Patents Assigned to Yahoo ! Inc.
  • Patent number: 7797287
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods, and user interfaces for browsing a collection of content items saved by a user or by one or more buddies associated with a given user. The method of the present invention comprises saving one or more content items and one or more associated keywords as specified by a user. An interface is generated that displays the one or more saved content items and the one or more associated keywords, as well as the one or more buddies associated with a given user. A user indication of the selection of a given keyword or the selection of a given buddy by the user is received. The one or more displayed content items are filtered according to the selected keyword, buddy, or combination of selected keyword and buddy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Norton, Chung-Man Tam, Jianchang Mao, Zhichen Xu, Adrienne Bassett, Ashley Hall, Nathan Arnold
  • Patent number: 7797295
    Abstract: Allowing unhosted user content feeds to a public search engine, such as a web search engine, involves a user easily identifying a file as a file the user wants to share with others by, for example, storing the file in a particular directory folder on the user's device. Once identified, the file is scanned and a corresponding entry is inserted into a search index. The storage location on the user's device may be captured, and that information added to the search index for linking to the stored file. The file may be uploaded to a caching server, for serving either primarily from the caching server or secondarily from the caching server when the file is not available from the user's storage. An access policy, which indicates what portion of the public has permission to access the file, may be associated with the shared file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald S. Bell, Oliver M. Raskin, Duke T. Fan, Chris T. Kalaboukis, Ronald G. Martinez
  • Patent number: 7797529
    Abstract: The need for upload security arises during content sharing between users in communication link with each other and a server. In one embodiment, providing the upload security involves the server identifying a mobile device that sends an upload message destined to a user. Providing the upload security further involves the server accessing opt-in parameters predetermined by the user, determining if the identity of the sending mobile device is included in the opt-in parameters, and, if so, allowing the upload to the user's account, otherwise blocking the upload. The opt-in parameters include the identity of mobile devices that are authorized by the user to upload data to the user's account. In one embodiment, the communication link includes a wireless carrier network with capability for security screening of the upload message before it reaches the server based on the identity of the wireless carrier network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Zhaowei Charlie Jiang, Christopher Wu, Joy Sato, Yingqing Lawrence Cui
  • Publication number: 20100227301
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for extracting information from one or more documents. A training and execution plan is received, and such plan specifies invocation of a trainer operator for initiating training of a trainee operator based on a set of training documents so as to generate a new trained operator that is to then be invoked so as to extract information from one or more unknown documents. The trainee operator is configured to extract information from one or more unknown documents, and each training document is associated with classified information. After receipt of the training and execution plan, the trainer operator is automatically executed to train the trainee operator based on the specified training documents so as to generate a new trained operator for extracting information from documents. The new trained operator is a new version of the trainee operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Cong Yu, Mridul Muralidharan, Arun Shankar Iyer, Philip Lewis Bohannon
  • Publication number: 20100228712
    Abstract: A method and system for generating a topic page for a search query on a search webpage includes receiving a query at the search webpage on a client. The query is transmitted from the search webpage on the client to a search engine on a server. A topic page generator available to the search engine analyzes the query to identify a plurality of dimensions. One or more content modules, including at least one interactive advertising module, that match one or more of the dimensions are selected from a plurality of sources based on a weight associated with each of the content modules. The weight defines the ranking of a content module. The content modules for the plurality of dimensions are glued together and presented on the topic page in the order of the corresponding weight of the content modules. The order of presentation identifies the relevancy of the content modules to the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Wexler, Scott Roy, Ingrid Lestiyo
  • Publication number: 20100228582
    Abstract: A system and method for contextual advertising based on status messages. A plurality of status messages sent to a user via at least one socially aware messaging service are retrieved where the user is a member of the socially aware messaging service, has defined at least one social contact on the service, and where each of status messages was sent to the user by one of the user's social contacts. The status messages are analyzed to determine the user's status update context, where the user's status update context comprises a set of social, topical, spatial and temporal data present in the messages. The user's status update context is matched to targeted advertisements. The user's status update context is matched to the targeting criteria of targeted advertisements. Matched advertisements are transmitted to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Simon P. King, Carrie Burgener, Christopher T. Paretti, Marc Eliot Davis, Rahul Nair
  • Publication number: 20100228804
    Abstract: An image CAPTCHA having one or more images, a challenge, and a correct answer to the challenge is constructed by selecting the one or more images from a plurality of candidate images based at least in part on each image's public information and private information. The private information of each of the images is accessible only to an entity responsible for constructing the CAPTCHA. Optionally, the one or more images are selected further based on the specific type of the CAPTCHA to be constructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Anirban Dasgupta, Shanmugasundaram Ravikumar, Kunal Punera
  • Publication number: 20100228745
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with sorting candidate values are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicants: Yahoo!, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, Brown University
    Inventors: Aris Anagnostopoulos, Shanmugasundaram Ravikumar, Mohammad Mahdian, Eli Upfal
  • Publication number: 20100228826
    Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. A status of the user is received over a channel. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a type of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified from one type to another type based on the recipient. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available. A channel may include an application protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Neal Sample, Chris Kalaboukis
  • Publication number: 20100228728
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a user to access media objects, such as images, from a website without requiring the user to enter the website. In one embodiment, a search engine searches for websites that match a submitted search term. A selected URL to one of the resulting websites is submitted to a harvester that accesses a web page of the selected website and identifies a media object of the web page. The harvester determines the characteristic(s) of the media object, such as a dimension, an aspect ratio, a proximity to other media objects, etc. The harvester determines a second media object with substantially the same characteristic(s). The determined media objects, or subportions, are rendered in a client user interface. Relationships are mapped between a selected media object and projects that use the object. Manipulating a rendered portion causes a related operation on the whole media object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Karon A. Weber, Samantha M. Tripodi, David Ayman Shamma
  • Patent number: 7793227
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides for one or more customizable buttons, used with a downloadable toolbar for an Internet browser. The method may comprise directing an Internet browser user, using a computer, to a button modification medium, receiving modification information from the Internet browser user and loading the modified buttons on the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Wada, Eric Burke, Duke Tsao-Ming Fan
  • Patent number: 7792720
    Abstract: A system conducts online financial transactions between individuals or between individuals and entities such as banks, merchants and other companies. Each user establishes an online account, which is used to transfer funds to and from other online accounts. Any user may initiate a send money transaction or a request payment transaction with any other entity provided that entity has an e-mail address. The online fund transfer may include a verification of a user's information including verifying a mailing address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Gallagher, Kaycie Roberts, Michael Baum, Peihuan Meng, Jorge Noa, Steve Davis, Robert Simon, Mieko Schmandt, Ivan Liu, Martin Hampton
  • Patent number: 7792926
    Abstract: A method delivering content from a plurality of sources to a plurality of end servers through a central manager is provided. The method includes receiving the content from the plurality of sources at the central manager, formatting the content to a form usable by the plurality of end servers, creating a transaction generic to the plurality of end servers where the transaction includes a reference to a set of instructions for storing the formatted content, sending the transaction to an end server in the plurality of end servers, and calling the reference to execute the set of instructions where the set of instructions store the formatted content into the memory of the end server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Athey, John Robison, Ashvinkumar P. Patel
  • Patent number: 7792870
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying pages that can be authoritatively, to some confidence level or another, associated with a geographic location, and are provided for grouping documents such that authoritative location associations can be propagated from pages with higher location confidence to pages with lower location confidence. Pages might be identified with authoritative indicators, groups of pages identified including at least one addressed page and at least one unaddressed page, wherein an addressed page is a page having a higher confidence level than an unaddressed page, and at least one processing step performed that is location specific. The confidence level assigned to a page as part of the process represents the confidence that the page is associated with an identifiable geographic location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Eugene Field, Daniel Eric Rose
  • Patent number: 7792738
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, geographic information about the location of a user is utilized to select a grouping of additional securities to display to the user. When the user navigates to a portion of a web site related to displaying financial information, a listing of securities that might be interesting to the user may be displayed. As a result, the user is more likely to find out more information relating to one or more of these additional securities, and therefore generate more page views on the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Paul Channell
  • Patent number: 7792706
    Abstract: A method for facilitating online shopping stores shopping cart information of users who shopped before and makes recommendations for matching products according to aggregated shopping cart information. The method finds out what products go well with a product in a user's shopping cart by collecting data about combinations of products in different categories from the shopping carts of users who shopped before. Based on the collected shopping cart data, the method recommends popular matches to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Sundeep Tirumalareddy, Hayrettin Kolukisaoglu
  • Patent number: 7792040
    Abstract: A system and method is described herein for managing bandwidth and cost in connection with a plurality of sensors in an ad hoc network. The system and method receives sensor data that is provided from a plurality of sensors and constructs an ad hoc network among the plurality of sensors based on the sensor data. The system and method also receives and analyzes bandwidth information from each sensor in a group of sensors in the ad hoc network. Based on the analysis, the system and method then modifies a manner in which at least one sensor in the group exchanges data, including sensor data and multimedia content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Nair, Christopher W. Higgins, Marc E. Davis, Joseph J. O'Sullivan, Christopher T. Paretti
  • Publication number: 20100223546
    Abstract: Computer-implemented system and methods are disclosed for optimizing the relative positions of sponsored and organic search results on a search results page displayed to a user, including calculating, by a search engine, a degree of commerciality of a search query; receiving the search query from a user by the search engine; and delivering, by the search engine to a browser of a user, a plurality of sponsored search results in at least two columns and a plurality of organic search results in at least a third column of one or more search results pages, wherein a layout of the at least three columns depends on the degree of commerciality of the search query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Weiguo Liu
  • Publication number: 20100223252
    Abstract: A method and system for providing personalized search results is disclosed. A computer receives input from a user to navigate to a web site (either directly or as a result of choosing a result from a search result page). The computer navigates to the web site and stores information about the web site in a file. The computer determines web sites associated with a search query of the user as the search query is being entered into a search area of a user interface. The associated web sites are sites that have been previously navigated to by the user. The determining step includes obtaining the web sites associated with the search query from a data structure previously generated from the file. The data structure includes parsed entries of URLs associated with the previously navigated web sites. Based on the determining step, web site links corresponding to the associated web sites are displayed as the search query is being entered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Alex Broman, David Watanabe, Ariel Seidman
  • Publication number: 20100223620
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are described that are capable of recovering an asynchronous process after an error occurs with respect to the process. For example, the process may be re-initiated upon detection of the error. The re-initiated process is capable of not repeating tasks of the process that were completed prior to the occurrence of the error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Kishore Nair, Yogesh Bhootada, Brian Lam, Durgadatt R. Kamath, Randy Ho