Patents by Inventor Abigail Sellen
Abigail Sellen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20140321651Abstract: Methods of encryption and decryption are described which use a key associated with an event to encrypt/decrypt data associated with the event. The method of encryption comprises identifying a key associated with an event and encrypting data using the identified key. The encrypted data is then published along with details of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Inventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Kenneth R. Wood, James Srinivasan, Abigail Sellen
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Patent number: 8787580Abstract: Methods of encryption and decryption are described which use a key associated with an event to encrypt/decrypt data associated with the event. The method of encryption comprises identifying a key associated with an event and encrypting data using the identified key. The encrypted data is then published along with details of the event.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Kenneth R. Wood, James Srinivasan, Abigail Sellen
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Patent number: 8762892Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying and interacting with messages are described. Messages are displayed using one of a number of different visualization schemes provided. A user can interact with messages or change the selected visualization scheme using gestures and the mapping of gestures to particular actions is different for different visualization schemes. In an embodiment the messages are received via integrated messaging channels and messages are classified using a number of properties. Each of the visualization schemes has a different way of graphically representing messages and each scheme is adapted to emphasize a different combination of message properties.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2008Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Richard M. Banks, Philip Gosset, Richard Harper, Abigail Sellen
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Patent number: 8555192Abstract: A sketching and searching application for idea generation is described. In an embodiment, a software application is described which has a user interface which comprises a sketching area. When a user draws or annotates a sketch in the application, the application automatically searches for images based on the sketch and displays results in the form of images outside the sketching area. These images are used to inspire new ideas and to facilitate the creative process in a way that is closely linked with the sketching process. When the sketch is updated, additional searching is automatically performed and new results are displayed. In some examples the sketching area is deformable and deformation may cause new results to be displayed and in some examples the user is able to drag image results into the sketching area to enable tracing of the image or to include the image in the sketch.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Xiang Cao, John Helmes, Abigail Sellen, Richard Banks
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Patent number: 8489569Abstract: Retrieval and display of digital media items is described. For example, the digital media items may be photographs, videos, audio files, emails, text documents or parts of these. In an embodiment a dedicated apparatus having a touch display screen is provided in a form designed to look like a domestic fish tank. In an embodiment graphical animated agents are depicted on the display as fish whose motion varies according to at least one behavior parameter which is pseudo random. In embodiments, the agents have associated search criteria and when a user selects one or more agents the associated search criteria are used in a retrieval operation to retrieve digital media items from a store. In some embodiments media items are communicated between the apparatus and a portable communications device using a communications link established by tapping the portable device against the media retrieval and display apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David Kirk, Nicolas Villar, Richard Banks, David Alexander Butler, Shahram Izadi, Abigail Sellen, Stuart Taylor
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Patent number: 8351331Abstract: A resource allocation framework for wireless/wired networks is described. In an embodiment, methods of end host based traffic management are described which operate separately from the underlying access control protocol within the network (e.g. wireless MAC protocol or TCP). The rate limits for each flow are set based on per-flow weights, which may be user specified, and based on an estimate of the utilization of the shared resource and the rate limits are adjusted periodically so that the resource is not underutilized or saturated. Some embodiments compute a virtual capacity of the resource which is adjusted to optimize the value of the utilization and then the virtual capacity is shared between flows according to the per-flow weights. Methods for estimating the utilization of a wireless network and the capacity of a broadband access link are also described.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Thomas Karagiannis, Christos Gkantsidis, Peter Bernard Key, Richard Harper, Abigail Sellen, Timothy Regan, Richard M. Banks, Ilias Raftopoulos, Dharmaiah Manjunath, Bozidar Radunovic
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Patent number: 8325192Abstract: Animation creation is described, for example, to enable children to create, record and play back stories. In an embodiment, one or more children are able to create animation components such as characters and backgrounds using a multi-touch panel display together with an image capture device. For example, a graphical user interface is provided at the multi-touch panel display to enable the animation components to be edited. In an example, children narrate a story whilst manipulating animation components using the multi-touch display panel and the sound and visual display is recorded. In embodiments image analysis is carried out automatically and used to autonomously modify story components during a narration. In examples, various types of handheld view-finding frames are provided for use with the image capture device. In embodiments saved stories can be restored from memory and retold from any point with different manipulations and narration.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Xiang Cao, John Helmes, Abigail Sellen, Sian Elizabeth Lindley
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Patent number: 8259957Abstract: The disclosure relates to communication devices which monitor an audio environment at a remote location and convey to a user a representation of that audio environment. The “representation” may be an abstraction of the audio environment at the remote location or may be a measure of decibels or some other quality or parameter of the audio environment. In some embodiments, the communication devices are two-way devices which allow users at remote locations to share an audio environment. In some embodiments, the communication devices are one way devices. In some embodiments, the communication devices may have the form of a window and be arranged to present sound in a manner that mimics sound received through a window. In such embodiments, the more open the window is, the more sound is relayed by the communication device.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David Frohlich, Lorna Brown, Abigail Durrant, Sian Lindley, Gerard Oleksik, Dominic Robson, Francis Rumsey, Abigail Sellen, John Williamson
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Patent number: 8238582Abstract: The disclosure relates to sound playback and editing apparatus. The editing apparatus uses user interaction to allow the user to instinctively modify recorded sound. This can be achieved by converting a quality of the user's physical interactions with the editing apparatus into instructions for processing the sound. For example, in one embodiment the user can mix sound files by ‘mixing’, i.e. shaking, physical representations of those sound files (such as the recording medium on which the files are stored) alone or together.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2007Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Lorna Brown, Abigail Durrant, David Frohlich, Sian Lindley, Gerard Oleksik, Dominic Robson, Francis Rumsey, Abigail Sellen, John Williamson
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Publication number: 20110310735Abstract: A resource allocation framework for wireless/wired networks is described. In an embodiment, methods of end host based traffic management are described which operate separately from the underlying access control protocol within the network (e.g. wireless MAC protocol or TCP). The rate limits for each flow are set based on per-flow weights, which may be user specified, and based on an estimate of the utilization of the shared resource and the rate limits are adjusted periodically so that the resource is not underutilized or saturated. Some embodiments compute a virtual capacity of the resource which is adjusted to optimize the value of the utilization and then the virtual capacity is shared between flows according to the per-flow weights. Methods for estimating the utilization of a wireless network and the capacity of a broadband access link are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2010Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Thomas Karagiannis, Christos Gkantsidis, Peter Bernard Key, Richard Harper, Abigail Sellen, Timothy Regan, Richard M. Banks, Ilias Raftopoulos, Dharmaiah Manjunath, Bozidar Radunovic
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Publication number: 20110302522Abstract: A sketching and searching application for idea generation is described. In an embodiment, a software application is described which has a user interface which comprises a sketching area. When a user draws or annotates a sketch in the application, the application automatically searches for images based on the sketch and displays results in the form of images outside the sketching area. These images are used to inspire new ideas and to facilitate the creative process in a way that is closely linked with the sketching process. When the sketch is updated, additional searching is automatically performed and new results are displayed. In some examples the sketching area is deformable and deformation may cause new results to be displayed and in some examples the user is able to drag image results into the sketching area to enable tracing of the image or to include the image in the sketch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2010Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Xiang Cao, John Helmes, Abigail Sellen, Richard Banks
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Publication number: 20110298689Abstract: A device for sharing photographs in social settings is described. In an example, the device comprises a display surface which extends around a vertical axis of the device such that it provides a cumulative viewing angle of greater than 180°. This enables viewers located all around the device to see images displayed. The display surface may be a continuous display or may be formed from multiple discrete displays. The images displayed comprise sets of related images which may, for example, be accessed from an online image store (such as a social networking site) or other storage device. In an example, sets of images may be displayed in the form of filmstrips, with each filmstrip comprising a set of related images associated with a different user. Where the device includes a user interaction element, detection of a user interaction changes the images that are displayed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2010Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Martijn ten Bh+e,uml o+ee mer, John Helmes, Kenton Paul Anthony O'Hara, Richard Banks, Abigail Sellen
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Publication number: 20110007078Abstract: Animation creation is described, for example, to enable children to create, record and play back stories. In an embodiment, one or more children are able to create animation components such as characters and backgrounds using a multi-touch panel display together with an image capture device. For example, a graphical user interface is provided at the multi-touch panel display to enable the animation components to be edited. In an example, children narrate a story whilst manipulating animation components using the multi-touch display panel and the sound and visual display is recorded. In embodiments image analysis is carried out automatically and used to autonomously modify story components during a narration. In examples, various types of handheld view-finding frames are provided for use with the image capture device. In embodiments saved stories can be restored from memory and retold from any point with different manipulations and narration.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2009Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Xiang Cao, John Helmes, Abigail Sellen, Sian Elizabeth Lindley
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Publication number: 20100145920Abstract: Retrieval and display of digital media items is described. For example, the digital media items may be photographs, videos, audio files, emails, text documents or parts of these. In an embodiment a dedicated apparatus having a touch display screen is provided in a form designed to look like a domestic fish tank. In an embodiment graphical animated agents are depicted on the display as fish whose motion varies according to at least one behavior parameter which is pseudo random. In embodiments, the agents have associated search criteria and when a user selects one or more agents the associated search criteria are used in a retrieval operation to retrieve digital media items from a store. In some embodiments media items are communicated between the apparatus and a portable communications device using a communications link established by tapping the portable device against the media retrieval and display apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2008Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David Kirk, Nicolas Villar, Richard Banks, David Alexander Butler, Shahram Izadi, Abigail Sellen, Stuart Taylor
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Patent number: 7721224Abstract: It is difficult to effectively manage an electronic calendar that is shared by a group of people such as family members. This is achieved by enabling users to send messages to an electronic calendar apparatus. The messages are received and stored at the apparatus and may be viewed by a user such as a mother of a family. A graphical user interface at the calendar apparatus provides a calendar and a message receiver region. A user is able to edit the calendar using information from the messages and in some examples may move or copy message indicators into the calendar from the message receiver region. In some examples, the calendar may only be edited by user input received directly at the calendar apparatus rather than from a remote location. The calendar apparatus may be provided in a protective housing to enable the apparatus to be used in a domestic kitchen.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2007Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Abigail Sellen, Richard Harper
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Publication number: 20100082662Abstract: A user interface for an information retrieval system is described. In an embodiment an output region for showing retrieved documents is displayed on an interactive surface. One or more movable user interface items, such as digital buttons or tangible objects, may be positioned in an active region. Each movable user interface item has a stored query associated with it and for example, the queries may be words or images. In an embodiment a user interface controller apparatus identifies any movable user interface items in the active region and identifies a spatial relationship between those items and the output region. In an embodiment, a query is accessed for each of the user interface items in the active region and those queries and the information about the spatial relationship are used to retrieve documents from a document database.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2008Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Stuart Taylor, Shahram Izadi, Richard Harper, Richard Banks, Abigail Sellen
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Patent number: 7671737Abstract: The disclosure relates to monitoring and notification apparatus capable of monitoring events at various locations. The apparatus includes a sound receiving unit which receives audio content from various locations. A user can select which of the location is monitored at any one time. In one embodiment, this selection is made depending on the orientation of the sound receiving unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2007Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Abigail Sellen, Lorna Brown, Abigail Durrant, David Frohlich, Sian Lindley, Gerard Oleksik, Dominic Robson, Francis Rumsey, John Williamson
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Publication number: 20090249350Abstract: Improved resource allocation methods which use negotiation are described. In an embodiment, a request for access to a resource by a service user is received and an available access slot is allocated, where the slot may be a time or a position in a queue. This allocated slot may or may not meet the service user's requirements and if this allocated time does not meet the service user's requirements, an access time which does meet the requirements but is already allocated to another service user is identified. A message is sent to the user device associated with the other service user requesting a change in allocated access time. If the change is accepted the allocated times are swapped between the two service users.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicants: Microsoft CorporationInventors: John W. Senders, Abigail Sellen
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Publication number: 20090220093Abstract: Methods of encryption and decryption are described which use a key associated with an event to encrypt/decrypt data associated with the event. The method of encryption comprises identifying a key associated with an event and encrypting data using the identified key. The encrypted data is then published along with details of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2006Publication date: September 3, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Kenneth R. Wood, James Srinivasan, Abigail Sellen
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Publication number: 20090193348Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying and interacting with messages are described. Messages are displayed using one of a number of different visualization schemes provided. A user can interact with messages or change the selected visualization scheme using gestures and the mapping of gestures to particular actions is different for different visualization schemes. In an embodiment the messages are received via integrated messaging channels and messages are classified using a number of properties. Each of the visualization schemes has a different way of graphically representing messages and each scheme is adapted to emphasize a different combination of message properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2008Publication date: July 30, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Richard M. Banks, Philip Gosset, Richard Harper, Abigail Sellen