Patents Examined by Darnell A Pouncil
  • Patent number: 10664870
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving, by the one or more processors, user input, the user input indicating an assignment of a particular task by a first user to a second user, the first user being a user of a product that provides the particular task; determining, by the one or more processors, that the second user is a non-user of the product and, in response: appending product promotion data to an electronic document, the product promotion data providing a summary of task-based action data that is associated with the second user; and transmitting the electronic document to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BOXER, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Eye, Adam Cianfichi
  • Patent number: 10657539
    Abstract: Techniques for providing third party incentivized communications sessions are described. In some embodiments, a Voice over IP (VoIP) conversation is sampled for audio information such as a word, phrase, utterance, or phoneme that may be associated with an advertisement in a database. The database may be searched for the audio information, or in some embodiments a text equivalent of the audio information, and the associated advertisement may be served to a participant in the VoIP communication session. In some implementations, data from or about the conversation may be compiled for analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Scott C Forbes, Jerald J Gnuschke, Tim M Moore, Dawson Yee
  • Patent number: 10559013
    Abstract: An online system facilitates auctions for advertising presentation opportunities by identifying users associated with the presentation opportunities. The online system stores mappings between user identifiers and a plurality of partner identifiers used by advertisers to identify browsers. Partner identifiers are received from an advertising exchange and used to identify a user identifier corresponding to the received partner identifier. Using the identified user identifier, the online system identifies an alternative partner identifier associated with the user identifier and sends the alternative user identifier to an advertiser for use in selecting and bidding on advertisements. The online system returns the advertisers' bids to the advertising exchange with the partner identifier received from the advertising exchange. Converting a partner identifier to another allows advertisers to target a particular user while the online system protects the user's identify.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Antonio Felipe Garcia-Martinez
  • Patent number: 10546332
    Abstract: In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to represent offer rules based on requirements for the detection of predefined types of events and actions scheduled to be performed in response to the detection of each occurrence of the events. The events are independent from each other in processing and are linked via prerequisite conditions to formulate the requirements of an offer campaign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
    Inventors: Mark Carlson, Patrick Stan
  • Patent number: 10482490
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide targeted communications for each of a plurality of respective recipients. A database includes user information, customer information, template information, content feed information and advertising information. A template instruction is processed to select a template for generating the targeted communication, which is customized with at least some of the content feed. The targeted communication is scheduled for delivery, and at least some advertising information is selected to be included, as a function of geo-location information associated with at least one of the plurality of recipients. At least some advertising information is processed to format the advertising information with the targeted communication based at least on at least one instruction received from the registered user. The targeted communication is generated and transmitted to each of the plurality of recipients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SAILTHRU, INC.
    Inventors: Neil James Capel, Ian Bradford White
  • Patent number: 10482475
    Abstract: An advertising provider may be obligated to ensure that its advertising directs users to the correct business entity (e.g., dealer or franchise). The advertising provider may maintain a datastructure comprising a plurality of “areas of responsibility” (AOR), each of which may be assigned to a respective dealer. When generating advertising content to be provided to a user, the advertising provider may access location-identifying information about the user. The location-identifying information may comprise a zip code, street address, or the like, which is sufficiently specific to allow the advertising provider to identify an AOR in the AOR datastructure. Accordingly, generalized location information, such as city, state, and/or country may not be sufficient. The location-identifying information may be used to identify the dealer that is assigned to the user. The advertising provider may access dealer-specific information, which may be used to generate dealer-targeted advertising for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ADP DEALER SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dacoglu Douglas, Maxwell M. Steckler, Robert Edward Dominy
  • Patent number: 10482474
    Abstract: An advertising database method and system provides an advertisement database service which is accessible to website publishers. Advertisement selection information may be received from a publisher of a website, and advertisements may be selected from an advertisement database in accordance with the selection information. The advertisement is provided to the website publisher for display on the website of the publisher. An endorsement of the advertisement by the publisher or by another user may be retrieved from the database and published with the advertisement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: A9.Com, Inc.
    Inventor: Udi Manber
  • Patent number: 10424103
    Abstract: Examples relating to attracting the gaze of a viewer of a display are disclosed. One example method comprises controlling the display to display a target object and using gaze tracking data to monitor a viewer gaze location. A guide element is displayed moving along a computed dynamic path that traverses adjacent to a viewer gaze location and leads to the target object. If the viewer's gaze location is within a predetermined divergence threshold of the guide element, then the display continues displaying the guide element moving along the computed dynamic guide path to the target object. If the viewer's gaze location diverts from the guide element by at least the predetermined divergence threshold, then the display discontinues displaying the guide element moving along the computed dynamic guide path to the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Ibrahim Eden
  • Patent number: 10423984
    Abstract: Particular embodiments receive a request from a user of the social networking system to view notifications. One or more notifications for the user may be assessed based on advertisement criteria for target social actions. Advertisements and corresponding criteria may be provided by a third party. Relevance scores may be determined for at least one of the one or more advertisements with respect to the user. At least one advertisement may be selected for delivery to the user in a notification interface. Advertisement(s) may be selected when corresponding relevance score(s) exceed a pre-determined threshold score. Finally, the selected at least one advertisement may be provided to a notification controller for delivery to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Arie Matus
  • Patent number: 10395274
    Abstract: Techniques for advertisement placement prioritization are described. In one or more implementations, a likely line of sight of a viewer of an event to a focus point of the event is determined. Then, a relative location of one or more display devices is identified in relation to the likely line of sight of the viewer. In addition, a priority level is assigned to respective display devices based on corresponding relative locations in relation to the likely line of sight. Further, various demographics and characteristics of audience members can be obtained to determine context-sensitive media content associated with the audience members to present via relatively higher priority display devices. Also, performances of event participants can be determined based on commentary analysis and used to determine context-sensitive media content associated with the event participants to present via the higher priority ad boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Adobe Inc.
    Inventors: Vishu Goyal, Vikram Sethi, Sparsh Kumar Sinha, Sameer Bhatt, Rishub Garg
  • Patent number: 10387891
    Abstract: In response to user input associated with a previously displayed reduced-size version of an advertisement displayed in connection with a slideshow, a fall-screen view of the advertisement is displayed, for example according to a rule-based or probabilistic system to improve the applicability of the advertisement to the content being viewed. A cost-per-view (CPV) advertising model monetizes user interaction with an advertisement that results in navigating a content viewer to a landing page displayed within the viewer such that context of original content being viewed within the viewer is preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: OATH INC.
    Inventor: Austin Shoemaker
  • Patent number: 10373211
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods and systems for providing brand specific content and advertising content for use on a mobile device. A mobile device may comprise an operating system component operable to regulate the presentation of advertisement content on a mobile device. The operating system component may receive a template for the advertisement spaces on a device from a branding component. Then, the operating system component may request and receive advertisement content from an outside source. The mobile device may be compatible with multiple brands, and if the brand association is changed, the branding component may build a new template that reflects the updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Jagannath Ghoshal, Simon Youngs
  • Patent number: 10360598
    Abstract: Efficient translation and load balancing of bid requests is disclosed. For example, a first network interface receives a notice from a publisher and triggering a first interrupt on a first processor. The first processor processes the first interrupt and provides the notice to a notice queue. A request translator executing on a distinct second processor translates the notice into a request. A request router sends the request to an advertiser through a selected network interface, which receives a first response triggering a second interrupt on a third processor. The second processor processes the second interrupt and provides the first response to a response queue. A response translator executing on the second processor translates the first response into an offer, which is sent to the publisher through the first network interface. Meanwhile, a second network interface triggers a third interrupt on a fourth processor after receiving a second response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: ENGINE MEDIA, LLC
    Inventors: Louis Clayton Ashner, Michael Zacharski
  • Patent number: 10332125
    Abstract: The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN ONLINE REWARDS INCENTIVE PROGRAM (hereinafter “ORIP”) transforms user gameplay inputs via ORIP components into incentive rewards outputs. Also, the ORIP may monitor user gameplay associated with a metagame account and provide a rewards incentive in exchange for user gameplay activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Zynga Inc.
    Inventors: Maureen Fan, Ha (Nancy) Hang, Aaron Ligon, Michelle Koll Potts
  • Patent number: 10134045
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are disclosed for forwarding a limited number of vendor messages during a consumer mobile device campaign, such as a CSC campaign. Opt-in events are received from an aggregator's message service platform for a consumer mobile device (e.g., smart-phone), and a time interval is identified for the campaign that comprises a duration for the campaign. Campaign parameters are identified, where the parameters comprise a desired number of campaign messages for the “opted-in” consumer mobile device. Vendors are grouped into one or more campaign message categories (e.g., by service or products), and a bidding frequency is identified for campaign message categories for the campaign duration. Bids are received for message slots at the bidding frequency for a campaign message category, a desired bid is selected if it meets a threshold, and the corresponding vendor message is sent to the opted-in phone(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: IPAJ, LLC
    Inventors: Allen Gluck, Joachim Hertel
  • Patent number: 10115114
    Abstract: Systems and methods for secure distribution of electronic coupons involve a mobile device receiving an electronic coupon and displaying a degraded image of the electronic coupon. A non-degraded image of the electronic coupon is displayed by the mobile device when an attempt to capture the electronic coupon is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: THE MEYERS PRINTING COMPANIES, INC.
    Inventor: David G. Dillon
  • Patent number: 10038756
    Abstract: Improved search capabilities are disclosed for mobile communications devices such as cell phones. These and other capabilities are employed to improve delivery of sponsored content, such as advertisements and sponsored links, to appropriate or desirable mobile communication facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MILLENIAL MEDIA LLC
    Inventors: Jorey Ramer, Adam Soroca, Dennis Doughty
  • Patent number: 10013688
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements for facilitating offline delivery of content available in voice applications. User access to a voice application is permitted, and the user is accorded a capability to select content in the voice application for offline delivery. The selected content is stored in a holding arrangement, and the selected content is availed for delivery to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sheetal Agarwal, Arun Kumar
  • Patent number: 9764237
    Abstract: A system for delivering advertisements is provided capable of effectively advertising companies or products to users through a game as well as attracting the users' interest by varying the game difficulty in real-time according to user's responses. The system for delivering advertisements comprises a registration unit (212, 214) for registering information on one or more products provided from a company, information on the company, and condition information set by the company on conditions to win the products (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Hiromi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9721275
    Abstract: The use of a broadcast feed to enable customers to pay for order may enable merchants to increase their online visibility and sales. An order for one or more items that is initiated by a customer may be received. The order may be transmitted to a broadcast feed provider to be presented as a message post in a broadcast feed page. Subsequently, an electronic payment for the order that is initiated by the customer through a link embedded in the message post may be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin D. Grier