Patents Examined by Vei-Chung Liang
  • Patent number: 8209329
    Abstract: An information processor is disclosed. The processor includes: a keyword extraction portion for extracting keywords from a text created by a user; a keyword information acquisition portion for acquiring given keyword information about the keywords extracted by the keyword extraction portion; an interest degree calculation portion for finding information about degrees of interest indicating user's degrees of interest in the keywords, based on the keyword information; a keyword selection portion for selecting given keywords from the keywords extracted by the keyword extraction portion, based on the information about the degrees of interest; and a content decision portion for determining a content recommended to the user, based on the keywords selected by the keyword selection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Asai
  • Patent number: 8209330
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for ranking images are disclosed. An image search subsystem generates an adjustment factor representative of a quality measure of an image relative to a search query. The quality represents a relevance of the image to the query. The adjustment factor can be computed based on relevance data for the image to the query and image similarity data representing a relative similarity between the image and other images relevant to the query. The relevance data can be based on user actions in response to the image being included in search results for the query. The adjustment factor can be scaled based on whether the relevance data and the image similarity data both indicate that the image is relevant to the search query. A relevance score is computed based on the adjustment factor (e.g., a product of the adjustment factor and relevance score).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michele Covell, Yushi Jing, Jingbin Wang, Charles Rosenberg, Sarah Moussa
  • Patent number: 8195700
    Abstract: Distributed storage of collaboration data is managed over internal and external data stores in a collaboration service environment based on categorization of the data. The categorization may be based on type of data (e.g. structured vs. unstructured), how the data is accessed, an expected storage life for the data, back-up requirements, and the like. Data that can be stored externally according to its category is then directed to the external storage through a storage provider. A unique identifier associated with the location of the externally stored data is saved in one of the internal data stores for seamless retrieval of data in a transparent manner to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Simon Skaria, Andrew Sean Watson
  • Patent number: 8195652
    Abstract: Methods of the present inventions allow for providing a preferred domain position on a registration website. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of receiving data from registrars regarding a domain administered by a registry, generating a quality score for the domain based upon the data, and providing the quality score to requesting entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Parsons, Barbara Rechterman, Micheal Zimmerman, James Bladel, Richard Merdinger
  • Patent number: 8195654
    Abstract: A statistical model may be created that relates human ratings of documents to objective signals generated from the documents, search queries, and/or other information (e.g., query logs). The model can then be used to predict human ratings/rankings for new documents/search query pairs. These predicted ratings can be used to, for example, refine rankings from a search engine or assist in evaluating or monitoring the efficacy of a search engine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Dennis Riley, Corinna Cortes
  • Patent number: 8166053
    Abstract: Schema-driven XML parsing techniques allow an XML parser to optimize its parsing process by composing parse and to dynamically generate parsing code components based on XML schema definition for the targeted XML document. These techniques reduce the XML parsing time and reduce the memory requirement during parsing process. Further, a reconfigurable parser is provided which is guided during parsing of the XML document by XML element lexicographical information and state transition information extracted from a schema associated with the XML document. Pre-allocated element object pools may be provided based on the schema analysis to reduce the requirements for dynamic memory allocation and de-allocation operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Zhou, Ali Ismael, Yu Song, Nayeem Islam
  • Patent number: 8161049
    Abstract: A system, method, computer program product, and a web site for evaluating a patent document by using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been provided. The patent document is characterized by patent indices arranged into a hierarchy, each index reflecting a different aspect of the patent document. The values of the patent indices are analyzed by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system, which generates a verbal conclusion regarding the value of the patent document based on the performed analysis. A reason associated with the generated conclusion may also be generated. The AI system is a decision tree based AI system, which is implemented so as to be accessible via a network. The value of the patent document may be additionally visualized by using a color coding of the patent document based on values of its patent indices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Allan Williams
  • Patent number: 8150803
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for processing relationship data that expresses relationship between various entities. In some embodiments, the entities are entities associated directly with an enterprise. The entities in some embodiments described below also include entities associated indirectly with the enterprise through other entities. In some embodiments, the system consolidates disparate relationship data sets that relate to the same set of entities. For instance, in some embodiments, the system includes several data storages that store relationship data. For at least two entities, at least two different data storages store two different relationship data sets that differently express the relationship between the two entities. The system includes a hierarchy manager that receives the two different relationship data sets and consolidates the two different relationship data sets into one relationship data set that best expresses the relationship between the two entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Informatica Corporation
    Inventors: Khanh Hoang, Gregory Danforth
  • Patent number: 8150873
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to find maximal frequent itemsets over data streams. A prefix tree manages itemsets and appearance frequencies of the itemsets, and each of nodes of the prefix tree has information about an appearance frequency, a maximum lifetime, and a mark indicating whether the corresponding itemset is a maximal frequent itemset. The method includes: receiving transaction Tk generated at a current point in time; updating the information owned by each node corresponding to the itemset of the transaction Tk among the nodes of the prefix tree; adding each node that is not managed in the prefix tree among nodes corresponding to the itemset of the transaction Tk, to the prefix tree and setting the information on the added nodes; and finding maximal frequent itemsets by visiting each node of the prefix tree that has the mark indicating the maximal frequent itemset and checking whether the corresponding itemset is frequent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventor: Wong Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 8150866
    Abstract: A system, computer readable storage medium and method for creating re-usable queries over complex data including hierarchies, trees and graphs is described. This is achieved by an object-oriented query language, where a class is a logical property of a data item, and inheritance is implication between such properties. Virtual method calls execute all relevant method implementations in most specific classes. Expressions can be multi-valued, thus avoiding the need for naming intermediate results. All constructs closely follow the syntax of mainstream object-oriented languages like Java.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Semmle Limited
    Inventors: Mathieu Verbaere, Oege De Moor, Elnar Hajiyev
  • Patent number: 8145640
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a patent document is described, which includes the steps of introducing a set of one or more patent indices, characterizing different aspects of the patent document; combining said patent indices into a Patent Quality index (the PQ), characterizing value of the patent document; and visualizing the value of the patent document by using a color coding of the patent document according to the value of the PQ index. Conveniently, a correspondence between the value of the Patent Quality index of the patent document and the wavelength of a selected color of a visible part of the light spectrum is provided. A corresponding method and system for visualizing results of evaluation of a patent portfolio are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Allan Williams
  • Patent number: 8145639
    Abstract: System, methods, computer program product, and web site for evaluating a patent document have been disclosed. The patent document is characterized by patent indices arranged into a hierarchy, each index reflecting a different aspect of the patent document. The indices are transformed into an integral Patent Quality index of the patent document according to a non-linear transformation, which satisfies certain predetermined rules and boundary conditions. A bias associated with an expert, influencing the evaluation of a patent is taken into account. A corresponding method for determining a monetary value of the patent document is also described. The system for patent evaluation comprises a Patent Quality and Monetary Value processing unit for implementing the methods, and respective input and output data means, including graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Allan Williams
  • Patent number: 8140474
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, a method is disclosed that includes storing a superset of data available to a client having non volatile memory (NVM) on a distant hard drive. A subset of the data is maintained in the NVM on the client. The client controls the data stored on the distant hard drive and the data maintained in the NVM. A single merged directory/file tree image is generated for the content maintained in the NVM and the distant hard drive that is accessible to a user of the client and applications running thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Hady, Brendan Traw, John W Carroll
  • Patent number: 8131781
    Abstract: The invention provides an efficient apparatus and method for deleting items within a distributed datastore. Deletion of items is accomplished using anti-items having the same structure as a conventional data item, but for a single tag, flag, or bit which indicates that it is an anti-item, wherein the single tag, flag, or bit but does not affect the location at which a data item or anti-item is ultimately stored within the datastore, thereby ensuring that, upon insertion, the anti-item reaches the same location or locations within the datastore as the original data item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Minds, LLC
    Inventor: W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 8122036
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a map includes a database for storing a list of recipients and characteristics associated with each recipient in the list of recipients. The method and system also includes a control module for receiving a characteristic associated with at least one recipient in the list of recipients. The method and system also includes a rule engine for generating a map based at least in part on the characteristic associated with the at least one recipient using programmable rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Ali Bastani, David Belanger, Sam Parker, Sarat Puthenpura, Phyllis Weiss, Wenjie Zhao
  • Patent number: 8112412
    Abstract: Attempts by a user to download executable files with unacceptable reputations are detected, and recommendations for similar files with good reputations are made to the user. More specifically, a user's web browsing is tracked, and terms describing software applications are extracted from browsed pages. When a user attempts to download an executable file, a corresponding notification including recently extracted terms is transmitted to a categorization component, which receives such information from many users. The categorization component stores the received information in a database. This maintained database identifies files that are available for download, as well as corresponding extracted terms and reputational scores. If a user initiates a download of an executable file with an unacceptable score, the categorization component identifies executable files in the database with related extracted terms, but with acceptable reputations, to recommend to the user as alternatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Carey Nachenberg
  • Patent number: 8108448
    Abstract: A garbage collection algorithm that achieves hierarchical copy order with parallel garbage collection threads. More specifically, the present invention provides a garbage collection method and system for copying objects from a from-space to a to-space. The method comprises the steps of (a) having multiple threads that simultaneously perform work for garbage collection (GC), (b) examining the placement of objects on blocks, and (c) changing the placement of objects on blocks based on step (b). Preferably, the method includes the additional step of calculating a placement of object(s) based on step (b), and using the result of the calculation for step (c). For example, the calculation may be used to increase the frequency of intra-block pointers and/or to increase the frequency of siblings on the same block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David K. Siegwart, Martin Hirzel
  • Patent number: 8108399
    Abstract: Systems and methods that employ auxiliary data structures in form of indexes (e.g., slice indexes) to process incoming queries in query retrieval systems (e.g., Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) environments.) The indexing component analyzes attributes involved in predicate conditions of filter requests to form slice indexes for same filtering criteria, wherein resulting data set share the same filtering criteria in form of attributes. The indexes of the subject innovation can be created on-the-fly, and typically without intervention by system administrators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Marius Dumitru, Eric DeVerne Jacobsen
  • Patent number: 8103668
    Abstract: A technique for adding a search control by a user to a file, webpage, desktop, or mobile device, for example. The control lets the end user create documents, webpages, or dashboards with static and/or dynamic content as easily as inserting pictures. The technique also facilitates the imbedding of control access to the search information via this control. When a document is created, the control allows for adding a search into the document, authoring the default view of the query (e.g., thumbnail, details, extended view, slideshow, timeline, etc.), setting the scope (e.g., local computer, website, company human resources database, etc.), and “publishing” states (e.g., dynamically update, static-fixed, query run on local machine, etc). The technique also facilitates the adding of views such as via a user interface control for “adding a search” and standard “search list view control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lili Cheng, Stacey Harris, Andrzej Turski, Matthew Maclaurin, Shane F Williams
  • Patent number: 8090715
    Abstract: There is provided a method for dynamically generating search results from a dataset. The method comprises receiving a first search keyword from a user and searching for a first content object that is identified by the first search keyword. The method further comprises building a metadata pool using metadata associated with the first content object. Furthermore, the method comprises selecting a second search keyword from the metadata pool, and searching for a second content object by substituting the second search keyword for the first search keyword. If a first content object is not identified by the first search keyword, then the method may terminate. In one embodiment, the selection of the second search keyword from the metadata pool comprises making a random selection of the second search keyword.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Joven Michael Matias