Patents Examined by Andrea Leggett
  • Patent number: 8812981
    Abstract: A method of conditionally displaying an icon to indicate a status within a user interface as part of a media presentation system is described. An example method includes updating a status of content within the media presentation system, displaying at least one icon within a guide menu containing one or more menu sections with each menu section containing a plurality of menu layers, and displaying the icon within a first menu layer to indicate the status of content within menu layers associated with the first menu layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Tommi J. Iten, Eric J. Bennett, Tyson L. Wintibaugh, David P. Green, Brian Black
  • Patent number: 8812995
    Abstract: A software module provides multiple individually selectable items via a user interface. The software module detects a contact with an area on the user interface that includes several of the individually selectable items in a first relative arrangement. The software module determines that the contact corresponds to an attempted selection of a single item. The software module provides a disambiguation menu for selecting the single item from among the several individually selectable items within the area, and arranges the several individually selectable items in the disambiguation menu according to a second relative arrangement different from the first relative arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce W. Murphy
  • Patent number: 8793616
    Abstract: A computationally-implemented method comprises retrieving at least a portion of data from a data source, determining an acceptability of an effect of the retrieved at least a portion of the data at least in part via a virtual machine representation of at least a part of an end user's real machine having one or more end-user specified preferences, and providing at least one data display option to the end user's real machine based on the determining acceptability of the effect of the retrieved at least a portion of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Gary W. Flake, William Gates, Roderick A. Hyde, Edward K. Y. Jung, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Richard F. Rashid, John D. Rinaldo, Jr., Clarence T. Tegreene, Charles Whitmer, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8793623
    Abstract: A medical device includes a gesture detector for detecting a gesture of a second device with respect to the medical device. The gesture is detected within a small time window. The medical device also includes an association gesture determiner for determining that the gesture is an association gesture for initiating a request to associate the medical device with the second device, and a device associator for associating the medical device with the second device based on the association gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: CareFusion 303, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Halbert, Sreelal Chandrasenan, Daniel Vik, Gregory Borges
  • Patent number: 8793596
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for a simplified instant messaging interface are provided for allowing users to initiate and engage in instant messaging conversations. In various embodiments, the systems and methods reduce the overhead involved in initiating and/or engaging in instant messaging conversations. In some embodiments, the simplified instant messaging interface allows users to initiate and or engage in conversations without having to open a separate standard messaging window for every conversation. In some embodiments, the simplified instant messaging interface may be used in conjunction with a standard instant messaging interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: Ronen Arad
  • Patent number: 8788959
    Abstract: Target device monitoring systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a target device monitoring update method includes receiving a change in design element value in real time, wherein the design element values are associated with an operating target device. The changes in the design element value are analyzed. Express interface information is updated in accordance with results of the analyzing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Ogami, Doug Anderson, Andrew Best, Marat Zhaksilikov
  • Patent number: 8788973
    Abstract: A method for controlling presentation to a user of a primary user experience of a software application is provided. The method includes displaying a third-person avatar in a 3D virtual scene that defines a user interface for controlling presentation of the primary user experience. The method further includes sensing controlling movements of the user within a physical space in which the user is located and causing display of controlled movements of the third-person avatar within the 3D virtual scene so that the controlled movements visually replicate the controlling movements. The method further includes detecting a predefined interaction of the third-person avatar with a user interface element displayed in the 3D virtual scene, and controlling presentation of the primary user experience in response to detecting the predefined interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Tremblay Lavigne, Edward Chin, Eddie Parker
  • Patent number: 8788962
    Abstract: A computer-implemented user interface is described that includes a display window displaying data files having a data file descriptor associated with each data file. The data file descriptor describe at least a data file size, a data file date, a data file name and data file type. A slider bar controls the data files displayed in the display window where movement of the slider bar displays a greater number of the data files and the data file descriptors than displayed without movement of the slider bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Inventor: Carsten Waldeck
  • Patent number: 8788978
    Abstract: An information handling system includes a gesture sensitive interface and a processor. The processor is configured to receive inputs from the gesture sensitive interface corresponding to first and second interaction points, determine a relative motion between the first and second interaction points, and obtain a velocity of the relative motion. The processor is further configured to determine if the velocity exceeds a threshold, and scale an image on a display from an initial magnification to a predetermined magnification when the velocity exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Roy W. Stedman, Deborah C. Russell
  • Patent number: 8782553
    Abstract: This invention provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that operates in connection with a machine vision detector or other machine vision system, which provides a highly intuitive and industrial machine-like appearance and layout. The GUI includes a centralized image frame window surrounded by panes having buttons and specific interface components that the user employs in each step of a machine vision system set up and run procedure. One pane allows the user to view and manipulate a recorded filmstrip of image thumbnails taken in a sequence, and provides the filmstrip with specialized highlighting (colors or patterns) that indicate useful information about the underlying images. The programming of logic is performed using a programming window that includes a ladder logic arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Tremblay, Brian Phillips, John Keating, Andrew Eames, Steven M. Whitman, Brian Mirtich, Carroll McNeill Arbogast, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8769417
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for identifying an answer to a question in an electronic discussion forum. In some embodiments, text from a discussion forum that includes a question may be retrieved. One or more responses to the question from the discussion forum may be determined. An answer to the question may then be determined from the one or more responses to the question. In some embodiments, an answer may be determined based, at least in part, on at least one of a context of the text from the discussion forum, a context of a location in which the answer to the question may be further presented, and user behavior related to the one or more responses to the question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James G. Robinson, Joseph King, Brandon W. Farrell, Russell A. Dicker
  • Patent number: 8769407
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to the help function and provide a method, system and computer program product for a pointing help system. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for pointing help in a GUI can include receiving a help event in association with a GUI control in the GUI, generating a help message for placement in a portion of the GUI statically configured to present different help messages, and visually coupling the GUI control with the help message through pointing help. In particular, in one aspect of the embodiment, visually coupling the GUI control with the help message through pointing help can include generating an arrow shell in a window separate from the GUI; and superimposing the arrow shell over the GUI to visually couple the GUI control with the help message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Muir
  • Patent number: 8762848
    Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus for displaying a content file list, a content file list displaying method and a recording medium storing a program performing the method, which are capable of easily identifying a paused content file and memorizing a point of the content file which reproducing is paused and content of the content file at the paused point, are provided. The method includes: determining whether or not a paused content file exists; creating a content file list capable of identifying the paused content file with reference to the result of the determination; and displaying the created content file list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-wook Nam
  • Patent number: 8762843
    Abstract: A method for navigating among tracks uses limited input commands. A plurality of tracks is associated with a currently playing queue. One of the tracks in the queue is identified for a current focus. A voice command is received that includes a directional aspect and a metadata filtering aspect. In response, the focus moves to a second track having a different value for the selected metadata filtering category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Lee Morse, Steven Mark Mosher
  • Patent number: 8751933
    Abstract: Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for presenting a user interface for manipulation of audio waveforms associated with video content. In one aspect, a method can be performed by one or more processes executing on a computer system. Images representing video frames in a first region of a user interface can be displayed. An audio waveform representing audio associated with at least a portion of a video frame can be displayed. At least three audio waveform portions including (i) a first portion of the audio waveform that exceeds a first predetermined threshold, (ii) a second portion of the audio waveform below the first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold, and (iii) a third portion of the audio waveform below the second predetermined threshold can be graphically distinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Perrodin, Randy Ubillos, Richard Townhill, Judson Coplan, Mike Mitchell, Jer Granucci, Keith Salvucci
  • Patent number: 8745523
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes displaying a current view, initiating a history view, the history view including two or more visual representations of corresponding earlier versions of the current view, identifying a selection of an item in a visual representation, receiving an input to delete the selected item, and deleting each instance of the selected item in the history view. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter McInerney, Pavel Cisler, David Hart, Eric Weiss, Robert Ulrich
  • Patent number: 8732624
    Abstract: A computing device is described that outputs for display at a presence-sensitive screen a lock screen graphical user interface. The lock screen graphical user interface includes an unlock region and a widget region including a first widget. The computing device receives an indication of a user input received at a location of the presence-sensitive screen within the widget region. The computing device determines a characteristic of the user input including at least one of a shape, a length, a velocity, and an acceleration. Responsive to determining that the determined characteristic exceeds a threshold, the computing device outputs for display an updated widget region of the lock screen graphical user interface that includes a second widget.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Andrew Cleron, James Brooks Miller, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff
  • Patent number: 8726192
    Abstract: A system is disclosed including: a first display control section 218 for selectively displaying, in a first display area, a second predetermined number of first objects among first objects, corresponding to a first predetermined number of game programs, for which an order is set; a second display control section 219 for displaying a position designation image at a position corresponding to a position, of subject software, in an order set for the first predetermined number of pieces of software; a display change section 217 for designating a first object to be displayed in the first display area, based on an operation input received by using the position designation image; and an activation execution section 220 for activating software corresponding to one first object which is selected from among the second predetermined number of first objects displayed in the first display area, based on the operation input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Matsushima, Yuki Onozawa
  • Patent number: 8726182
    Abstract: A multi-stage throbber that can be used to communicate stages of progress of resource loading in a browser to a user. In an embodiment, a method for communicating resource loading progress in a browser is provided. The method includes evaluating the resource loading progress, identifying a throbber stage representative of the evaluated resource loading progress, and outputting multi-stage throbber data for rendering a multi-stage throbber at the identified throbber stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Murphy, Brian Rakowski, Ben Goodger, Darin Fisher
  • Patent number: 8713458
    Abstract: Methods, computer program products and apparatus are provided that enable a user interface or user interface element (e.g., an icon) to communicate additional contextual information for an associated application or file through attributes of the user interface or user interface element. For example, a simulated shadow of an icon or a simulated image projected on an icon can communicate contextual information for the application or file corresponding to the icon. One exemplary method includes: displaying an icon associated with an application or file; and displaying in association with the icon a simulated shadow having contextual information associated with the application or file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Jouka Mattila, Erika Reponen