Patents by Inventor James C. Monberg

James C. Monberg 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).

  • Method and system for providing service listings in electronic yellow pages
    Patent number: 7437357
    Abstract: A method and system for allowing a regional service merchant that is outside of a given geographical boundary, but services inside the geographical boundary, to be included in a result set of a search directed to a location inside the geographical boundary. Text and/or glyphs are returned along with the regional service merchant's business listing so as to explain to a user why a business not physically residing in the search area has been included in the result set. An application programming interface ensures that, if a business is listed as a regional service merchant, then the text and/or glyph is stored in association with the business listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Monberg, Rico Mariani, Gilma A. Z. Perkins, John G. Carey
  • Method and system for providing service listings in electronic yellow pages
    Patent number: 6973448
    Abstract: A method and system for allowing a regional service merchant that is outside of a given geographical boundary, but services inside the geographical boundary, to be included in a result set of a search directed to a location inside the geographical boundary. Text and/or glyphs are returned along with the regional service merchant's business listing so as to explain to a user why a business not physically residing in the search area has been included in the result set. An application programming interface ensures that, if a business is listed as a regional service merchant, then the text and/or glyph is stored in association with the business listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Monberg, Rico Mariani, Gilma A. Z. Perkins, John G. Carey
  • Business directory search engine
    Patent number: 6523021
    Abstract: A system and method for efficiently searching directory listing information to obtain more relevant results is provided. In a computer system running a computing application, it is advantageous to provide search capabilities, in the form of a search engine, to operators to assist them in their effort of retrieving desired data. The search engine may cooperate with a data store having directory listing information to provide listings data to an operator. In an illustrative implementation, this search engine may be deployed on an Internet Web site that offers business listing information. The search system may comprise a user interface to enter search query information, a data store that houses a variety of directory listing information according to a predefined data taxonomy, and a means for displaying the search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Monberg, Rico Mariani, Sanford A. Staab