Patents by Inventor Bret Anderson

Bret Anderson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240036722
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reconfiguring application windows in a display. An example method includes displaying a first application window and a second application window; receiving a drag input for moving the first application window; based on the drag input entering an invocation region, displaying a layout menu with a plurality of display layouts, each of the display layouts including one or more snap zones; receiving a hover of the first application window over a particular snap zone of a particular display layout of the plurality of display layouts; based on the hover of the first application window over the particular snap zone, displaying a zone-indicator pane corresponding to the particular snap zone; receiving a drop input of the first application window over the particular snap zone; and in response to the drop input, resizing and repositioning the first application window according the particular snap zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eric PAPAMARCOS, Robert DISANO, Stacy CARSON, Albert YIH, Benjamin B. STOLOVITZ, Howard HUGHES, Selena FENG, Bret ANDERSON
  • Patent number: 11868160
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reconfiguring application windows in a display. An example method includes displaying a first application window and a second application window; receiving a drag input for moving the first application window; based on the drag input entering an invocation region, displaying a layout menu with a plurality of display layouts, each of the display layouts including one or more snap zones; receiving a hover of the first application window over a particular snap zone of a particular display layout of the plurality of display layouts; based on the hover of the first application window over the particular snap zone, displaying a zone-indicator pane corresponding to the particular snap zone; receiving a drop input of the first application window over the particular snap zone; and in response to the drop input, resizing and repositioning the first application window according the particular snap zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Papamarcos, Robert Disano, Stacy Carson, Albert Yih, Benjamin B. Stolovitz, Howard Hughes, Selena Feng, Bret Anderson
  • Publication number: 20230305692
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reconfiguring application windows in a display. An example method includes displaying a first application window and a second application window; receiving a drag input for moving the first application window; based on the drag input entering an invocation region, displaying a layout menu with a plurality of display layouts, each of the display layouts including one or more snap zones; receiving a hover of the first application window over a particular snap zone of a particular display layout of the plurality of display layouts; based on the hover of the first application window over the particular snap zone, displaying a zone-indicator pane corresponding to the particular snap zone; receiving a drop input of the first application window over the particular snap zone; and in response to the drop input, resizing and repositioning the first application window according the particular snap zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eric PAPAMARCOS, Robert DISANO, Stacy CARSON, Albert YIH, Benjamin B. STOLOVITZ, Howard HUGHES, Selena FENG, Bret ANDERSON
  • Patent number: 11762544
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Publication number: 20220398996
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for implementing a customizable compact overlay window in a display. In one embodiment, a computing system includes one or more processors and a storage device that stores computer executable instructions that can be executed by the processors to cause the computing system to perform the following. The system receives from an application running on the computing system customization parameters that define how the application is to be configured in a compact overlay window. The system generates the compact overlay window so that the compact overlay window is customizable according to the customization parameters. The system positions the compact overlay window in a portion of a display of the computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nils Sundelin, Bret Anderson, Samuel George Gates, Richard Fang, Miron Vranjes, Christopher Doan, Abhishek Malani
  • Patent number: 11295706
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for implementing a customizable compact overlay window in a display. In one embodiment, a computing system includes one or more processors and a storage device that stores computer executable instructions that can be executed by the processors to cause the computing system to perform the following. The system receives from an application running on the computing system customization parameters that define how the application is to be configured in a compact overlay window. The system generates the compact overlay window so that the compact overlay window is customizable according to the customization parameters. The system positions the compact overlay window in a portion of a display of the computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nils Sundelin, Bret Anderson, Samuel George Gates, Richard Fang, Miron Vranjes, Christopher Doan, Abhishek Malani
  • Publication number: 20210232305
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 11003347
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Publication number: 20200117355
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 10528242
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 10394417
    Abstract: The functionality traditionally provided by an application program through a window presented as part of a window-based user interface can be accessed while the window remains hidden. A toolbar, or similar collection of user interface elements, can be presented when a user indicates an intention to interact with an application program whose window is hidden. The toolbar can comprise elements associated with functions specific to the hidden window. The user's selection can be communicated to the application program so that it can perform the requested function. If the user no longer indicates an intention to interact with the application program, the toolbar can be removed. In one embodiment, the toolbar can be presented together with a thumbnail of the relevant window in a floating display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chaitanya Dev Sareen, Bret Anderson, Stephan Hoefnagels
  • Publication number: 20180005602
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for implementing a customizable compact overlay window in a display. In one embodiment, a computing system includes one or more processors and a storage device that stores computer executable instructions that can be executed by the processors to cause the computing system to perform the following. The system receives from an application running on the computing system customization parameters that define how the application is to be configured in a compact overlay window. The system generates the compact overlay window so that the compact overlay window is customizable according to the customization parameters. The system positions the compact overlay window in a portion of a display of the computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Nils Sundelin, Bret Anderson, Samuel George Gates, Richard Fang, Miron Vranjes, Christopher Doan, Abhishek Malani
  • Publication number: 20170371530
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 9626100
    Abstract: Systems and methods of blocking, ignoring, suspending, or otherwise altering edge-related UI gestures on touch-sensitive computing devices or on non-touch sensitive computing devices having active edge I/O commands in certain situations are disclosed. In one embodiment, a second UI gesture coming from an outside edge may be altered after a first UI gesture from a user using an running application under certain conditions—e.g., if the second UI gesture is made within a certain time period after the first UI gesture, the second UI gesture is made within a certain proximity of the first UI gesture, etc. In another embodiment, a computing device is disclosed that comprises a controller, a display screen and an operating system that alters certain edge-related UI gestures that might be made by an operating system if, e.g., certain conditions are present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Frederickson, Christopher Doan, Alan Stephenson, Bret Anderson, Michael Seibert, Robert Jarrett, Aleksandar Uzelac, Steven Welch
  • Patent number: 9575643
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 9535565
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to maintaining a tiled arrangement of application windows as a user inserts application windows into a managed display region. A tiled arrangement is an arrangement where windows do not overlap each other and substantially maximize window occupation of the display region. Generally, when a user inserts an application window the tiled arrangement is maintained by resizing any previously present application windows. Where to insert a window, which displayed windows to resize and to what extent can be determined based on factors such as user input, any prior manual adjustment of the tiled arrangement, and/or minimum window sizes. Whether tile arranging is performed in a managed or curated fashion (e.g., by sharing space equally among windows) or in a semi-curated fashion may be determined by taking into account any of the aforementioned factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Jesse Satterfield, Matthew Worley, Nils Sundelin, Tsz Yan Wong, Bret Anderson, Robert Jarrett, Chaitanya Sareen, Alice Steinglass
  • Publication number: 20160103600
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Patent number: 9250761
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Matthew Worley, Richard Fang, Nils Sundelin, Robert Jarrett, Jesse Satterfield, Alice Steinglass, Chaitanya Sareen, Bret Anderson
  • Publication number: 20140337794
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to maintaining a tiled arrangement of application windows as a user inserts application windows into a managed display region. A tiled arrangement is an arrangement where windows do not overlap each other and substantially maximize window occupation of the display region. Generally, when a user inserts an application window the tiled arrangement is maintained by resizing any previously present application windows. Where to insert a window, which displayed windows to resize and to what extent can be determined based on factors such as user input, any prior manual adjustment of the tiled arrangement, and/or minimum window sizes. Whether tile arranging is performed in a managed or curated fashion (e.g., by sharing space equally among windows) or in a semi-curated fashion may be determined by taking into account any of the aforementioned factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Miron Vranjes, Clay Satterfield, Matt Worley, Nils Sundelin, Charing Wong, Bret Anderson, Rob Rarrett, Chaitanya Sareen, Alice Steinglass
  • Patent number: D1020875
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Stego Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Anderson, Bret N. Houck, Gianna Halsey