Patents by Inventor K. Aaron Williams

K. Aaron Williams 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).

  • Providing sender-selected sound items to conversation participants
    Patent number: 9063695
    Abstract: Functionality is described for allowing a first user to select a sound item. The first user can use a first device to send this sound item to a second device operated by a second user. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, the sound item selected by the first user can be presented by the second device to the second user. The first device and the second device may correspond to two devices in an Instant Messaging (IM) system. According to another illustrative aspect, functionality is described that allows the first user to select the new sound item from a source sound item by adjusting the position and/or size (e.g., width) of a graphical selection unit that is presented over a graphical depiction of the source sound item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, William S Archbell, Kandarp Jani, Troy A Schauls, Raghuveer Simha, Yuanquan Zhang, Thomas Aleksandr Barbour
  • Content sharing and instant messaging
    Patent number: 8862672
    Abstract: Content sharing and instant messaging are described. In an implementation, a first user interface is displayed at a first client that is configured to provide instant messaging with a second client having a second user interface. One or more content items are output in the first user interface to be controllable via both the first user interface and the second user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, James A. Canitz, Kandarp D. Jani, Steven K. Abrahams, Troy A. Schauls, Asta J. Roseway
  • Providing sender-selected sound items to conversation participants
    Patent number: 8762458
    Abstract: Functionality is described for allowing a first user to select a sound item. The first user can use a first device to send this sound item to a second device operated by a second user. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, the sound item selected by the first user can be presented by the second device to the second user. The first device and the second device may correspond to two devices in an Instant Messaging (IM) system. According to another illustrative aspect, functionality is described that allows the first user to select the new sound item from a source sound item by adjusting the position and/or size (e.g., width) of a graphical selection unit that is presented over a graphical depiction of the source sound item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, William S. Archbell, Kandarp Jani, Troy A. Schauls, Thomas A. Barbour, Raghuveer Simha, Yuanquan Zhang
  • Providing Sender-Selected Sound Items to Conversation Participants
    Publication number: 20140123007
    Abstract: Functionality is described for allowing a first user to select a sound item. The first user can use a first device to send this sound item to a second device operated by a second user. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, the sound item selected by the first user can be presented by the second device to the second user. The first device and the second device may correspond to two devices in an Instant Messaging (IM) system. According to another illustrative aspect, functionality is described that allows the first user to select the new sound item from a source sound item by adjusting the position and/or size (e.g., width) of a graphical selection unit that is presented over a graphical depiction of the source sound item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, William S Archbell, Kandarp Jani, Troy A Schauls, Raghuveer Simha, Yuanquan Zhang, Thomas Aleksandr Barbour
  • Peer-to-peer synchronous content selection
    Patent number: 8285812
    Abstract: Various technologies for sharing digital images within an instant messaging (IM) session between two users. In one implementation, a first user uploads a set of images to the second user. The set of images may be displayed as thumbnails on the displays of both users. By clicking on one of the thumbnails, either user may make the associated image appear as a larger image on both users' displays. In the event that both users click on different images simultaneously, or near-simultaneously, a protocol may be employed that selects which image is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John Selbie, Drew Canitz, Kandarp Jani, Steven Abrahams, Troy Schauls, Asta Roseway
  • Content Sharing and Instant Messaging
    Publication number: 20100050092
    Abstract: Content sharing and instant messaging are described. In an implementation, a first user interface is displayed at a first client that is configured to provide instant messaging with a second client having a second user interface. One or more content items are output in the first user interface to be controllable via both the first user interface and the second user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, James A. Canitz, Kandarp D. Jani, Steven K. Abrahams, Troy A. Schauls, Asta J. Roseway
  • PEER-TO-PEER SYNCHRONOUS CONTENT SELECTION
    Publication number: 20090327448
    Abstract: Various technologies for sharing digital images within an instant messaging (IM) session between two users. In one implementation, a first user uploads a set of images to the second user. The set of images may be displayed as thumbnails on the displays of both users. By clicking on one of the thumbnails, either user may make the associated image appear as a larger image on both users' displays. In the event that both users click on different images simultaneously, or near-simultaneously, a protocol may be employed that selects which image is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John Selbie, Drew Canitz, Kandarp Jani, Steven Abrahams, Troy Schauls, Asta Roseway
  • Providing Sender-Selected Sound Items to Conversation Participants
    Publication number: 20090006567
    Abstract: Functionality is described for allowing a first user to select a sound item. The first user can use a first device to send this sound item to a second device operated by a second user. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, the sound item selected by the first user can be presented by the second device to the second user. The first device and the second device may correspond to two devices in an Instant Messaging (IM) system. According to another illustrative aspect, functionality is described that allows the first user to select the new sound item from a source sound item by adjusting the position and/or size (e.g., width) of a graphical selection unit that is presented over a graphical depiction of the source sound item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: K. Aaron Williams, John R. Selbie, William S. Archbell, Kandarp Jani, Troy A. Schauls, Thomas A. Barbour, Raghuveer Simha, Yuanquan Zhang