Patents Assigned to Microsoft Corporation
  • Publication number: 20090177514
    Abstract: Secure content management is enabled as a cloud-based service through which security protection and policy enforcement may be implemented for both on-premise network users and roaming users. The global SCM service integrates the security functionalities—such as anti-virus, spyware, and phishing protection, firewall, intrusion detection, centralized management, and the like—that are typically provided by enterprise network SCM appliance hardware or servers into a cloud-based service that users reach via Internet-based points-of-presence (“POPs”). The POPs are configured with forward proxy servers, and in some implementations, caching and network acceleration components, and coupled to hubs which provide configuration management and identity management services such as active directory services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Efim Hudis, Yigal Edery, Oleg Ananiev, John Wohlfert, Nir Nice
  • Publication number: 20090177601
    Abstract: Described is a technology by which personal information that comes into a computer system is intelligently managed according to current state data including user presence and/or user attention data. Incoming information is processed against the state data to determine whether corresponding data is to be output, and if so, what output modality or modalities to use. For example, if a user is present and busy, a notification may be blocked or deferred to avoid disturbing the user. Cost analysis may be used to determine the cost of outputting the data. In addition to user state data, the importance of the information, other state data, the cost of converting data to another format for output (e.g., text-to-speech), and/or user preference data, may factor into the decision. The output data may be modified (e.g., audio made louder) based on a current output environment as determined via the state data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chao Huang, Chunhui Zhang, Frank Kao-ping Soong, Zhengyou Zhang, Yuan Kong
  • Publication number: 20090178132
    Abstract: Secure content management is enabled as a cloud-based service through which security protection and policy enforcement may be implemented for both on-premise network users and roaming users. The global SCM service integrates the security functionalities—such as anti-virus, spyware, and phishing protection, firewall, intrusion detection, centralized management, and the like—that are typically provided by enterprise network SCM appliance hardware or servers into a cloud-based service that users reach via Internet-based points-of-presence (“POPs”). The POPs are configured with forward proxy servers, and in some implementations, caching and network acceleration components, and coupled to hubs which provide configuration management and identity management services such as active directory services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Efim Hudis, Yigal Edery, Oleg Ananiev, John Wohlfert, Nir Nice
  • Publication number: 20090177703
    Abstract: Architecture for multi-level undo on a client in grid-based applications. The architecture is a control driven cascading changes system where change tracking works seamlessly in asynchronous (and synchronous) scenarios. A client application is associated with a grid object and, instantiates and configures the grid object. The application can initiate a change to data in the grid and/or the user can edit the data in the grid directly. A result of the change is a notification to the application, the notification including an order key. The application consumes the notification and can then append new changes based on synchronous or asynchronous computations by calling an update function using the order key. The application uses the key to attach further updates which are properly collected together for undo/redo.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew R. Cuneo, Ben Worline, Eric M. Zenz
  • Publication number: 20090178124
    Abstract: Managing via a web portal a remote device from a source device connected to a communication network. A device ID is assigned to the remote device, and a remote management software for remote management of the remote device is not installed on the source device or the remote device. Based on the assigned device ID, a connection is established with the remote device via the communication network. A first instruction is received from a user for authenticating access to the web portal. The user is authenticated in response to the received first instruction. An online status is established for the authenticated user. A second instruction is received from the authenticated user requesting access to the remote device. The device ID of the remote device is validated. The validated device ID is associated with the authenticated user. A connection is established between the remote device and the web portal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd Ryun Manion, Kestutis Patiejunas, Junfeng Zhang, Ryan Yonghee Kim
  • Publication number: 20090177695
    Abstract: Described is a technology by which a social networking service is integrated with merchandising data (e.g., a wish list and/or registry) corresponding to a person registered with a merchandising website. The social networking service maintains buddy lists, and social networking service application provides a mechanism to obtain the merchandising data for buddies that are registered with a merchandising website. The buddy list also may be used to provide a notification upon a change to the merchandising data, to facilitate collaboration among buddies in making a joint purchase, and/or to advertise a product or service to one or more entities (e.g., individuals or groups) associated with the buddy list, including the owner of the list. End users can customize who can see what merchandising data regarding themselves. End users can also interact with accessible merchandising data, e.g., click on a buddy's wish list link to buy from a corresponding shopping site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sameer S. Mahajan, George Joy, Jithendra K. Veeramachaneni
  • Publication number: 20090178109
    Abstract: Secure content management is enabled as a cloud-based service through which security protection and policy enforcement may be implemented for both on-premise network users and roaming users. The global SCM service integrates the security functionalities—such as anti-virus, spyware, and phishing protection, firewall, intrusion detection, centralized management, and the like—that are typically provided by enterprise network SCM appliance hardware or servers into a cloud-based service that users reach via Internet-based points-of-presence (“POPs”). The POPs are configured with forward proxy servers, and in some implementations, caching and network acceleration components, and coupled to hubs which provide configuration management and identity management services such as active directory services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nir Nice, Oleg Ananiev, John Wohlfert, Amit Finkelstein, Alik Teplitsky
  • Publication number: 20090177892
    Abstract: A security token is coupled to a computer and is available for use by both local and remote processes for on-demand response to a challenge. To minimize the security risk of an unattended session, the challenge may be issued to verify the presence of the token. When the token has a user interface, it may be used in conjunction with the computer to require that a user also participate in transferring displayed data between the token and computer. This helps to ensure that not only the token, but the user are both present at the computer during operation. For the most sensitive operations, such a confirmation may be required with each data submission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Steeves, Todd L. Carpenter, David Abzarian, Gregory Hartrell, Charles D. Bassett, Bradley L. Carpenter
  • Publication number: 20090175462
    Abstract: Various embodiments reduce noise within a particular environment, while isolating and capturing speech in a manner that allows operation within an otherwise noisy environment. In one embodiment, an array of one or more microphones is used to selectively eliminate noise emanating from known, generally fixed locations, and pass signals from a pre-specified region or regions with reduced distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur Varma, Dinei A. Florencio
  • Publication number: 20090177698
    Abstract: A client tracking mechanism has a log file analysis routine that may generate two tables, one having a licensable entity designator and last logged off time, and the other having a current session designator. The first table may be aggregated by a server that may collect data from multiple client tracking mechanisms to determine a licensable entity's sessions across multiple servers. The client tracking mechanism may save and resume analysis from the last analyzed log file entry, and may be able to track sessions that are both shorter and longer than the time between each analysis. In many embodiments, a licensable entity may be a user or a device, when a license arrangement is configured in a per-user or per-device basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming Chan, Mark Sterin, Jagadeesh Kalki
  • Publication number: 20090178058
    Abstract: A computer implemented system and method provide for the dynamic bandwidth allocation shift from an end user's committed rate. A service provider receives a request to enhance bandwidth between an end user and a content provider. The service provider queries endpoint information for the end user and identifies the committed rate of the end user. An acceptable enhanced bandwidth shift is determined. The policy manager is signaled to take action to implement the acceptable enhanced bandwidth shift and subsequently shift back to the committed rate. Such a system may include service logic communicating through a content provider signaling interface, a BSS integration interface, and a network equipment provider communicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: William Charles Stillwell, III, Paul Evert Harris
  • Publication number: 20090176557
    Abstract: A system and methods for notifying a subscriber of a gaming event. For example, a Leaderboard Alert Service receives notification from a messenger service that a subscriber is present on a messenger client device. The Service then identifies one or more players associated with the subscriber and begins to monitor a leaderboard database for scores achieved by players and scores achieved by the subscriber. The Service generates an event notification based on a comparison of the scores achieved by the one or more players with the score achieved by the subscriber. Upon generating an event notification, the Service sends the event notification to the messenger service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: GARY HALL, DEBRA THIEL
  • Publication number: 20090175182
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for transmitting data on a wireless network. Some embodiments provide a technique whereby a type is determined for the transmission, at least one metric is determined for the transmission based at least in part on the transmission type and/or an indication of conditions on the channel on which the transmission is to be performed, at least one transmission parameter to be used in performing the transmission is selected to optimize the at least one metric, and the data is transmitted in accordance with the at least one transmission parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Hui Shen, Jiandong Ruan, Kun Tan, Jiansong Zhang, Amer A. Hassan, Bernard D. Aboba, Yi Lu, Tong Zhou
  • Publication number: 20090178087
    Abstract: An intelligent retransmission of data stream segments is disclosed. One embodiment comprises detecting a missing media data segment at a media receiver, assigning a value to the missing media data segment based upon media playback consequences of not utilizing the missing media data segment, comparing the value with a threshold, and requesting retransmission of the missing media data segment from a media server if the value meets a predetermined condition relative to the threshold. In this manner, retransmission is requested when it is determined that retransmission will improve playback performance relative to non-retransmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Valerian Menn, Nicholas Fang, Gurpratap Virdi, Todd Bowra
  • Publication number: 20090175442
    Abstract: Technologies for a Consumer Privacy Digital Rights Management system based on stable partially blind signatures that enable a license server to provide licenses for delivery to users without knowing the corresponding digital contents that users access with the license. Therefore consumer privacy is protected during license acquisition. Further, if the client DRM module in the DRM system does not disclose any information about a user's digital content access, and the messages that the client DRM module sends out are in plain text enabling verification that the client DRM module is not disclosing such information, then consumer privacy is fully protected by the DRM system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Min Feng, Bin Benjamin Zhu
  • Publication number: 20090176451
    Abstract: Pairing information is encoded as color information by a color coding device. The encoded color information is displayed by the color coding device and viewed by a color decoding device. The color decoding device decodes the encoded pairing information and uses the decoded pairing information to establish wireless communication with the color coding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ting-yi Yang, Thyagarajan Lakshmanan, Lotfi Herzi
  • Publication number: 20090177809
    Abstract: A system for identifying data connection attributes is disclosed. The system comprises a connection monitor that identifies an operational attribute of a data connection. The system also includes a signal module that activates operation of a status indicator of the data connection such that a manner of operation of the status indicator is associated with the operational attribute. Methods for operating the system are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Firdosh K. Bhesania, Mark E. Maszak, John Charles Dunn
  • Publication number: 20090177471
    Abstract: A recognition (e.g., speech, handwriting, etc.) model build process that is declarative and data-dependence-based. Process steps are defined in a declarative language as individual processors having input/output data relationships and data dependencies of predecessors and subsequent process steps. A compiler is utilized to generate the model building sequence. The compiler uses the input data and output data files of each model build processor to determine the sequence of model building and automatically orders the processing steps based on the declared input/output relationship (the user does not need to determine the order of execution). The compiler also automatically detects ill-defined processes, including cyclic definition and data being produced by more than one action. The user can add, change and/or modify a process by editing a declaration file, and rerunning the compiler, thereby a new process is automatically generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yifan Gong, Ye Tian
  • Publication number: 20090177620
    Abstract: Described herein are technologies directed towards providing a common mechanism for tracking the activity status of one or more software actions of a computer system. Furthermore, the described technologies facilitate managing the presentation of the tracked activity status of individual actions and/or of a collection of such actions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Snover, Steven P. Burns
  • Patent number: 7558959
    Abstract: An implementation of a technology is described herein that facilitates rights enforcement of digital goods using watermarks. More particularly, it is a fingerprinting technology for protecting digital goods by detecting collusion as a malicious attack and identifying the participating colluders. If a digital pirate breaks one client and enables this client to avoid watermark detection, all content (both marked/protected an unmarked/free) can be played as unmarked only on that particular client. However, to enable other clients to play content as unmarked, the digital pirate needs to collude the extracted detection keys from many clients in order to create content that can evade watermark detection on all clients. The described implementation significantly improves collusion resistance through a fingerprinting mechanism that can identify the members of a malicious coalition even when their numbers are several orders of magnitude greater than what conventional collusion-protection schemes can accomplish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Yacov Yacobi, Henrique Malvar, Darko Kirovski