Patents Examined by Tsan-Yu J Huang
  • Patent number: 9805365
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that effectuates and establishes mobile device security. The system can include devices that detect point of sale mechanisms or secure token devices and based at least in part on the detection of secure token devices the system effectuates release of electronic funds persisted on a mobile device in order to satisfy a debt accrued at the point of sale mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Yuqun Chen, Gideon A. Yuval, Michael Jack Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9792755
    Abstract: A content delivery apparatus, when a content delivery request is outputted from a user terminal device, encrypts the requested content with an encryption key, adds a view period to it to deliver it to a request source and delivers a viewing key in response to a view request from the user terminal device within the view period. A user relief management unit monitors failure information notifying, grasps a delivery disabled period from the failure information, specifies a delivery destination user for a content of which the view period is overlapped with the delivery disabled period and issues a relief right with a relief period specified thereto to the specified user. A contract period processing unit manages the relief right and permits viewing within the relief period set by the relief right when a view right based on the relief right is output from the user terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shinichi Kurihara
  • Patent number: 9775093
    Abstract: Architecture which includes functionality in a handset and a network that automates an access point association and authorization procedure. The invention builds on a framework specified as part of a generic access network controller to enable the network to transparently and dynamically detect, control, and manage which access points are allowed for specific subscribers. The invention comprises a system that facilitates communications over a network including an access component that facilitates wireless communications over an unlicensed network that operates in an unlicensed frequency band (e.g., a home Wi-Fi network), and an authorization component that facilitates authorization of a mobile communications device (e.g., a cellular telephone) for communications over a mobile communications network (e.g., a cellular network) via the unlicensed network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bonner, Judson J. Flynn
  • Patent number: 9762961
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device that can receive a parental control signal that designates undesired content, determine when a restricted user is interacting with a gaming software application, and modify a presentation of the gaming software application to remove the undesired content when the restricted user is interacting with the gaming software application. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: STEELSERIES ApS
    Inventors: Michael Aronzon, Bruce Hawver, Kim Rom, Arnie Grever
  • Patent number: 9727703
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for distributing digital information, such as software applications, to application users. By providing the digital information on unused memory space of a computer system, and providing a process for authorizing access to the information, the information can be efficiently and cost effectively transferred to users. Traditional inventory and distribution channel difficulties are avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Kurt Clement
  • Patent number: 9715698
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for providing a user with supplemental content based on the user's preferences and location. The disclosure provides a computer program that allows users to discover and organize content from a platform that is accessible from a mobile device or computer. Additionally, the disclosure provides a system for determining a user's location while indoors. The system can associate the user's location with specific content or items in a store and provide the user with supplemental content related to those items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Swirl Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Middleton, Robert Todd Boes
  • Patent number: 9704177
    Abstract: A virtual universe system has a system and method for identifying spam avatars based upon the avatar's behavior characteristics through the use of Turing tests. The system may provide a Turing test unit for performing Turing tests and an analysis unit that compares the behavior characteristics of new or newly changed avatars against the behavior characteristics of known spam avatars to determine if the avatar has known spam avatar characteristics. It may further have a scoring system to calculate a spam score based upon similarities of the comparison and identifying the avatar as a spam avatar based upon the calculated spam score. It may further compare the calculated spam score with a spam score threshold wherein the avatar is identified as a spam avatar if the calculated spam score is equal to or greater than the calculated spam score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, Keith R. Walker
  • Patent number: 9703659
    Abstract: A customer support system includes at least one subsystem to communicate with a customer about a problem with a customer information handling system (IHS), wherein the customer IHS includes a plurality of first customer IHS data. The plurality of first customer IHS data is received from the customer and used to create a virtual IHS having substantially the same characteristics as the customer IHS. A problem with the customer IHS is then diagnosed using the virtual IHS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Douglas M. Anson
  • Patent number: 9697535
    Abstract: A system and method in a virtual universe (VU) system for identifying spam avatars based upon the avatars' multimedia characteristics may have a table that stores multimedia characteristics of known spam avatars. It further may have an analysis unit that compares the multimedia characteristics of avatars against the multimedia characteristics of known spam avatars to determine if the avatar has known spam avatar characteristics. It may further have a scoring system to calculate a spam score based upon the similarities of the comparison and identifying the avatar as a spam avatar based upon the calculated spam score. It may further compare the calculated spam score with a spam score threshold wherein the avatar is identified as a spam avatar if the calculated spam score is equal to or greater than the calculated spam score. Multimedia characteristics include graphics, audio, movement, interactivity, voice, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, Keith R. Walker
  • Patent number: 9679315
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide an adblocking bypass system for ensuring that advertisements are loaded and presented on a user device running one or more adblockers. The adblocking bypass system is comprised of a bypass loader and a bypass proxy. The bypass loader is a component that is embedded within content publisher content. When the content publisher content is downloaded and parsed by a user device, the bypass loader executes by detecting the presence of any adblocker on the user device. If found, the bypass loader forwards any blocked advertisement calls to the bypass proxy. The bypass proxy retrieves the requested advertisements and returns them to the bypass loader which then reintroduces the advertisements in final content presentation or rendering. The bypass proxy may also modify the content publisher content by replacing any blocked advertisement calls embedded within the content with calls to the bypass proxy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AdSupply, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Carasso
  • Patent number: 9626674
    Abstract: An independently verifiable system and method for the exchange of a sequence of tokens corresponding to units of currency. A credit or unit of currency is represented by a digital image referred to as a graphical token which may be displayed on an electronic viewing device or printed on paper. Each token contains a digital code that uniquely identifies the previous graphical token in a series of exchanges. After generating a token, a first user provides that token to a second user in order to initiate an exchange. The second user may choose to verify the validity and currency of the token before accepting the token. Either user may choose to register the token and any parameters associated with the exchange with a registry system. Once a user accepts a token, they may choose to issue a new token in the sequence. They may also choose to redeem the token for the credit associated with a sequence of tokens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Inventor: Gregory J. Wolff
  • Patent number: 9609279
    Abstract: A system and method is arranged to provide compression and decompression of digital content in a secure manner. The system is configured to authenticate a source of the digital content, and to further determine a consumer's entitlements and rights for access to the digital content. Based upon the determined entitlements and rights for access, the system is directed to decrypt, and decompress the digital content. In one embodiment, a component of the system is enabled to establish a trust relationship with at least one other component of the system, to minimize an opportunity for piracy of the digital content. In another embodiment, a secure clock is directed to provide protection against hackers that may employ an in-circuit emulator, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Morten, Tomás E. Palmer, Charles D. MacLean
  • Patent number: 9594909
    Abstract: To aim provide a software update apparatus including an install module group composed of a plurality of install modules. Each of the install modules has a function of receiving, from an external server, a replacement protection control module to be used for updating a protection control module having a function of verifying whether a predetermined application has been tampered with. Each of the install modules simultaneously running is verified by at least another one of the install modules simultaneously running, as to whether the install module has a possibility of performing malicious operations. If any of the install modules is verified as having the possibility of performing the malicious operations, any another one of the install modules that is verified as not having the possibility revokes the any install module verified as having the possibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Yuichi Futa, Natsume Matsuzaki, Kaoru Yokota, Masao Nonaka, Yuji Unagami, Hiroki Shizuya, Masao Sakai, Shuji Isobe, Eisuke Koizumi, Shingo Hasegawa, Marika Minagawa
  • Patent number: 9569770
    Abstract: Techniques for generating and providing phrases are described herein. These techniques may include analyzing one or more sources to generate a first corpus of phrases, each of the phrases for use as an identifier and/or for association with a user. Once a first corpus of phrases has been generated, these phrases may be filtered to define a second corpus of phrases. Phrases of this second corpus may then be suggested to one or more users. In some instances, the phrases suggested to a particular user are personalized to the user based on information previously known about the user or based on information provided by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Jesensky, Isaac Oates, Steve Huynh, Vinay Vaidya
  • Patent number: 9569773
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and program products for providing secure authentication for electronic messages are disclosed. A method may comprise generating an asymmetric private key based at least in part upon an invariant biometric feature vector derived from an input biometric reading. The private key may be further based at least in part upon a user password. The resulting private key may not be stored but rather may be generated when required to authenticate an electronic message, at which time it may be used to provide a digital signature for the electronic message. The private key may be deleted after use. The private key may be regenerated by inputting both a new instance of the biometric reading as well as a new instance of the password.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ISLAND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce R. Bent, II, Charles R. Buarque de Macedo
  • Patent number: 9563881
    Abstract: Described is an optimistic fair payment protocol in electronic commerce that provides fair payment while resisting an unconscious double spending attack and other attacks. A buyer receives encrypted e-goods from a merchant, and sends payment to the merchant. If decryption information is not received in exchange for the payment, or the decryption information does not render the e-goods useable, the buyer launches a dispute with a third party dispute resolution service. If the decryption information is received and renders the e-goods useable, the buyer determines whether the e-goods are valid, according to a corresponding description. If not valid, the buyer launches a dispute and provides the e-goods and the description. The third party uses the description to evaluate the validity of the goods to determine whether to refund the payment to the buyer or release it to the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jun Shao, Min Feng, Bin B. Zhu
  • Patent number: 9547708
    Abstract: A licensing service for a data repository, including software instructions to perform: dividing a data store into a plurality of domains; assigning a license number to at least one of the plurality of domains; and checking a license of a user with the assigned license number. A method to expedite license checking by statistically sampling a subset of probes to check the license. A method for allowing a third party application to access a data store without a license, including: assigning a license management tool feature name to the third party application; adding the license management tool feature name to a program in the data store; starting a session of the third party application; having the third party application call an embedded licensing application program interface; and checking the license using the embedded licensing application program interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joe Wald
  • Patent number: 9536366
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for facilitating voting. A first computer system may select a voter data pack for a first voter. The first computer system may also store an indication of the voter data pack and encrypt the voter data pack. A second computer system may receive the encrypted voter data pack and consolidate the encrypted voter data pack with checkable data. The second computer system may also store an association between the encrypted voter data pack and the checkable data, and encrypt the consolidated encrypted voter data pack and checkable data to generate a consolidated voter authorization for the first voter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: DEMOCRACYONTHEWEB, LLC
    Inventors: Norton Garfinkle, Richard Garfinkle
  • Patent number: 9511285
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing online games, including various means of providing computer-implemented games using standard and non-standard tokens, and that operate in coordination with an online social network. Examples of standard tokens may include tokens associated with each card of a standard 52 card deck, units in a real-time strategy game, and the like. Non-standard tokens may represent digital tokens with specified attributes and associated digital rights management for use by specified users, such as users purchasing rights to a particular non-standard token. Non-standard tokens may also include tokens with different functionality across a number of different computer-implemented games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Kabam, Inc.
    Inventor: William M. Hawkins, III
  • Patent number: 9471757
    Abstract: A system for controlling access to computing resources including an authentication device operatively associated with a computing device, the authentication device being configured to transmit an interrogation signal to a predetermined area. A computing device has at least one software application resides thereon. A wireless license device is configured to transmit license information to the authentication device in response to the interrogation signal and to allow the software application to run while the wireless license device is within the predetermined area and to prevent the software application from running when the wireless license device is not within the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Gayle L. Noble, Anna Yin