Patents by Inventor Vicki W. Lee

Vicki W. Lee 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: 10600038
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for facilitating payment for a third party's use of an application by a current user. The current user, or payor, initiates the process within the application by selecting one or more recipients. The system that hosts the application then determines which of the third parties are eligible. A target recipient may be ineligible because her application subscription never expires, because it doesn't expire within a threshold period of time, or for some other reason. The system identifies the target recipients that are eligible, and the payor may configure the gift payment (e.g., by choosing a duration of the subscription). The payor then chooses a method of electronic payment and, depending on the method selected, may redeem a coupon with the application host system, or the process may complete automatically. The payor and/or the recipient(s) may be notified of successful activation of the subscription(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: WHATSAPP INC.
    Inventors: Vicki W. Lee, Eugene Fooksman, Brian L. Acton, Michael B. Donohue
  • Publication number: 20180287973
    Abstract: Techniques for templated messages are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a messaging component operative to receive a templated-message package at a client, the templated-message package comprising a message-template identifier and one or more parameters; retrieve a message template based on the message-template identifier; and generate a templated message based on the retrieved message template and the one or more parameters; and a user interface component operative to display the templated message in the client. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Vicki W. Lee, Christopher Peiffer
  • Publication number: 20180025330
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for facilitating payment for a third party's use of an application by a current user. The current user, or payor, initiates the process within the application by selecting one or more recipients. The system that hosts the application then determines which of the third parties are eligible. A target recipient may be ineligible because her application subscription never expires, because it doesn't expire within a threshold period of time, or for some other reason. The system identifies the target recipients that are eligible, and the payor may configure the gift payment (e.g., by choosing a duration of the subscription). The payor then chooses a method of electronic payment and, depending on the method selected, may redeem a coupon with the application host system, or the process may complete automatically. The payor and/or the recipient(s) may be notified of successful activation of the subscription(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Vicki W. Lee, Eugene Fooksman, Brian L. Acton, Michael B. Donohue
  • Patent number: 9792591
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for facilitating payment for a third party's use of an application by a current user. The current user, or payor, initiates the process within the application by selecting one or more recipients. The system that hosts the application then determines which of the third parties are eligible. A target recipient may be ineligible because her application subscription never expires, because it doesn't expire within a threshold period of time, or for some other reason. The system identifies the target recipients that are eligible, and the payor may configure the gift payment (e.g., by choosing a duration of the subscription). The payor then chooses a method of electronic payment and, depending on the method selected, may redeem a coupon with the application host system, or the process may complete automatically. The payor and/or the recipient(s) may be notified of successful activation of the subscription(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: WHATSAPP INC.
    Inventors: Vicki W. Lee, Eugene Fooksman, Brian L. Acton, Michael B. Donohue