Patents Examined by Nicholas S Ulrich
  • Patent number: 7865841
    Abstract: An input/output device enables a system to adapt its operation to the user's learning the system without interfering with what the user has already learned about operating the system. In an input/output device enabling a system to adapt to how frequently the user uses particular functions, a storage unit 12 accumulates information about the operations the user performs, a user learning evaluation unit 13 determines if the user has learned each function based on the input operation history accumulated by the storage unit 12, and a menu display position adjustment unit 14 leaves the menu display position unchanged for any function the user learning evaluation unit 13 determines the user has learned, and rearranges the menu display positions of only those functions the user learning evaluation unit 13 determines the user has not learned in descending order of the frequency of execution based on the input operation history stored by the storage unit 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7861187
    Abstract: A user interface provides a representation of content items that are selected based on a duration of time of a selection action of the content items if the duration of time of the selection action exceeds a given time interval. An association between a plurality of content items may be used to determine the growth of the selection indication including at least one of a rate of growth, a shape of growth, and the time interval prior to growth of the selection indication. A system may sense at least one of a proximity of a content items to a selected content item and an association between content items, and grows the selection indication at a rate and/or shape and/or other representation that is determined by the proximity and/or association.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Elmo Marcus Attila Diederiks, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis
  • Patent number: 7856603
    Abstract: An apparatus for selection of characters to be displayed on a display screen. Has input actuators with associated fields containing graphical symbols representing the characters. The user is guided during selection of a character via the display. The selection procedure is sufficiently simple to allow a user to memorise the steps needed in order to select a specific character. Uses a limited number of actuators, and a character is selected using a sequence of actuations. Actuations may e.g. be keystrokes or movement by tactile pointing means on a touch sensitive device. Preferably, a character is selected by drawing one or two linear segments on a touch sensitive device. The displayed graphical symbols are preferably rearranged upon actuation. Suitable for use in electronic devices, in particular hand held devices having a small display screen, such as communication equipment, such as portable phones, e.g. mobile phones, or computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: John Mølgaard
  • Patent number: 7853900
    Abstract: Animations enhance viewing and consumption of electronic items that are presented to a user on a screen of a computing device. These animations may occur in response to receiving an instruction to move a position of a cursor displayed on the screen of the computing device. A user may trigger this instruction, for instance, by selecting a portion of the electronic content with use of the cursor. In response to the selection, the cursor or some other entity may undergo some form of animation. This animation may notify the user that the selection is being processed, and may also indicate a future position of the cursor at a time after the selection is processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent An Minh Nguyen, Mitchell A. Yawitz
  • Patent number: 7831929
    Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and program product for controlling a display on a computer-aided design (CAD) data editing screen, whereby commands more likely to be utilized are preferentially displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Hirasaka
  • Patent number: 7831927
    Abstract: An image forming device includes a display, a reading unit, a display controlling unit, and an operating unit. The reading unit reads at least one file stored in a removable memory. The display controlling unit displays on the display a first selection item together with at least one second selection item. The first selection item is used for performing index printing for the at least one file. The at least one second selection item is used for printing each of the at least one file. Each of the at least one second selection item corresponds to one of the at least one file. The operating unit is capable of selecting one of the first selection item and the at least one second selection item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Tsuzuki, Masashi Kato, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Kazuma Aoki
  • Patent number: 7831915
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide protection against web resources associated with one or more undesirable activities. In at least some embodiments, a method detects and responds to a user-initiated activity on a computing device. Responding can include, by way of example and not limitation, checking locally, on the computing device, whether a web resource that is associated with the user-initiated activity has been identified as being associated with a safe site. Furthermore, in at least some embodiments, the method checks remotely, away from the computing device, whether the web resource is identified as being at least possibly associated with one or more undesirable activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron H Averbuch, Manav Mishra, Roberto A. Franco, Tariq Sharif
  • Patent number: 7831919
    Abstract: A publisher uses a toolbox to graphically define web forms, by selecting and configuring components such as buttons, text boxes, menus, etc. Underlying code for the web forms (such as Extensible Markup Language, or XML) is automatically generated. The publisher defines transforms (such as Extensible Stylesheet Markup Language Transforms, or XSLTs) that process the exchange of data between the front end and the backend web service. The transforms and the code underlying the web forms is automatically combined into a frontend to the web service. The web based frontend is published on a user site, such that users can access the backend web service through the frontend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Viljoen, Shaun Cooley
  • Patent number: 7818675
    Abstract: In a web information processing apparatus (100), a web page information acquisition unit (106) acquires information of a web page being browsed with a web browser (103). Then, an association determination unit (202) determines whether or not that web page is stored in an associated web page information holding unit (109). If it is so stored, then a program search unit (203) searches for an associated program and notifies the existence of an associated program to a user through an associated-program notification unit (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuna Maruyama, Koji Mito, Yoshikazu Shibamiya, Hirofumi Urabe, Kazuhiro Matsubayashi, Yasushi Shikata
  • Patent number: 7814424
    Abstract: A browser add-on toolbar that offers users to collect toolbars from visited webpages that offer such toolbars and which, later, the user may select any one of the collected toolbars to become the current toolbar that the browser provides to the user. These abilities are imparted by having the toolbar be sensitive to one or more particular flags in visited pages. When a browser that contains this toolbar visits a website, the browser parses and searches the visited website page for presence of one or more of the particular flags, and when such a flag is found, the user is given a visual indication of the find and is given the choice to include within the browser's toolbar the ability to instantiate a toolbar based on information associated with the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Inventor: Ronen Shilo
  • Patent number: 7810044
    Abstract: A calculator comprises a display screen configured to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of a dataset and a module configured to display an interface on the display screen to enable a user to perform at least one adjustment function for the displayed graphical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Cyrille de Brebisson, Gregory Thorn Springer
  • Patent number: 7783977
    Abstract: A system and method for balancing of ventilation systems. A menu structure is presented by a wireless device, in order facilitate arriving at one or more windows devoted to the particular component to be tested. The aforementioned one or more windows present information concerning the particular component to be tested, and permit entry of measured data. The one or more windows may present information concerning mechanical or electrical details of the component under test, and may present information concerning the specified range within which the measured parameters are intended to fall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: DataNab, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew David Stadheim, Nicholas E. Kleinjan
  • Patent number: 7770133
    Abstract: A system and method for managing non-user initiated focus changes in a computing device detects, in one embodiment, an operating system generated message indicating a focus change from a first window to a second window. Once detected, user input is inhibited for a predetermined time. The predetermined time is configurable by the user. After the predetermined time elapses, subsequent user input is permitted to be sent to the second window, which has the focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher K. Karstens
  • Patent number: 7757172
    Abstract: An electronic equipment includes: a storage unit that stores a plurality of facial images extracted from video data and time stamp information indicating time points when the plurality of facial images appear in the video data; and a processor that operates, based on the time stamp information, to: arrange a plurality of facial image display areas in a two-dimensional display area in a grid layout having a given number of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the columns being assigned with respective time zones divided from a total time length of the video data; and display the facial images, which belong to each of the time zones assigned to the columns, in the facial image display areas included in the respective columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 7757178
    Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for generating a customized workflow user interface. Predetermined graphical user interface elements are first stored in an associated data storage. The graphical user interface elements are then generated on an associated display. Each graphical user interface element is then associated with an abstraction interface. Selection data is then received corresponding to selected graphical user interface elements. User interface data is thereafter generated in accordance with the selection data and the associated abstraction interface. Workflow data is subsequently output representing document processing operations corresponding to the selected graphical user interface elements. Thereafter, the workflow data is communicated to an associated document processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Man Mohan Garg, Alok Mathur, Andrey Savov
  • Patent number: 7743328
    Abstract: A guided process framework includes a process engine, one or more data stores, and one or more user interfaces configured to communicate with the process engine. A user can access a given process instance through any appropriately configured user interface, which contacts the process engine, and which in turn contacts/consults definitions for one or more guided processes at a data store. If the user finishes only part of a given process instance, the process engine can save state corresponding to the progress in the data store. A user can continue work on the process instance through a different user interface (or at a different computer system) by contacting the process engine through the different user interface, and receiving rendering information configured for the different user interface. Thus, the user can stop and start work on a process however desired, and with whatever tools are available at any given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Israel Hilerio, Shiqiu Guo, Dharma Shukla
  • Patent number: 7743331
    Abstract: A system displays a set of content slides on a graphical user interface. The system identifies navigation paths between content slides in the set of content slides, each navigation path indicating a destination content slide to be displayed after a source content slide upon user selection of a navigation choice during a presentation sequence of the content slides. For each identified navigation path, the system displays a visualization of that navigation path on the graphical user interface between the source content slide and the destination content slide associated with that navigation path. The system allows a user of the graphical user interface to alter a navigation path between content slides to change the association of that navigation path between at least one of the source content slide and the destination content slide to modify the presentation sequence of the content slides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Silke Fleischer, Magnus L. Nirell
  • Patent number: 7739609
    Abstract: A method for responding to inquiries from a user by a response support system. A request displaying a second screen is received from a user terminal of the user in which a first screen is being displayed. An inquiry destination of the response support system is identified in the first screen. Screen data pertaining to the second screen and containing an operation object is retrieved. The second screen is configured to be sent to the inquiry destination in response to an operation performed on the operation object by the user. Screen transition information containing screen identifiers of screens previously displayed by the user terminal, including the first screen, is retrieved. The second screen is assembled by inserting the retrieved screen data and the retrieved screen transition information into the second screen. The assembled second screen is sent to the user terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7725826
    Abstract: A system may instantiate a control panel view that is useable to monitor and control an audio-related device operable in an audio system. A product plugin that corresponds to an audio-related device may receive and analyze the components of an audio node structure received from the audio-related device. The product plugin is configured to store one or more predefined control panel views that are associated with one or more of the components. The product plugin is also configured to instantiate the predefined control panel views that correspond to the components. If the product plugin determines that all of the components are not represented, one or more user interface aspects can be integrated into one or more of the control panel views prior to instantiation. Alternatively, a generic control panel view can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Harman International Industries, Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Allen Kreifeldt, John Lee, William A. Plunkett, Timothy J. Shuttleworth, Andrew Stevenson, Bruce Vander Werf
  • Patent number: 7725839
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object that represents computer data and methods and computer-readable media for presenting same. The object has a first, active side and a second, inactive side. The active side may contain information relating to the computer data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Joshua M. Michaels