Patents by Inventor Chris Stolte

Chris Stolte 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: 20060259509
    Abstract: A method and system for producing graphics. A hierarchical structure of a database is determined. A visual table, comprising a plurality of panes, is constructed by providing a specification that is in a language based on the hierarchical structure of the database. In some cases, this language can include fields that are in the database schema. The database is queried to retrieve a set of tuples in accordance with the specification. A subset of the set of tuples is associated with a pane in the plurality of panes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Chris Stolte, Diane Tang, Patrick Hanrahan
  • Publication number: 20060206512
    Abstract: A method for generating marks when displaying data, such as the results of a query across a database. The method is preferably used in conjunction with a dataset whose fields comprise a plurality of levels. A visual plot is constructed based on a specification. A first level from the plurality of levels is represented by a first component of the visual plot. A second level from the plurality of levels is represented by a second component of the visual plot. The dataset is optionally queried to retrieve data in accordance with the specification. The visual plot is populated with the retrieved data in accordance with the specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Patrick Hanrahan, Chris Stolte
  • Patent number: 7089266
    Abstract: A method and system for producing graphics. A hierarchical structure of a database is determined. A visual table, comprising a plurality of panes, is constructed by providing a specification that is in a language based on the hierarchical structure of the database. In some cases, this language can include fields that are in the database schema. The database is queried to retrieve a set of tuples in accordance with the specification. A subset of the set of tuples is associated with a pane in the plurality of panes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Jr. University
    Inventors: Chris Stolte, Diane L. Tang, Patrick Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 7076409
    Abstract: A system and method for placing an annotation or label in a route map in an appropriate grid cell are described. Initially, the route map is partitioned into an initial grid; composed of candidate grid cells, into which the annotation or label can be placed. If necessary, a search for grid cells having sufficient adjacent object free grid cells is conducted. When no candidate grid cells are found during the identifying or searching stages, a grid subdivision scheme subdivides a portion of the grid cells in the initial grid to form a new grid. Then, the identifying and searching steps are repeated using the new grid. The process also ranks multiple candidate cells based on a density of objects in bordering grid cells. The candidate grid cell having the lowest density of objects in bordering cells is selected as the appropriate candidate grid cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Patent number: 6952661
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050187711
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050182604
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050182605
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050149303
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050137791
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20050060300
    Abstract: A method for forming a visual plot using a hierarchical structure of a dataset. The dataset comprises a measure and a dimension. The dimension consists of a plurality of levels. The plurality of levels form a dimension hierarchy. The visual plot is constructed based on a specification. A first level from the plurality of levels is represented by a first component of the visual plot. A second level from the plurality of levels is represented by a second component of the visual plot. The dataset is queried to retrieve data in accordance with the specification. The data includes all or a portion of the dimension and all or a portion of the measure. The visual plot is populated with the retrieved data in accordance with the specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Chris Stolte, Patrick Hanrahan
  • Publication number: 20040243593
    Abstract: A method and system for producing graphics. A hierarchical structure of a database is determined. A visual table, comprising a plurality of panes, is constructed by providing a specification that is in a language based on the hierarchical structure of the database. In some cases, this language can include fields that are in the database schema. The database is queried to retrieve a set of tuples in accordance with the specification. A subset of the set of tuples is associated with a pane in the plurality of panes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Chris Stolte, Diane L. Tang, Patrick Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 6424933
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against an objective function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. The position of each label corresponding to a road in the map is selected from a continuous range of possible positions by refinement against a target function that minimizes the number of roads, labels and annotations the label intersects as well as the distance between the label and the center of the road corresponding to the label. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Vicinity Corporation
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawala, Chris Stolte
  • Publication number: 20010034588
    Abstract: A system and method for making computer-generated maps includes a different scale factor for each road in a route. The scale factors are used to optimize the route map against a target function that considers factors such as the number of false intersections in the route and the number of roads falling below a minimum length threshold. A refinement technique such as simulated annealing is used to find a solution to the target function. Each road in the scaled map is rendered to provide a finished product having the appearance of a hand-drawn map. The finished product includes context roads that intersect the main route but are not part of the main route. Furthermore, the hand-drawn map is optimized to the characteristics of the viewport used to visualize the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Maneesh Agrawals, Chris Stolte