed periodically to monitor the changes in the defined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic J. Bauchot, Gerard Marmigere, Joaquin Picon, Xavier Rey-Robert, Vincent Tassy
  • Patent number: 8171428
    Abstract: An interactive user interface (UI) to manage searching of data is disclosed. The UI includes a first display panel configured to display a parent context view and a child context view thereon and a second display panel configured to display a diagram of an enlarged portion of the child context view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Li Ding
  • Patent number: 8146016
    Abstract: An improved user interface is provided for displaying a gallery of images showing different formatting options combinations that may be applied to a selected object. When a particular image is selected an associated formatting options combination is automatically applied to the selected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew M. Himberger, Tracey M. Gauthier, Aaron M. Butcher, Jensen M. Harris, Jesse Clay Satterfield
  • Patent number: 8015485
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing the spatial coordinates and visual attributes of objects within a user interface (UI). A Web UI ruler is executed within a UI comprising a plurality of objects. A first object and second object are selected. The Web UI Ruler then collects the spatial coordinate and visual attribute values for the first and second object and their relationship values are determined. The spatial coordinate and visual attribute values for the first and second objects, along with their corresponding relationship values, are modified and the modifications are applied to the target objects. The values are then stored in the Web UI ruler. These values can then be subsequently applied to one or more target objects. Alternatively, the stored values are exported as a cascading style sheet (CSS) class, which can then likewise be subsequently applied to one or more target objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yingxin Xing, Angela Richards Jones, Henri Fouotsop Meli, Stephanie Lee Walter, Tong Yu
  • Patent number: 8015503
    Abstract: To solve an overlap between a part table and components automatically and adequately in a drawing using a CAD. In a part table creating method for creating a part table including a plurality of rows of CAD data, an overlap between the part table and other geometric elements is detected. When the overlap is detected, the height of the respective rows of the part table is reduced to H1. When the overlap between the part table and the other geometric elements still remains even when the respective rows of the part table is reduced to the height H1, the number of overlapped rows between the part table and the geometric element are obtained. The portion of the overlapped rows is separated and moved in the direction to avoid the overlap with the geometric elements to separate into an original part table and a destination part table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Yahagi
  • Patent number: 8015506
    Abstract: A system provides customized user interface data to a media application, such as a media discovery interface, or to any application for that matter, thereby extending the original application. Via a network connection, elements of a menu in a user interface can be downloaded to the application in a package of resources, including images, text, and links. A user interface framework of the media application processes a menu markup data resident on the local computer system and utilizes packaged resources, local code components, and externally-obtained (e.g., Web resources) to render a customized menu for the media application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Fleishman, John Elsbree, William Linzbach
  • Patent number: 7996780
    Abstract: Block layout features in an interface under design are visually enhanced for a designer. When viewing the interface in a graphical design view of a development environment (DE), the DE adds a fill color for certain layout blocks making up the interface. The color selected for the block is selected to contrast against the colors of any adjacent blocks. The DE may also add visual representations showing the box model parameters of the layout blocks making up the interface. The developer is, therefore, able to see the visual block layout of the interface and also the basic layout of any of the individual blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: Victor Mitnick
  • Patent number: 7992099
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing a graphic user interface composed of a plurality of columns. The apparatus includes a command receiving unit, a determining unit, a display unit, and a transmitting/receiving unit. The command receiving unit receives a movement command or a selection command for a selector for selecting an item of at least one of the columns on the graphic user interface. The determining unit determines whether to activate items of the other columns associated with the selected item of a column. The display unit outputs the activated items of the other columns using the graphic user interface. The transmitting/receiving unit transmits a command message according to item selection with respect to the output activated columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-kyu Jin, Sun-wha Chung, Hee-seon Park, Kyoung-hoon Yi
  • Patent number: 7971154
    Abstract: A graphical user interface is disclosed for tracking and managing the use of text boxes by providing visual aids that make it easy for a user to see which text boxes are linked to which, as well as the order of text boxes in a linked chain. The present system also makes it easy to track the creation and breaking of linked text box chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Han-Yi Shaw, Brent M. Lang
  • Patent number: 7966576
    Abstract: A method of providing a graphical user interface includes displaying a graphic representation of a data object at an initial location, receiving a command selecting the data object from a user, moving the graphical representation of the data object towards a destination location upon receiving an indication of the destination location from a user, and causing an at least indirect transition of the object from a first state to a second state at a time when the graphical representation of the data object is positioned substantially at a final destination location. Output enables a user to distinguish the first state from the second state. A first timer is started in response to receiving an indication of a destination location from a user through the interface. The transition from the first state to the second state is automatically caused only after the first timer has run over a pre-determined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Ronald R. F. Dongelmans
  • Patent number: 7962859
    Abstract: A method and system for displaying hierarchical data. An orthogonal table structure, which includes a row structure S1, a column structure S2, and an array structure S3, is displayed. S1 and S2 include hierarchical levels of a first hierarchy E1 and a second hierarchy E2, respectively, of linked non-numeric data items. S3 is an array of cells such that every combination of a linear path through S1 and a linear path through S2 has an intersection disposed in the orthogonal table structure at a unique cell of S3. An assignment icon is depicted at each cell of S3, such that selection of the assignment icon at each cell results in displaying data items of a flat vector E3 of non-numeric data items. One of data items of E3 may be selected for insertion or replacement in each cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Srinivas Attili, Ajay A. Divekar, Srinivas Jujjuru
  • Patent number: 7934158
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and system for generating documentation for a graphical user interface (GUI) usage scenario. There is also disclosed a method and system for assembling a GUI script from a plurality of pre-scripted parts. In an embodiment, shadow objects are created to listen to and report activities of each GUI object of interest during a GUI usage session. The shadow objects may listen to shadowed GUI object activities during playback of the GUI script, or during a live GUI usage session. GUI object activities reported by the shadow objects are identified and converted into narrative language statements, using a pre-determined conversion list, to create human-readable documentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alan John McLean
  • Patent number: 7930641
    Abstract: An icon representing a target object is constituted by a pin main body, which comprises a head and a needle, and a shadow of the pin main body. The display and control of the target object are changed by changing display states of the pin main body and the shadow. For example, if a decision button is depressed and released with a cursor pointer placed on the head, the target object is displayed on the screen of a display. When the target object is displayed on the screen and is in an unexecuted state, the needle is displayed so that it has stuck halfway. When the target object is being executed, the needle is displayed so that it has stuck deeply. When the target object and the icon are in a movable state, the needle is displayed so that it is floating. When the target object is in an enlargeable or reducible state, the head is displayed so that it is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sangikyo Corporation
    Inventor: Sugawara Kohei
  • Patent number: 7930650
    Abstract: Media menu items are generated within a media interface environment. Media menu item abstractions are generated, one of the media menu item abstractions arranged in a foreground position, and one or more of the media menu item abstractions arranged in background positions in the media interface environment. Selection of a media menu items transitions to a corresponding content menu interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Brodersen, Rachel Clare Goldeen, Jeffrey Ma, Mihnea Calin Pacurariu, Eric Taylor Seymour, Jeff Robbin, Thomas Michael Madden
  • Patent number: 7925978
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for designating a memory region for receiving image frames from an image frame server, the image frames are from a first sequence of image frames. Each image frame in the first sequence of image frames is associated with a time position on a first timeline. A needed image frame is selected, the needed image frame associated with a second time position on a second timeline. The second time position is mapped on the second timeline to a first time position on the first timeline. The image frame server is requested to provide an image frame from the first sequence of image frames at the first time position on the first timeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: David McGavran, Paul E. Young, Enzo Guerrera
  • Patent number: 7925975
    Abstract: A user can access a searching component that allows the user to enter search terms to search for commands associated with a computer program. The most likely commands are provided to the user, and a command can be selected for execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Aravind Bala, Karen E. Fries