Patents by Inventor Kim Cameron

Kim Cameron 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: 20050071355
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically generating a schema representing multiple hierarchies of inter-object relationships are described. In one aspect, a polyarchical query language data structure includes first, second, and third data fields. The first data field is used to specify a particular schema for presenting or managing a plurality of objects in a data polyarchy based on values of attributes in the objects. The second data field is to indicate an attribute of interest. The third data field indicates how one or more objects that include the attribute of interest are to be presented or managed with respect to one or more participating dimensions of inter-object relationships based on the schema.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, Stewart MacLeod, George Robertson, James Booth, Luc Clement
  • Publication number: 20050055354
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a computer system comprising a plurality of Items, Item Folders, and a hardware/software interface system. The Items constitute discrete storable units of information that can be manipulated by a hardware/software interface system. The Item Folders, which are Items themselves, constitute an organizational structure for Items. Each Item belongs to at least one Item Folder, and Items may belong to more than one Item Folder. However, an Item is not necessarily owned by any particular Item Folder, such that the deletion of said Item Folder does not automatically result in the deletion of said Item. Instead, an Item might be automatically deleted only when it no longer belongs to any Item Folder or, alternately, and Item may be automatically deleted when it is a member of only one Item Folder and that Item Folder is deleted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: J. Thompson, Kim Cameron, Walter Smith, Darren Shakib, Nathaniel Ballou, Pedro Celis
  • Publication number: 20050055380
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a hardware/software interface system for a computer system for manipulating a plurality of discrete units of information at a hardware/software interface system level (“Items”), said Items interconnected by Relationships and where Items have Relationships to other Items. One such relationship between Items may be for the purposes of logically denoting to the hardware/software interface system wether one Item is public and accessible or private and unaccessible to another Item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: J. Thompson, Kim Cameron, Srinivasmurthy Acharya, Balan Raman
  • Publication number: 20050050477
    Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying and managing data in hierarchies and polyarchies of information are described. In one aspect, an object having first and second intersecting hierarchies is specified. The object is illustrated with respect to the first hierarchy. A second intersecting hierarchy selection option is presented to a user to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy in response to user selection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: George Robertson, Kim Cameron, Mary Czerwinski, Daniel Robbins
  • Publication number: 20050049994
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, in a computer system, for a hardware/software interface system to manipulate a plurality of discrete units of information having properties understandable by said hardware/software interface system (“Items”). The method uses a base schema comprising at least one of an Item as a base Item from which all other Items are derived, and at least one of a property as a base property from which all other properties are derived. Furthermore, an Item may comprise a property for referencing Categories to which the Item is a member. The Item may also comprises a property for a unique identification of that Item in the hardware/software interface system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventors: J. Thompson, Kim Cameron, Walter Smith, Anil Nori
  • Publication number: 20050044103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for extending a directory schema independent of schema modification are described. In one aspect, a directory schema data structure includes a flexible attribute data field. The flexible attribute data field identifies a complex data type. The complex data type is used to express one or more operational or data providing properties of a flexible attribute. The one or more operational or data providing properties are independent of the complex data type and independent of directory schema modification. The directory schema data structure also includes a flexible structural object content class to encapsulate the flexible attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stewart MacLeod, James Booth, Kim Cameron, Jonathan Fischer, Max Benson, Felix Wong, Robert Thompson, Hilal Al-Hilali
  • Patent number: 6859217
    Abstract: An object having first and second intersecting hierarchies is specified. The object is illustrated with respect to the first hierarchy. The second intersecting hierarchy is presented for selection to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy. In response to selecting the second intersecting hierarchy, the object is illustrated within the second intersecting hierarchy. To illustrate the object within the second intersecting hierarchy, the procedure visually morphs from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy. This means that a first structure representing the first hierarchy is gradually changed to a second structure that represents the second hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Kim Cameron, Mary P. Czerwinski, Daniel C. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20050027734
    Abstract: Systems and methods for extending a directory schema independent of schema modification are described. In one aspect, a directory schema data structure includes a flexible attribute data field. The flexible attribute data field identifies a complex data type. The complex data type is used to express one or more operational or data providing properties of a flexible attribute. The one or more operational or data providing properties are independent of the complex data type and independent of directory schema modification. The directory schema data structure also includes a flexible structural object content class to encapsulate the flexible attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stewart MacLeod, James Booth, Kim Cameron, Jonathan Fischer, Max Benson, Felix Wong, Robert Thompson, Hilal Al-Hilali
  • Publication number: 20050027713
    Abstract: Subject matter includes a password management system in which a web application obtains a list of accounts associated with a given user from an identity integration system connected to diverse data sources and in which a password can be updated in each data source, even when the identity integration system does not natively communicate with a data source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, Ahmad Abdel-Wahed, Matthias Leibmann, Kevin Miller, James Booth, Derek Murman, Max Benson, Felix Wong, Cezar Ungureanasu
  • Publication number: 20040225663
    Abstract: Systems and methods for populating attribute value fields in an entity object employ in a ranked list of transfer options to determine which of a plurality of transfer options will be used to populate the attribute value fields in the entity object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Edward H. Wayt, James H. Booth, Kevin Ralph Miller, Kim Cameron, Max L. Benson, Matthias Leibmann
  • Publication number: 20040225670
    Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems provide a relational directory of organizational information. Organizational data objects and their associated attributes are maintained in a relational directory. An organizational hierarchy is converted to a relational directory using projection, joining, and import attribute flow rules. Attributes in a relational directory may be exported out of the relational directory to a hierarchical directory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, Mark Brown, Matthias Leibmann, James H. Booth, Max L. Benson
  • Publication number: 20040225682
    Abstract: Various exemplary metadirectories, systems and/or methods include or allow for executing a software module on an execution engine, emitting semantic information based on the executing, and analyzing the executing using the semantic information. An exemplary execution engine includes an input for receiving software modules, an output for emitting semantic information, and an output for outputting generated output information. Upon execution, an exemplary software module may cause processing of information in a metadirectory and emitting of semantic information pertaining to the processing. Various exemplary metadirectories, systems and/or methods emit and/or store semantic information in a self-defining language, an extensible language, and/or a markup language. Other exemplary metadirectories, systems, and/or methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek Murman, Edward H. Wayt, Jeffrey Bisset, Jing Wu, Kim Cameron, Max L. Benson, Jie Liu
  • Publication number: 20040225680
    Abstract: Exemplary methods, devices, systems, and/or storage media for organizational data management, including staging, synchronizing, and exporting of organizational data. Exemplary data aggregation rules specify methods for aggregating data from a remote repository. Schemas are exemplary rules configuration data structures having elements for associating processing data objects in a buffer space objects in a core space. The elements may also specify importing attributes into and exporting attributes from the core space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, Max L. Benson, James H. Booth
  • Publication number: 20040225674
    Abstract: Subject matter includes exemplary flexible rules for defining an information management process, for example a process that manages information being transferred between databases or with respect to an exemplary metadirectory. The flexible rules have inherent logic to define part of an information management action or a database structure and perform a call out for custom logic. The custom logic performs or defines another part of the information management action or database structure. Besides the exemplary flexible rules, the subject matter describes exemplary identity information management processes, engines, and related methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Max L. Benson, Michael Jerger, Edward H. Wayt, Kenneth Mark, Kim Cameron, Matthias Leibmann, Jing Wu
  • Publication number: 20040215642
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented to dynamically generate multiple hierarchies of inter-object relationships based on object attribute values. In one aspect, a data structure includes a first virtual object data field to represent a first object of multiple objects in a data store. A second virtual object data field represents a second object of the multiple objects. Attributes of the first object intersect with attributes of the second object to form multiple hierarchies of inter-object relationships.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, George G. Robertson, Mark R. Brown
  • Publication number: 20040122822
    Abstract: A schema is provided that defines people, groups and organizations by their corresponding contact information and other related characteristics. The schema defines a person by personal data, name data, location data, and e-address data. A group is defined by group membership data and e-address data. An organization is defined by location data and by e-address data. The schema also defines role occupancies for interrelating the various contacts. The role occupancies are defined by role occupancy data that may include employee data, team member data, group membership data, family data, customer or business data, and other types of data that can link two or more contacts. By interrelating contacts based on role occupancies, the schema is able to provide rich querying of one or more databases for obtaining desired contact information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: J. Patrick Thompson, Walter R. Smith, Kim Cameron, Jonathan D. Perlow, Dejan Subotic, Melissa W. Dunn
  • Patent number: 6752369
    Abstract: A camera steadying device for steadying a camera while taking a picture. The camera steadying device includes a body member being designed for being coupled to the camera being held by a user. A flexible extension member extends from the body member. The flexible extension member is designed for being stepped on by the user opposite the camera whereby the flexible extension member resists upward vertical movement of the camera for steadying the camera when the user is taking a picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: Kim Cameron
  • Publication number: 20030177139
    Abstract: The described arrangements and procedures provide for interfacing (e.g., managing, presenting, etc.) with complex and often elastic inter-object relationships between objects in a data polyarchy. Specifically, a schema is dynamically generated by a server to represent multiple hierarchies of inter-object relationships between objects in a data polyarchy. The schema indicates or lists each attribute or element of interest in the data polyarchy. The schema further indicates any of one or more dimensions of inter-object relationships within which objects that comprise at least a subset of the listed the elements of interest participate. Thus, the schema indicates how to interface with the data polyarchy, which represents multiple hierarchies of inter-object relationships based on the values of attributes of the represented objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Kim Cameron, Stewart P. MacLeod, George G. Robertson, James H. Booth, Luc Clement
  • Publication number: 20030105770
    Abstract: The described arrangements and procedures provide a directory schema with object classes that have flexible attributes. This means that attributes can be extended independent of modifications to the directory schema. Specifically, an object instance of a content class described in the directory schema is instantiated. The content class includes a flexible attribute having a data type. A property is assigned to the attribute. The property is any combination of an operational and data providing property. The property is independent of the attribute's data type. Thus, without modifying the directory schema, multiple instances of the same object class can have attributes that provide completely different data types and completely different data operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Stewart MacLeod, James H. Booth, Kim Cameron, Jonathan A. Fischer, Max L. Benson, Felix Wong, Robert Dan Thompson, Hilal Al-Hilali
  • Publication number: 20030105654
    Abstract: The described arrangements and procedures use a directory, with its integrated view of resource identity across a distributed system to dynamically execute and manage workflow solutions responsive to changes in the directory. Specifically, a state change to an object in a directory is detected. Responsive to detecting the state change, the state change is mapped to a corresponding workflow, which includes sequences of tasks. The identified sequences of tasks are then executed to achieve a desired state in the directory. The desired state is based on the detected state change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Inventors: Stewart P. MacLeod, Kim Cameron, James H. Booth, Jonathan A. Fischer