Patents by Inventor Stephen Chau

Stephen Chau 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: 10458808
    Abstract: A network system can receive, from a user device of a requesting user, a query related to a first service. If the network system determines that a first service provider is in progress of providing a second service for the requesting user, the network system can identify, based on a service location of the second service, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection in association with the first service. The network system can further determine whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service. The first service duration can be estimated based on respective timing information associated one or more items selected by the requesting user. The network system can update a route for the first service provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Droege, Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski
  • Patent number: 10445772
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to placing labels on photographic images so as not to obstruct a particular object. An image associated with a geolocation is identified, where the geolocation is based on a user action. The image is analyzed to identify at least first and second objects within the image. Object types for each object are determined. A determination is made that the first object is to be annotated with a label according to the first object type, and that the first and second object types differ. The image is also analyzed to determine a position on the second object to place the label so that the label does not obstruct the first object. Based on this analysis, the label is placed on the second object without obstructing the first object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 10341741
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Publication number: 20190113361
    Abstract: A computer system can estimate preparation times associated with items offered by a plurality of entities to manage a service over a given geographic region. The computer system can receive, from a user device of a user, a request that includes a selection of one or more items offered by one or more entities near the service location. The network system can determine an optimal route of navigation for a service provider to navigate in fulfilling the request. The route of navigation can be determined based at least in part on timing information associated with the one or more items selected by the user. The timing information can be determined based on historical data and/or real-time data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Jason Droege, Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski
  • Patent number: 10190886
    Abstract: A network system can estimate preparation times associated with items offered by a plurality of entities to manage a network service over a given geographic region. The network system can receive, from a user device of a user, a request that includes a selection of one or more items offered by one or more entities near the service location. The network system can determine an optimal route for a service provider to navigate to provide the service based at least in part on mapping information and determined preparation times associated with the one or more selected items. The optimal route includes at least a first route segment from a first location to at least one of the entities and a route segment from a second location to the service location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Droege, Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski
  • Patent number: 10110524
    Abstract: Some configurations of the subject technology provide a user interface including an activity-creation display configured to create a first activity of several activities, and a single-activity display configured to display a single activity of the several activities, and information related to a list of users associated with the activity. The single-activity display includes a parameter-entry display configured to select a parameter for the single activity and to send a signal to the single activity corresponding to the selected parameter, a heads-up display configured to send a heads-up message about the single activity to a user, a location display configured to display information related to a location of the single activity, a status indicator configured to display a status based on the status parameter of the single activity, and a status-entry display configured to, upon selection, send a signal to change the status indicator of the single activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski, Stephane Lafon, Andrea Lynn Frome, Jerry Howard Morrison, Derek King Prothro, Huy Tuan Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20180293646
    Abstract: For each of one or more users of an activity assistant, the subject technology maintains an account record in a user-account database for the user's account. The account record includes an activity list that includes one or more activities associated with the user's account. The subject technology provides an activity-assistant GUI that is accessible to an accessing user via the accessing user's account. The GUI includes one or more UI elements that each identify an activity that is: (a) linked to another one of the users' accounts, and (b) addable by the accessing user via interaction with the UI element. For at least one of the users, the subject technology receives an indication whenever another one of the users adds one of the activities that is linked to the given user's account via interaction with the UI element that identifies the activity as linked to the given user's account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chau, Andrew T. Szybalski, Stephane Lafon, Andrea Lynn Frome, Jerry Howard Morrison, Derek Prothro, Huy Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20180189729
    Abstract: A network system can receive, from a user device of a requesting user, a query related to a first service. If the network system determines that a first service provider is in progress of providing a second service for the requesting user, the network system can identify, based on a service location of the second service, a plurality of entities that provide items available for selection in association with the first service. The network system can further determine whether to select the first service provider to fulfill the request for the first service based on an estimated first service duration associated with the first service and an estimated duration remaining for the second service. The first service duration can be estimated based on respective timing information associated one or more items selected by the requesting user. The network system can update a route for the first service provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Jason Droege, Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski
  • Publication number: 20180188068
    Abstract: A network system can estimate preparation times associated with items offered by a plurality of entities to manage a network service over a given geographic region. The network system can receive, from a user device of a user, a request that includes a selection of one or more items offered by one or more entities near the service location. The network system can determine an optimal route for a service provider to navigate to provide the service based at least in part on mapping information and determined preparation times associated with the one or more selected items. The optimal route includes at least a first route segment from a first location to at least one of the entities and a route segment from a second location to the service location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Jason Droege, Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski
  • Publication number: 20180113297
    Abstract: A system and method for facilitating removal of condensation from an optic surface. An example Active Droplet Transport (ADT) system includes a transparent ElectroWetting (EW) circuit positioned on or within an optic; a controller (also called a drive circuit) in communication with the EW circuit; and instructions implemented by the controller and configured to selectively activate the transparent EW circuit to remove condensation from a surface of the optic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Tanner Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Amish Desai, Michael Emerling, Nathaniel Selden, Stephen Chau, Robert Melendes
  • Publication number: 20180041815
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric HC Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 9798817
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems that relate to an “activity assistant” that provides users with dynamically-selected “activities” that are intelligently tailored to the user's world. The subject technology receives the one or more global parameters of one or more selected activities. The subject technology further receives the one or more account-specific parameters of a selected user account. For the selected user account, and for each of the one or more selected activities, the subject technology: (a) determines one or more signals based at least in part on one or more of the global parameters of the selected activity and one or more of the account-specific parameters of the selected user account, and (b) uses the determined signals as a basis for determining an importance of the selected activity for the selected user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chau, Andrew Timothy Szybalski, Stephane Lafon, Andrea Lynn Frome, Jerry Howard Morrison, Derek King Prothro, Huy Tuan Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9794636
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Publication number: 20170103135
    Abstract: In accordance with some implementations of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms for presenting recommended media content items are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric HC Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau, Grzegorz Glowaty, Randy Simon
  • Patent number: 9583074
    Abstract: A system, computer-implemented method and computer-readable medium for labeling an image. A two-dimensional street-level image and a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the image's content are received. Data representing a label to annotate at least a portion of a building in the two dimensional image is also received. A determination is made using the three dimensional mode as to where position the label for presentation within the two-dimensional model such that the label does not obscure presentation of the building in the two-dimensional image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Chau
  • Publication number: 20170048589
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric HC Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 9552395
    Abstract: In accordance with some implementations of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms for presenting recommended media content items are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau, Grzegorz Glowaty, Randy Simon
  • Patent number: 9485543
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for presenting suggestions of media content are provided. In some implementations, the method comprises: determining an item of media content; determining a probability of the item of media content being watched at one or more times based on at least one of: a characteristic of a person; a characteristic of a group; and a characteristic of the item of media content; creating a user interface which suggests that the item of media content be watched at one or more times based on the determined probability; and presenting the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Bayer, Eric H C Liu, Calvin Lee, Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 9348480
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an “activity assistant” and an “activity assistant user interface” that provides users with dynamically-selected “activities” that are intelligently tailored to the user's world. For example, a graphical UI includes selectable context elements, each of which corresponds to a user-attribute whose value provides a signal to the activity assistant. In response to selecting a parameter associated with at least one of the selectable context elements, a first signal is generated and provided to the activity assistant. In response to providing the signal, one or more activities are populated and ordered based, at least in part, on the signal, and subsequently displayed. The parameters may include a current mood of a user, a current location of the user, associations with other users, and a time during which the user desires to carry out the activity in some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Chau, Andrew T. Szybalski, Stephane Lafon, Andrea Lynn Frome, Jerry Howard Morrison, Derek Prothro, Huy Nguyen, Kansinee Adsanatham, Dennis Moak Hwang
  • Patent number: 9286624
    Abstract: A system and method of displaying information on images representing geographic objects captured by a camera is provided. In one aspect, the information is an advertisement and the advertisement is displayed such that its shape is based on the surface angle of the geographic object relative to the perspective from which the object is being viewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Chau