Patents Examined by James J Wilcox
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Patent number: 8037093Abstract: Updates to landing pages of users in an online social network are fed from external sources so that content maintained by any one user can be consolidated in a single location regardless of where the changes are made to the content. When an update event occurs, users of the online social network are notified according to various criteria that they have set. With this feature, users can browse through content of other users efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2007Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: William K. Tiu, Jr., Kent Lindstrom, Ross Ainsley MacKinnon
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Patent number: 8037105Abstract: A computer apparatus which uses a database (22) to offer persistent storage of metadata (36) describing the content of media files (32). Metadata is used to create a personalized media article (48) from those media files. That metadata also indicates relationships between those media files. In order to accelerate the creation of the personalized media article (48), media element metadata items are stored in a cache. The usefulness of this cache is improved further by reading related media elements data from retrieved metadata items (36), and then pre-fetching those items and placing them in the cache. Because the relatedness of the data items means that the related data item is more likely to be required in the near future, the caching method is more useful than known caching methods. Furthermore, the improved usefulness of the cache is achieved without placing constraints on where the data items are placed in the persistent storage.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2005Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: British Telecommunications public limited companyInventors: Ian C Kegel, Jeremy M Thorne, Martin Russ, Timothy S Stevens, Jason Morphett
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Patent number: 8032562Abstract: Example embodiment of the present invention provide for assisting a user in managing the user's shared persona on a request-by-request basis. Upon requesting to share one or more types of identity information, the user is automatically presented with an interface through which the user can interact in selecting an amount of identity items to share. A subset of the total identity items selected may then be shared with specified entities. In another embodiment, the present invention assists a user in managing identity information that has been shared with others by providing the user with a visual list of entities for which the user has shared specified identity information. Other embodiments of the present invention use shared information about an entity to automatically provide the user with the ability to update identity information that has subsequently been edited.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2005Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Melissa W. Dunn, Marcus Harvey
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Patent number: 8027968Abstract: In order to prevent memory cells from being damaged, the present invention provides a data storage method for an electronic device including dividing a first section of a memory of the electronic device into N blocks, wherein the N blocks is a sequence of blocks from the first block to the Nth block and each block is assigned an index value, rewriting the index value corresponding to the nth block according to index values of the N blocks, and storing an input data in the nth block, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, and 1?n?N.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Wistron CorporationInventor: Chia-Ching Tsai
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Patent number: 8027992Abstract: A system and method for managing and verifying the installation of software on a modular information handling system includes a bar file database and an installation management module. The bar file database stores bar files. The bar files each are related to a component of a modular information handling system. The installation management module is able to receive a bar file and communicate with the bar file database to identify and access each bar file associated with the modular information handling system.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: David Blake, Michelle Eddie
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Patent number: 8024349Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating, responsive to user input from a user, a set of property results, said set of property results including data pertaining to one or more properties, the computer-implemented method comprising: (a) receiving the user input, the user input including one or more text strings; (b) checking the one or more text strings against one or more references to find one or more changeable text strings, the one or more references including a real estate dictionary; (c) forming one or more search criteria using one or more transformed terms, the one or more transformed terms pertaining to the one or more changeable text strings; and (d) searching in one or more databases using the one or more search criteria to produce the set of property results, the one or more databases include one or more property databases.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Inventors: Henry K. Shao, Xiangyang Yao
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Patent number: 8019777Abstract: A system and method for predicting what content a user wants to view based on such user's previous behavior and actions, comprising: receiving a cookie for every content page template in a web site; receiving a request for service of a content page; sending the content requested to a requester; for each content page sent, retrieving the cookie from the user; assigning a unique identifier (ID) to each new requester and storing the ID in the cookie; recording each ID, IP address, referrer, and time of request from the server; and storing the data recorded in a buffer for a period of time before storing it more permanently in a client-specific database. The system can be monetized by receiving fees from end users for presenting the content preferences or by receiving fees form content providers that include advertising related to the content preferences.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2010Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Nexify, Inc.Inventor: Eduardo Hauser
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Patent number: 8015152Abstract: Various technologies and techniques improve the updating of client content in a client/server arrangement. A client notification engine of a user interface subscribes to receive notifications from a central server side notification engine. The client notification engine polls the server side notification engine at a specified interval. The server side notification engine receives and aggregates notifications about and/or from one or more sources and aggregates them into a collection of relevant notifications. These notifications are sent to the client where the different subscriptions originated and are then used by the user interface in the client to update part of the content being displayed as appropriate.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Ozan Ozhan, James R. Van Eaton, Russell L. Simpson
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Patent number: 8015200Abstract: A karaoke home entertainment center for streamlining karaoke show; reduce stress, problems and time pressure on the KJ & to prevent piracy. The inventive device includes Ultimate Karaoke Book, Karaoke Rental Systems, ProPlayer, Karaoke Shoppe Download Center, Karaoke Burning Station, Downloadable Karaoke CD+G Player, Video Library Pro, DRM and Licensing encryption engine, Pre-manufactured CD DRM. The Book eliminates the majority of KJ typing when creating or updating their book. Book with minimal player forms the Karaoke Rental System. ProPlayer incorporates super encryption Dongle or soft encryption, which permits “back-up” copy but can only be used with the original dongle. Karaoke Shoppe Download Center consists of basic computer system that can access our on-line database or come pre-loaded with encrypted songs. Karaoke burning Station Kiosk is either counter-top or stand-alone kiosks that can contain and deliver cds.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Inventors: Phil Seiflein, Dawud Davis
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Patent number: 8015215Abstract: Various systems and methods of a distributed file system architecture are disclosed. A method for creating a file may include receiving a message to open or create a file with a given name from a file system call handler. Once the message has been received a determination may then be made as to whether a file with the given name exists. If no file with the given name exists, then a new file with the given name may be created and assigned a globally unique file number.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.Inventors: Harriet G. Coverston, Anton B. Rang
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Patent number: 8015219Abstract: Data stored in a plurality of snapshots that can be updated is efficiently updated. A computer system includes a computer that provides a plurality of storage areas and a storage device that stores data read and written in the storage areas. The storage device provides a first volume that stores data shared by the storage areas respectively and a second volume that stores data held in the storage areas respectively. The computer stores storage area management information and a storing flag that shows a storing part of updated data and sets the storing flag in accordance with a request. When the computer receives the update of the data stored in the first volume and the storing flag is set to the second volume, if a second area corresponding to a first area is not allocated to the second volume, the computer updates a second area newly allocated to the second volume to store the location information of the newly allocated second area in the storage area management information correspondingly to the first area.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2008Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Takuya Higuchi, Koji Sonoda
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Patent number: 8010532Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and method for organization of bookmarks. The method according to one embodiment comprises retrieving one or more bookmarks associated with one or more content items, a given bookmark generated by a user of a client device and identifying one or more tags associated with one or uniform resource locators corresponding to the or more bookmarks. A bookmark folder hierarchy is created through use of a clustering algorithm on the basis of the one or more tags associated with the one or more uniform resource locators corresponding to the one or more bookmarks.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2007Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Liang-Yu Chi, Dmitry Yurievich Pavlov, Yun Fu, Eren Manavoglu, Paul Heymann, Zhichen Xu
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Patent number: 8005853Abstract: A diagnostic device receives a first set of search criteria related to a problem with a vehicle, and the diagnostic device stores the first set of search criteria. In response to receiving a second set of search criteria, the diagnostic device can compare it with the first set of search criteria in order to identify a pattern between the two sets of search criteria. The diagnostic device can then alter the second set of search criteria based on the pattern between the two sets of search criteria.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2004Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Snap-on IncorporatedInventors: Jim J. Cancilla, Jeff Grier, Carl J. Krzystofczyk, Brad Lewis
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Patent number: 8005873Abstract: Generally described, embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to sort and/or filter information contained in a summary table based on related information that may not be included in the summary table. According to one aspect, a computer-readable medium having computer executable components for filtering or sorting information displayed in a summary table is provided. Included in the computer executable medium is a category receipt and identification component configured to receive selections of categories and identify related categories contained in a dataset represented by the summary table. Also included in the computer-readable medium is a filtering component and a sorting component, each configured to control the structure and criteria upon which information contained in a category displayed in the data summary table may be filtered or sorted.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2006Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Allan Folting, Anatoly V Grabar, Tigran Hayrapetyan
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Patent number: 8001165Abstract: A transaction safe file system uses two sets of file allocation tables and bitmap images to perform file modifications on one of the sets while the other set remains a last known good set. After a modification is complete, a pointer is changed to the newly modified set, and the newly modified set becomes the last known good set. The sets are then synchronized. The file allocation table is used to define cluster chains while the bitmap image is used to determine if a cluster is free or not. In some operations, only the bitmap image may need to be manipulated. The file system may be used in a transaction safe mode as well as a non-transaction safe mode.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2010Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Sachin Patel, Yadhu Gopalan, Andrew Rogers
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Patent number: 8001141Abstract: Methods and systems for configuring the display of items in a network-based merchandising environment are provided. In one embodiment, the present invention identifies items within a catalog of items, computes a browse relevance score for each item, and configures the display of a Web page such that items with the highest browse relevance score are prominently displayed. In at least one embodiment, browse data, such as category fit data, popularity data, newness data, etc., are used to compute the browse relevance score for each item.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: A9.com, Inc.Inventor: Tamar Bar
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Patent number: 7991785Abstract: An improved HII database driver is provided in an EFI environment. The HII database driver is capable of storing extended information regarding an HII component in an HII database at the time the package containing the HII component is parsed for inclusion in the HII database. Extended information for a string may include length of the string in Unicode characters or the length of the string in narrow screen glyphs. The HII database driver also exposes methods through which the extended information may be retrieved from the HII database. The extended information may be utilized to allocate an appropriately sized buffer for storing the string.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2009Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: American Megatrends, Inc.Inventor: Sergiy B. Yakovlev
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Patent number: 7984077Abstract: A designator designates whether to perform normalization for registration data or retrieval data that has been input, but does not perform the normalization. A data processor performs the normalization process in accordance with the designator's designation. A register registers the registration data into a data storage, registers the registration data into a drawer, and sets a pointer. A retriever employs the retrieval data to retrieve the pointer from the drawer, and acquires the data from the data storage. The data processor performs a first normalization process by converting a character sequence in the registration data or the retrieval data to a precomposed character, and a second normalization process by converting a compatibility character in the registration data or the retrieval data to a predetermined character. The second normalization process converts half-width characters into full-width characters. The first normalization process is performable after the second normalization process.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Shinichiro Tsuhako
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Patent number: 7979458Abstract: Methods and computer-readable media are provided for associating security trimmers with documents in an enterprise search system. According to one method, a search index is maintained that includes one or more document identifiers corresponding to documents stored at back-end computing systems. Each document identifier in the search index is associated with one or more security trimmer implementations. When a query request is received from a user, the search index is queried to identify documents referenced by the search index that match search terms provided with the query request. For each document that matches the search terms, the associated security trimmer implementations are identified and executed to retrieve the access rights to view the document for the current user from the back-end computing system where the document is stored.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Mark Jeremy Zeller, Arshish Cyrus Kapadia, Shajan Dasan
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Website network and advertisement analysis using analytic measurement of online social media content
Patent number: 7974983Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for generating a website network graph to model one or more networks of websites relevant to subject matter of interest in a category, wherein generating the website network graph includes performing one or more searches relating to the subject matter of interest in a search engine API using one or more relevant keywords in combination with the subject matter of interest, extracting search results from the one or more searches, and identifying online social media websites with content most relevant to the subject matter of interest based on the website network graph.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Buzzient, Inc.Inventor: Andreas Goeldi