Patents Examined by Nicholas S Ulrich
  • Patent number: 10088988
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing digital video effects (DVE) operates to embed DVE functionality within a graphics modeling system and provides the user with an interface configured to present model elements to a user as controllable parameters. In order to embed DVE functionality, a dynamic data structure is introduced as a scene to allow the addition of user defined model elements. The user interface enables the identification of, and access to the newly introduced model elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GVBB HOLDINGS S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Ralph Andrew Silberstein, Donald Johnson Childers, David Sahuc
  • Patent number: 8028236
    Abstract: A method for presenting system services can include the step of establishing a multitude of system service profiles. A request for the presentation of system services can be detected. One of the system service profiles associated with the request can be determined. For example, the system service profile can be determined based at least in part upon user identity. The system service profile can also be determined based at least in part upon server identity. At least one system service can be listed in accordance with the determined system service profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Keith A. Thuerk
  • Patent number: 8015496
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating visual social communication through co-browsing is provided. A social session is established and includes a plurality of Web browsers. Each Web browser is loaded with social session code, which displays a social viewport. Substantially similar portions of Web content are synchronously displayed in the social viewport of each Web browser. A social change is displayed in the social viewport of one such Web browser. The social change is partitioned into at least one social change segment Each social change segment is transmitted to each other of the Web browsers. Each social change segment is received and displayed in the other Web browsers, such that the social change is reproduced smoothly in the Web browsers as the social change is progressively created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Sesh, Inc.
    Inventor: Jarrod C. Rogers
  • Patent number: 8010901
    Abstract: A system and method for automated synchronized co-browsing is provided. A co-browse session is established and includes a plurality of Web browsers. Each Web browser is loaded with social session code, which displays a social viewport. Web content is obtained in response to a request from one such Web browser. The Web content is provided to each Web browser. Substantially similar portions of the Web content are made viewable in each social viewport by selectively resizing the social viewports of the Web browsers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Sesh, Inc.
    Inventor: Jarrod C. Rogers
  • Patent number: 8006194
    Abstract: Associating an object with a relevant data source is disclosed. In some embodiments, an object pasted into a destination document is associated with a data source included in the destination document. In various embodiments, the data source associated with the object may comprise a data source concurrently pasted with the object into the destination document, a data source already existing in the destination document prior to the object being pasted into the destination document, or a data source generated in the destination document using data extracted from the pasted object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Glen Berger, Peter William Rapp, Michael Duncan Trent, Christopher Douglas Weeldreyer
  • Patent number: 8001470
    Abstract: A computer system executes a host application that generates a graphical user interface for display on a respective user's display screen. In addition to executing the host application, the computer system (or other computer) provides an environment for executing a so-called help agent (e.g., a plug-in module) associated with the host application. The help agent can initiate display of a help window along with a graphical user interface displayed by the host application. Depending on the embodiment, the help agent can provide one or more functions such as retrieval and display of help information links in the help window to different types of help information, application of commands to the graphical user interface application via input with respect to the help window, and viewing of application hint information in the help window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Adobe Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon S. Chen, Timothy W. Strickland, Philip Guindi, Britt Miura
  • Patent number: 7987428
    Abstract: A user interface programmed to create a digital dashboard includes a dashboard workspace including one or more zones, and a dashboard elements area including a plurality of dashboard elements. A dashboard element of the dashboard elements is dragged and dropped onto one of the zones to add the dashboard element to the digital dashboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Van de Walker Handy, Leif Christian Brenne, Peter Birkedal Peterson, Eric Friedrichsen, Scott W. Bishel
  • Patent number: 7979799
    Abstract: A computer connectable image display apparatus for presentation is provided. The image display apparatus has a candidate information obtaining unit, a selection screen display unit, a presentation execution instruction unit, and a drawing screen display unit. The candidate information obtaining unit obtains selection candidate information generated by the computer relating selection candidates for a presentation subject file. The selection screen display unit generates and displays a selection screen for selecting the presentation subject file based on the selection candidate information. The presentation execution instruction unit makes the computer to execute the selected presentation subject file by sending selection results with the selection screen. The drawing screen display unit captures and displays a computer drawing screen drawn by the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7979785
    Abstract: A user interface (e.g., a browser window) includes a display area for displaying an image (e.g., a book page image). The image can be rescaled based on the dimensions of the display area, one or more attributes of the image and other factors. In some implementations, a sequence of images are searched for a table of contents. If a table of contents does not exist, one is created by searching the images for white space and/or other attributes that can be used to determined entries in the table of contents. The entries in the table of contents can be hypertext links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Xuefu Wang, Jeffrey Bartelma, Adam B. Mathes
  • Patent number: 7921369
    Abstract: A mood state may be modeled using mood information for a content selection (e.g., a digitally-encoded song) and/or by using mood information determined by how a user is interacting with a media player. For example, a playlist engine on a host may determine that a particular song is associated with an uplifting mood, thus determining that a user who has selected that particular song currently is in an uplifting mood, and correspondingly may select additional songs and advertisements consistent with, or responsive to, the uplifting mood. Mood information also may be used to present a mood state of users (e.g., co-users) in a network for display in a graphical user interface (GUI). For example, a user's screen name appearing in an America Online (AOL) Instant Messenger's Buddy List may indicate a determined user's mood, such as “happy”, “sad”, “silly”, or “angry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Bill
  • Patent number: 7913188
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the graphical selection of objects. A selection indicator, one or more object indicators, and a position indicator are presented on a display. The selection indicator may be manipulated to indicate object indicators by rotating the selection indicator until an object indicators is within the area of the selection indicator and to select an object indicator which has been indicated. The selection indicator may be rotated so a portion overlaps with the location occupied by a portion prior to rotation. A menu indicator is also presented on the display. The menu indicator comprises a selector icon and a list of representations of the object indicators indicated by selection indicator. The selector icon may be manipulated to indicate a single representation of an object indicator and to select the object indicator represented by the representation of the indicated object indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Krenz, Pamela K. Hahn
  • Patent number: 7913189
    Abstract: There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image generating apparatus, and an image processing method, capable of automating assignment of keys to functions and registration of macros provided by the image generating apparatus and presenting an index such as a shortcut key associated with one of the registered functions to a user at the timing when the user uses that function. To achieve this, first an operation command issued by a user through a control panel 1000 is received and history information about the operation command is stored in a storage device 900. A controller unit 200 detects history information about an operation command received through the control panel 1000 from among the history information, creates and registers a shortcut key for performing a operation command received through the control panel 1000 on the basis of the result of the detection, and presents the shortcut key to the user at a predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuru Baba
  • Patent number: 7913179
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for sending and retrieving location relevant information to a user by selecting and designating a point of interest that is displayed on a graphical user interface and sending the location information associated with that point of interest to a receiver that is also selected using the graphical user interface. The location relevant information may also include mapped routes, waypoints, geo-fenced areas, moving vehicles etc. Updated location relevant information may also be continuously sent to the user while generating updated mapping information on the graphical user interface. The present invention may be practiced by using communication devices such as a personal computer, a personal digital assistance, in-vehicle navigation systems, or a mobile telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Sheha, Angie Sheha, Stephen Petilli
  • Patent number: 7908564
    Abstract: A context menu including a group copy function is displayed and, when the function is selected, all parent nodes of a node corresponding to the input field the pointing device is positioned over are displayed as alternatives to be copied. In response to selection of a parent node for copying by the pointing device, data in all nodes lower than the parent node are copied into a memory. In response to clicking by the pointing device in the input field selected as a pasting destination, a data type of the input field selected as the copying destination and the data type of the data copied into the memory are compared, and if the same, all of the data copied into the memory are pasted in the fields lower than the input field previously selected as the pasting destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Hara, Motoharu Inoue, Koichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7904818
    Abstract: A portal summary controller monitors usage metadata indicating current usage of at least one portlet within at least one portal page for one of multiple events specified to trigger storage of the usage metadata. Responsive to detecting one of the multiple events within the usage metadata which triggers storage, the portal summary controller stores the detected usage metadata at a current time of at least one instance of at least one portlet application within the at least one portal page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christina K. Lauridsen, Malcolm C. Ong, Lauren G. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 7895519
    Abstract: A method is used in tracking use of interface and online assistance. A first set of a user's user interface activity is tracked. The user's online assistance activity subsequent to the user's user interface activity is tracked. A second set of the user's user interface activity is tracked. The second set occurs subsequent to the user's online assistance activity. A description of the first and second sets of the user's user interface activity and the user's online assistance activity are recorded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: George N. Allegrezza, Stephen J. Todd
  • Patent number: 7895530
    Abstract: In a cursor-based computing environment generating a display, a user-definable interface is configured by a user and activated when needed by a user, wherein the user-definable interface comprises a plurality of buttons. Functions of the buttons are selectable by the user according to his preferences. These preferences may be derived from applications or by functions selected exclusively by the user. An application (ZTool) is also described, this application allowing configuration of a display in accordance with predetermined parameters. These parameters may be related to data base access functions or other types of data access, including logistical support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Change Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Miller Leavitt, Darrell D. Diem, David A. Kidd
  • Patent number: 7890864
    Abstract: The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for producing a composite help view for an aggregation of applications. The method can include obtaining at least two separate help documents. Each of the separate help documents can have an association with a corresponding one of separate interface units aggregated together into a single aggregated view. Importantly, the separate help documents can be combined into a composition of help documents corresponding to the single aggregated view. Subsequently, the composition of help documents can be rendered in a help system view responsive to a request for help initiated in the single aggregated view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Velda Bartek, Kathryn H. Britton, Samar Choudhary, John R. Hind, Shikha Srivastava
  • Patent number: 7877686
    Abstract: The current status of a list of tasks to be performed is dynamically displayed. The tasks may be performed by a user (e.g., data entered by the user, words spoken by the user, actions taken by the user, and so forth) or alternatively by a computer (e.g., the steps it follows in carrying out a programmed task). At least a portion of the list is displayed at any given time along with an indication of which task is the next task to be performed. As the tasks are completed, the current status of the progression through the items on the list is dynamically updated so as to readily inform the user (or someone else) as to what the current task is that needs to be performed, as well as what tasks have already been performed and/or what tasks remain to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Abbott, Dan Newell, James O. Robarts
  • Patent number: 7865832
    Abstract: Methods for realizing advanced graphical user interface (GUI) in panel subunit. The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a button GUI element descriptor that defines a bitmap to be displayed when a button is out of focus and another bitmap to be displayed when the button is in focus. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a table GUI element descriptor that defines a table-like on screen display to be displayed on the contoller device. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a panel GUI element descriptor that includes a focused identifier attribute indicating a pre-determined element of the on-screen display as default focus. In this way, the target device would be able to control the default focus of the controller device when displaying an on-screen display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisato Shima, Atsushi Suzuki, Takuya Nishimura