Patents Assigned to Ancestry.com Operation Inc.
  • Patent number: 8370759
    Abstract: A method of creating a blending mode for blending base colors and blend colors to produce resultant colors for one or more pixels of a digital image includes displaying by a display device a relationship between a first independent variable representing the base colors and a dependent variable representing the resultant colors for a specific value of a second independent variable representing blend colors. The method also includes receiving user input altering the relationship, displaying the altered relationship, and storing the relationship as a blending mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20130018844
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods and systems for building representations of related subjects. The representations may include a plurality of nodes, each being associated with a subject. Users may be able to access records and/or source documents related to a plurality of subjects and add or modify node characteristics based thereon. Users may be able to perform an interaction and/or modification related to a record page. Other users (e.g., users connected to the record page) may be notified of such interaction and/or modification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: David Graham, Mark Allen, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Preston Thayne, Doug Reid, Grant (Greg) Parkinson
  • Patent number: 8356023
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods and systems for building representations of related subjects. User instructions may be received via a computer system that relate identifying information relating to a subject (e.g., an individual, group and/or event) to a node being associated therewith. Nodes in different accounts may be compared and matched based on identifying information associated with the nodes. Characteristics of one of the matched nodes may be added or modified based on characteristics of another of the matched nodes. A user may be notified of a potential match, a match, and/or node characteristics additions and/or modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: David Graham, Mark Allen, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Preston Thayne, Doug Reid, Grant (Greg) Parkinson
  • Publication number: 20120248280
    Abstract: Various methods and devices involving reprographic copy stands are described. A reprographic copy stand may include a first support element configured to support a first cover of a book at a first plurality of angles. The reprographic copy stand may also include a second support element configured to support a second configured to support a second cover of the book at a second plurality of angles. The reprographic copy stand may include a platform configured to couple with the first support element at a first plurality of positions and the second support element at a second plurality of positions. The distance between the support elements may be variable according to the position of the first support selected from the first plurality of positions and the position of the second support selected from the second plurality of positions such that a plurality of book binding thicknesses are accommodated by the distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20120240038
    Abstract: A method of extracting information from a document and creating a record may include providing a document comprising text. The method may also include converting the text into a machine readable format. The method may further include displaying the document with the text in the machine readable format and displaying one or more data fields associated with the record to a user. Each of the data fields may be configured to store information. The method may additionally include receiving from the user, a selection of a data field and a selection of a first portion of text from the document to associate with the selected data field. The method may additionally include highlighting the first portion of text on the document. The method may additionally include extracting information associated with the first portion of text from the document and associating the extracted information with the data field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20120221977
    Abstract: According to the invention, a method for displaying genealogical records may include providing a plurality of genealogical records, providing a plurality of icons, and associating each genealogical record with an icon. The method may also include providing a genealogical display and positioning a first icon in a docking field of the genealogical display. The method may further include displaying on a display device the first icon in the docking field, information about the genealogical record associated with the first icon, and other icons that represent genealogical records linked to the genealogical record represented by the first icon, where the other icons are arranged according to their relationship with the first icon. The method may additionally include replacing the first icon in the docking field with a second icon representing a different genealogical record and updating the icons displayed on the display device without shifting focus from the displayed icons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Rasmussen, Harold Madsen, Gary Mangum
  • Publication number: 20120218289
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for implementing an interactive display of ancestor-to-ancestor relationships are presented. The method includes displaying on a display device of a computer system, a user interface for displaying one or more genealogical charts including one or more nodes. The method further includes receiving, from an input device of the computer system, a selection of a first node and a second node. Then, in response to receiving the selection of the first and second nodes, the method includes calculating a sequence of relationships connecting the first node to the second node. Finally, the method includes organizing the sequence of relationships into one or more steps, wherein each step contains a sequential subset of nodes and relationships that can be displayed at the same time, and sequentially displaying the nodes and relationships in each step on the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Rasmussen, Harold Madsen, Gary Mangum
  • Patent number: 8249391
    Abstract: Methods and systems for correcting skew in digital images are disclosed according to embodiments of the invention. Embodiments may include receiving the endpoints of the skew-line, calculating the sine and cosine of the skew-angle from the endpoints and rotating the image using the sine and cosine of the skew-angle. Embodiments of the invention may also include various ways for a user to provide a skew-line and/or endpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20120200948
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for facilitating the imaging of books are presented. A first transparent plate and a second transparent plate may be positioned at approximately a 45 degree angle to the first transparent plate. A dual-sided mirror may be configured to be positioned substantially parallel with the first transparent plate and to be positioned substantially parallel with the second transparent plate. The first side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a first image of a first page of a book, the first image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the first transparent plate. The second side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a second image of a second page of the book, the second image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the second transparent plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20120197882
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for consolidating information retrieval results. According to some embodiments of the invention, a computer system can be used to create a result set in response to a query. Results in the result set can then be compared with each other to determine whether they contain information regarding a single object or entity, in which case the records are consolidated and redundant data is removed. The computer system can then present the consolidated result on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Lee Samuel Jensen
  • Patent number: 8224821
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods and systems for building representations of related subjects. The representations may include a plurality of nodes, each being associated with a subject. Users may be able to access records and/or source documents related to a plurality of subjects and add or modify node characteristics based thereon. Users may be able to perform an interaction and/or modification related to a record page. Other users (e.g., users connected to the record page) may be notified of such interaction and/or modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: David Graham, Mark Allen, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Preston Thayne, Doug Reid, Grant (Greg) Parkinson
  • Publication number: 20120131061
    Abstract: A method of creating a family tree includes receiving a request from a user to return a file that includes the family tree and using a plurality of primary source records to construct the family tree based on the request. The records indicate multiple alternatives for at least one branch of the family tree. The method also includes sending a file that includes the family tree to the user. The file includes the alternatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Bennett Cookson, JR., Ken Boyer, James Mark Hamilton, Kendall J. Jefferson, Daren Thayne, Michael J. Wolfgramm
  • Patent number: 8185557
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for implementing a method for positioning a non-constrained amount of data in semblance of a tree. The method includes receiving genealogical data including nodes and generating a directed graph of the nodes of the genealogical data. The directed graph is to maintain parent-child relationships among the nodes and to maintain generations. The genealogical data includes a root node. The method includes moving the nodes along the horizontal axis such that each node is in an equal spacing with respect to each node's parent node, determining a number of generations in the genealogical chart, and generating a number of quadratic curves equal to the number of generations. The apex of the quadratic curves is the position of the tree's trunk. The method includes dropping the nodes in the Y-axis along the curve of the quadratic curves. Each generation is in line with the quadratic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Scott Slinker
  • Patent number: 8140512
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for consolidating information retrieval results. According to some embodiments of the invention, a computer system can be used to retrieve and rank results in a first result set, in response to a query. The computer system can then perform a more in-depth comparison of the results with the query to determine a more complete correlation of the data in a result with the terms in the query. Each result can then be scored according to its correlation with the search query, and results that do not meet minimum threshold score can be dropped, the remaining results comprising a second result set. Results in the second result set can then be compared with each other to determine whether they contain information regarding a single object or entity, in which case the records are consolidated and redundant data is removed. The computer system can then present the consolidated result on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ancestry.Com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Lee Samuel Jensen
  • Patent number: 8073285
    Abstract: An image editing user interface includes a first control adapted to alter an image property of an image in response to a user input and a second control adapted to operate in cooperation with the first control to alter the image property in response to a user input. The image property is brightness and the first control alters brightness over a range of image values between two endpoints and the second control defines at least one of the endpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis
  • Publication number: 20110252028
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for consolidating information retrieval results. According to some embodiments of the invention, a computer system can be used to retrieve and rank results in a first result set, in response to a query. The computer system can then perform a more in-depth comparison of the results with the query to determine a more complete correlation of the data in a result with the terms in the query. Each result can then be scored according to its correlation with the search query, and results that do not meet minimum threshold score can be dropped, the remaining results comprising a second result set. Results in the second result set can then be compared with each other to determine whether they contain information regarding a single object or entity, in which case the records are consolidated and redundant data is removed. The computer system can then present the consolidated result on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Lee Samuel Jensen
  • Patent number: 8019719
    Abstract: Systems and methods for partitioning information across multiple storage devices in a web server environment. The system comprises a web server database which includes information related creating a web site. The information is divided into partitions within the database. One of the partitions includes user information and another of the partitions includes content for the web site. Portions of the content for the web site is replicated and maintained within the partition including the user information. Further, a portion of the user information is replicated and maintained in the partition where the content for the web site is maintained. The methods include dividing information into partitions, de-normalizing the received data and replicating the data portions into the various web site locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Hardman, James Ivie, Michael Mansfield, Greg Parkinson, Daren Thayne, Mark Wolfgramm, Michael Wolfgramm, Brandt Redd
  • Publication number: 20110184992
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for implementing a method for positioning a non-constrained amount of data in semblance of a tree. The method includes receiving genealogical data including nodes and generating a directed graph of the nodes of the genealogical data. The directed graph is to maintain parent-child relationships among the nodes and to maintain generations. The genealogical data includes a root node. The method includes moving the nodes along the horizontal axis such that each node is in an equal spacing with respect to each node's parent node, determining a number of generations in the genealogical chart, and generating a number of quadratic curves equal to the number of generations. The apex of the quadratic curves is the position of the tree's trunk. The method includes dropping the nodes in the Y-axis along the curve of the quadratic curves. Each generation is in line with the quadratic curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Scott Slinker
  • Publication number: 20110161805
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for implementing interactive modification of spacing constraints of genealogical charts. The method includes displaying, on a display device of a computer system, a user interface for displaying one or more genealogical charts including one or more nodes. The user interface includes a horizontal slider and a vertical slider for manipulating the one or more geological charts' size. The one or more geological charts include page breaks representing a number of pages. The method further includes receiving, from an input device of the computer system, manipulation input for one or more of the vertical slider or the horizontal slider. Then, in response to receiving the manipulation input, providing real-time graphical feedback representing the manipulation in the display of the one or more genealogical charts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Scott Slinker
  • Patent number: 7945116
    Abstract: Methods and systems for cropping images of book pages are disclosed according to one embodiment of the invention. A method may include identifying reference images and receiving cropping rectangles for the reference images. These cropping rectangles associated with reference images may then be used to generate cropping rectangles for images of book pages between the reference images. The cropping rectangles may be generated based on a linear interpolation of the cropping rectangles associated with the reference images and the number of pages between images. The method may also display one or more images of book pages with the associated one or more cropping rectangles superimposed thereon. A user may then have the opportunity to make adjustments to the position and/or size of the cropping rectangles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis