Patents Examined by William Allen
  • Patent number: 9245250
    Abstract: The present disclosure identifies and/or delivers tailored content based upon a service dialog. For example, the systems may receive a request for tailored content, facilitate a service dialog to obtain information related to the request, and communicate a plurality of tailored content based upon the information related to the request. Further, the systems may identify tailored content based upon a consumer profile, communicate the tailored content to a web client, and/or receive a selection of the tailored content. Further still, the systems may modify a magazine (e.g., content that is presented electronically) based upon tailored content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventor: Troy P. Williams
  • Patent number: 9244586
    Abstract: Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced user interfaces and functionalities for internet radio applications are presented. In some embodiments, a computer system may provide a user interface that includes one or more regions configured to control playback of an internet radio station. The computer system then may determine, based on music purchase history associated with a user account, whether a selected song associated with the internet radio station has been previously purchased. In response to determining that the selected song has not been previously purchased, the computer system may display a user-selectable control that enables the selected song to be purchased. On the other hand, in response to determining that the selected song has been previously purchased, the computer system may display a user-selectable control that enables the selected song to be downloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: William Bachman, Imran Chaudhri, Jeffrey L. Robbin, Policarpo B. Wood, Elbert D. Chen
  • Patent number: 9230277
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product presents product recommendations based on input derived from a user's social network. A description of a product selected for purchase by a user is received. A social networking site is searched for information relevant to a characterization the product. The relevant information is characterized according to a social relationship between the user and an other member of the social networking site, a product family of the product, and a product expertise of the other member about the product. Characterized information about the product is then presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kelly L. Cook, Lydia M. Do, Eileen Min, Eric Woods
  • Patent number: 9230278
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product presents product recommendations based on input derived from a user's social network. A description of a product selected for purchase by a user is received. A social networking site is searched for information relevant to a characterization the product. The relevant information is characterized according to a social relationship between the user and an other member of the social networking site, a product family of the product, and a product expertise of the other member about the product. Characterized information about the product is then presented to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kelly L. Cook, Lydia M. Do, Eileen Min, Eric Woods
  • Patent number: 9211239
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information exchange method, a user end, and a system for online collaborative shopping. The method includes: sending a collaborative shopping request message that includes one or more user identifiers to a collaborative server; receiving a collaborative shopping startup message; submitting a shopping web page of the main control user end to the collaborative server, and submitting, to the collaborative server, operation information generated when a user of the main control user end operates a shopping web page; and receiving operation information generated when a user on the collaborative user end operates a shopping web page according to a commodity feature concerned by the user on the shopping web page, and displaying, on the shopping web page, an operation result of the user on the collaborative user end for the shopping web page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Leilei Cao
  • Patent number: 9159093
    Abstract: A request for information relating to a commodity is sent to a server using a client computer. The requested commodity information is received at the client computer and rendered on a display. A client action with respect to the commodity information is detected, and, using the client computer, a determination is made whether communication with the server is required to respond to the client action and, if the communication is not necessary, responding to the client action without communicating with the server regarding the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
    Inventors: Lee Fastenau, Anthony R. Noriega, James Reed
  • Patent number: 9159106
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating products on demand. In some embodiments, a manufacturable model, which may include information about a three-dimensional representation of a product to be fabricated, is received by a user of an electronic system and may be validated by the electronic system. A prototype of the product can be generated based at least in part on the manufacturable model, and the manufacturable model and/or the product can be made available for selection by other users of the system. The product may be fabricated based at least in part on the manufacturable model using, for example, a three-dimensional printer, and may be delivered to users of the electronic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Bodell, Gregory J. Meyers, Jeremy E. Powers, Bryan K. Beatty, Michael G. Curtis, Jeffrey B. Slosberg, Leon L. Au
  • Patent number: 9141987
    Abstract: Described herein are technologies pertaining to presenting a map to a user that comprises graphical icons that are representative of retail stores. The user has provided a shopping list, wherein the shopping list includes a plurality of products that are desirably purchased by the user. Inventories of retail stores in a geographic region of interest to the user are searched, and a map is generated that includes graphical icons representative of the retail stores, data that indicates that product(s) in the shopping list are available at the retail stores, and price data that indicates prices of product(s) in the shopping list at the respective retail stores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Barbara Leigh Perks, Anastasia Paushkina, Nektarios Ioannides, Lawrence Lam, Sonam Saxena
  • Patent number: 9141764
    Abstract: A system and method for ordering a plurality of tablets is described. The system comprises a server accessible via a network by at least one client. An online application is hosted on the server and accessible by the client. The online application comprises a user interface configured to receive a first input associated with a first tablet. The first input comprises a first schedule for consumption of the first tablet. The user interface is also configured to receive a second input associated with a second tablet. The second input comprises a second schedule for consumption of the second tablet. The user interface is further configured to display an integrated schedule comprising the schedule for consumption of the first tablet and the schedule for consumption of the second tablet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: EDGE MEDICAL PROPERTIES, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Luciano
  • Patent number: 9127962
    Abstract: A method of configuring a personalized geographical area for a user. An electronic system for providing a geographical-based service (e.g., a business directory, mapping, consumer opinions) obtains information regarding locations that can be associated with the user. Such locations may include his home address, the zip code in which he works, a business district he provides or reviews consumer opinions for, an address of an establishment for which he requests a map, etc. Using the various locations associated with the user, a personalized geographical area is configured for the user, to act as his default area when reviewing consumer opinions, requesting business locations and/or other purposes. His personalized area may change over time as the system obtains newer information regarding his activities. The personalized area may be of any size and shape, particularly non-circular, as it may be derived based on travel distances over terrain (i.e., instead of straight-line distance).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: INTUIT INC.
    Inventors: Jay Schirmacher, David Madurzak, Todd Frey Goodyear, Christopher David Nesladek
  • Patent number: 9129333
    Abstract: An approach is provided for managing location-based transactions. A posting application determines to associate transaction information with a geographic location, the transaction information relating to one or more users. The posting application determines location information associated with respective devices of the one or more users. The posting application determines to transmit a notification related to the one or more transactions to the respective devices based, at least in part, on the location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: NOKIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark E. Hardie, Scott Eliot, Dean Andrews
  • Patent number: 9117239
    Abstract: Techniques for a product search grid are disclosed herein. The method for presenting a grid includes receiving data in association with a plurality of products from one or more merchant websites; presenting a data grid including cells based on the data, wherein each cell of the cells represents a product of the products or a replacement of a product of the products; displaying information regarding the products or the replacements of the products in the cells; and updating the contents of cells of the data grid automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventors: Kristopher Kubicki, Lawrence Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9117238
    Abstract: Systems and methods to provide a prioritized shopping system are discussed. For example, a method can include receiving a list of target items, receiving busyness data for a plurality of local merchants, developing a prioritized shopping plan, and communicating the prioritized shopping plan to a mobile device. Each target item in the list of target items can represents a product or service that a user has indicated an interest in purchasing. The prioritized shopping plan is based at least in part on the busyness data and the list of target items. Busyness data provides an indication of traffic levels within at least a portion of the plurality of local merchants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: John Tapley, Krystal Rose Higgins, Matt Lee Giger, David W. Goldman
  • Patent number: 9098874
    Abstract: Gifting of virtual items between users of a virtual space may be facilitated. A purchase interface may be presented to a first user. The purchase interface may be configured to receive selection from the first user of (i) a virtual item for purchase, and (ii) one or more users with which the first user has established a virtual space relationship. Responsive to selection by the first user through the purchase interface of a first virtual item and a second user with which the first user has established a virtual space relationship, the first virtual item may be distributed to the second user in the virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: KABAM, INC.
    Inventors: Navendu Chandra, Bryan Schwab, Schubert Lobo
  • Patent number: 9092819
    Abstract: Systems and a method to facilitate a purchase of an item on a network-based marketplace are described. The method generates, at a network-based marketplace platform, a virtual gift based on an item for sale at the network-based marketplace platform and communicates interface information to a network-based social platform that includes the virtual gift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Choon Chong, Trisha Lee Okubo
  • Patent number: 9082146
    Abstract: Enabling price updates is described, including: receiving a request from a customer to review a set of product information associated with a product; sending the set of product information including a price associated with the product to the customer; receiving an update to the price from a seller associated with the product; receiving a request to buy the product from the customer; in response to the request to buy the product, determining that the price has been updated by the seller; and sending a message associated with a change in price to the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Gumroad, Inc.
    Inventor: Sahil Lavingia
  • Patent number: 9076178
    Abstract: A system for tracking the successful recommendation of a good/service comprising a mobile phone possessed by a receiver, a second mobile phone possessed by a recommender, the mobile phones send and receive communication messages; at least one database; and an intermediary system. The recommender composes a first communication message to the intermediary system including the mobile phone number of the mobile phone, a unique identifier of the recommender and a reference code for a good/service associated with the selected good/service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Chikka Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Roland Benzon
  • Patent number: 9066130
    Abstract: Methods and system for displaying a click-to-buy overlay for an item on a video in a video hosting site. The item is matched to the video according to video metadata and/or rules selected by the video rights holder. If the uploader is not the video rights holder, the video rights holder can choose to monetize the video by selecting Click-to-Buy metadata and/or rules. A viewer of the video can choose between multiple retailers for an item offered in the overlay. The viewer can further navigate between multiple overlays associated with the video while the video is playing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Florian Buron, Chirayu Krishnappa, BethEllyn McClendon, Jasson Arthur Schrock, Johan Tibell, Thai Tran
  • Patent number: 9031869
    Abstract: An online personalized gifting system for providing gift card related packaging formats to enhance the customer experience relating to online gift card sales.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Gift Card Impressions, LLC
    Inventors: Brett R. Glass, Nicole E. Glass
  • Patent number: 9020840
    Abstract: Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rahul P. Akolkar, Thomas E. Chefalas, Jim A. Laredo, Anca Sailer, Frank A. Schaffa, Alla Segal, Ignacio Silva-Lepe, Chang-Shing Perng, Tao Tao