Patents by Inventor ALEC JOHN BERNTSON

ALEC JOHN BERNTSON 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).

  • Patent number: 9335883
    Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices for facilitating presentation of search result items having varying prominence is provided. The method includes referencing a search result item to be presented within a search results page in response to a search query. Thereafter, a determination is made that a size prominence of the search result item is to be modified. Such a determination can be based on a result attribute(s) associated with the search result item and a result attribute(s) associated with other search result items within the search results page. The size of the search result item is adjusted in accordance with the determination that the size prominence of the search result item is to be modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Alec John Berntson, Sanaz Ahari, Kieran Richard McDonald, Muhammad Arif Iqbal
  • Publication number: 20140372218
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for selective placement of promotional elements within a search result layout. For example, a search result layout may be constructed with one or more search results relevant to a search query (e.g., images, websites, and/or other content associated with a “vacation” search query). Promotional elements may be retrieved based upon the search query, and display ranks may be assigned to such promotional elements based upon various ranking factors, such as user engagement, search result correlation, and/or relevancy, etc. In this way, promotional elements may be interspersed amongst search results within the search result layout based upon display ranks (e.g., a download vacation app promotional element may be assigned to a layout portion between a first search result and a second search result). Because promotional elements may be interspersed with search results, visual labels may be assigned to promotional elements (e.g., “AD”).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Madhusudhan K. Talluri, Jerel Frauenheim, Matthew Thomas Herbst, Christopher Rizzuto, Hrishikesh Bal, Alec John Berntson, Wai Chan, Jasen Peterman
  • Publication number: 20140280015
    Abstract: Monetization is provided for a process of non-committal intent preview, disambiguation, and refinement of a search. Based on a non-committal intent preview, disambiguation, and refinement process, a user intent may be determined. The user intent may represent an action a user may intend to perform corresponding with a particular entity. An advertisement may be selected based on the identified user intent. The advertisement may then be communicated to a user device for inclusion in a search intent preview for presentation to a user prior to execution of a search query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: DANIEL MARANTZ, AARON CHUN-WIN YUEN, ALEC JOHN BERNTSON, YU-TING KUO, KUANSAN WANG, GAURANG PRAJAPATI
  • Patent number: 8769399
    Abstract: Computer-storage media, methods, and systems for formatting and surfacing a badge are provided. The badge represents a graphical region presented in visual association with a search result on a web-results page. The format of the badge is initially dictated by a template that is automatically generated. Upon collecting performance information, a website owner is granted permission to alter the template and appearance of the badge, via a publisher portal. During interaction with the publisher portal, the website owner is prompted to provide feedback in order to manage parameters of the badge, such as uploading a visual representation of a logo, trademark, or other branded element, or specifying a type of metadata to be imported to the graphical region. Accordingly, the badge operates to improve a users' ability to distinguish between search results on the web-results page and assists users in confidently deciding upon and selecting a relevant search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Marantz, Alec John Berntson, Darwin Kengo Yamamoto, Christina Marie Koehn, Steve Ballon, Keith Alan Regier, Brian Macdonald, Steven Tullis, Steven Macbeth, Rodney Coleman Edwards
  • Publication number: 20130067364
    Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices for facilitating presentation of search result items having varying prominence is provided. The method includes referencing a search result item to be presented within a search results page in response to a search query. Thereafter, a determination is made that a size prominence of the search result item is to be modified. Such a determination can be based on a result attribute(s) associated with the search result item and a result attribute(s) associated with other search result items within the search results page. The size of the search result item is adjusted in accordance with the determination that the size prominence of the search result item is to be modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: ALEC JOHN BERNTSON, SANAZ AHARI, KIERAN RICHARD MCDONALD, MUHAMMAD ARIF IQBAL
  • Publication number: 20130007587
    Abstract: Computer-storage media, methods, and systems for formatting and surfacing a badge are provided. The badge represents a graphical region presented in visual association with a search result on a web-results page. The format of the badge is initially dictated by a template that is automatically generated. Upon collecting performance information, a website owner is granted permission to alter the template and appearance of the badge, via a publisher portal. During interaction with the publisher portal, the website owner is prompted to provide feedback in order to manage parameters of the badge, such as uploading a visual representation of a logo, trademark, or other branded element, or specifying a type of metadata to be imported to the graphical region. Accordingly, the badge operates to improve a users' ability to distinguish between search results on the web-results page and assists users in confidently deciding upon and selecting a relevant search result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: DANIEL MARANTZ, ALEC JOHN BERNTSON, DARWIN KENGO YAMAMOTO, CHRISTINA MARIE KOEHN, STEVE BALLON, KEITH ALAN REGIER, BRIAN MACDONALD, STEVEN TULLIS, STEVEN MACBETH, RODNEY COLEMAN EDWARDS
  • Publication number: 20120059838
    Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices facilitate providing entity-specific content to a user in response to a search request. A search request is received from a user and determined to be related to an entity. Domains associated with the entity are also identified. The search service identifies a set of potential answers and uses the potential answers to generate a set of reformulation queries, which are used to query answer services. Answers returned by the answer services are ranked and bound to an entity card, which is subjected to a quorum checking process that facilitates optimization of the use of allocated screen real estate associated with the entity card. A representation of the entity card is presented on a search-results page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: ALEC JOHN BERNTSON, NITIN AGRAWAL, SONG ZHOU, YATHARTH SARAF, TARUN JOSHI, KIERAN RICHARD MCDONALD, YOHANNES TSEGAY, NIPOON MALHOTRA, MUHAMMAD AATIF AWAN, SANAZ AHARI, TIMOTHY CHARLES HOAD