Yahoo Patents Granted

Patents granted to Yahoo by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9767400
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to generating a card based on intent. In one example, a request is received for generating a card to be provided to a user. Intent of the user with respect to the card is obtained. One or more modules are selected to be put into the card based on the intent. The card is generated based on the selected one or more modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Abhay Gupta, Scott Gaffney, Zornitsa Kozareva
  • Patent number: 9767439
    Abstract: A system and method for automatic draft email notification includes the following steps or acts performed while a user is engaged with a first email in an active email session: retrieving a value from the first email to use as a search term; accessing draft emails associated with the user; determining if the search term from the first email matches a corresponding string in the draft emails associated with the user; and presenting the draft emails that match the search term as a listing of selectable draft emails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Supreeth Rao, Utkarsh Shrivastava, Sudharsan Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 9760866
    Abstract: Systems and methods to provide server side profile information. An LDAP server is provisioned for each user of a plurality of users. Profile information is received. The profile information is stored in a database associated with the LDAP server. Via the LDAP server, a suggestion from the profile information is provided in response to a partial entry provided by the user to a first client associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Quintela, Frank J. Cort
  • Patent number: 9760937
    Abstract: An information providing apparatus receives wish information relevant to a wish item that a user wishes to have and position information of the user. The information providing apparatus transmits the wish information to a provider device used by a provider who provides items. The information providing apparatus receives provision information relevant to provision of the wish item from the provider device. The information providing apparatus determines whether a moving cost, which is required for moving from a position indicated by the position information to a providing place at which the provider provides the wish item, satisfies a predetermined condition. The information providing apparatus notifies a user device of the provision information corresponding to a provider in which the moving cost satisfies the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohito Takusari
  • Patent number: 9763024
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a first set of applications installed on a first device is identified. Device characteristics of a second device may be ascertained. An application store for the second device may be determined based, at least in part, on the device characteristics of the second device. A second set of applications corresponding to the first set of applications is selected, where the second set of applications is available from the application store and compatible with the device characteristics of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Stoner, Mike Chrabaszcz
  • Patent number: 9760890
    Abstract: A registration accepting unit accepts registration of a card. A storage unit stores use permission information indicating a disabled state of use permission of the registered card. An instruction accepting unit accepts a use permission enabling instruction of the card from a user terminal. A providing unit provides the user terminal with code information associated with the card for which the use permission enabling instruction has been issued. A changing unit enables the use permission of the card, for which the use permission enabling instruction has been issued and which is stored in the use permission information, for a predetermined period. When receiving the code information from an in-store device installed in a stored, a notifying unit notifies the facility device of whether the use permission of the right that is stored in the use permission information in association with the code information is enabled or disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidehito Gomi
  • Patent number: 9756122
    Abstract: In one embodiment, in a hierarchy of nodes, a master node having two or more child nodes obtains from the two or more child nodes two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith, the two or more sets of data samples being representative of traffic processed via two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes, wherein a size of each of the two or more sets of data samples is proportional to an allocation of traffic among the two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes. Each of the two or more sets of data samples is obtained from a different one of the two or more child nodes and represents traffic processed by a corresponding one of the two or more sets of servers. The master node combines the two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith such that a combined set of data is generated. The master node ascertains a numerical value from the combined set of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Wexler, Robert Ames, Ian Flint
  • Patent number: 9754330
    Abstract: An electric power retail management apparatus according to an embodiment includes an adjustment parameter calculating unit and an adjustment parameter transmitting unit. The adjustment parameter calculating unit calculates a total electric power adjustment parameter, which balances electric power generation amounts of power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of electric power customers, for each of the electric power generators on the basis of conditions of the electric power generation amounts of the electric power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of the electric power customers existing in a single region. The adjustment parameter transmitting unit transmits the total electric power adjustment parameters to the electric power generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ikuo Kitagishi
  • Patent number: 9754268
    Abstract: In one embodiment at least one user profile of a user may be obtained. Information may be provided to the user by one or more personalization engines based, at least in part, upon the at least one user profile. Each of the one or more personalization engines may be configured to operate according to a different one of a plurality of personas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Andrew McClelland, Michael Metcalf, Fernando Padilla, Sarah Jean Sosiak
  • Patent number: 9747583
    Abstract: Entity profile information is presented to a user of a computing device. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a communication associated with a first entity; in response to receiving the communication, creating or updating, by at least one processor, a first entity profile, wherein the first entity profile is for display to the user on the computing device; and storing a plurality of entity profiles for entities, the entity profiles including the first entity profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Peter Monaco
  • Patent number: 9743120
    Abstract: This disclosure describes methods and systems for viewing a collection of media objects, such as a video clip and associated responses (video, audio and text), in a seamless way. Provided with a media object and a series of responses and counter responses, a real time media combining methodology is coupled with a text and audio conversion process to generate a media stream, or downloadable media object, that contains the original media object and some or all of the associated responses. The media content is formatted into the stream so that ancillary content, like text associated with a particular video response, may also be displayed. Advertisements may be inserted into the stream between responses or overlaying some portion of the viewing area during rendering of the stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Chris Kalaboukis
  • Patent number: 9742836
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized to analyze a content item comprising text to identify: a quote, a named entity that is the source of the quote (e.g., a person or organization such as a company), and identification information for the named entity (such as a title of the person giving the quote). Quotes may also be ranked to determine, for example, the best quotes to include in an article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Maria Renhui Zhang, Nicholas D'Aloisio-Montilla, Maximillion Zhaohong Mai, Praveenkumar Venkatesan
  • Patent number: 9740794
    Abstract: Previews of a target web site or other Internet-accessible resource are displayed in response to cursor control events. The previews are displayed in preview windows, which may have associated toolbars that include functions permitting various manipulations of the content displayed in the preview window. In some cases, the target web site is displayed as an image thereof in the preview window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Soujanya Bhumkar, Mayank Mehta, Austin Shoemaker
  • Patent number: 9729591
    Abstract: Methods and systems for sharing content includes detecting selection of multimedia content at a first device. The selection causes automatic rendition of the selected multimedia content on a display portion of the first device. Selection of a second device is detected at a user interface of the first device. The user interface identifies a plurality of devices that have an established communication pairing with the first device. A gesture made with the first device while the second device continues to be selected, is identified. The gesture acts as a trigger for sharing the selected multimedia content with the second device. The gesture causes the multimedia content to be automatically transmitted to the second device for rendering at a display portion of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Lars Erik Holmquist, Karolina Buchner, Roger Urrabazo, Roman Lissermann
  • Patent number: 9727565
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a set of tags that has been generated by performing computer vision analysis of image content of a visual media item may be obtained, where each tag of the set of tags has a corresponding probability. In addition, a set of information that is independent from the image content of the visual media item may be obtained. The probability of at least a portion of the set of tags may be modified based, at least in part, upon the set of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerry Pesavento, Huy X. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9727901
    Abstract: An image-based recommendation system provides a first set of selectable images to a user and receives user selections from the first set of images. If a user selects a single image from the first set of images, the product page associated with the selected image is transmitted to the user. If the user makes multiple selections from the first set of images, then the images associated with the user selections are analyzed and a second set of similar images is generated for transmission to the user. The process of receiving and analyzing user-selected images, generating image sets and transmission of generated images sets continues until the user selects a single image. The precision of identification of similar images can be improved by providing the user selections as training data to the image-based recommendation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Ralph Li, Evans Tseng, Brian Liu
  • Patent number: 9720882
    Abstract: Generating notifications comprising text and image data for client devices with limited display screens is disclosed. An image to be included in the notification is resized and reshaped using image processing techniques. The resized image is further analyzed to identify optimal portions for placing the text data. The text data can also be analyzed and shortened for including at the identified portion of resized image to generate a notification. The resulting notification displays the text and image data optimally within the limited screen space of the client device so that a user observing the notification can obtain the information at a glance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Bin Ni, Jia Li
  • Patent number: 9721389
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a first perspective of a three-dimensional marker may be detected, where the three-dimensional marker has a shape that presents a different appearance from every angle. A first three-dimensional virtual overlay corresponding to the first perspective of the three-dimensional marker may be identified or generated. The first three-dimensional virtual overlay corresponding to the first perspective of the three-dimensional marker may be projected or displayed such that the first three-dimensional virtual overlay substantially covers the first perspective of the three-dimensional marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Lars Erik Holmquist
  • Patent number: 9721228
    Abstract: Systems and methods to host a social network locally on a user's computing device using social data at the user device. In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining, on a local computing device of a user, social data regarding social relationships of the user in order to support a social network of the user; and hosting, via the local computing device, the social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Frank J. Cort, Brian Hein, Jon New
  • Patent number: 9715546
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to searching encrypted data. In one example, a search request is received for encrypted documents. An encrypted query is generated based on the search request. The encrypted query is sent to a server that stores a first encrypted index and a second encrypted index. The first encrypted index maps encrypted keywords to full blocks each of which has a same size and is fully filled with encrypted document identities (IDs). The second encrypted index maps encrypted keywords to partial blocks each of which has the same size and is partially filled with encrypted document IDs. Based on the encrypted query, one or more encrypted document IDs are determined by searching against both the first encrypted index and the second encrypted index. A search result is generated based on the one or more encrypted document IDs. The search result is provided in response to the search request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Payman Mohassel, Ian Miers
  • Patent number: 9716764
    Abstract: Among other disclosures, a method may include collecting historical communication data, personal data and usage statistics relating to a portion of a plurality of communications, a sender of one or more of the communications or one or more recipients of the communications. The method may include depositing the collected data into a repository. The method may include presenting the usage statistics in response to user behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Brezina, Adam Smith
  • Patent number: 9710759
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, methods and apparatus facilitate the filtering of unsolicited bulk electronic mail (email) sent from spammers. A plurality of recipient patterns for a plurality of emails from known spammers is logged. A plurality of recipient patterns for a plurality of emails from known non-spammers is also logged. A probabilistic model for predicting whether an unknown sender identity is a spammer is generated or modified based on the logged recipient patterns for the emails from known spammers and known non-spammers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Anirban Dasgupta, Kilian Quirin Weinberger, Yehuda Koren
  • Patent number: 9710447
    Abstract: System, method and architecture for providing improved visual recognition by modeling visual content, semantic content and an implicit social network representing individuals depicted in a collection of content, such as visual images, photographs, etc. which network may be determined based on co-occurrences of individuals represented by the content, and/or other data linking the individuals. In accordance with one or more embodiments, using images as an example, a relationship structure may comprise an implicit structure, or network, determined from co-occurrences of individuals in the images. A kernel jointly modeling content, semantic and social network information may be built and used in automatic image annotation and/or determination of relationships between individuals, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Jia Li, Xiangnan Kong
  • Patent number: 9710433
    Abstract: Briefly, embodiments disclosed herein may relate to dynamic display of representations of digital content for user interaction on computing devices, for example, including displaying a collection of content items on a display of a computing device, wherein a two-or-more-dimensional spatial arrangement of individual content items of the displayed collection comprises individual content items being positioned relative to other individual content items based, at least in part, on analytic characterizations of one or more attributes of the individual content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Kayode Osindero, Robert Jaros, Eric Willis, Clayton Mellina, Anastasia Svetlichnaya
  • Patent number: 9705790
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is connected to and communicates with a terminal connected to a first communication network and a second communication network based on a predetermined communication protocol. The first and the second communication network are operable using the predetermined communication protocol. The second communication network is a closed communication network. The information processing apparatus includes first and second communication units. The first communication unit communicates with the terminal via the first communication network based on the predetermined communication protocol. The second communication unit communicates with the terminal based on the predetermined communication protocol via a relay unit arranged in a communication line between the second communication network and the information processing apparatus. The first and the second communication units have the same IP address having an anycast relation as an IP address of the predetermined communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norifumi Matsuya, Tsunayoshi Egawa, Nobuhiro Takasawa
  • Patent number: 9704180
    Abstract: A distribution device according to the present application includes a distribution unit. The distribution unit distributes control information to a terminal device. The control information causes the terminal device to execute a detection procedure of detecting a position where a moving operation to move first content being displayed by the terminal device has been performed, and a display procedure of superimposing and displaying second content on the first content, based on the position detected by the detection procedure. For example, the display procedure causes the terminal device to execute processing of displaying, as second content, advertising content that allows an access to a web page provided by an advertiser, when the advertising content is selected by a user of the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Kobayashi, Tatsuaki Suzuki, Kensuke Takada
  • Patent number: 9703783
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for selecting news articles for presentation to a user. One method includes an operation for measuring dwelltimes for a first set of news items, where the dwelltime for a news item is based on the amount of time that the news item is displayed to a viewer. Further, the method includes an operation for training a classifier of news items based on the measured dwelltimes and based on features associated with the first set of news items. Additionally, the method includes an operation for ranking with the classifier a second set of news items for presentation to the user, the ranking also using the profile of the user for delivery of customized news to the user. The ranked second set of news item is then presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Xing Yi, Scott Gaffney, Jean-Marc Langlois
  • Patent number: 9705460
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a learning unit which learns sound level manipulation relating to a sound level of a terminal device used by a user based on information relating to the user. The information processing apparatus includes a determination unit which determines a reproduction mode at the time when the terminal device reproduces an audio contained in a content according to a learning result of the learning unit. The information processing apparatus includes a controller which controls an audio contained in the content in the reproduction mode determined by the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Kuromusha, Yoshihito Nishikawa, Yoshio Ikai, Toru Takei, Kazutaka Kimura, Kanta Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9704045
    Abstract: One or more systems and/or methods for providing content to a user are provided. An image, associated with a user, may be evaluated utilizing an image classifier to identify an object within the image. The object may be utilized to identify a predicted class for the user. In an example, the predicted class may correspond to a life event (e.g., graduating college, having a baby, buying a house, etc.) and/or a life stage (e.g., adolescence, retirement, etc.). Locational information (e.g., a geotag) for the image may be evaluated to determine an image location (e.g., a location where the image was generated). Responsive to the image location corresponding to a home location of the user, the predicted class may be determined to be a class associated with the user. Content (e.g., promotional content) may be selected from a content repository based upon the class and subsequently provided to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Kristjan Jonsson, Sanjeev Jagannatha Rao, Daniel J. Tasse
  • Patent number: 9696770
    Abstract: A server cooling system includes: a flex-switch with one or more flexible building bridges; one or more utility farms coupled with the flex-switch; a power distribution unit operably connected to the flex-switch; and a server POD including one or more racks operably connected to the power distribution unit. The flex-switch is configurable to include additional utility farms, one or more generator farms, and one or more UPS farms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Barry Bianculli, Norman Holt, Jesus Suarez
  • Patent number: 9697442
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method comprises obtaining a frequency domain representation associated with an image; obtaining one or more frequency domain representations of one or more object detection filters; generating a composite frequency domain representation based on the frequency domain representation associated with the image and the one or more frequency domain representations of the one or more object detection filters; and detecting one or more objects in the image based on the composite frequency domain representation. The frequency domain representation associated with the image may be obtained based on a forward transform performed on an image feature description. The image feature description may be obtained based on a feature extraction performed on the image. The one or more frequency domain representations of the one or more object detection filters may be obtained based on one or more Fourier transforms performed on the one or more object detection filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Jen-Hao Hsiao, Jia Li
  • Patent number: 9699258
    Abstract: Among other disclosures, a method may include collecting historical communication data and personal data relating to a portion of a plurality of communications, a sender of one or more of the communications or one or more recipients of the communications. The method may include depositing the collected data into a repository of historical communication data and personal data. The method may include presenting one or more items in the repository on a mobile device, in response to user behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Brezina, Adam Smith, Jeffrey Bonforte
  • Patent number: 9697581
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image storage unit, a conversion unit, and an output unit. The image storage unit stores therein multiple images with different viewpoint positions. The conversion unit converts each of the images stored in the image storage unit to each of images to be imaged by imaging devices that are arranged such that respective optical axes pass through a dynamically set position in a target object. The output unit outputs the images converted by the conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9690911
    Abstract: An information distribution apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires individual identification information, product identification information, and user identification information. The information distribution apparatus includes a storing unit that stores the authentication information and the user identification information in an associated manner in a predetermined storing device. The information distribution apparatus includes a deciding unit that decides, whether the received authentication information and the received user identification information are stored in an associated manner in the predetermined storing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Suzuki, Tatsuya Kawase, Taku Kusano
  • Patent number: 9690860
    Abstract: Briefly, embodiments disclosed herein may relate to formulating recommended search queries. Search query recommendations may be based, at least in part, on multiple user searches performed at least in part in response to consumption of publicly available content, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Bax, John Peng, Scott Ard, Arun Autuchirayll
  • Patent number: 9686590
    Abstract: A method comprises retrieving a profile of a given user, the given user having a given-user device; delivering a content item to the given-user device; receiving one or more user-specified tags associated with the content item; identifying one or more buddies of the user as indicated in the profile; and delivering the one or more tags to the one or more buddies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Ronald Jacoby, Brenda O'Kane
  • Patent number: 9684449
    Abstract: Methods and system for generating a first set of selection options for presentation on a display screen of a television. Each first set selection option identifies a sub-set of symbols. The presentation provides a visual representation of spatial relationship between the first set of selection options and a first group of input options available on a physical remote control. A first user selection is received for the first group of input options. In response to receiving the first user selection, a second set of selection options corresponding to the first user selection, is generated for presentation as a visual representation of spatial relationship between the second set of selection options and a second group of input options available on the physical remote control. A second user selection is received for the input options from the second group and is interpreted to identify selection of one of the sub-set of symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Hsi-Heng Sean Yang
  • Patent number: 9686400
    Abstract: A system and method for driver-aware notification that collects and analyzes contextual information about the driving environment to free a device owner from having to decide whether or not to answer an incoming message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Baptiste Queru
  • Patent number: 9685158
    Abstract: Systems and methods to process and/or present information relating to voice messages for a user that are received from other persons. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a data processing system includes: receiving first data associated with prior communications or activities for the user on a mobile device; receiving a voice message for the user; transcribing the voice message using the first data to provide a transcribed message; and sending the transcribed message to the mobile device for display to the user. In one embodiment, options are displayed for selection by the user to correct a misspelled word in the transcribed message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Bonforte
  • Patent number: 9684908
    Abstract: A content item presented to a user may involve two or more topics, such as news articles mentioning athletes or actors. Users may enjoy expressing opinions about a comparison of the topics, such as personal preferences or an evaluation of talent. Presented herein are techniques for automatically generating, for the content item, a poll among the topics of the content item. The respective comparisons of a comparison set are evaluated for the topics of the content item, and a comparison relevance score is computed identifying the relevance of the comparison of the topics. The comparison having the highest relevance for the topics is selected, and a comparison question is formulated and presented to the user with the content item. Results may be tabulated and presented for the topics of the content item. These techniques facilitate user expression about the content item without depending upon user-authored polls for each content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO!, INC.
    Inventors: Oleg Rokhlenko, Idan Szpektor
  • Patent number: 9679082
    Abstract: Methods, systems and programming for providing content. In one example, a request for content is received from a user. One or more parameters associated with a platform on which the requested content is to be presented are obtained. A plurality pieces of addition content are obtained based on the requested content or information associated with the user. Each piece of the addition content is associated with a user engagement metric. A layout of an enriched content page is determined based on the one or more parameters. The layout of the enriched content page includes one or more slots for presenting content. One or more pieces of the additional content are assigned to the one or more slots based on the user engagement metric. The enriched content page including the requested content and the one or more pieces of the additional content is transmitted to the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventor: Bruno M. Fernandez-Ruiz
  • Patent number: 9680897
    Abstract: A system can throttle compression of instrumentation data related to a page view, by throttled scanning processes. Then that data can be communication over the Internet to a server effectively. The scanning of instrumentation data can be performed via batch processing; and therefore, data for compression may be maximized or throttled. The system can also accelerate the various caching options involved with the streaming of content items and ad items. For example, such items can be retrieved by the local and/or remote caches associated with the client-side application and/or the page view, prior to the items being requested by and/or presented to a user, via batch retrieval processes. These batch retrieval processes can also be combined with the batch scanning processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Michael Tully
  • Patent number: 9672445
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in a content generating, hosting and/or providing system supported by or configured with personal computing devices, servers and/or platforms. The systems interact to identify and retrieve data across platforms, which can be used to improve the quality of data used in processing interactions between or among processors in such systems. The disclosed systems and methods provide systems and methods for automatic discovery of high quality digital content. According to embodiments, the present disclosure describes improved computer system and methods directed to analyzing raw image data, such as features and descriptors of images in order to identify a high quality image(s). Such images can be identified from a database of images, and such images can be identified in real-time, or near real-time during the capture of an image(s) by a camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Simon Kayode Osindero, Frank Liu, Gerry Pesavento, Miriam Redi, Lucca Maria Aiello, Anastasia Alexeevna Svetlichnaya
  • Patent number: 9674305
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus that receives, over a network from a computing device being used by a user, a request to configure a first software module host with respect to a software module, the first software module host associated with the user. The apparatus transmits over the network to the computing device instructions to configure, for display by the computing device, the first software module host in accordance with the request. The apparatus computer transmits over the network to the computing device instructions to apply the same configuration with respect to the software module to a second software module host, the second software module host also associated with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Paul Broman, Stephen Owens, John Hazelwood, Parag Jain, Jayadev Chandrasekhar, Steven Carlson, David Pham
  • Patent number: 9672539
    Abstract: An advertisement generation apparatus includes a generating unit that generates a page to be displayed on a terminal device that displays an advertisement on a screen. The page includes a content page and an advertising page that are superimposed one on top of the other, where the content page includes an advertising space such that the advertising space is to be scrolled on the screen according to operation, and the advertising page is greater in size than the advertising space. The page is configured to display the content page, and a part of the advertising page located within the advertising space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Natsume Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9672288
    Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of methods and/or systems for providing enhancements to search query processing are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Wu, Shenhong Zhu, Huming Wu
  • Patent number: 9668375
    Abstract: A building for a data center (or server farm) includes a stack structure that interfaces with an environment and one or more housings coupled to a floor and the stack structure. Each of the housings includes one or more racks with a plurality of servers and each of the servers includes a computer fan capable of varying speed or reversing direction. The building also includes one or more filters between the one or more housings and the environment and one or more walls operable to be between the one or more filters and the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Mozan Totani, Barry Bianculli
  • Patent number: 9665629
    Abstract: A media device and user interface for selecting media. In one embodiment, the media is selected based upon a desired relationship measure between at least two media files. In another embodiment, the media is selected based upon a skip command control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley De Kindiq
  • Patent number: D791800
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Guy Hepworth, Craig Douglas Weber, Peter Matthew Klein, Aparna Jain
  • Patent number: D794672
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasufumi Hirai