Patents by Inventor Robert C. Combs
Robert C. Combs 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: 11662801Abstract: A supervisory control system provides power management in an electronic device by providing timeout periods for a hardware component to lower levels of the operating system such as a power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller. The power management arbitrator and/or hardware interface controller transition at least a portion of a hardware component to a lower-power state based on monitored activity information of the hardware component. The supervisory control system may further provide wakeup periods to the power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller to determine whether the hardware component should be transitioned to a higher-power state at the end of the wakeup period if the hardware component satisfies a transition condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Publication number: 20220350394Abstract: A supervisory control system provides power management in an electronic device by providing timeout periods for a hardware component to lower levels of the operating system such as a power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller. The power management arbitrator and/or hardware interface controller transition at least a portion of a hardware component to a lower-power state based on monitored activity information of the hardware component. The supervisory control system may further provide wakeup periods to the power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller to determine whether the hardware component should be transitioned to a higher-power state at the end of the wakeup period if the hardware component satisfies a transition condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2022Publication date: November 3, 2022Inventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 11314317Abstract: A supervisory control system provides power management in an electronic device by providing timeout periods for a hardware component to lower levels of the operating system such as a power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller. The power management arbitrator and/or hardware interface controller transition at least a portion of a hardware component to a lower-power state based on monitored activity information of the hardware component. The supervisory control system may further provide wakeup periods to the power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller to determine whether the hardware component should be transitioned to a higher-power state at the end of the wakeup period if the hardware component satisfies a transition condition.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2017Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 10705591Abstract: A system for aggregated electronic device power management includes an aggregated power management arbitrator configured to collect activity information from one or more electronic devices regarding the use of a type of hardware component on the electronic devices. The aggregated power management arbitrator selects a timeout period for transmitting to one of the one or more electronic devices to define a minimum amount of time before the hardware component is transitioned to a lower-power state. The aggregated power management arbitrator may determine usage patterns for one of the electronic devices based on the collected activity information and the applications executing on the electronic device. A timeout period may be adjusted based on the determined usage pattern to improve efficiency of the power management of the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Publication number: 20180120917Abstract: A system for aggregated electronic device power management includes an aggregated power management arbitrator configured to collect activity information from one or more electronic devices regarding the use of a type of hardware component on the electronic devices. The aggregated power management arbitrator selects a timeout period for transmitting to one of the one or more electronic devices to define a minimum amount of time before the hardware component is transitioned to a lower-power state. The aggregated power management arbitrator may determine usage patterns for one of the electronic devices based on the collected activity information and the applications executing on the electronic device. A timeout period may be adjusted based on the determined usage pattern to improve efficiency of the power management of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Publication number: 20180121306Abstract: A supervisory control system provides power management in an electronic device by providing timeout periods for a hardware component to lower levels of the operating system such as a power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller. The power management arbitrator and/or hardware interface controller transition at least a portion of a hardware component to a lower-power state based on monitored activity information of the hardware component. The supervisory control system may further provide wakeup periods to the power management arbitrator and/or a hardware interface controller to determine whether the hardware component should be transitioned to a higher-power state at the end of the wakeup period if the hardware component satisfies a transition condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Harish Srinivasan, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 9836518Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Publication number: 20160154873Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2016Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 9262368Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 9104406Abstract: A computing device that has a network interface that performs a subset of possible networking functions while the computing device is in a sleep mode. The subset of functions may be simply implemented on the network interface, yet to substantially reduce the frequency with which the computing device has to wake up to perform networking functions. The subset of functions may be selected to maintain a network presence of the computing device while the device is in sleep mode, and may include responding to requests for MAC information, sending keep-alive messages or exchanging security information that, in accordance with network protocols, has a limited lifetime that would otherwise expire while the computing device is in sleep mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2009Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Alireza Dabagh, Narasimha Rao S.S. Nagampalli, Robert C. Combs, Alexander Malysh, Narasimhan A. Venkataramaiah
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Publication number: 20150071298Abstract: Forwarding techniques for a virtual switch are described. A type is identified of data packet received by an extensible virtual switch of a computing device, the extensible virtual switch configured to support communication between a first virtual machine and a second virtual machine or external device. Responsive to the identification, an identifier of the type is associated with the data packet. The data packet is passed through a plurality of extension modules of the extensible virtual switch. Forwarding for the data packet is calculated by at least one of the plurality of extension modules that correspond to the associated identifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2013Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Robert C. Combs, Pankaj Garg, Luis M. Hernandez, Claire Elizabeth Mitchell, Praveen Balasubramanian
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Patent number: 8966499Abstract: An extensible virtual switch allows virtual machines to communicate with one another and optionally with other physical devices via a network. The extensible virtual switch includes an extensibility protocol binding, allowing different extensions to be added to the extensible virtual switch. The extensible virtual switch also includes a miniport driver on which the extensions are loaded, tying the lifetimes of the extensions to the lifetime of the extensible virtual switch.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2011Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Robert C. Combs, Pankaj Garg, Sambhrama M. Mundkur, Luis M. Hernandez, Alireza Dabagh, Sandeep K. Singhal
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Publication number: 20130067466Abstract: An extensible virtual switch allows virtual machines to communicate with one another and optionally with other physical devices via a network. The extensible virtual switch includes an extensibility protocol binding, allowing different extensions to be added to the extensible virtual switch. The extensible virtual switch also includes a miniport driver on which the extensions are loaded, tying the lifetimes of the extensions to the lifetime of the extensible virtual switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2011Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Robert C. Combs, Pankaj Garg, Sambhrama M. Mundkur, Luis M. Hernandez, Alireza Dabagh, Sandeep K. Singhal
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Patent number: 8321416Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2011Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 8161022Abstract: The principles of the present invention extend to efficiently and reliably providing message related data. Generally, data fields of electronic messages and attachments are created in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. An electronic message can include links to folder items that represent message folders. An electronic message can also include links to contact items that represent message participants. Message applications can register for folder spaces such that each message application is aware of folders that are primarily controlled by other message applications. A link to a contact item can be selected to access current contact related data for a message participant, even when the contact related data has changed since an electronic message containing the link was received.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2008Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bryan T. Starbuck, Gail Borod Giacobbe, Alexander E. Vaschillo, Stephen T. Wells, Robert C. Combs, Sridhar Sundararaman, Raghavendra Rachamadugu, Hubert Louis Marie Van Hoof, John Heinrich Lueders
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Patent number: 8150923Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for efficiently storing and accessing electronic messages. Generally, electronic messages are created and transformed in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. Electronic messages can be created according to a general message schema that defines a format for data fields that are common to all types of electronic messages (e.g. electronic mail, instant message, fax message). Electronic messages can also be extended according to message extension schemas that define formats for adding protocol specific and/or or application specific data fields to an electronic message. Data fields added in accordance with message extension schemas can differ between electronic messages types.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2003Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Alexander E. Vaschillo, Bryan T. Starbuck, Gail Borod Giacobbe, Stephen T. Wells, Robert C. Combs, Sridhar Sundararaman, Raghavendra Rachamadugu, Hubert Louis Marie Van Hoof, John Heinrich Lueders
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Publication number: 20120030252Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Patent number: 8065282Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs
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Publication number: 20100174808Abstract: A computing device that has a network interface that performs a subset of possible networking functions while the computing device is in a sleep mode. The subset of functions may be simply implemented on the network interface, yet to substantially reduce the frequency with which the computing device has to wake up to perform networking functions. The subset of functions may be selected to maintain a network presence of the computing device while the device is in sleep mode, and may include responding to requests for MAC information, sending keep-alive messages or exchanging security information that, in accordance with network protocols, has a limited lifetime that would otherwise expire while the computing device is in sleep mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Alireza Dabagh, Narasimha Rao S.S. Nagampalli, Robert C. Combs, Alexander Malysh, Narasimhan A. Venkataramaiah
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Publication number: 20090240972Abstract: Time-related properties may be modeled independent of a base object. Rather than storing time properties with the object, they may be stored independently. A given object may be stored once, even if it has a recurrent time property. The description of a “meeting,” for example, may be stored once. Each occurrence of that object over time may be stored in a “timeslot” (object <foo> occurs at time ‘t’ on day ‘d’). If it is a recurring property, recurrence information may be stored independently. “Exception” information may be stored independently as well.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2009Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Christopher Michael Simison, Remi Alain Lemarchand, Robert C. Combs