Patents Examined by David A. Wiley
  • Patent number: 7552400
    Abstract: A system and method for navigating within a graphical user interface without using a pointing device is described. A set of one or more keyboard shortcuts is defined, including at least one key. Each keyboard shortcut specifies an action effecting a graphical user interface, which is executed upon input of each key in the keyboard shortcut and at least one key corresponding to a semantically-meaningful hyperlink within Web content. The graphical user interface is navigated. The Web content is provided on a view within the graphical user interface and a graphical pointer indicating a location within the view is included. At least one key input by a user is intercepted and the intercepted key to one such keyboard shortcut is mapped. The action specified by the keyboard shortcut is executed and the view within the Web content is updated relative to the graphical pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Sriver, Bay-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 7426698
    Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for communicating messages between windows or frames in a computer display. A computer system suited for use with the invention includes a computer display providing a source window and a target window, as well as respective source display code and target display code associated with each window. A messaging module coordinates the communication of messages and supports a database of target identifiers that identify windows, functions, and message handlers associated with the windows. The source display code originates a message with selection information and provides the message to the messaging module, which uses the selection information to determine which window to send the message to based on the target identifiers in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan J. Schuft
  • Patent number: 7426692
    Abstract: Systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a system is configured to provide multiple skin elements that comprise part of a user interface and synchronize a property of at least a first of the skin elements with a property of a second of the skin elements such that a change in the property of the second of the elements causes a change in the property of the first of the elements. The system synchronizes properties by describing synchronization between the properties using an XML data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Novak, David M. Nadalin, Kipley J. Olson
  • Patent number: 7426691
    Abstract: Systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a system is configured to provide multiple skin elements that comprise part of a user interface that is executing under the influence of a software application. The system synchronizes a property of at least one of the skin elements with a state associated with the software application such that a change in the state of the software application causes a change in the property of the one skin element. In one embodiment, synchronization takes place using an XML data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Novak, David M. Nadalin, Kipley J. Olson
  • Patent number: 7415677
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for displaying information to a user on a display device of a computer system. In one general aspect, a first view is displayed on the display device, where the first view has at least a first work area. In response to the receipt of a first input received by the computer system, a second view is displayed on the display device. The second view includes the first work area and a temporary communication area, or “pop-in window,” included within the first work area. The temporary communication area has a defined function associated therewith requiring input from a user. The temporary communication area may close after the user provides the necessary input and the defined function is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: SAP Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Udo Arend, Edmund Eberleh, Heinz Willumeit
  • Patent number: 7409647
    Abstract: A virtual object for use in an object oriented environment; the virtual object comprising at least a user-sensible aspect and further comprising at least a functional aspect; the said user-sensible aspect being encapsulated as a user-sensible encapsulation, separately from the functional aspect, which is encapsulated as a functional encapsulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventors: Gershon Elber, Orit Shaked, Oded Shmueli
  • Patent number: 7392488
    Abstract: Method and system to enable a user to view large collections of hierarchically linked information on a computer based display. A tree structure visualization is created which presents a representation of the complete collection of information on the display. The visualization fits completely within a fixed area of the computer based display, negating the need to scroll information into the display area. The visualization is based on identified focus nodes and through calculation of a Degree of Interest (DOI) for each of the nodes based in the structure. Layout and presentation of the visualization structure is based on the DOI values in combination with considerations of available display space. A user may dynamically manipulate views of the structure by selecting one or more focus nodes, thus causing a recalculation of the degree of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart K. Card, David A. Nation
  • Patent number: 7392481
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for providing content-owner control in a device is optionally networked. A method for accessing media content has steps of initiating a first view providing access to at least a portion of a first content within the first view, initiating a second view providing access to a second content within the second view and preventing the second content from being accessed with the first content in the first view. Additionally, access to a third content with the first content is allowed in the first view. An apparatus includes a first view configured to provide access to a first content, a second view configured to provide access to a second content, and a graphical subsystem configured to prevent the second content from being access in the first view. In one variation, the first view is a media content view, and the second view is a web view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Sonic Solutions, a California corporation
    Inventors: Greg Gewickey, Todd Collart
  • Patent number: 7380213
    Abstract: User interface for reporting event-based production information in product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a system, method, computer-readable medium, and display device for processing data stored in a database. The data includes automatically collected event-based production information records in a manufacturing system wherein each record represents an event and includes a timestamp, an event code, and a measure of cost or production loss associated with the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Roy Pokorny, Douglas Gordon Barron Barber, Winnie Shi Mei Shun Hoo, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay, Charles Earl Markham, Jon Ray Matheus, Jamie Scott Mork, Kurt Sigurd Nygaard, Walter Caswell Reade, Jose Andres Stambuk
  • Patent number: 7380210
    Abstract: A user interface is provided having a display for displaying information about a system, wherein said system is comprised of a plurality of elements. The user interface is provided with a plurality of modes of user operation, including an installment mode which allows the user to configure the user interface to perform in a desired manner while the element is being installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce J. Lontka, Michael Pierce
  • Patent number: 7366983
    Abstract: A spell checker based on the noisy channel model has a source model and an error model. The source model determines how likely a word w in a dictionary is to have been generated. The error model determines how likely the word w was to have been incorrectly entered as the string s (e.g., mistyped or incorrectly interpreted by a speech recognition system) according to the probabilities of string-to-string edits. The string-to-string edits allow conversion of one arbitrary length character sequence to another arbitrary length character sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Brill, Robert Moore
  • Patent number: 7366986
    Abstract: An MPEG data receiving apparatus adapted to interact with a MPEG data providing apparatus. A storage unit stores scene description information (SDI) from a received MPEG stream and a command recognition unit outputs node identification information based on user-selected objects and scene correction commands input by the user. A correcting unit searches for SDI stored in the storage unit corresponding to the scene correction commands and selectively updates the SDI on the object or requests the MPEG stream providing apparatus to update the SDI corresponding to the scene correction commands according to a result of determining whether the SDI corresponding to the scene correction commands exists in the storage unit. Accordingly, interaction between the MPEG data receiving apparatus and the MPEG data providing apparatus is enabled. Effective results are obtainable under a narrow bandwidth environment by reducing an amount of SDI transmitted from the providing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-rae Lee
  • Patent number: 7363590
    Abstract: A calendar bar utility with a special user interface may be integrated and displayed simultaneously with an electronic mail list inbox. The calendar bar user interface comprises a linear display arranged into multiple, chronologically-arranged, time periods. Upon selection of a specific time period, such as a day, or the current day, subdivisions of the time period, e.g. hours of a day, are displayed in a similar format. The calendar bar also allows multiple calendars, for example the personal calendar of the user, and a team calendar for multiple individuals, to be displayed simultaneously for easy access. Selection of a specific time period causes data associated with any event in that time period to be displayed next to the designated time period, or, alternatively, in a separate window. The data associated with the event may vary in detail and scope depending on the designer preferences, but will typically include the start and end times, the location, topic, type, i.e. call-in, video conference, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard Kerr, Daniel M. Gruen, Paul B. Moody, Steven L. Rohall, Seymour Kellerman, John Patterson
  • Patent number: 7356774
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention comprises a system and method method for creating a sub-system in a measurement system. A user may group together various components of the measurement system into a sub-system. Grouping a subset of components together in the sub-system may enable the subset of components to be treated as an atomic unit in various ways. In particular, the subset of components may be displayed as a single unit. For example, in one embodiment the user may be able to request the sub-system to be collapsed into a single icon. In response the individual components within the sub-system may be hidden from view, and a single sub-system icon representing the entire sub-system may be displayed. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for grouping together a plurality of measurement components into a single icon, where each measurement component represents a measurement to be acquired by the measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Mohammed Kamran Shah, Jeffrey N. Correll
  • Patent number: 7353463
    Abstract: An interface for a multifunctional electronic device capable of performing multiple services such as copy, fax, scan, and print wherein the interface is simplified by illuminating or otherwise focusing a user's attention to only those control switches that are available for selection in respect to the service to be performed. Also, provision may be made to highlight, within a group of available features, the switch that controls the feature that is currently selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Charles W. Stohrer, Anne E. Brose
  • Patent number: 6496884
    Abstract: A microcomputer system facilitates the connection of peripheral devices to a computer unit with a plurality of external ports for connecting to external peripheral devices. In one embodiment of the invention, a set of adhesive strips is attached to positions adjacent to the ports. Each strip in the set has a distinct color. Another embodiment of the invention includes an adhesive strip having a plurality of color coded regions, each of the color coded regions being placed adjacent to a separate one of the external ports. The microcomputer system also contains at least one peripheral device. The device is designed to be electrically matched to one of the ports In one embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral device contains a cable and a plug. The plug has a color which is substantially the same as The strip color associated with the matching port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Ben Friesen
  • Patent number: 6493780
    Abstract: An communication system such as a host signal processing modem includes a host computer and a device that is coupled to communication lines and a host processor in the host computer. In a normal operating mode, the device generates periodic interrupts that cause the host processor to execute a software portion of the communication system. The software portion communicates with the device and implements protocols required to maintain communications with a remote system via communication lines. In a wait mode of the device, interrupts from the device to the host processor are suspended and selection logic in the device selects a communication signal such as a ring signal from the telephone lines as an interrupt to the host processor. While in wait mode, a power management system can place the system in a sleep mode because the periodic interrupts are suspended and do not indicate system activity that would prevent use of the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: PC-Tel, Inc.
    Inventor: Teig Jan Hsu
  • Patent number: 6292901
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for powering a device, which include providing a data signal and extracting power from the data signal to power the device. The device may be either a device that responds to the data signal or another device. The data signal may vary between at least two data states. The methods and systems may extract power during one or both of the data states. The methods and systems may include a multiplexor. The controlled device may be an RS-485 compliant device, such as an LED system associated with a processor. The data signal may be a DMX-512 signal. The data signal may control a processor for control of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated
    Inventors: Ihor Lys, George G. Mueller
  • Patent number: 6289379
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a computer system in which one manager computer is connected to a plurality of agent computers over a network. The manager computer sends information on the types of log to be collected to the plurality of agent computers. In response, the plurality of agent computers collect the specified types of log. Then, the plurality of agent computers send the collected logs to the manager computer. Thus, the plurality of agent computers are able to collect the types of log specified by the manager computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Urano, Toshiaki Hirata, Shuji Fujino, Toshio Sato
  • Patent number: 6272574
    Abstract: A data process of high performance is realized while generating a reference clock of a predetermined frequency without being influenced by a frequency fluctuation of a data transmission clock which is supplied through an expansion bus. A micro-computer measures the frequency of the data transmission clock and sets a frequency of the reference clock which is generated by a PLL circuit on the basis of the measured frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hamada