Patents by Inventor Rodney T. Whisnant

Rodney T. Whisnant 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: 9965792
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. A search engine submits a request for product-related content, such as a product page, to a merchant web server. In turn, the merchant web server submits a server-side request to a search engine optimization (SEO) application programming interface (API) for processing. In response, the SEO API returns Picks markup content that is associated with the requested product-related content. The merchant web server then combines the requested product-related content with the returned Picks markup content to generate a product page. The product page, which includes the dynamically injected Picks markup content, is then returned to the search engine where it is indexed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Rodney T. Whisnant
  • Patent number: 9805408
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. A user selects one or more products from one or more Pick Lists, which are a pictorial grouping of products that the user has selected, assembled and named. The user then selects a Pick Collage template, which is then populated with the selected product(s). Once populated, the Pick Collage template is processed to generate a Pick Collage, which provides a more stylized presentation of the selected product(s). Once generated, the Pick Collage is provided to a website associated with a merchant that provides the selected product(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Rodney T. Whisnant, Joseph D. Langeway, Christopher H. Howe
  • Publication number: 20140372249
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. A user selects one or more products from one or more Pick Lists, which are a pictorial grouping of products that the user has selected, assembled and named. The user then selects a Pick Collage template, which is then populated with the selected product(s). Once populated, the Pick Collage template is processed to generate a Pick Collage, which provides a more stylized presentation of the selected product(s). Once generated, the Pick Collage is provided to a website associated with a merchant that provides the selected product(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Rodney T. Whisnant, Joseph D. Langeway, Christopher H. Howe
  • Publication number: 20140337162
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. In various embodiments, web page data associated with a merchant's website is processed to identify a set of product category pages. In turn, data associated with the identified set of product category pages is processed to generate product category page data and data associated with a predetermined set of Pick Lists is processed to generate Pick List data. The resulting product category page data and Pick List data is then processed to generate Pick List association data, which in turn is processed to identify a subset of the set of Pick Lists that are associated with a predetermined product category page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Rodney T. Whisnant, Joseph D. Langeway, Christopher H. Howe
  • Publication number: 20140337163
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. A user navigates to a merchant website that has implemented the Picks System. Profile data associated with the user is collected and then processed to generate a user affinity profile, which is then used to identify a set of Pick System users that have a corresponding user affinity profile. The user then selects a product page at the merchant's website to browse. Pick Lists are identified that are associated with the set of Pick System users that have a corresponding user affinity profile and also contain a product displayed on the product page. The identified Pick Lists are then processed to generate a forward-looking recommendation Pick List, which is then provided to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Rodney T. Whisnant
  • Publication number: 20140337164
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. A search engine submits a request for product-related content, such as a product page, to a merchant web server. In turn, the merchant web server submits a server-side request to a search engine optimization (SEO) application programming interface (API) for processing. In response, the SEO API returns Picks markup content that is associated with the requested product-related content. The merchant web server then combines the requested product-related content with the returned Picks markup content to generate a product page. The product page, which includes the dynamically injected Picks markup content, is then returned to the search engine where it is indexed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Rodney T. Whisnant
  • Publication number: 20140337161
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automating the provision of social media product recommendations in an electronic commerce environment. In various embodiments, a set of instructions is provided to configure a merchant's source web page markup language and script code to receive consolidated script code. The merchant's source web page markup language and script code is then processed to generate source web page markup content and a script code customizations, which are in turn processed with a set of recommendation script code to generate a set of consolidated script code, which is then executed by the merchant's web site to provide social media recommendations in an electronic commerce environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Rodney T. Whisnant, Joseph D. Langeway, Christopher H. Howe, Manish C. Mehta
  • Publication number: 20120290432
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for managing social commerce within a social media environment. Social commerce data associated with an affiliate's social commerce storefront is processed to generate user activity data, which corresponds to the interactions of a plurality of users of the social commerce storefront. The user activity data is then processed to generate social commerce analysis data, which comprises search terms used by the plurality of users. In turn, the social commerce analysis data is processed to generate social commerce recommendations, which are then used to incent the users to purchase products available for sale in the affiliate's social commerce storefront.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Steven Tedjamulia, Manish C. Mehta, Ronald Vincent Rose, Rodney T. Whisnant, Henry Haitian Chen
  • Publication number: 20090319325
    Abstract: A photographer computing device is described. The device receives information that specifies option(s) to create a photographic product from a digital image; a list of fulfillment center(s) to generate the product according to the options, and routing information to at least one of the center(s). The device transmits an order for the product to at least one center. The order specifies a method (e.g., at will or within a specified or negotiated period of time) for the device to communicate the image to selected ones of the center(s). The delivery method is independent of receipt of any type of request or prompt for the image from any other computing device including the gateway device and any fulfillment center. The device uploads the image as per the delivery technique and receives confirmation that the order has been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Express Digital Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney T. Whisnant, Kevin E. McFarland, Graham R. McFarland
  • Patent number: 5959633
    Abstract: A method and system for producing graphical images includes a computer-readable medium and a computer program encoded on the computer-readable medium. The computer program is operable to access an external shape stored outside the computer program. The external shape comprises external capabilities. The computer program is further operable to delegate the production of a graphical image of the external shape to the external capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Micrografx, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin E. McFarland, Rodney T. Whisnant