Patents by Inventor Douglas Lane Milvaney

Douglas Lane Milvaney 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: 20190318007
    Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for creating a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file. A milestone creation input associated with the particular version of the electronic file is received. Milestone content to be associated with the particular version of the electronic file is further received. The milestone content is stored, and, the stored milestone content and the particular version of the electronic file are associated. Further described herein is a system and method for using a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file. Milestone indicator(s) are displayed, each milestone indicator associated with a milestone of a version of an electronic file. A selection of a particular milestone indicator is received. Milestone content associated with the selected particular milestone indicator is presented. The milestones can be searchable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joan Catharine WEAVER, Douglas Lane MILVANEY
  • Publication number: 20190251493
    Abstract: The techniques describe a tool that finds people to help answer a question that arises while a user is consuming content of a file. As the user consumes the content, the techniques identify a signal that indicates an issue (e.g., a question). The signal can be added or somehow inserted into the underlying content of the file based on user input. The techniques determine a portion of the content associated with the signal. The portion of the content, along with any other information provided via the user input, is analyzed to determine a context of the issue. For example, natural language processing techniques can parse text or speech to understand the subject matter. The techniques then access a resolution resource (e.g., a professional network) to identify people that are likely capable of providing assistance, and the people are suggested to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Benjamin Gustav WILDE, Patrick Michael GAN, Douglas Lane MILVANEY
  • Publication number: 20190250780
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and software are disclosed herein to selectively notify a user of an action taken by other users on components of a collaborative document. A record is maintained of actions taken by users on a plurality of components of a collaborative document. An indication is then received of an action taken by a user on a component of the collaborative document. The record is evaluated to identify at least one other action taken by one other of the users on the component. In response to the evaluation of the record, the one other user is notified of the action taken by the user on the component of the collaborative document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Taili Feng, Douglas Lane Milvaney
  • Publication number: 20190243909
    Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for suggesting other user(s) with whom to share an electronic file. During editing of the electronic file, an intent of a user to share the electronic file can be inferred. For each of a plurality of other users, a probability indicative of a likelihood that the user would like to share the electronic file with the particular other user is calculated. Based upon the calculated probabilities, at least one other user to suggest to the user for sharing of the electronic file is identified. Information regarding the identified at least one other user is displayed. Based upon a user selection of another user to share the electronic file with, an algorithm used to calculate the probabilities can be updated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Michael GAN, Douglas Lane MILVANEY
  • Publication number: 20190155859
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for merging versions and activities associated with a file into a history feed and displaying the history feed on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, a file is identified and activities associated with the file are also identified. It may be determined whether the file has at least one activity. When it is determined that the file has at least one activity, at least one actionable history element for the at least one activity is generated. Additionally, the generated history elements are merged to generate a history feed. The history feed is displayed on a user interface. The history feed may be displayed with an application that has opened the file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Lane Milvaney, Maura FitzGerald, Joshua Jones, Matt McNeill, Manoj Sharma, Lidiane Jones
  • Patent number: 10185777
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for merging versions and activities associated with a file into a history feed and displaying the history feed on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, a file is identified and activities associated with the file are also identified. It may be determined whether the file has at least one activity. When it is determined that the file has at least one activity, at least one actionable history element for the at least one activity is generated. Additionally, the generated history elements are merged to generate a history feed. The history feed is displayed on a user interface. The history feed may be displayed with an application that has opened the file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Lane Milvaney, Maura FitzGerald, Joshua Jones, Matt McNeill, Manoj Sharma, Lidiane Jones
  • Publication number: 20180314680
    Abstract: Using stored information about the content of an electronic document which an end user has accessed, and information about changes made by other users to the electronic document, when the end user accesses a server computer from any device, the server computer can identify changed content in the electronic document which the end user has not yet accessed. When the server computer delivers the electronic document to the device used by the end user, the electronic document can be accompanied by information indicating which content of the electronic document the end user has not yet accessed. An end user application on the device can present the electronic document with information indicating the content which that end user has not yet accessed. By storing this information on the server computer, the end user can access the electronic document from any device and quickly identify the changed content which that end user has not yet accessed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Amal DORAI, Taili FENG, Matthew Charles GAUTHIER, Alyssa Marie IRWIN, Douglas Lane MILVANEY, Gaurav MISHRA, Manasi VELHANKAR, Joan WEAVER
  • Patent number: 10102190
    Abstract: Memory conserving versioning of an electronic document is provided. Client versioning factors are analyzed by a client versioning engine and server versioning factors are analyzed by a server versioning engine for determining when an electronic document should be stored as a new version. Accordingly, new versions of an electronic document are only created when determined to be sufficiently important, thus reducing the amount of memory required for increased version payload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC.
    Inventor: Douglas Lane Milvaney
  • Publication number: 20170185573
    Abstract: Memory conserving versioning of an electronic document is provided. Client versioning factors are analyzed by a client versioning engine and server versioning factors are analyzed by a server versioning engine for determining when an electronic document should be stored as a new version. Accordingly, new versions of an electronic document are only created when determined to be sufficiently important, thus reducing the amount of memory required for increased version payload.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC.
    Inventor: Douglas Lane Milvaney
  • Publication number: 20160292289
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for merging versions and activities associated with a file into a history feed and displaying the history feed on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, a file is identified and activities associated with the file are also identified. It may be determined whether the file has at least one activity. When it is determined that the file has at least one activity, at least one actionable history element for the at least one activity is generated. Additionally, the generated history elements are merged to generate a history feed. The history feed is displayed on a user interface. The history feed may be displayed with an application that has opened the file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: DOUGLAS LANE MILVANEY, MAURA FITZGERALD, JOSHUA JONES, MATT MCNEILL, MANOJ SHARMA, LIDIANE JONES
  • Publication number: 20150286533
    Abstract: Save and synchronization status information is provided. The save and synchronization status information may be concise yet informative to a user and may provide an indication of the current save state of the document: “saved,” “dirty,” or “saving.” The indication of the current save state may be displayed in a consistent and reliable spot such that the user may reliably know where to look to find the document's save status. Other save states may be included, such as offline or error. The indication may be selectable, such that when selected, the user may see additional save and synchronization status detail, and may be enabled to rename the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Kaufthal, Matthew S. Feczko, Charles Scott Walker, Michael Jeffers, Douglas Lane Milvaney, J. David McCall, Travis Spomer