Patents by Inventor Christopher J. C. Burges

Christopher J. C. Burges 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: 7016884
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate producing probabilistic outputs also referred to as posterior probabilities. The probabilistic outputs include an estimate of classification strength. The present invention intercepts non-probabilistic classifier output and applies a set of kernel models based on a softmax function to derive the desired probabilistic outputs. Such probabilistic outputs can be employed with handwriting recognition where the probability of a handwriting sample classification is combined with language models to make better classification decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Christopher J. C. Burges
  • Patent number: 6941315
    Abstract: Prior to searching a multidimensional feature space populated with data objects, each dimension in the feature space is divided into a number of intervals. When a query is received, a single interval that is overlapped by the query is selected from each dimension. A reduced set of data objects is then selected that includes only those data objects that overlap the selected intervals. This reduced set of data objects, rather than the entire set of data objects in the feature space, is then used to determine matches for the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Goldstein, John C. Platt, Christopher J. C. Burges
  • Patent number: 6931413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate database processing in accordance with a plurality of various applications. In one aspect, a large database of objects is processed, wherein the objects can be represented as points in a vector space, and two or more objects are deemed ‘close’ if a Euclidean distance between the points is small. This can apply for substantially any type of object, provided a suitable distance measure can be defined. In another aspect, a ‘test’ object having a vector x, is processed to determine if there exists an object y in the database such that the distance between x and y falls below a threshold t. If several objects in the database satisfy this criteria, a list of objects can be returned, together with their corresponding distances. If no objects were to satisfy the criterion, an indication of this condition can also be provided, but in addition, the condition or information relating to the condition can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. C. Burges
  • Publication number: 20040260727
    Abstract: Prior to searching a multidimensional feature space populated with data objects, each dimension in the feature space is divided into a number of intervals. When a query is received, a single interval that is overlapped by the query is selected from each dimension. A reduced set of data objects is then selected that includes only those data objects that overlap the selected intervals. This reduced set of data objects, rather than the entire set of data objects in the feature space, is then used to determine matches for the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Goldstein, John C. Platt, Christopher J.C. Burges
  • Publication number: 20040167753
    Abstract: A model-based system and method for global optimization that utilizes quantum mechanics in order to approximate the global minimum of a given problem (e.g., mathematical function). A quantum mechanical particle with a sufficiently large mass has a ground state solution to the Schrödinger Equation which is localized to the global minimum of the energy field, or potential, it experiences. A given function is modeled as a potential, and a quantum mechanical particle with a sufficiently large mass is placed in the potential. The ground state of the particle is determined, and the probability density function of the ground state of the particle is calculated. The peak of the probability density function is localized to the global minimum of the potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Oliver B. Downs, Hagai Attias, Christopher J.C. Burges, Robert L. Rounthwaite
  • Publication number: 20040002931
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate producing probabilistic outputs also referred to as posterior probabilities. The probabilistic outputs include an estimate of classification strength. The present invention intercepts non-probabilistic classifier output and applies a set of kernel models based on a softmax function to derive the desired probabilistic outputs. Such probabilistic outputs can be employed with handwriting recognition where the probability of a handwriting sample classification is combined with language models to make better classification decisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: John C. Platt, Christopher J.C. Burges
  • Publication number: 20030236787
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate database processing in accordance with a plurality of various applications. In one aspect, a large database of objects is processed, wherein the objects can be represented as points in a vector space, and two or more objects are deemed ‘close’ if a Euclidean distance between the points is small. This can apply for substantially any type of object, provided a suitable distance measure can be defined. In another aspect, a ‘test’ object having a vector x, is processed to determine if there exists an object y in the database such that the distance between x and y falls below a threshold t. If several objects in the database satisfy this criteria, a list of objects can be returned, together with their corresponding distances. If no objects were to satisfy the criterion, an indication of this condition can also be provided, but in addition, the condition or information relating to the condition can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventor: Christopher J.C. Burges