Patents Examined by Eric Wiener
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Patent number: 7908566Abstract: A system and method is provided to assist a user in selecting, identifying, and handling email messages. A selection color module may provide for the display of color coding and selection highlighting. The selection color module may provide a secondary highlighting color to indicate messages related to a selected message. A category navigation module may provide one or more of the following: an indicator that provides the user with a number of items that are off the screen for a particular category, a command that causes the first entry for a category to be scrolled into view, a label to indicate the number of items in a particular category matching a particular criteria, and/or a control for scrolling between next or previous categories.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Eric M. Wilcox, Jodi L. Coppinger, Bernard J. Kerr, Paul B. Moody
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Patent number: 7900160Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating one or more menus having options that display insights from visualizations. The options presented in the menus enable users to determine relationships between elements of the visualization. The relationships may be displayed textually to enable user to navigate the menus using a keyboard, a text-to-voice converter, and/or pointers.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Paul B. Moody, Cynthia L. Ice, Douglas W. Conmy, Mary Elizabeth Raven, Jodi L. Coppinger, Francis D. Bermingham, Ram Krishnamurthy
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Patent number: 7900155Abstract: A system and method for providing information about an operation's applicability to an item. A processor may provide a list of selectable items in a display area and may provide for each of the listed items, in response to receiving a command to perform an operation on selected items of the display area, an indication of a reason for the operation's applicability or inapplicability to the item.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2004Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: SAP AGInventor: Volker Sauermann
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Patent number: 7895537Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for setting attributes and initiating actions associated with list items. An action icon menu is displayed with options for a user to select related to each item in the list. The user may set an item from the list for a selected action by choosing from the action icon menu or by performing a gesture associated with the desired action.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Daniel M. Gruen, Li-Te Cheng, Devon J. Rueckner
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Patent number: 7890881Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for a fold preview. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a fold preview of a web page, including fixed-width and flexible-width web page designs. Other embodiments of the present invention provide a fold preview of any software application interface. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for providing a fold preview comprises calculating a cut-off region for one or more display resolutions, rendering one or more fold indicators, and continuing to display an area of a page falling within the cut-off region.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Adobe Systems IncorporatedInventor: John Skidgel
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Patent number: 7882435Abstract: An electronic equipment is provided that includes access to a playlist, the content of which identifies a plurality of media objects, and a media player section configured to play the plurality of media objects identified in the playlist in an order. In addition, the electronic equipment includes a shuffler section for altering at least one of the order in which the plurality of media objects in the playlist are played by the media player, or the content of the playlist, in response to a shuffle command. The electronic equipment further includes a motion sensor that detects motion of the electronic equipment, the motion sensor producing an output based on detected motion from which the shuffle command is derived.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2005Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications ABInventors: Martin Hans Kretz, Tom George Rudolf Gajdos
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Patent number: 7882440Abstract: A styleswitcher displayed in a graphical user interface allowing a user to transform the appearance of the graphical user interface with one-click access. The styleswitcher captures viewing settings previously selected and saved by the user. By clicking on an available styleswitcher, the user causes the entire graphical user interface to refresh and display in viewing settings corresponding to the selected styleswitcher.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: SAP AGInventor: Julia Mohr
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Patent number: 7873916Abstract: A method for providing visual cues to a user of a graphical user interface (GUI) for a computer system is disclosed. The visual cues indicate a relationship with an icon having text and/or image elements. In some embodiments, the method receives a color for labeling an icon that has a text-element and an image-element. The method applies the color to a background-region of the text-element of the icon without applying the color to the image-element. In some embodiments, the method does not affect the font of the text. In some embodiments, the method receives a selection of an icon. The icon has a background-region that has a first color. The method changes the first color of the background-region to a second color but retains the first color in a section of the background-region. In some of these embodiments, the method outlines the section of the background-region with a third color.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2004Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Imran Chaudhri
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Patent number: 7836412Abstract: A computer program product for use with text transcribed from audio information, the computer program product residing on a computer-readable medium, includes computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to: enable defined keystroke combinations for use in editing the text transcribed from audio, the defined keystroke combinations corresponding to formatting functions identified as frequently-used functions during editing of a transcribed text; and respond to an activated keystroke combination by replacing a first format in the text document with a second format corresponding to the chosen keystroke combination.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: eScription, Inc.Inventor: Roger S. Zimmerman
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Patent number: 7831913Abstract: Item selections along with user inputs are leveraged to provide users with automated item tagging. Further user interaction with additional windows and other interfacing techniques are not required to tag the item. In one example, a user selects items and begins typing a tag which is automatically associated with the selected items without further user action. Tagging suggestions can also be supplied based on a user's selection, be dynamically supplied based on a user's input action, and/or be formulated automatically based on user data and/or tags and the like associated with selections by an external source. Machine learning can also be utilized to facilitate in tag determination. This increases the value of the tagged items by providing greater item access flexibility and allowing multiple associations (or tags) with each item.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Matthew B. MacLaurin
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Patent number: 7818679Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for collaborating on an electronic document. According to the method, a data structure may be maintained at each of the computer systems participating in the collaborative session that represents the contents of a shared document. When user input is received at one of the computer systems modifying the document, the data structure is updated to reflect the modification. In response to the modification, the changes to the data structure are periodically identified and collected as a revision that identifies only the changes made to the data structure as a result of the edits made since the previous revision was taken. The revision is packaged and transmitted to each of the participants in the sharing session. The revisions are merged into the copy of the data structure stored at the participating computer systems.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2004Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Simon Peter Clarke
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Patent number: 7818680Abstract: A method is provided which utilizes a threading service to offer enhanced features for a document management system including an email system. Various enhanced email features may be provided through one or more of the following components: a delete module, a reply module, a profile module, and a search module. The delete module enables a user to delete a selected message, a set of related messages, or the whole set except for the selected message. The reply module enables a user to send a reply message to all addresses associated and involved with an entire set of related messages. The profile module enables a dynamic interest profile to contain all relevant information from an outgoing message and a set of messages related to the outgoing message. The search module enables search results to include documents which match the user's query as well as documents related to the documents which match the user's query.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Paul B. Moody, Daniel M. Gruen, Steven L. Rohall, Bernard J. Kerr
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Patent number: 7730429Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a computer software program that implements a graphical workspace for idea management. This includes a graphical user interface (GUI) with an idea map window and a word processor document window. The idea map represents ideas as a hierarchical network of nodes and links. An interface automatically updates the word processor document using sequencing information from the hierarchical network. A routine automatically arranges nodes in the 2D representation. Another routine automatically generates virtual 3D representations of the idea map.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Spark-Space Ltd.Inventors: Elaine Kruse, Andres Kruse
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Patent number: 7730430Abstract: A method for enhancing a mouse cursor is presented. During the mouse cursor update display cycle, a test on the current mouse speed is made. If the mouse cursor's speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, an enhanced mouse cursor is generated and displayed on the computer screen. According to one embodiment, an enhanced mouse cursor is generated by increasing the size of a standard mouse cursor in proportion to the speed of the mouse cursor. According to an alternative embodiment, an enhanced mouse cursor is generated by interpolating the mouse cursor's path and adding a motion-blur effect along the interpolated path. According to yet another embodiment, an enhanced mouse cursor is generated by interpolating the mouse cursor's path and a plurality of mouse cursor images are displayed along the interpolated path.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Baudisch, George G. Robertson, Edward B. Cutrell
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Patent number: 7730422Abstract: Intelligent rearrangement of icons on a desktop in response to changes in desktop size, such as orientation, may be provided using a number of approaches. Desktop area in multiple orientations may be divided into a grid having equal numbers of rows and columns, and placement of icons in each orientation may use common grid coordinates. Icons may alternatively be reflected along a diagonal of desktops in different orientations, such that some icon positional relationships may be maintained. Placement of icons on a desktop may be restricted to a predefined subset region of the desktop, where the subset region will fit in multiple orientations without requiring adjustment. Additionally, areas of a desktop in multiple orientations may be reserved for predefined types of icons, and changes in orientation may result in placement of icons in corresponding reserved areas based on icon attribute.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2006Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Thomas P Russo
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Patent number: 7689936Abstract: Several elements are displayed on a computer display. The user is provided with a haptic device, for moving a cursor over the display. Distances between the cursor and the various elements are computed; the element with the smallest distance is highlighted on the display. When the user moves the haptic device, the identified element is changed, according to the distance between the cursor and the various elements. The user selects the identified element by actuating a select button. The invention makes it possible for the user to select one of the displayed elements, without having to move the cursor over the element to be selected. No prior knowledge of the shape of the elements is required for carrying out the selection process.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: Dassault SystemesInventor: Sebastien Rosel
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Patent number: 7681141Abstract: A method of scrolling in a graphical user interface includes: receiving a command to scroll a plurality of contents icons displayed in the graphical user interface; and retrieving an appropriate number of additional contents icons from a contents icon database to provide a scrolled display in the graphical user interface, wherein the contents icon database is divided into a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries including at least data for a contents icon of the plurality of contents icons and a link to a contents file, each entry of the database is configured to be fixed in size so that the data for the contents icon can be quickly accessed, and the contents icon can be scrolled in the graphical user interface at a relatively high speed.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2004Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.Inventor: Edgar A. Tu
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Patent number: 7636888Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products verify compatibility between a document to be published for access via a server and capabilities of the server to support features of the document. A method involves receiving a document, scanning the document for features, comparing the features to the capabilities of the server, and determining whether the capabilities of the server support the features of the document. The method also involves generating an incompatibility notice for a feature of the document when the feature is not supported by the capabilities of the server.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2005Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: John S. Campbell, Eran Megiddo
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Patent number: 7631276Abstract: A method is provided to enable a user to quickly identify related items in a list environment. A relationship icon is used to identify the presence of related items, such as email messages, occurring before and after a selected item. The relationship icon is used to navigate between the related items.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Daniel M. Gruen, Li-Te Cheng, Devon J. Rueckner
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Patent number: 7568167Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for making real-time communication user interfaces less intrusive by automatically adjusting the user interfaces based on the user's level of interaction. An initial representation of a user interface for real-time communication is displayed and automatically adapted to the user's activity level based on user input directed to the user interface. For example, the initial representation may be automatically adjusted, either reduced or enlarged, to an intermediate representation, a larger representation, or a smaller representation. When a representation is reduced, a message may be displayed to indicate the reduced representation's location. For smaller representations, subsequently received real-time messages may be displayed adjacent to the smaller representation, at least for a predetermined time. The initial representation may display in a desktop bar that displays other user interfaces, such as for a calendar, etc.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2003Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Cornelis K. Van Dok, Richard M. Banks, Sean O. Blagsvedt, Hillel Cooperman, Tjeerd S. Hoek, Mark R. Ligameri