Patents Assigned to Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
  • Publication number: 20110029564
    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 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: David Graham, Mark Allen, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Preston Thayne, Doug Reid, Grant Greg Parkinson
  • Publication number: 20110029521
    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 interact with (e.g., by adding to or modifying) documents, files, and/or records and may also make other changes or additions to nodes in the system. A process may then identify what other users may be interested in such interaction and why. For example, a score may be associated with the interaction and other users based on factors such as whether the users have linked to the document, file or record and/or the node the interaction may apply to. Interacting users, identified users, and interaction details may be stored in a database. Identified users may be notified of the interaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Preston Thayne, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Tobin Fullmer, Danny Darais, David Graham, Scott Echols
  • Publication number: 20110029543
    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: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operation Inc.
    Inventors: David Graham, Mark Allen, Mike Smeltzer, Barry Watts, Preston Thayne, Doug Reid, Grant (Greg) Parkinson
  • Patent number: 7870139
    Abstract: A method of consolidating genealogy records includes partitioning the records using at least one index file to form one or more partitions, sorting the records in a partition based on a data element in the records, comparing records within a sort range, based on the comparison, identifying same person records, consolidating information in the same person records, receiving a request from a user to view at least a portion of the consolidated information for a particular group of same person records, and sending a file that includes the portion to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Bennett Cookson, Jr., Ken Boyer, Jerry Collings, James Mark Hamilton, Kendall J. Jefferson, Grant Parkinson, Douglas T. Reid, Daren Thayne, Michael J. Wolfgramm
  • Patent number: 7756289
    Abstract: A method of determining a location for a watermark on an image having an array of pixels, each pixel having image information associated therewith includes determining a size for the watermark. The size has a pixel height and a pixel width. The method also includes calculating a region brightness value for each of a plurality of regions of the image. Each of the plurality of regions has a pixel height and a pixel width equal to the pixel height and the pixel width of the watermark. Each of the plurality of regions includes a plurality of pixels and the brightness value is representative of the image information associated with the plurality of pixels comprised by the region. The method also includes selecting one of the plurality of regions as the location for the watermark. The selection is based, at least in part, on the brightness value for the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis
  • Patent number: 7734092
    Abstract: A method of processing an image includes receiving a digital version of the image, processing the digital version of the image through at least two binarization processes to thereby create a first binarization and a second binarization, and processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process to thereby create a first OCR output file. Processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process includes compiling first metrics associated with the first OCR output file. The method also includes processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process to thereby create a second OCR output file. Processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process includes compiling second metrics associated with the second OCR output file. The method also includes using the metrics, at least in part, to select a final OCR output file from among the OCR output files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Donald B. Curtis, Shawn Reid
  • Patent number: 7724981
    Abstract: A method of operating on an image of a document includes, for an electronic file that includes a representation of the document, portioning the representation of the document into non-overlapping areas. Each area includes a matrix of pixels and each pixel has an initial grayscale value and a position in the matrix. The method also includes, for each area, determining a black point value and a white point value. The method further includes, for each pixel in each area, determining a revised pixel grayscale value for the pixel using the pixel's grayscale value, the pixel's position in the matrix, the black point value for the area comprising the pixel, the white point value for the area comprising the pixel, the black point value for at least one area adjacent to the area comprising the pixel, and/or the white point value for at least one area adjacent to the area comprising the pixel. The method also includes producing the image of the document using the revised grayscale values for each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventor: Donald B. Curtis