Patents by Inventor Brian S. Christian
Brian S. Christian 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).
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Patent number: 8180767Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.).Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian S. Christian, Aston Motes
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Publication number: 20100114881Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2010Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: BRIAN S. CHRISTIAN, ASTON MOTES
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Patent number: 7664760Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian S. Christian, Aston Motes
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Patent number: 7536391Abstract: A system and method are provided for URL virtualization. The system and method for URL virtualization provide a contextually relevant URL to a requesting agent. The system may include a browser parameter determination mechanism for matching incoming request header parameters with stored information indicative of a content version and a URL lookup mechanism for locating a contextual URL mapping to a non-contextual URL that leads to the requested content version. The system may additionally include navigation controls for navigating to the requested content version using the non-contextual URL and display controls for displaying the contextual URL to the requesting agent.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2005Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian S. Christian, Todd Krabach
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Patent number: 7444590Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative localization of web services. A “localize” attribute is described that uniquely identifies localized content for the final rendered element. The “localize” attribute is stripped out during the rendering process, so it never reaches the client or agent, making the “localize” attribute HTML-compliant. A separate satellite assembly is maintained for each culture. When a request is received, a culture is identified and the “localize” attribute directs processing to utilize content maintained in the satellite assembly associated with the identified culture. Processing then continues normally.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2003Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Earnes
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Patent number: 7409422Abstract: Declarative page view and click tracking systems and methods are described. To utilize page view and/or click tracking, a web page developer includes a link identifier in a function call or build anchor tag call of a web page. A tracking server identifies links that include the link identifier and replaces the links with modified links that include a tracking identifier for use with a tracking system. When a modified link is selected, tracking is initiated for the link. If the tracking cannot be initiated within a specified timeout period, a client is redirected to the site identified in the link without waiting for the tracking to occur.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2003Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian S. Christian, Devatta Waghdhare
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Patent number: 7367508Abstract: A system and method are provided for incorporating a client-side tracking system in conjunction with a tracking server to track URL usage. The method includes implementing the client-side tracking system for preserving a target URL upon tracking. The method additionally includes providing a failsafe mechanism for directing a client to the target URL from the client-side tracking system upon detection of tracking server failure by the client-side tracking system. The client-side tracking system includes an event detection mechanism for detecting occurrence of one of a tracking server URL logging event and a tracking server timeout event. The client-side tracking system additionally incorporates tracking information including a stored target hyperlink reference accessible to the client-side tracking system for directing the client to the selected URL upon detection of an event by the event detection mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Brian S. Christian
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Patent number: 7089307Abstract: Controlled devices according to a device control model maintain a state table representative of their operational state. Devices providing a user control point interface for the controlled device obtain the state table of the controlled device, and may also obtain presentation data defining a remoted user interface of the controlled device and device control protocol data defining commands and data messaging protocol to effect control of the controlled device. These user control devices also subscribe to notifications of state table changes, which are distributed from the controlled device according to an eventing model. Accordingly, upon any change to the controlled device's operational state, the eventing model synchronizes the device's state as represented in the state table across all user control devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2004Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: William Michael Zintel, Brian S. Christian, Bradford A. Christian
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Patent number: 6973616Abstract: A computing system capable of associating annotations with millions of content sources is described. An annotation is any content associated with a document space. The document space is any document identified by a document identifier. The document space provides the context for the annotation. An annotation is represented as an object having a plurality of properties. The annotation is associated with a content source using a document identifier property. The document identifier property identifies the content source with which the annotation is associated. A scalable computing system for managing annotations responds to requests for presenting annotations to millions of documents a day. The computing system consists of multiple tiers of servers. A tier I server indicates whether there are annotations associated with a content source. A tier II server provides an index to the body of the annotations. A tier III server provides the body of the annotation.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1999Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Scott C. Cottrille, Yoram Yaacovi, Brian S. Christian, Bruce A. MacNaughton
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Publication number: 20040267867Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative localization of web services. A “localize” attribute is described that uniquely identifies localized content for the final rendered element. The “localize” attribute is stripped out during the rendering process, so it never reaches the client or agent, making the “localize” attribute HTML-compliant. A separate satellite assembly is maintained for each culture. When a request is received, a culture is identified and the “localize” attribute directs processing to utilize content maintained in the satellite assembly associated with the identified culture. Processing then continues normally.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2003Publication date: December 30, 2004Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Eames
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Publication number: 20040268139Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative client input security screening. A configuration module in a web-based application (or project) that includes one or more web pages is designed to allow client input to be screened for the web pages by declaring particular screening attributes and actions therein. A global section in such a configuration module includes security screens that apply to input of all types, while other individual sections include security screens that apply only to input of particular type. The global section provides a way to consolidate screening that applies to all client input types, thereby precluding redundant screens having to be maintained in each individual section. Client input that survives the security screening is cached and used in normal page processing. By including the security screens in a declarative section, maintenance is made more efficient and reliable.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2003Publication date: December 30, 2004Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Eames, Thomas Fakes, Bhavesh R. Thaker
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Patent number: 6725281Abstract: Controlled devices according to a device control model maintain a state table representative of their operational state. Devices providing a user control point interface for the controlled device obtain the state table of the controlled device, and may also obtain presentation data defining a remoted user interface of the controlled device and device control protocol data defining commands and data messaging protocol to effect control of the controlled device. These user control devices also subscribe to notifications of state table changes, which are distributed from the controlled device according to an eventing model. Accordingly, upon any change to the controlled device's operational state, the eventing model synchronizes the device's state as represented in the state table across all user control devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1999Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: William Michael Zintel, Brian S. Christian, Bradford A. Christian
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Patent number: 6006332Abstract: A system is provided for controlling access to digitized data. An unsecure client is provided with a launch pad program which is capable of communicating with a secure Rights Management (RM) server. The launch pad program provides an indicator to a public browser, used by the unsecured client, which acknowledges when a rights management controlled object is detected. Once a rights management object is detected, operational control is transferred from the public browser to the launch pad. The launch pad will communicate with the secured RM server and request the digitized data corresponding to the controlled object. In response thereto, the RM server identifies the type of data being requested, i.e. text, audio, video, etc. and transmits this information to the launch pad. The launch pad then searches whether a secure RM browser appropriate to handle this data is resident on the client. When it is determined that no RM browser is resident, the launch pad requests an appropriate browser from the RM server.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1997Date of Patent: December 21, 1999Assignee: Case Western Reserve UniversityInventors: Michael W. Rabne, James A. Barker, Tareq M.T. Alrashid, Brian S. Christian, Steven C. Cox, Elizabeth A. Slotta, Luella R. Upthegrove