Patents by Inventor Silviu-Petru Cucerzan

Silviu-Petru Cucerzan 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: 20110072033
    Abstract: Described is the presenting of suggested queries for web pages that are not search engine results pages, based upon the URL and/or content of a currently displayed page. The suggested query set may be dynamically extracted (locally or remotely) based upon the content of the web page, and/or obtained from a data store of per-URL suggested query sets, e.g., generated from historical logs. Also described are various techniques for generating suggested queries, and user interface mechanisms that display and allow interaction with suggested queries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ryen William White, Robert Rounthwaite, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7895193
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides systems and methods that facilitate providing specialized content associated with web results in response to a user query to provide queried information directly to a user without requiring the user to select a link and/or scroll through information on a web page associated therewith. Reference language models can be generated from multiple queries and can be compared to a query language model generated from web results returned in response to a user query. Based on such comparison, a determination can be made regarding whether a particular portion of specialized content corresponding to some particular query keywords is relevant enough to warrant direct presentation to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Jamie P. Buckley, Laura J. Baldwin, Randall F. Kern, Eric D. Brill
  • Patent number: 7818315
    Abstract: A system(s) and/or method(s) that facilitate improving the relevance of search results through utilization of a query log. The relevance of the search results for a target query can be judged based on one or more queries in the log that are related to the target query temporally and/or lexically. The diversity of the top-ranked search results can be increased and/or decreased based on an iterative re-ranking process of the search result set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Ziming Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20100228710
    Abstract: Described is a search technology in which a search engine constructs a results page for a query that integrates suggested queries with the individual query results (e.g., displayed URLs). When rendered, the proximity of the suggested queries to their corresponding individual query result provides context as to the specific URL to which the suggested query is related. Suggested queries may appear alongside their associated search result, e.g., a displayed URL, and/or in an expandable panel proximate that individual search result. Suggested queries may appear within text accompanying a URL, and/or in a drop down menu following interaction with such text or the like. Related queries may be found by using a search result URL to find a query, by analyzing a search result's text snippet, by accessing historical data, and/or by accessing current user session data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott K. Imig, Kenneth Ward Church, Jean-Marie Larcheveque, Samuel D. Paye, JR., Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Emily Blythe Pitler, Robert Rounthwaite, Ryen W. White
  • Patent number: 7747600
    Abstract: A computer-implementable method and system for performing a multi-level search. The method includes performing a primary search that involves executing a query submitted by a user, and returning primary search results (a list of documents, for example). The method further includes automatically performing a secondary search. The secondary search involves identifying at least one third-party source of information based on the query, and automatically assessing a semantic interpretation of the query. The secondary search utilizes the identified at least one third-party source of information and the semantic interpretation of the query to derive secondary search results, which are displayed along with the primary search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Krysta Svore, Chris Burges, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7680778
    Abstract: Computerized methods and systems for generating a suggested query list with suggested search terms displayed as highlighted text utilizing a user-defined query are provided. Query search terms are received by a user-interface display. Upon inputting query search terms, the user-interface automatically generates a suggested query list. The suggested query list is associated with the query search term and the suggested query list is comprised of at least one suggested search term. A query suggestion architecture determines if the query search term and the suggested search term are a match, and if so, highlights the suggested search term that is not a match. The user interface displays the highlighted terms to assist in refining a search. The present invention further provides a stemming algorithm that extracts the root form of the query search term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bhuvan Middha, Girish Kumar, Gaurav Sareen, Janine Crumb, Jason Douglas, Silviu Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7646755
    Abstract: Portable computing devices automatically interface with other computing devices to interact in a collaborative effort toward providing a single, seamless computing experience for a user. As a user walks into a room with a cellular telephone certain functionality and data can be automatically unloaded to a desktop computer or other device based on a user or device identification or state. For example, a conversation on a cellular telephone can be automatically migrated to a desktop telephone as a user sits down. As a user is about to leave a room for a meeting, the desktop computer can update the telephone with latest versions of certain files. Thus, devices can automatically aggregate and/or decouple to provide a user with a single computing experience. These portable devices can broadcast an extensible set of services to other devices as well as to a host computer or server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Joshua Kurlander, Xuedong David Huang, Yuan Kong, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7617182
    Abstract: For each document in a document set, entities are identified and a set of association rules, based on appearance of the entities in the paragraphs of the documents in the set, are derived. Documents are clustered based on the association rules. As documents are added to the clusters, additional association rules specific to the clusters can optionally be derived as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Wisam Dakka, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Publication number: 20090187515
    Abstract: Described herein is a system that facilitates assigning indications of usefulness to query suggestions. The system includes a query suggestion generator component that receives a query and generates a query suggestion based at least in part upon the received query. A model component outputs an indication of usefulness with respect to the query suggestion, wherein the model component is a machine-learned model of user behavior with respect to query suggestions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Galen Andrew, Sooho Park, Robert L. Rounthwaite, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Jamie Paul Buckley, Joanna Chan
  • Patent number: 7565627
    Abstract: The present invention leverages query-related information based on a query and/or a search intention to provide a systematic means to facilitate a user in locating desired information despite lacking exact search parameters. This allows users to find information without first formulating an optimum search query. The query graph provides a navigable, graphical notion of the query-related information via nodes representative of the query-related information and edges representative of the associations between the information. In one instance of the present invention, the query graph is derived from an information source such as a query log, a query list, and/or a search engine and the like. Additional instances of the present invention utilize visual and/or audible indicators employed with the query graph to facilitate in relaying the query-related information to the user, including, but not limited to, overlays, icons, colors, and dimensional variances and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eric D. Brill, Hugo Zaragoza, Robert J. Ragno, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7512601
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide search and/or query-relevant information and/or links thereto to a user as and/or with a search and/or query result. This information can be determined from summary information that can be included within a tag, header, body, meta-data, etc. of the data. A user can employ a local and/or web search utility along with a search word, phrase, sentence, etc. to search over a data repository to locate and retrieve data that satisfies the search criteria. The summary information of this data is obtained and matched against the results and/or search criteria to determine whether the data is relevant to the search and/or query. The summary information is utilized to determine a snippet that summarizes the data, based on the search and/or query, search criteria, etc. to provide the user with search and/or query-relevant results and/or one or more links thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Matthew R. Richardson
  • Publication number: 20090075634
    Abstract: Multi-modal, multi-lingual devices can be employed to consolidate numerous items including, but not limited to, keys, remote controls, image capture devices, audio recorders, cellular telephone functionalities, location/direction detectors, health monitors, calendars, gaming devices, smart home inputs, pens, optical pointing devices or the like. For example, a corner of a cellular telephone can be used as an electronic pen. Moreover, the device can be used to snap multiple pictures stitching them together to create a panoramic image. A device can automate ignition of an automobile, initiate appliances, etc. based upon relative distance. The device can provide for near to eye capabilities for enhanced image viewing. Multiple cameras/sensors can be provided on a single device to provide for stereoscopic capabilities. The device can also provide assistance to blind, privacy, etc. by consolidating services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Sinclair, Yuan Kong, Zhengyou Zhang, Behrooz Chitsaz, David W. Williams, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Zicheng Liu
  • Publication number: 20080313147
    Abstract: A computer-implementable method and system for performing a multi-level search. The method includes performing a primary search that involves executing a query submitted by a user, and returning primary search results (a list of documents, for example). The method further includes automatically performing a secondary search. The secondary search involves identifying at least one third-party source of information based on the query, and automatically assessing a semantic interpretation of the query. The secondary search utilizes the identified at least one third-party source of information and the semantic interpretation of the query to derive secondary search results, which are displayed along with the primary search results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Krysta Svore, Chris Burges, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Patent number: 7460884
    Abstract: Multi-modal, multi-lingual devices can be employed to consolidate numerous items including, but not limited to, keys, remote controls, image capture devices, audio recorders, cellular telephone functionalities, location/direction detectors, health monitors, calendars, gaming devices, smart home inputs, pens, optical pointing devices or the like. For example, a corner of a cellular telephone can be used as an electronic pen. Moreover, the device can be used to snap multiple pictures stitching them together to create a panoramic image. A device can automate ignition of an automobile, initiate appliances, etc. based upon relative distance. The device can provide for near to eye capabilities for enhanced image viewing. Multiple cameras/sensors can be provided on a single device to provide for stereoscopic capabilities. The device can also provide assistance to blind, privacy, etc. by consolidating services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Sinclair, Yuan Kong, Zhengyou Zhang, Behrooz Chitsaz, David W. Williams, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Zicheng Liu
  • Publication number: 20080208864
    Abstract: A novel system for automatically indicating the specific identity of ambiguous named entities is provided. An automatic disambiguation data collection is created using a reference resource. Explicit named entities are catalogued from the reference resource, together with various abbreviated, alternative, and casual ways of referring to the named entities. Entity indicators, such as labels and context indicators associated with the named entities in the reference resource, are also catalogued. The automatic disambiguation collection can then be used as a basis for evaluating ambiguous references to named entities in text content provided in different applications. The content surrounding the ambiguous reference may be compared with the entity indicators to find a good match, indicating that the named entity associated with the matching entity indicators is the intended identity of the ambiguous reference, which can be automatically provided to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Mike Schultz
  • Publication number: 20080177717
    Abstract: Computerized methods and systems for generating a suggested query list with suggested search terms displayed as highlighted text utilizing a user-defined query are provided. Query search terms are received by a user-interface display. Upon inputting query search terms, the user-interface automatically generates a suggested query list. The suggested query list is associated with the query search term and the suggested query list is comprised of at least one suggested search term. A query suggestion architecture determines if the query search term and the suggested search term are a match, and if so, highlights the suggested search term that is not a match. The user interface displays the highlighted terms to assist in refining a search. The present invention further provides a stemming algorithm that extracts the root form of the query search term.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Girish Kumar, Bhuvan Middha, Gaurav Sareen, Janine Crumb, Jason Douglas, Silviu Petru Cucerzan
  • Publication number: 20080168019
    Abstract: For each document in a document set, entities are identified and a set of association rules, based on appearance of the entities in the paragraphs of the documents in the set, are derived. Documents are clustered based on the association rules. As documents are added to the clusters, additional association rules specific to the clusters can optionally be derived as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Wisam Dakka, Silviu-Petru Cucerzan
  • Publication number: 20070214131
    Abstract: A system(s) and/or method(s) that facilitate improving the relevance of search results through utilization of a query log. The relevance of the search results for a target query can be judged based on one or more queries in the log that are related to the target query temporally and/or lexically. The diversity of the top-ranked search results can be increased and/or decreased based on an iterative re-ranking process of the search result set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Ziming Zhuang
  • Patent number: 7254774
    Abstract: The present invention leverages iterative transformations of search query strings along with statistics extracted from search query logs and/or web data to provide possible alternative spellings for the search query strings. This provides for spell checking that can be influenced to provide individualized suggestions for each user. By utilizing search query logs, the present invention can account for substrings not found in a lexicon but still acceptable as a search query of interest. This allows for a higher quality proposal for alternative spellings, beyond the content of the lexicon. One instance of the present invention operates at a substring level by utilizing word unigram and/or bigram statistics extracted from query logs combined with an iterative search. This provides substantially better spelling alternatives for a given query than employing only substring matching. Other instances can receive input data from sources other than a search query input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Eric D. Brill
  • Publication number: 20070106937
    Abstract: The present invention leverages iterative transformations of search query strings along with statistics extracted from search query logs and/or web data to provide possible alternative spellings for the search query strings. This provides a spell checking means that can be influenced to provide individualized suggestions for each user. By utilizing search query logs, the present invention can account for substrings not found in a lexicon but still acceptable as a search query of interest. This allows a means to provide a higher quality proposal for alternative spellings, beyond the content of the lexicon. One instance of the present invention operates at a substring level by utilizing word unigram and/or bigram statistics extracted from query logs combined with an iterative search. This provides substantially better spelling alternatives for a given query than employing only substring matching. Other instances can receive input data from sources other than a search query input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Silviu-Petru Cucerzan, Eric Brill