Patents by Inventor Robert J. Howard, III

Robert J. Howard, III 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).

  • Patent number: 10216734
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for constructing a complementary calendar and/or a shadow calendar. A user may maintain a primary calendar within which the user may schedule user specified tasks and/or meetings, but may inadvertently omit other entries. Accordingly, a complementary calendar may be constructed based upon inferences derived from user signal data (e.g., information used to identify/infer activities of the user, such as social network profile information, messages, temporal information, locational information, documents, etc.). The complementary calendar may be automatically populated with entries corresponding to inferences derived from user signals and/or real-time conditions (e.g., weather, store hours, traffic conditions, etc.). The primary calendar and the complementary calendar may be merged to create a shadow calendar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shira Weinberg, Haim Somech, Scott Vernon Fynn, Uri Barash, Colleen Elizabeth Hamilton, Robert J. Howard, III
  • Publication number: 20180373707
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for constructing a complementary calendar and/or a shadow calendar. A user may maintain a primary calendar within which the user may schedule user specified tasks and/or meetings, but may inadvertently omit other entries. Accordingly, a complementary calendar may be constructed based upon inferences derived from user signal data (e.g., information used to identify/infer activities of the user, such as social network profile information, messages, temporal information, locational information, documents, etc.). The complementary calendar may be automatically populated with entries corresponding to inferences derived from user signals and/or real-time conditions (e.g., weather, store hours, traffic conditions, etc.). The primary calendar and the complementary calendar may be merged to create a shadow calendar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Shira Weinberg, Haim Somech, Scott Vernon Fynn, Uri Barash, Colleen Elizabeth Hamilton, Robert J. Howard, III
  • Patent number: 10089310
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for constructing a complementary calendar and/or a shadow calendar. A user may maintain a primary calendar within which the user may schedule user specified tasks and/or meetings, but may inadvertently omit other entries. Accordingly, a complementary calendar may be constructed based upon inferences derived from user signal data (e.g., information used to identify/infer activities of the user, such as social network profile information, messages, temporal information, locational information, documents, etc.). The complementary calendar may be automatically populated with entries corresponding to inferences derived from user signals and/or real-time conditions (e.g., weather, store hours, traffic conditions, etc.). The primary calendar and the complementary calendar may be merged to create a shadow calendar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shira Weinberg, Haim Somech, Scott Vernon Fynn, Uri Barash, Colleen Elizabeth Hamilton, Robert J. Howard, III
  • Publication number: 20170286133
    Abstract: In embodiments of one step task completion, a computing system includes memory to maintain metadata associated with information that corresponds to a user, where the information is then determinable with a contextual search based on the metadata. The information corresponding to a user can be determined and tagged with the metadata, such as information associated with a user account and/or activity of the user. The computing system includes a personal assistant application that is implemented to receive a request as a one step directive to locate the information and perform an action designated for the information. The personal assistant application can then locate the information based on the metadata, and perform the action designated for the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amy Harilal Rambhia, Robert J. Howard, III, Joseph Spencer King
  • Patent number: 9514748
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described for implementing a digital personal assistant. The digital personal assistant is capable of determining that a user has asked a question or made a statement that is intended to engage with a persona of the digital personal assistant. In response to determining that the user has asked such a question or made such a statement, the digital personal assistant provides a response thereto by displaying or playing back a multimedia object associated with a popular culture reference within or by a user interface of the digital personal assistant. Additionally or alternatively, in response to determining that the user has asked such a question or made such a statement, the digital personal assistant provides the response thereto by generating or playing back speech that comprises an impersonation of a voice of a person associated with the popular culture reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mouni Reddy, Robert J. Howard, III, Deborah B. Harrison, Sogol Malekzadeh
  • Publication number: 20150199649
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for constructing a complementary calendar and/or a shadow calendar. A user may maintain a primary calendar within which the user may schedule user specified tasks and/or meetings, but may inadvertently omit other entries. Accordingly, a complementary calendar may be constructed based upon inferences derived from user signal data (e.g., information used to identify/infer activities of the user, such as social network profile information, messages, temporal information, locational information, documents, etc.). The complementary calendar may be automatically populated with entries corresponding to inferences derived from user signals and/or real-time conditions (e.g., weather, store hours, traffic conditions, etc.). The primary calendar and the complementary calendar may be merged to create a shadow calendar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Shira Weinberg, Haim Somech, Scott Vernon Fynn, Uri Barash, Colleen Elizabeth Hamilton, Robert J. Howard, III
  • Publication number: 20150199967
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are described for implementing a digital personal assistant. The digital personal assistant is capable of determining that a user has asked a question or made a statement that is intended to engage with a persona of the digital personal assistant. In response to determining that the user has asked such a question or made such a statement, the digital personal assistant provides a response thereto by displaying or playing back a multimedia object associated with a popular culture reference within or by a user interface of the digital personal assistant. Additionally or alternatively, in response to determining that the user has asked such a question or made such a statement, the digital personal assistant provides the response thereto by generating or playing back speech that comprises an impersonation of a voice of a person associated with the popular culture reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mouni Reddy, Robert J. Howard, III, Deborah B. Harrison, Sogol Malekzadeh