Patents by Inventor Chris W. Higgins

Chris W. Higgins 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).

  • Patent number: 10296937
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for targeting specific users with specific requested actions to be performed by the user and verified by any methods on behalf of an advertiser within an Internet display advertising campaign. The system discloses techniques for receiving an advertiser's requested actions and corresponding definitions of what constitutes a satisfaction of the action. The disclosure also details techniques for determining if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied by the targeted user, and details corresponding techniques for compensating the user and any other real or virtual entity who had contributed to the satisfaction of the requested action. The system implements a network of sensors that can aid in the determination of if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied. The network of sensors registers sensor recordings within a specialized sensor recording marketplace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC
    Inventors: Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani, Carrie Burgener, Marc Davis, Simon P. King, Rahul Nair, Christopher T. Paretti
  • Patent number: 10171254
    Abstract: A method includes discovering live video feeds. The discovered live feeds are presented on a website. The viewing of one or more live video feeds and interaction with entities that are generating the live video feeds is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Oath Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Davis, Joseph O'Sullivan, Chris W. Higgins, Ron Martinez, Athellina Athsani
  • Patent number: 9270679
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for creating and managing dynamic access control lists (ACL's). In a specific embodiment, a method of creating or modifying a dynamic access control policy (ACP) is disclosed. A current ACP for one or more specified resources is defined based on one or more membership rules for specifying users who can access the one or more specified resources based on user information that was or will be collected for a plurality of users. The collected user information includes at least user presence information or user communication data. The current ACP is retained for the one or more specified resources, wherein the current ACP is accessibly usable so as to dynamically allow a selected set of users, who each have corresponding collected user information which meets the one or more membership rules of the current ACP, to access the one or more specified resources. The selected set of users is changeable over time as different user information is collected over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc E. Davis, Chris W. Higgins, Simon P. King
  • Publication number: 20140229977
    Abstract: A method includes discovering live video feeds. The discovered live feeds are presented on a website. The viewing of one or more live video feeds and interaction with entities that are generating the live video feeds is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Davis, Joseph O'Sullivan, Chris W. Higgins, Ron Martinez, Athellina Athsani
  • Patent number: 8522289
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and/or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Athellina Athsani, Chris W. Higgins, Marc Davis
  • Patent number: 8260666
    Abstract: Methods and system for managing demand for an object includes capturing information about the object through a mobile device associated with a user. The mobile device is configured to capture information about the object that include one or more of a spatial, temporal, topical and social attributes of the object. The identity of the object is verified and validated using this metadata captured by the user through the device from the real world object or its proxy. Upon successful verification and validation, the object and its metadata are automatically added to a wish list of the user. An aggregate list is generated using the attributes and metadata of the object from a plurality of users. The aggregate list defines a source of demand for the object. The object is tracked as it progresses through various phases of ownership cycle using dynamic demand calculations based on the information associated with the objects, the users and the aggregate lists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Kalaboukis, Irfan Presswala, Chris W. Higgins, Christopher T Paretti, Marc Davis, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Athellina Athsani
  • Patent number: 8250616
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and/or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Davis, Joseph O'Sullivan, Chris W. Higgins, Ron Martinez, Athellina Athsani
  • Patent number: 7945630
    Abstract: A method and system for communicating a message in an electronic messaging environment is provided. A method employed by the system may include generating a personalized communication model related to a user, determining the validity of a token associated with an intended recipient of the message based on information in the personalized communication model, extracting entities from the message, determining whether the entities extracted match the intended recipient, and indicating to the user whether the token is valid and whether the entities match the intended recipient. The tokens correspond to email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses associated with intended recipients. The personalized communication model includes the names and tokens associated with those individuals with whom the user communicates. The personalized communication model is seeded with information including social, spatial, temporal and logical information related to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Simon P. King, Carrie Burgener, Rahul Nair, Christopher T. Paretti, Marc Davis, Chris W. Higgins
  • Publication number: 20110087558
    Abstract: A method for operating an electronic exchange includes receiving, at an exchange system, an offer that includes a description of information for offer and terms associated with access to the information. An offer processor of the electronic exchange stores an offer listing associated with the offer to an offer database. A matching engine of the electronic exchange searches a request database for a request listing that matches the offer listing. The electronic exchange communicates access instructions that enable access to the information to a requestor associated with the request listing when a match is found.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Kalaboukis, Carrie Burgener, Rahul Nair, Simon P. King, Ron Martinez, Marc Eliot Davis, Chris W. Higgins, Duane R. Valz
  • Publication number: 20100332301
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for targeting specific users with specific requested actions to be performed by the user and verified by any methods on behalf of an advertiser within an Internet display advertising campaign. The system discloses techniques for receiving an advertiser's requested actions and corresponding definitions of what constitutes a satisfaction of the action. The disclosure also details techniques for determining if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied by the targeted user, and details corresponding techniques for compensating the user and any other real or virtual entity who had contributed to the satisfaction of the requested action. The system implements a network of sensors that can aid in the determination of if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied. The network of sensors registers sensor recordings within a specialized sensor recording marketplace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani, Carrie Burgener, Marc Davis, Simon P. King, Rahul Nair, Christopher T. Paretti
  • Publication number: 20100332305
    Abstract: The embodiments described show that wireless devices can be used to distribute and/or to endorse (or promote) advertisements (ads) by individuals and by ad distributors. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method of forwarding an advertisement received on a first mobile device to a second mobile device is provided. The method includes sending the advertisement to the first mobile device, and detecting forwarding of the advertisement from the first mobile device to the second mobile device. The method also includes determining if the advertisement that was forwarded to the second mobile device includes an endorsement for the advertisement. The endorsement was generated at the first mobile device. The method further includes monitoring activity on the second mobile device regarding the advertisement when the advertisement includes the endorsement and when the advertisement does not include the endorsement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani, Marc Davis
  • Publication number: 20100332304
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for targeting specific users with specific requested actions to be performed by the user and verified by any methods on behalf of an advertiser within an Internet display advertising campaign. The system discloses techniques for receiving an advertiser's requested actions and corresponding definitions of what constitutes a satisfaction of the action. The disclosure also details techniques for determining if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied by the targeted user, and details corresponding techniques for compensating the user and any other real or virtual entity who had contributed to the satisfaction of the requested action. The system implements a network of sensors that can aid in the determination of if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied. The network of sensors registers sensor recordings within a specialized sensor recording marketplace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani, Carrie Burgener, Marc Davis, Simon P. King, Rahul Nair, Christopher T. Paretti
  • Publication number: 20100332288
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for targeting specific users with specific requested actions to be performed by the user and verified by any methods on behalf of an advertiser within an Internet display advertising campaign. The system discloses techniques for receiving an advertiser's requested actions and corresponding definitions of what constitutes a satisfaction of the action. The disclosure also details techniques for determining if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied by the targeted user, and details corresponding techniques for compensating the user and any other real or virtual entity who had contributed to the satisfaction of the requested action. The system implements a network of sensors that can aid in the determination of if and when and to what degree a requested action has been completed or satisfied. The network of sensors registers sensor recordings within a specialized sensor recording marketplace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani, Carrie Burgener, Mare Davis, Simon P. King, Rahul Nair, Christopher T. Paretti
  • Publication number: 20100325686
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for creating and managing dynamic access control lists (ACL's). In a specific embodiment, a method of creating or modifying a dynamic access control policy (ACP) is disclosed. A current ACP for one or more specified resources is defined based on one or more membership rules for specifying users who can access the one or more specified resources based on user information that was or will be collected for a plurality of users. The collected user information includes at least user presence information or user communication data. The current ACP is retained for the one or more specified resources, wherein the current ACP is accessibly usable so as to dynamically allow a selected set of users, who each have corresponding collected user information which meets the one or more membership rules of the current ACP, to access the one or more specified resources. The selected set of users is changeable over time as different user information is collected over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Marc E. Davis, Chris W. Higgins, Simon P. King
  • Publication number: 20100306276
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for managing dynamic groups. In one embodiment, a method of creating or modifying a group of users is disclosed. A request is received from a first user to create or modify a current group. One or more rules are also received from the first user for specifying members of the current group based on user information that was or will be collected for a plurality of users. In one embodiment, the collected user information includes at least user presence information or user communication data. A membership policy for the current group is then retained based on the received one or more rules. The membership policy for the current group is accessibly usable so as to dynamically allow a selected set of users, who each have corresponding collected user information which meets the membership policy, to become members of the current group, wherein the selected set of users is changeable over time as different user information is collected over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Marc E. Davis, Chris W. Higgins, Simon P. King
  • Publication number: 20100217525
    Abstract: A method for constructing geo-location service replies (e.g. “You are near Bob's Café”, or “Proceed one block north to Bob's Café”) based on landmark-related relevance factors (e.g. if the user's location is close to a known landmark or sponsored location) to serve to a client terminal (e.g. a user's a mobile telephone, a smart phone, a GPS terminal). The system receives a user's geo-location service request (e.g. “Where am I”), and proceeds to construct one or more response candidates to service the user's geo-location service request. Candidate replies are then scored based on relevance factors (e.g. does the candidate location relate to the user's recent geo-service queries, is there a sponsored landmark in general proximity, etc), and high scoring geo-service replies are sent to the user's client terminal. In some cases, more than one relevance factor is considered (e.g. proximity relevance, visibility relevance, familiarity relevance, etc).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Simon P. King, Chris W. Higgins, Mare Davis
  • Publication number: 20100179857
    Abstract: Methods and system for managing demand for an object includes capturing information about the object through a mobile device associated with a user. The mobile device is configured to capture information about the object that include one or more of a spatial, temporal, topical and social attributes of the object. The identity of the object is verified and validated using this metadata captured by the user through the device from the real world object or its proxy. Upon successful verification and validation, the object and its metadata are automatically added to a wish list of the user. An aggregate list is generated using the attributes and metadata of the object from a plurality of users. The aggregate list defines a source of demand for the object. The object is tracked as it progresses through various phases of ownership cycle using dynamic demand calculations based on the information associated with the objects, the users and the aggregate lists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo!, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Kalaboukis, Irfan Presswala, Chris W. Higgins, Christopher T. Paretti, Marc Davis, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Athellina Athsani
  • Publication number: 20100124991
    Abstract: A content development engine which may collect, organize and distribute multimedia content and metadata associated with specific places, events and people. The CDE may be used with a game mechanic or a revenue-sharing network which may create incentives for users to contribute images, video clips, audio clips, tags, reviews or other multimedia content. When the CDE runs with a game mechanic, users may be rewarded with on-network credits, game points, “ownership” of territories on the map or reputation, and the network credits and game points may be redeemed for, e.g., cash, products, services or frequent flyer miles. When the CDE is coupled to a revenue-sharing network or an advertising engine, users may be compensated for satisfying user generated content (UGC) requests. The compensation may be monetary or non-monetary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Joseph O'Sullivan, Ronald Martinez, Christopher T. Paretti, Marc Eliot Davis, Chris W. Higgins, Athellina Athsani
  • Publication number: 20100114707
    Abstract: A method and system for serving advertisement or sponsored content is provided. The method employed by the system may include receiving information that describes the capabilities of an ad serving device, matching advertisement and/or sponsored content to the ad serving device, and serving the advertisement and/or sponsored content. Instructions may be communicated to an individual in possession of the ad serving device, instructing the individual on a time and place for serving the advertisement or sponsored content. Confirmation that the instructions have been followed may be communicated to the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Athellina Athsani, Marc Davis, Marco Boerries, Chris Kalaboukis, Joseph O'Sullivan, Chris W. Higgins, Christopher T. Paretti, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Irfan Presswala
  • Publication number: 20100114709
    Abstract: A method and system for serving advertisement or sponsored content information is provided. The method employed by the system may include receiving information that describes the capabilities of an ad serving device, receiving information that enables sensing the presence of individuals in a vicinity of the ad serving device, matching advertisement and/or sponsored content information to the ad serving device, and serving the advertisement and/or sponsored content information. Receiving presence information, matching, and serving of the advertisement and/or sponsored content information may occur in real-time. The ad serving device may be located at a fixed location or be portable and carried by an individual. Behaviors of individuals with portable devices may be determined and the advertisement and/or sponsored content information served may be related to the determined behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Athellina Athsani, Marc Davis, Marco Boerries, Chris Kalaboukis, Joseph O'Sullivan, Chris W. Higgins, Christopher T. Paretti, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Irfan Presswala