Patents by Inventor STEVEN WAYNE ICKMAN

STEVEN WAYNE ICKMAN 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: 20230359655
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods, and devices for enabling conversational bot communications are presented. A marketplace comprising an identity of a plurality of skills may be maintained, each of the plurality of skills associated with a manifest and a conversational bot. A request for execution of a specific skill may be received. A plurality of conversational bots may be identified, each of the plurality of conversational bots being associated with a manifest for executing the specific skill. The plurality of conversational bots may be ranked. The specific skill may be caused to be executed by the highest ranked conversational bot. In some examples, a plurality of highest ranked conversational bots may be surfaced and a bot that is selected may execute the specific skill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Lee MULLINS, Scott Jeff GELLOCK, Thomas Matthew LAIRD-MCCONNELL, Steven Wayne ICKMAN, Gabriel GILABERT, John Anthony TAYLOR
  • Patent number: 11741140
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for enabling conversational bot communications are presented. A marketplace comprising an identity of a plurality of skills may be maintained, each of the plurality of skills associated with a manifest and a conversational bot. A request for execution of a specific skill may be received. A plurality of conversational bots may be identified, each of the plurality of conversational bots being associated with a manifest for executing the specific skill. The plurality of conversational bots may be ranked. The specific skill may be caused to be executed by the highest ranked conversational bot. In some examples, a plurality of highest ranked conversational bots may be surfaced and a bot that is selected may execute the specific skill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Steven Wayne Ickman, Gabriel Gilabert, John Anthony Taylor
  • Patent number: 11669435
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processing operations configured to generate and present a chat bot diagnostic visualization that provides real-time visual insights into operation of a chat bot for debugging assistance. A chat bot diagnostic tool is programmed to launch a graphical user interface that displays a visual representation of diagnostic data for debugging a chat bot in real-time. To enable conversational specific data to be reviewed, the present disclosure is configured to implement a middleware adapter within in a run-time stack of a chat bot that is configured to trace data traffic between a chat bot and a channel of an application/service. This enables the chat bot diagnostic tool to observe data traffic and filter the data traffic to identify relevant data for debugging a chat bot. A debugging data visualization of a chat bot interaction is emulated through a graphical user interface of the chat bot diagnostic tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: John Anthony Taylor, Christopher Michael Whitten, Steven Wayne Ickman, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock
  • Publication number: 20220405068
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods and computer readable media for providing tools and features related to developing asset packages that may be incorporated within the framework of various bot packages. For example, systems disclosed herein can provide an asset development interface that enables a user of a computing device to develop various types of bot packages by adding and/or modifying asset packages. The systems provide a mechanism whereby a developer can obtain an asset package including one or more discrete action components that are pre-configured and pre-packaged in a way that enables the asset package to be incorporated into the framework of the bot or, alternatively, within the framework of another asset package. The systems described herein further enable content of the asset packages to be selectively accessible to users and associated computing devices that are authorized to view and use the asset packages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Benjamin Abraham BROWN, Steven Wayne ICKMAN, Christopher Lee MULLINS, Christopher Michael WHITTEN, Lili CHENG, Scott Jeff GELLOCK
  • Patent number: 11468122
    Abstract: A method for utilizing shared memory spaces for data lifecycle management in a conversational AI system includes receiving one or more storage requests directing conversational data to multiple nodes of a conversational data object and storing the conversational data that is directed to each different one of the multiple nodes within a different one of multiple discrete memory spaces. Each of the multiple discrete memory spaces is governed by a scope policy defining a lifetime for data stored within the memory space. The method further provides for erasing data of each node of the multiple different nodes of the conversational data object according to the lifetime defined by the scope policy governing the memory space storing the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Ickman, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Christopher Clayton McConnell, Carlos Castro, Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott J. Gellock
  • Patent number: 11321532
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for enabling conversational bot communications are presented. A natural language input may be received by a first conversational bot. A skill needed to fulfill a request in the natural language input may be identified. A determination may be made that the skill is not executable by the first conversational bot. A determination may be made that the skill is executable by a second conversational bot. A request for execution of the skill may be sent from the first conversational bot to the second conversational bot. A request for information needed for the second conversational bot to execute the skill may be received by the first conversational bot from the second conversational bot. The information may be sent from the first conversational bot to the second conversational bot. The skill may be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Steven Wayne Ickman, Gabriel Gilabert, John Anthony Taylor
  • Patent number: 11170174
    Abstract: A computer-executed conversational system utilizing adaptive dialogs to provide dynamic modification of a conversation structure. The adaptive dialogs facilitate an adaptive and dynamic way to model conversations. A conversational rule may be associated with a trigger received at an adaptive dialog. The conversational rule may populate a plan with steps to provide the conversational structure of the conversational system. Modifying triggers may be received that allow conversational rules to amend the plan including adding steps, removing steps, or modifying steps from the plan. The adaptive dialogs and/or components thereof may be provided as constructible elements in a platform for building a bot such as a developer Software Development Kit (SDK) or the like. In turn, sophisticated conversational modeling may be conveniently facilitated to provide features such as a dialog dispatcher, the ability to handle interruptions, and to build a pluggable, extensible conversational system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Ickman, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Christopher Clayton McConnell, Carlos Castro
  • Patent number: 11151333
    Abstract: Conversational event modeling for determining how to process an input in a dialog stack of a computer-executed conversational system. Receipt of an input at an active dialog in a dialog stack may result in generation of an event corresponding to the input. The event may be propagated through the dialog stack. Dialogs in the dialog stack may generate a confidence value in relation to processing the input, and selection of the dialog in the dialog stack for use in processing the input may be based at least in part on the confidence values. In turn, the conversational system may facilitate improved handling of ambiguous or unrelated inputs at dialogs by propagating the event associated with such an input through the dialog stack. The event creation and processing functions may be provided as parameters for dialogs in a modular dialog creation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Ickman, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Christopher Clayton McConnell, Carlos Castro
  • Publication number: 20210182341
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for enabling conversational bot communications are presented. A marketplace comprising an identity of a plurality of skills may be maintained, each of the plurality of skills associated with a manifest and a conversational bot. A request for execution of a specific skill may be received. A plurality of conversational bots may be identified, each of the plurality of conversational bots being associated with a manifest for executing the specific skill. The plurality of conversational bots may be ranked. The specific skill may be caused to be executed by the highest ranked conversational bot. In some examples, a plurality of highest ranked conversational bots may be surfaced and a bot that is selected may execute the specific skill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Steven Wayne Ickman, Gabriel Gilabert, John Anthony Taylor
  • Publication number: 20210182497
    Abstract: In non-limiting examples of the present disclosure, systems, methods and devices for enabling conversational bot communications are presented. A natural language input may be received by a first conversational bot. A skill needed to fulfill a request in the natural language input may be identified. A determination may be made that the skill is not executable by the first conversational bot. A determination may be made that the skill is executable by a second conversational bot. A request for execution of the skill may be sent from the first conversational bot to the second conversational bot. A request for information needed for the second conversational bot to execute the skill may be received by the first conversational bot from the second conversational bot. The information may be sent from the first conversational bot to the second conversational bot. The skill may be executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Steven Wayne Ickman, Gabriel Gilabert, John Anthony Taylor
  • Publication number: 20200409818
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processing operations configured to generate and present a chat bot diagnostic visualization that provides real-time visual insights into operation of a chat bot for debugging assistance. A chat bot diagnostic tool is programmed to launch a graphical user interface that displays a visual representation of diagnostic data for debugging a chat bot in real-time. To enable conversational specific data to be reviewed, the present disclosure is configured to implement a middleware adapter within in a run-time stack of a chat bot that is configured to trace data traffic between a chat bot and a channel of an application/service. This enables the chat bot diagnostic tool to observe data traffic and filter the data traffic to identify relevant data for debugging a chat bot. A debugging data visualization of a chat bot interaction is emulated through a graphical user interface of the chat bot diagnostic tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: John Anthony Taylor, Christopher Michael Whitten, Steven Wayne Ickman, Thomas Matthew Laird-McConnell, Christopher Lee Mullins, Scott Jeff Gellock
  • Publication number: 20200394272
    Abstract: Conversational event modeling for determining how to process an input in a dialog stack of a computer-executed conversational system. Receipt of an input at an active dialog in a dialog stack may result in generation of an event corresponding to the input. The event may be propagated through the dialog stack. Dialogs in the dialog stack may generate a confidence value in relation to processing the input, and selection of the dialog in the dialog stack for use in processing the input may be based at least in part on the confidence values. In turn, the conversational system may facilitate improved handling of ambiguous or unrelated inputs at dialogs by propagating the event associated with such an input through the dialog stack. The event creation and processing functions may be provided as parameters for dialogs in a modular dialog creation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Steven Wayne ICKMAN, Thomas Matthew LAIRD-MCCONNELL, Christopher Clayton MCCONNELL, Carlos CASTRO
  • Publication number: 20200394268
    Abstract: A computer-executed conversational system utilizing adaptive dialogs to provide dynamic modification of a conversation structure. The adaptive dialogs facilitate an adaptive and dynamic way to model conversations. A conversational rule may be associated with a trigger received at an adaptive dialog. The conversational rule may populate a plan with steps to provide the conversational structure of the conversational system. Modifying triggers may be received that allow conversational rules to amend the plan including adding steps, removing steps, or modifying steps from the plan. The adaptive dialogs and/or components thereof may be provided as constructible elements in a platform for building a bot such as a developer Software Development Kit (SDK) or the like. In turn, sophisticated conversational modeling may be conveniently facilitated to provide features such as a dialog dispatcher, the ability to handle interruptions, and to build a pluggable, extensible conversational system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Steven Wayne ICKMAN, Thomas Matthew LAIRD-MCCONNELL, Christopher Clayton MCCONNELL, Carlos CASTRO
  • Publication number: 20200394227
    Abstract: A method for utilizing shared memory spaces for data lifecycle management in a conversational AI system includes receiving one or more storage requests directing conversational data to multiple nodes of a conversational data object and storing the conversational data that is directed to each different one of the multiple nodes within a different one of multiple discrete memory spaces. Each of the multiple discrete memory spaces is governed by a scope policy defining a lifetime for data stored within the memory space. The method further provides for erasing data of each node of the multiple different nodes of the conversational data object according to the lifetime defined by the scope policy governing the memory space storing the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Steven Wayne ICKMAN, Thomas Matthew LAIRD-MCCONNELL, Christopher Clayton MCCONNELL, Carlos CASTRO, Christopher Lee MULLINS, Scott J. GELLOCK
  • Patent number: 9201666
    Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards using gesture input to position content elements (e.g., flow text) around an object such as an irregularly shaped image. The gesture input may be used to generate markup language code, which when processed by a renderer, automatically positions the elements based upon the markup language code. For example, div elements may be generated in HTML code, with margins set to values based upon the gesture so as to position the one or more content elements when they are rendered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Ignacio Zaragoza, Steven Wayne Ickman, William Lawrence Portnoy
  • Publication number: 20140108960
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an ability for users to locate relevant multimedia building blocks for use in adding to posts in a manner which robustly adds to a particular conversation. A thread of conversation can be created across many posts and times. The notion of textual of replies is extended by allowing a multimedia conversation across a series of posts. Multimedia conversation lineages can be tracked and visualized across a series of posts, thus allowing for a non-linear tree of connections among related posts. In addition, an integrated social search engine can be utilized to provide for a shared context for constructing derivative posts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Ignacio Zaragoza, Rejeev V. Karunakaran, Steven Wayne Ickman, Paul A. Steckler, William Lawrence Portnoy
  • Publication number: 20130144868
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a social search engine that enables a user to create posts that are shared with various other users and which can be dynamically updated and modified by the user and/or others. In at least some embodiments, posts that are created by a user can be curated and tailored by the user to personalize their posts, as well as posts of others. Customization of posts can allow for creation of posts that serve as an “answer” for other search queries. Previously created posts can be revisited to add content such as links, media, and social interactions such as comments and the like. In at least some embodiments, a relevant post community can author a particular post which, in at least some instances, serve as an “answer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Ickman, William Lawrence Portnoy
  • Publication number: 20120324332
    Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards using gesture input to position content elements (e.g., flow text) around an object such as an irregularly shaped image. The gesture input may be used to generate markup language code, which when processed by a renderer, automatically positions the elements based upon the markup language code. For example, div elements may be generated in HTML code, with margins set to values based upon the gesture so as to position the one or more content elements when they are rendered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Ignacio Zaragoza, Steven Wayne Ickman, William Lawrence Portnoy
  • Publication number: 20110178995
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for searching microblog entries. The microblog entries may be generated through a single microblog website or across multiple microblog sites. Upon receiving a search input, a series of microblog entries responsive to the search input may be displayed to the user. The displayed microblog entries may be the most recently generated microblog entries that are responsive to the search input. In another embodiment, the microblog entries returned are a best match to the search criteria, which may be based on a user authority score for a user that drafted a microblog entry and additional characteristics of the microblog entry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: SEAN SUCHTER, RAJESH K. SHENOY, CHARLES C. CARSON, JR., STEVEN WAYNE ICKMAN, HO JOHN LEE, SHUBHA UMESH NABAR, CLEMENT WANG, XIANG JI, TOM MATTHEW LAIRD-MCCONNELL, ERIC R. SCHEEL