Patents Assigned to Amazon Technologies
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Patent number: 8908776Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments that implement attention misdirection to conceal errors or anomalies in video signals. It is determined whether an error in a video signal may be user perceivable. If the error may be user perceivable, a distraction is generated that is designed to interfere with perception of the error by a user.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Patrick G. McCuller
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Patent number: 8909368Abstract: A system for transporting inventory items includes an inventory holder capable of storing inventory items and a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is capable of moving to a first point with the inventory holder at least one of coupled to and supported by the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit is additionally capable of determining a location of the inventory holder and calculating a difference between the location of the inventory holder and the first point. The mobile drive unit is then capable of determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined tolerance. In response to determining that the difference is greater than the predetermined tolerance, the mobile drive unit is also capable of moving to a second point based on the location of the inventory holder, docking with the inventory holder, and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to the first point.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Raffaello D'Andrea, Peter K. Mansfield, Michael C. Mountz, Dennis Polic, Patrick Ryan Dingle
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Patent number: 8909740Abstract: Systems and methods enable users to exchange content, such as chat text, with other users that are consuming like video media. In one implementation, several users collectively group together to form a video session. The video media played during the video session may be selected by a vote of the users. The users in the video session each consume the same video media, and the video media is played on individual user computer devices in a synchronized manner. The users send chat text to one another over a network using a computer user interface. The chat text is superimposed over the synchronized video running on the individual user computer devices.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jason A. Bliss, William Alexander Strand, Luan Nguyen, Geoffrey E. Endresen, Tal Stramer, Bethel Shawn McMillan, Roy F. Price, Cameron Janes
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Patent number: 8910201Abstract: The techniques and systems described herein place product information at a location in digital content where an existing object occurs. The techniques may select the product information based on profile data indicative of interests of a user viewing the digital content. Accordingly, the techniques may identify existing objects in the digital content before the user begins viewing the digital content. The techniques may also receive or access product information to be placed in the digital content. The product information may include identifiable brands, products, or services. Then, while rendering the digital content before the user begins viewing the digital content or while the user is viewing the digital content, the techniques may select product information to dynamically place into a scene of the digital content at a location where the existing objects occur.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: James C. Zamiska, Dennis James Taylor, Joshua Daniel Wright, Tommy Lee Bennett, Daniel Peter Cox, Joven Michael Matias, Jed Baraban Reinitz
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Patent number: 8909757Abstract: Consistent link sharing is implemented on one or more share servers. Consistent link sharing includes receiving a request from a user to store a web page that resides on an originating server to one or more share servers. The request includes a universal resource locator (URL) of the web page, which is a web page stored on the share servers of a content distribution network. The share servers generate a replacement URL for future access to the stored web page. The replacement URL may be shared with one or more users. The share servers provide the stored web page to a user who submits the replacement URL.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Tomi Yiu, Jonathan A. Jenkins, Mark S. Baumback
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Patent number: 8908254Abstract: Optical apparatus for a display device. The optical apparatus comprises a cavity, and a first fluid (14) and a second fluid (16), held within the cavity, which are immiscible with each other. The first and second fluids are separated from each other by a meniscus (28) having a peripheral edge (30). The optical apparatus further comprises a fluid motion control system arranged to control movement of the first and second fluids within the cavity using electrostatic forces, and a first surface (26) and a second surface (21). The first surface has a different wettability for the first fluid than for the second surface. The first and second surfaces are arranged in the cavity to determine, upon activation of the fluid motion control system, a motion of the fluids within the cavity which has a preferential initiation at a first part (32) of the peripheral edge.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2007Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Bokke Johannes Feenstra, Roy Van Dijk, Robert A. Hayes
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Patent number: 8905763Abstract: A demonstration device that provides interactive demonstrations receives user input during a demonstration session. The demonstration device causes a demonstration account or demonstration credential to be generated for a user based on the user input, the demonstration account or demonstration credential being associated with the demonstration session. The demonstration device transmits demonstration session information for the demonstration session to a demonstration server. The user is able to continue the demonstration session from another demonstration-capable device based on the demonstration account or demonstration credential.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Luhui Hu, Jonathan A. Leblang
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Publication number: 20140359698Abstract: Embodiments may include a load balancer that receives a request packet sent by a remote client to an original destination address of multiple network addresses serviced by the load balancer, and selects according to a load balancing protocol, a host computer of a plurality of host computers to process the request. The load balancer may, from among a plurality of ports on the selected host computer, select a particular port having a one-to-one association with the original destination address, the association specified by mapping information accessible to the load balancer, and send the request packet to the selected port on the selected host computer. The mapping information accessible to the selected host computer specifies a one-to-one association between the selected port and the original destination address. Sending the request packet to the selected port conveys that address to the selected server without that address being included in that packet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: JAMES CHRISTOPHER SORENSON, III, David Carl Salyers
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Patent number: 8898974Abstract: Electrical panel structures for a modular building system, such as a modular data center. The electrical panel structures provide a standardized structure for attachment of high voltage power, low voltage power, and/or data lines between rooms or components of the modular building system. The panel structures can include multiple conduits that extend between rooms or other components of a modular building structure. The panel structures can include, for example, conduits having couplers for the attachment of high voltage cables and/or pass-throughs for the passage of low voltage lines and/or data lines.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Brock Robert Gardner
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Patent number: 8903817Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for using relevance indications provided by a user in performing a search. Search results corresponding to a search query are provided to a user of a client computing device. The user provides a relevance indication corresponding to relevance of at least one of the search results. A subsequent search is performed which takes the relevance indication into account.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kelly L. Duggar, Llewellyn J. Mason, Olga I. Kuznetsova, Peter V. Commons
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Patent number: 8902970Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for adjusting the encoding of a video signal into a video stream based on user attention. A video signal generated by an interactive application is encoded into a video stream. A temporary lapse of attention by a user of the interactive application is predicted. The encoding of the video signal into the video stream is adjusted from an initial state to a conservation state in response to predicting the temporary lapse of attention by the user. The conservation state is configured to conserve one or more resources used for the video stream relative to the initial state.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2010Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Patrick G. McCuller
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Patent number: 8904511Abstract: Virtual firewalls may be established that enforce sets of policies with respect to computing resources maintained by multi-tenant distributed services. Particular subsets of computing resources may be associated with particular tenants of a multi-tenant distributed service. A tenant may establish a firewalling policy set enforced by a virtual firewall for an associated subset of computing resources without affecting other tenants of the multi-tenant distributed service. Virtual firewalls enforcing multiple firewalling policy sets may be maintained by a common firewalling component of the multi-tenant distributed service. Firewalling policy sets may be distributed at multiple locations throughout the multi-tenant distributed service. For a request targeting a particular computing resource, the common firewalling component may identify the associated virtual firewall, and submit the request to the virtual firewall for evaluation in accordance with the corresponding firewalling policy set.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2010Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Ross O'Neill, Mark Joseph Cavage, Nathan R. Fitch, Anders Samuelsson, Brian Irl Pratt, Yunong Jeff Xiao, Bradley Jeffery Behm, James E. Scharf, Jr.
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Patent number: 8903751Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided. Methods for detecting helpful query responses include generating helpfulness terminology data corresponding to words, terms, phrases and/or symbols that correspond to an expression of helpfulness. A query based exchange including multiple messages is identified. The messages are analyzed using the helpfulness terminology data to detect a helpful message. The helpful message is associated with a source participant and a helpfulness value that corresponds to the source participant is modified. A value corresponding to the query based exchange indicating that the query based exchange was successful is stored.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Brandon Yarbrough, Manish Katyal, Gregory Miller
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Patent number: 8902569Abstract: A system includes a rack, computing devices coupled to the rack, a rack PDU, and one or more input power cables. The rack PDU includes an enclosure, two or more power input receptacles on the enclosure, and two or more power output receptacles on the enclosure. The output power receptacles supply power to the computing devices. The input power cables are coupled in one or more of the power input receptacles. The input power cables supply electrical power from an electrical power system to the rack PDU.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Max J. Wishman, Darin Lee Frink, Peter G. Ross, Chao Chen, Christopher N. Watson
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Patent number: 8904279Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for inhibiting or preventing automated data extraction from network pages. A source for a network page having a document structure is obtained. An obfuscated network page is generated from the network page by altering the document structure to inhibit automated extraction of data. The obfuscated network page is configured to have a visual appearance that is the same as that of the network page when rendered by a client for display. The obfuscated network page is sent to the client in response to a request from the client for the network page.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Steven M. Bougon
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Patent number: 8903938Abstract: Techniques are described for providing client computing nodes with enhanced access to data from remote locations, such as by providing and using local capabilities specific to the remote locations. In at least some situations, the access of a client computing node to data from a remote location may be enhanced by automatically performing activities local to the client computing node that improve the efficiency of communications sent between the client computing node and the remote location. As one example, access to data from a remote service may be enhanced by locally performing activities specific to the remote service, such as by using information about the remote service's internal mechanisms to cause the desired data to be provided from internal storage devices of the remote service without passing through front-end or other intermediate devices of the remote service while traveling to the client computing node.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2007Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Allan H. Vermeulen, Luis Felipe Cabrera, Peter N. DeSantis
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Patent number: 8900043Abstract: A computer-generated puzzle game can enable any appropriate image (e.g., a still image, video, or animation) to be used as a puzzle image. The puzzle game can utilize a framework including a portion of the puzzle image such that the user can determine where to place the puzzle pieces without having to see a version of the final image, which can save display real estate as well as provide suspense and additional challenge for the user. The puzzle pieces also can include a portion of the image, such that the player can determine where the pieces are to be placed in the framework without having to worry about rotating or properly positioning the pieces, which can be difficult on at least certain computing devices.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: George Skaff Elias, Richard Channing Garfield
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Patent number: 8904353Abstract: Systems and methods for incrementally building tests and test frameworks may enable cost reduction and/or code sharing between teams testing various products (or features thereof) in different domains or of different product types. Test frameworks may be layered into standalone sub-framework packages that build on each other and whose object classes inherit object classes of lower layers. Sub-framework packages may provide generic utilities, domain-specific testing operations, application-specific testing operations, or operations for specific application types (e.g., web services). Test clients may plug into test frameworks at any layer to exercise features of a product under test. Tests may be built from components at multiple levels of abstraction, and may include test operations, test steps that include multiple test operations, and tests that include multiple test steps. Implementation details of products to be tested may only be visible to, and/or exercised by, the lowest-level elements of the tests (e.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2010Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Carlos Arguelles, Denis L. Ruckebusch
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Patent number: 8902198Abstract: A user can emulate touch screen events with motions and gestures that the user performs at a distance from a computing device. A user can utilize specific gestures, such as a pinch gesture, to designate portions of motion that are to be interpreted as input, to differentiate from other portions of the motion. A user can then perform actions such as text input by performing motions with the pinch gesture that correspond to words or other selections recognized by a text input program. A camera-based detection approach can be used to recognize the location of features performing the motions and gestures, such as a hand, finger, and/or thumb of the user.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth M. Karakotsios, Dong Zhou
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Patent number: 8904506Abstract: A user account may be throttled to restrict access once aberrant behavior is detected. Upon receiving a request to access the user account, a determination of whether the user account is in a throttled state may be made. In some aspects, when the user account is not in a throttled state, user account access may be determined based at least in part on an access credential. Further, in some aspects, when the user account is in a throttled state, user account access may be determined based at least in part on an access credential and other client information associated with the user account.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darren E. Canavor, Daniel W. Hitchcock, Max H. Funderburk, Robert Hanson