Patents by Inventor Clinton D. Covington
Clinton D. Covington 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: 9098263Abstract: A plurality of database application components available in a first components store is received. A plurality of pointers is created with each of the plurality of pointers referencing a selected object, such as the plurality of database application components or an existing pointer to one of the plurality of database application components. The plurality of pointers is collected into a reference group defining a plurality of selected objects included in a database application. In some examples, the database application components include a header, a footer, a control, a fragment, a table, a query, a report, a relation, a form, a conditional formatting statement, a programming component, a validation statement and a module.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2007Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Timothy E. Getsch, Andrew R. Miller, Peter D. Mullen, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 8396848Abstract: A customized form is provided for entering parameters associated with a query. A user may desire to modify a report resulting from a query to a database. To enter the parameters for modification, a customized form is displayed to the user. The customized form allows for entry of the parameters according to prompts that are related by their presentation to the form being generated.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Timothy E. Getsch, Sumit Chauhan, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 8135755Abstract: A schema editor allows for definition, distribution, and use of schema templates. The schema editor allows schema to be edited and then saved in such a way that the saved file can be reimported into the schema editor.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2005Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Vitore Selca, Christopher W. Bryant, Clinton D. Covington, Dan Hough, Kelly M. Krout, Shane L. Groff, Timothy E. Getsch
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Patent number: 7937426Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the generation of intervals from a selection of numeric data. An interval is a set of numeric data that is organized between two numeric values that may include one or both of those numeric values. In an embodiment, a data program 100 receives 502 a selection of data 118. A number of intervals 132 are generated 506 for the selected data set 118. The selected data 118 is organized into the several intervals 132. The intervals 132 are then provided 508 to the user.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2006Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Mircosoft CorporationInventors: Clinton D. Covington, Timothy E. Getsch
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Patent number: 7788257Abstract: A method and system for the graphical specification and modification of reports is disclosed which enables data reports to be easily created via a report design dialogue. The report design dialogue includes a group-level outline panel containing controls for grouping, as well as other report controls such as those for sorting and aggregating. A method and system for creating a group-level outline panel using an existing database report is also disclosed. Finally, a computer-readable medium storing a computer-interpretable data structure that stores one or more report specifications is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian E. Kihneman, Clinton D. Covington, Pavel R. Karimov, Robert Cooper, Zachary P. Woodall
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Patent number: 7788578Abstract: A tool pane is included in a markup language document, such as a web page, that allows web page and web parts included in the web page to be modified. The tool pane allows a user to select among various modes for the tool pane including a gallery mode, a properties mode, and a customization mode. During the gallery mode the user may select from additional web parts to add to the page or remove web parts. The properties mode allows the user to adjust the properties of the web parts included in the page. The customization mode allows for customizing the tool pane itself to allow additional functions or restrict selected functions. A tool pane may be partially customized or fully customizes as selected by a user.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2004Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Suraj T. Poozhiyil, Pavel R. Karimov, Clinton D. Covington, Lieh T. Han
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Patent number: 7730067Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner, Theresa A Naramore, Daniel Hough, Kelly M Krout, Clinton D Covington
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Patent number: 7720887Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J McCormack, Andrew R. Miller, Christopher W. Bryant, Jonathan M Sigler, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner, Theresa A Naramore, Daniel Hough, Kelly M Krout, Clinton D Covington
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Patent number: 7716168Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products modify a table definition of a database table within a database application. A method involves providing a user interface for creating a new field in the database table, receiving data that creates the new field while displaying the database table, and modifying schema of the database table to include the new field and the data. The method also involves interpreting a data type of the data as the data is received. A data type interpreted for a column in the database table that contains the new field is the data type of the data received in the new field. Still further, the method involves handling objects dependent on the database table in a manner unbeknownst to a user of the database table. Thus, the schema is modified while the objects dependent on the database table remain visible or open to the user.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2005Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Vitore Selca, Christopher W. Bryant, Shane L. Groff, Theresa A. Naramore, Tiginesh M. Beyene, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 7610302Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products modify a table definition of a database table within a database application. A method involves providing a user interface for creating a new field in the database table, receiving data that creates the new field while displaying the database table, and modifying schema of the database table to include the new field and the data. The method also involves interpreting a data type of the data as the data is received. A data type interpreted for a column in the database table that contains the new field is the data type of the data received in the new field. Still further, the method involves handling objects dependent on the database table in a manner unbeknownst to a user of the database table. Thus, the schema is modified while the objects dependent on the database table remain visible or open to the user.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2005Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Vitore Selca, Christopher W. Bryant, Shane L. Groff, Theresa A. Naramore, Tiginesh M. Beyene, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 7581189Abstract: A browse mode designer allows an average user of a database application program to easily design reports. The user can use the browse mode designer to build meaningful reports that aggregate data and that combine related data into shaped patterns for easier consumption of information. The browse mode designer can interpret a user's actions and extrapolate what actions are to be performed. A user interface can be used to let the user change the resulting views while being designed.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2006Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Zachary P. Woodall, Abigail E. Short, Brian S. Ruble, Clinton D. Covington, Kumar Srinivasamurthy, Pavel R. Karimov, Stephen I. Lesser, Tosh Kawai
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Patent number: 7519585Abstract: A method and system for the graphical formulation of filter queries is disclosed which enables data queries to be easily chosen via selection from a menu. A signal is received to filter, or query, a data table. Next, the context of a selection of data is analyzed, and a menu of filters based on that context is formulated and displayed. A filter selection is received, and the corresponding filter is executed. The results of the filter are displayed on the screen.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Adam R. Kenney, Clinton D. Covington, Scott T. Gardner
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Publication number: 20080270985Abstract: A plurality of database application components available in a first components store is received. A plurality of pointers is created with each of the plurality of pointers referencing a selected object, such as the plurality of database application components or an existing pointer to one of the plurality of database application components. The plurality of pointers is collected into a reference group defining a plurality of selected objects included in a database application. In some examples, the database application components include a header, a footer, a control, a fragment, a table, a query, a report, a relation, a form, a conditional formatting statement, a programming component, a validation statement and a module.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2007Publication date: October 30, 2008Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Timothy E. Getsch, Andrew R. Miller, Peter D. Mullen, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 7325188Abstract: Method and system for dynamically capturing elements from a target Web page and displaying the captured elements in another Web page. A user first opens a Web Capture Web Part dialog box in a browser application program. The user navigates to the target server hosting the target Web page and sends an HTTP request to the target server to retrieve the target Web page. The target server returns the target Web page in an HTML string, which it is displayed in the Web Part Web Capture dialog box. The user then selects the elements that he or she wants to capture. The captured elements are then displayed in a Web part on the user's Web page and the returned HTML string is stored in a cache memory. Each subsequent time the captured elements are displayed, the elements are automatically updated from the target Web page.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2003Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Clinton D. Covington, Nilanjan Banerjee, Jay L. Massena, Louisa Lee, Robbie A. Paplin, Sanjay Jacob
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Publication number: 20080005210Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the generation of intervals from a selection of numeric data. An interval is a set of numeric data that is organized between two numeric values that may include one or both of those numeric values. In an embodiment, a data program 100 receives 502 a selection of data 118. A number of intervals 132 are generated 506 for the selected data set 118. The selected data 118 is organized into the several intervals 132. The intervals 132 are then provided 508 to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2006Publication date: January 3, 2008Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Clinton D. Covington, Timothy E. Getsch
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Publication number: 20070299823Abstract: A customized form is provided for entering parameters associated with a query. A user may desire to modify a report resulting from a query to a database. To enter the parameters for modification, a customized form is displayed to the user. The customized form allows for entry of the parameters according to prompts that are related by their presentation to the form being generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2006Publication date: December 27, 2007Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Timothy E. Getsch, Sumit Chauhan, Clinton D. Covington
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Patent number: 7289976Abstract: A method and system for the graphical specification and modification of reports is disclosed which enables data reports to be easily created via a report design dialogue. The report design dialogue includes a group-level outline panel containing controls for grouping, as well as other report controls such as those for sorting and aggregating. A method and system for creating a group-level outline panel using an existing database report is also disclosed. Finally, a computer-readable medium storing a computer-interpretable data structure that stores one or more report specifications is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2004Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian E. Kihneman, Clinton D. Covington, Pavel R. Karimov, Robert Cooper, Zachary P. Woodall