Patents by Inventor Alan Martin Ross

Alan Martin Ross 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).

  • Publication number: 20220222046
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to automatically synthesizing user interface (UI) component instances. In disclosed techniques a computer system receives a set of existing UI elements and a set of design rules for the set of existing elements, where design rules in the set of design rules indicate one or more allowed states for respective UI elements in the set of existing UI elements. The one or more allowed states may correspond to one or more visual characteristics. Using the set of existing UI elements, the computer system may then automatically generate a plurality of UI component instances based on the set of design rules, where a respective UI component instance includes a first UI element in a first allowed state. The computer system may then train, using the plurality of UI component instances, a machine learning model operable to automatically generate UI designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Jessica Lundin, David J. Woodward, Alan Martin Ross, Michael Sollami
  • Patent number: 11379189
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to automatically synthesizing user interface (UI) component instances. In disclosed techniques a computer system receives a set of existing UI elements and a set of design rules for the set of existing elements, where design rules in the set of design rules indicate one or more allowed states for respective UI elements in the set of existing UI elements. The one or more allowed states may correspond to one or more visual characteristics. Using the set of existing UI elements, the computer system may then automatically generate a plurality of UI component instances based on the set of design rules, where a respective UI component instance includes a first UI element in a first allowed state. The computer system may then train, using the plurality of UI component instances, a machine learning model operable to automatically generate UI designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Jessica Lundin, David J. Woodward, Alan Martin Ross, Michael Sollami
  • Publication number: 20220180581
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method and computer readable storage medium for detecting space suitable for overlaying media content onto an image. The system receives a candidate image which may be an image or a video frame. The candidate image is then input into a neural network. The neural network may output coordinates and one or more dimensions representing one or more bounding boxes for inserting media content into the candidate image. The one or more bounding boxes may be transmitted with a request for a media content item to be displayed in a bounding box. In response to the request the media content item may be received, and the candidate image and the media content item overlaid on top of the candidate image within the bounding box may be displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Jessica Lundin, Michael Reynolds Sollami, Alan Martin Ross, Brian J. Lonsdorf, David James Woodward, Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde
  • Publication number: 20220050667
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining a similarity of components of a current webpage to different UI components for use in automatically generating an updated webpage. A computer system may receive information specifying a current webpage, including a particular current UI component and information specifying a plurality of different UI components for an updated webpage. The computer system may identify one or more characteristics of the particular current UI component. The computer system may determine, based on the identified one or more characteristics, a similarity of ones of the plurality of different UI components to the particular current UI component. The computer system may select, based on the determining, a particular different UI component from the plurality of different UI components for use, in the updated webpage, for the particular current UI component. Such techniques may advantageously improve user experience by automatically providing up-to-date user interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Alan Martin Ross, Sönke Rohde, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Patent number: 11182135
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining a similarity of components of a current user interface (UI) to new UI components for use in automatically generating a new UI. A computer system may receive information specifying a current UI including a particular current UI component and information specifying a plurality of new UI components for a new UI. The computer system may then identify characteristics of the particular current UI component. Based on these identified characteristics, the computer system may score ones of the plurality of new UI components, where the scoring is performed to determine a similarity to the particular current UI component. The computer system may then select, based on the scores, a particular new UI component from the plurality of new UI components for use, in the new UI, for the particular current UI component. Such techniques may advantageously improve user experience by automatically providing up-to-date user interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Alan Martin Ross, Sönke Rohde, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Publication number: 20210334666
    Abstract: A textual properties model is used to infer values for certain font properties of interest given certain text-related data, such as rendered text images. The model may be used for numerous purposes, such as aiding with document layout, identifying font families that are similar to a given font families, and generating new font families with specific desired properties. In some embodiments, the model is trained from a combination of synthetic data that is labeled with values for the font properties of interest, and partially-labeled data from existing “real-world” documents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Jessica Lundin, Owen Winne Schoppe, Alan Martin Ross, Brian J. Lonsdorf, David James Woodward, Sönke Rohde, Michael Reynolds Sollami, Chetan Ramaiah
  • Patent number: 11137985
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatically generating stencils for content of a user interface (UI) to be rendered. A computer system receives information specifying content of a user interface (UI) to be rendered. Based on this information, the computer system identifies one or more bounding regions of content within the UI, including analyzing metadata and a rendered version of the UI. The computer system then automatically generates, one or more UI stencils based on the identified bounding regions, that are displayable as progress indicators prior to rendering corresponding UI content. Once it has generated the stencils, the computer system stores information specifying the one or more UI stencils for use in the UI. Automatically generating stencils for UIs may advantageously reduce the time gap from development to deployment of these UIs while improving their perceived performance and, by extension, improving user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Alan Martin Ross, Sönke Rohde, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Publication number: 20210240319
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to measuring presentation aspects of portions of a user interface (UI) that have been identified to be presented neutrally and automatically generating a new UI that reduces differences in the presentation aspects of the identified portions. Portions of the UI identified to be presented neutrally may include elements or content in the UI identified to be presented neutrally. Portions for neutral presentation may include portions of UI that, for example, portions that present legal decisions, portions with survey data, forms or information displays, or portions where a user is requested to make a choice between alternative options. Presentation aspects that may be measured include, for example, visual aspects, clarity aspects, or tonal aspects. Reducing the differences in the presentation aspects may present the elements or content with more neutrality to reduce influence in decisions due to visual, clarity, or tonal aspects between the elements or content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Jessica Lundin, David James Woodward, Alan Martin Ross
  • Publication number: 20210240452
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatically generating stencils for content of a user interface (UI) to be rendered. A computer system receives information specifying content of a user interface (UI) to be rendered. Based on this information, the computer system identifies one or more bounding regions of content within the UI, including analyzing metadata and a rendered version of the UI. The computer system then automatically generates, one or more UI stencils based on the identified bounding regions, that are displayable as progress indicators prior to rendering corresponding UI content. Once it has generated the stencils, the computer system stores information specifying the one or more UI stencils for use in the UI. Automatically generating stencils for UIs may advantageously reduce the time gap from development to deployment of these UIs while improving their perceived performance and, by extension, improving user experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Alan Martin Ross, Sönke Rohde, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Publication number: 20210240318
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to generating a user interface (UI) migration plan, including intermediate UIs, for migrating from a current UI to a new UI. A computer system may receive information specifying a current UI and a new UI, and identify one or more differences between the current and the new UIs. Based on the differences, the computer system may generate information specifying one or more candidate intermediate UIs. The computer system may score the candidate intermediate UIs relative to a specified set of design criteria. The computer system may determine a UI migration plan that specifies a set of the one or more candidate intermediate UIs that are displayable in order to migrate from the current UI to the new UI, where the set of one or more intermediate UIs is selected based on the scoring. Use of the UI migration plan may advantageously reduce user interaction issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Sönke Rohde, Alan Martin Ross, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Publication number: 20210240501
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for determining the minimum set of user interface (UI) elements for a task. One embodiment operates by transmitting UI elements associated with an application to a first computing device operated by a first user and a second computing device operated by a second user. Further, the embodiment includes obtaining data structures corresponding to a first task and a second task and then grouping, using a machine learning model, the data structures into a first cluster corresponding to the first task and a second cluster corresponding to the second task. Further still, the embodiment also includes determining a minimum set of UI elements required for the first task based on the first cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: David James WOODWARD, Brian J. LONSDORF, Owen Winne SCHOPPE, Alan Martin ROSS, Jessica LUNDIN, Sönke ROHDE
  • Publication number: 20210240451
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining a similarity of components of a current user interface (UI) to new UI components for use in automatically generating a new UI. A computer system may receive information specifying a current UI including a particular current UI component and information specifying a plurality of new UI components for a new UI. The computer system may then identify characteristics of the particular current UI component. Based on these identified characteristics, the computer system may score ones of the plurality of new UI components, where the scoring is performed to determine a similarity to the particular current UI component. The computer system may then select, based on the scores, a particular new UI component from the plurality of new UI components for use, in the new UI, for the particular current UI component. Such techniques may advantageously improve user experience by automatically providing up-to-date user interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Alan Martin Ross, Sönke Rohde, David James Woodward, Jessica Lundin
  • Publication number: 20210240910
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to determining locations of child elements in a user interface (UI), automatically updating the locations of the child elements in the UI, and generating an updated UI with the updated locations. A computer system may receive information specifying content of the UI and render an image of the UI based on the received information. Computer vision algorithms may be applied to the rendered of the UI to determine locations of elements in the UI. The locations of the elements may be updated to position the elements in selected locations relative to each other. The updated locations of the elements as determined by the computer vision algorithms may be implemented to generate updating information specifying content for the updated UI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Jessica Lundin, David James Woodward, Alan Martin Ross, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde
  • Publication number: 20210240320
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for generating custom user interfaces (UIs) for completing a task. One embodiment operates by obtaining contextual information associated with a user and an application on a user device operated by the user, where the application includes a plurality of UI elements. Then, determining the user is attempting to complete a first task within the application based on the contextual information and a prediction model. The embodiment further operates by obtaining a minimum set of UI elements required for the first task. Further, the embodiment operates by transmitting a first custom UI including the minimum set of UI elements for the first task to the user device for display to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: David James WOODWARD, Brian J. LONSDORF, Owen Winne SCHOPPE, Alan Martin ROSS, Jessica LUNDIN, Sönke ROHDE
  • Patent number: 11074044
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to automatically synthesizing user interface (UI) component instances. In disclosed techniques a computer system receives a set of existing UI elements and a set of design rules for the set of existing elements, where design rules in the set of design rules indicate one or more allowed states for respective UI elements in the set of existing UI elements. The one or more allowed states may correspond to one or more visual characteristics. Using the set of existing UI elements, the computer system may then automatically generate a plurality of UI component instances based on the set of design rules, where a respective UI component instance includes a first UI element in a first allowed state. The computer system may then train, using the plurality of UI component instances, a machine learning model operable to automatically generate UI designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Owen Winne Schoppe, Sönke Rohde, Brian J. Lonsdorf, Jessica Lundin, David J. Woodward, Alan Martin Ross, Michael Sollami