Patents by Inventor William H. Gates, III

William H. Gates, III 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: 9141704
    Abstract: Architecture that monitors interaction data (e.g., search queries, query results and click-through rates), and provides users with links to other users that fall into similar categories with respect to the foregoing monitored activities (e.g., providing links to individuals and groups that share common interests and/or profiles). A search engine can be interactively coupled with one or more social networks, and that maps individuals and/or groups within respective social networks to subsets of categories associated with searches. A database stores mapped information which can be continuously updated and reorganized as links within the system mapping become stronger or weaker. The architecture can comprise a social network system that includes a database for mapping search-related information to an entity of a social network, and a search component for processing a search query for search results and returning a link to an entity of a social network based on the search query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Meek, Eric J. Horvitz, Joshua T. Goodman, Gary W. Flake, Oliver Hurst-Hiller, Anoop Gupta, Ramez Naam, Kenneth A. Moss, William H. Gates, III, John C. Platt, Trenholme J. Griffin, Bradly A. Brunell
  • Patent number: 9135657
    Abstract: A method embodiment includes receiving data indicative of a person accessing at least one of a first network-available electronic content or a second network-available electronic content. Also, receiving data indicative of an involvement with respect to possible matters of interest between the person and a third-party. The involvement being independent of the person activating a link to a site owned by the third-party that is included in the first network-available electronic content or in the second network available electronic content. Further, assessing a behavioral influence by the first network-available electronic content and/or the second network-available electronic content on the indicated involvement with respect to the possible matters of interest between the person and a third-party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Alexander G. Gounares, W. Daniel Hillis, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Craig J. Mundie, Christopher D. Payne, Richard F. Rashid, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150242091
    Abstract: A unified experience environment supports mechanisms that collect and utilize contextual metadata to associate information in accordance with its relevance to a user's current context. An ambient data collector obtains contextual and activity information coincident with a user's creation, editing or consumption of data and associates it with such data as contextual metadata. A context generator that utilizes contextual metadata to identify relationships between data and enable the proactive presentation of data relevant to a user's current context. Proactive presentation includes a context panel that is alternatively displayable and hideable in an application-independent manner and a unified activity feed that comprises correlated data groupings identified by correlation engines, including a universal, cross-application correlation engine and individual, application-specific correlation engines that exchange information through data correlation interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Qi Lu, Derrick Leslie Connell, Darren Shakib, William H. Gates, III
  • Patent number: 9107012
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. Some embodiments provide an ability enhancement facilitator system (“AEFS”) configured to enhance a user's ability to operate or function in a transportation-related context as a pedestrian or a vehicle operator. In one embodiment, the AEFS is configured perform vehicular threat detection based at least in part on analyzing audio signals. An example AEFS receives data that represents an audio signal emitted by a vehicle. The AEFS analyzes the audio signal to determine vehicular threat information, such as that the vehicle may collide with the user. The AEFS then informs the user of the determined vehicular threat information, such as by transmitting a warning to a wearable device configured to present the warning to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Paul Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 9067047
    Abstract: Embodiments of a material delivery device including a deformable reservoir and associated controllable output mechanism are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, a material delivery device may be placed in an animal in order to controllably dispense at least one material into the animal. The material delivery device may include a programmable mechanism to control the release of the material into the animal. In selected embodiments, a remote controller may be used to program or to control the material delivery device. Some embodiments are described wherein a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: THE INVENTION SCIENCE FUND I, LLC
    Inventors: Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene, William H. Gates, III, Roderick A. Hyde
  • Patent number: 9064152
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. Some embodiments provide an ability enhancement facilitator system (“AEFS”) configured to enhance a user's ability to operate or function in a transportation-related context as a pedestrian or a vehicle operator. In one embodiment, the AEFS is configured perform vehicular threat detection based at least in part on analyzing image data. An example AEFS receives data that represents an image of a vehicle. The AEFS analyzes the received data to determine vehicular threat information, such as that the vehicle may collide with the user. The AEFS then informs the user of the determined vehicular threat information, such as by transmitting a warning to a wearable device configured to present the warning to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Paul Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 9053096
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. Some embodiments provide an ability enhancement facilitator system (“AEFS”) configured to automatically translate utterances from a first to a second language, based on speaker-related information determined from speaker utterances and/or other sources of information. In one embodiment, the AEFS receives data that represents an utterance of a speaker in a first language, the utterance obtained by a hearing device of the user, such as a hearing aid, smart phone, media player/device, or the like. The AEFS then determines speaker-related information associated with the identified speaker, such as by determining demographic information (e.g., gender, language, country/region of origin) and/or identifying information (e.g., name or title) of the speaker. The AEFS translates the utterance in the first language into a message in a second language, based on the determined speaker-related information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Paul Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Publication number: 20150149430
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to web searches and more particularly toward influencing resultant content to increase relevancy. The resultant content can be influenced by reconfiguring a query and/or filtering results based on user location and/or context information (e.g., user characteristics/profile, prior interaction/usage temporal, current events, and third party state/context . . . ). Furthermore, the disclosure provides for query execution on at least a subset of designated web content, for example as specified by a user. Still further yet, a localized marketing system is disclosed that provides discount offers to users that match merchant criteria including proximity. A system for actively probing populations of users with different parameters and monitoring responses can be employed to collect data for identifying the best discounts and deadlines to offer to users to achieve desired results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Gary Flake, William H. Gates, III, Eric J. Horvitz, Joshua T. Goodman, Surajit J. Chaudhuri, Trenholme J. Griffin, Oliver Hurst-Hiller, Kenneth A. Moss
  • Patent number: 9006694
    Abstract: Systems, devices, methods, and compositions are described for providing an x-ray shielding system including a flexible layer including a support structure having a plurality of interconnected interstitial spaces that provide a circulation network for an x-ray shielding fluid composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Philip A. Eckhoff, William H. Gates, III, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Robert Langer, Erez Lieberman, Eric C. Leuthardt, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Michael Schnall-Levin, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8983859
    Abstract: A client-based ad agent dynamically determines whether an advertisement campaign should bid on an impression for an end user and/or sets the bid price of the advertisement campaign for the impression. When an opportunity for an impression on a web page is identified, the ad agent accesses user data associated with an end user. The ad agent analyzes the user data to identify the relevance and/or value of serving an impression to the end user to the advertisement campaign. Based on the analysis, the ad agent controls whether the advertisement campaign bids on the impression for the end user and/or sets the bid price of the advertisement campaign for the impression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Nir Nice, Uri Barash, Ying Li, Michael J. Goldbach, William H. Gates, III
  • Patent number: 8949977
    Abstract: A computationally-implemented method comprises obtaining at least a portion of data from a data source, determining a content of the data, determining an acceptability of an effect of content of the data at least in part via at least two virtual machine representations of at least a part of a real machine having at least one end-user specified preference, at least one of the at least two virtual machine representations operating at least in part on an individual core of a multi-core system, and displaying at least one data display option based on the determining an acceptability of a content of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Richard F. Rashid, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150025953
    Abstract: A method embodiment includes receiving data indicative of a person accessing at least one of a first network-available electronic content or a second network-available electronic content, perhaps in a Web 2.0 environment. Also, receiving data indicative of an involvement between the person and a third party. The involvement being independent of the person activating a link to a site owned by the third party that is included in the first network-available electronic content or in the second network available electronic content. Further, assessing a behavioral influence by the first network-available electronic content and/or the second network-available electronic content on the indicated involvement with respect to the possible matters of interest between the person and a third party. Also, facilitating delivery of a benefit to an owner of the first network-available electronic content and/or an owner of the second network-available electronic content in response to the assessed behavioral influence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Alexander G. Gounares, W. Daniel Hillis, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Craig J. Mundie, Christopher D. Payne, Richard F. Rashid, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 8934652
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. Some embodiments provide an ability enhancement facilitator system (“AEFS”) configured to determine and present speaker-related information based on speaker utterances. In one embodiment, the AEFS receives data that represents an utterance of a speaker received by a hearing device of the user, such as a hearing aid, smart phone, media player/device, or the like. The AEFS identifies the speaker based on the received data, such as by performing speaker recognition. The AEFS determines speaker-related information associated with the identified speaker, such as by determining an identifier (e.g., name or title) of the speaker, by locating an information item (e.g., an email message, document) associated with the speaker, or the like. The AEFS then informs the user of the speaker-related information, such as by presenting the speaker-related information on a display of the hearing device or some other device accessible to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Paul Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 8906000
    Abstract: Embodiments of a material delivery device including a deformable reservoir and associated controllable output mechanism are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, a material delivery device may be placed in an animal in order to controllably dispense at least one material into the animal. The material delivery device may include a programmable mechanism to control the release of the material into the animal. In selected embodiments, a remote controller may be used to program or to control the material delivery device. Some embodiments are described wherein a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene, William H. Gates, III, Roderick A. Hyde
  • Patent number: 8874592
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to web searches and more particularly toward influencing resultant content to increase relevancy. The resultant content can be influenced by reconfiguring a query and/or filtering results based on user location and/or context information (e.g., user characteristics/profile, prior interaction/usage temporal, current events, and third party state/context . . . ). Furthermore, the disclosure provides for query execution on at least a subset of designated web content, for example as specified by a user. Still further yet, a localized marketing system is disclosed that provides discount offers to users that match merchant criteria including proximity. A system for actively probing populations of users with different parameters and monitoring responses can be employed to collect data for identifying the best discounts and deadlines to offer to users to achieve desired results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Eric J. Horvitz, Joshua T. Goodman, Surajit Chaudhuri, Trenholme J. Griffin, Oliver Hurst-Hiller, Kenneth A. Moss
  • Patent number: 8855907
    Abstract: A device may include a determination module for determining at least one of a status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or a status indicative of electricity utilization for propelling a hybrid vehicle; and a transmitter coupled with the determination module for transmitting the at least one of the status indicative of combustible fuel utilization or the status indicative of electricity utilization for the hybrid vehicle to an off-site entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Searete LLC
    Inventors: Philip A. Eckhoff, William H. Gates, III, Peter L. Hagelstein, Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Robert Langer, Eric C. Leuthardt, Erez Lieberman, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Michael Schnall-Levin, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8831973
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to systems for rewarding influencers in a Web 2.0 environment. More specifically, in some implementations, a system is configured to assess an influence of an electronically-accessed content on an involvement between an accessor and a third party, and may also be configured to facilitate a reward to one or more influencers based on one or more assessed influences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Alexander G. Gounares, W. Daniel Hillis, Royce A. Levien, Mark A. Malamud, Craig J. Mundie, Christopher D. Payne, Richard F. Rashid, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8811638
    Abstract: Techniques for sensory enhancement and augmentation are described. Some embodiments provide an audible assistance facilitator system (“AAFS”) configured to provide audible assistance to a user via a hearing device. In one embodiment, the AAFS receives data that represents an utterance of a speaker received by a hearing device of the user, such as a hearing aid, smart phone, media device, or the like. The AAFS identifies the speaker based on the received data, such as by performing speaker recognition. The AAFS determines speaker-related information associated with the identified speaker, such as by determining an identifier (e.g., name or title) of the speaker, by locating an information item (e.g., an email message, document) associated with the speaker, or the like. The AAFS then informs the user of the speaker-related information, such as by causing an audio representation of the speaker-related information to be output via the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Paul Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 8793155
    Abstract: Embodiments include a system, a device, an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product. A method of reporting influence on a person includes collecting data indicative of the person accessing electronic content over a computer network using the user computing device. The method also includes generating a user influence report by transforming the collected data into information indicative of events associatable with the person accessing the electronic content over a computer network using the user computing device. The method further includes transmitting data indicative of the user influence report via a network, the user influence report being receivable by a site operable to facilitate delivery of a benefit to an owner of the electronic content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William H. Gates, III, Alexander G. Gounares, W. Daniel Hillis, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Craig J. Mundie, Christopher D. Payne, Richard F. Rashid, Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8788517
    Abstract: Provided is mechanism for guiding computer searches (e.g., web, Internet, intranet . . . ). Machine learning and reasoning mechanisms are employed together with a search engine to facilitate intelligent guidance of queries and results based on a query and responses to computer generated inquires. Also, disclosed is a mechanism that enables users to validate computer-based information. Users can receive a validity metric associated with computer generated or provided results. Validation systems and methods are disclosed to facilitate determining the results including those that employ humans (e.g., referrals, voting . . . ) and/or automated ways (e.g., source analysis, data mining . . . ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Horvitz, William H. Gates, III, Joshua T. Goodman, Bradly A. Brunell, Gary W. Flake, Oliver Hurst-Hiller, Kenneth A. Moss, Raymond E. Ozzie, John C. Platt