Patents by Inventor Anne K. Sullivan

Anne K. Sullivan 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: 10529326
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 9955015
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah A. Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Davis
  • Publication number: 20170125018
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 9583104
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20170026520
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah A. Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Davis
  • Patent number: 9542949
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of satisfying specified intent(s) based on multimodal request(s). A multimodal request is a request that includes at least one request of a first type and at least one request of a second type that is different from the first type. Example types of request include but are not limited to a speech request, a text command, a tactile command, and a visual command. A determination is made that one or more entities in visual content are selected in accordance with an explicit scoping command from a user. In response, speech understanding functionality is automatically activated, and audio signals are automatically monitored for speech requests from the user to be processed using the speech understanding functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Anne K. Sullivan, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Stephanos Tryphonas, Kamran Rajabi Zargahi, Ken H. Thai
  • Patent number: 9544436
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Davis
  • Publication number: 20160078868
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 9201859
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20150010135
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification. Attorney Docket No.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Macdonald Davis
  • Publication number: 20140330570
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of satisfying specified intent(s) based on multimodal request(s). A multimodal request is a request that includes at least one request of a first type and at least one request of a second type that is different from the first type. Example types of request include but are not limited to a speech request, a text command, a tactile command, and a visual command. A determination is made that one or more entities in visual content are selected in accordance with an explicit scoping command from a user. In response, speech understanding functionality is automatically activated, and audio signals are automatically monitored for speech requests from the user to be processed using the speech understanding functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Anne K. Sullivan, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Stephanos Tryphonas, Kamran Rajabi Zargahi, Ken H. Thai
  • Patent number: 8798239
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah A. Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Davis
  • Patent number: 8788269
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of satisfying specified intent(s) based on multimodal request(s). A multimodal request is a request that includes at least one request of a first type and at least one request of a second type that is different from the first type. Example types of request include but are not limited to a speech request, a text command, a tactile command, and a visual command. A determination is made that one or more entities in visual content are selected in accordance with an explicit scoping command from a user. In response, speech understanding functionality is automatically activated, and audio signals are automatically monitored for speech requests from the user to be processed using the speech understanding functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Anne K. Sullivan, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Stephanos Tryphonas, Kamran Rajabi Zargahi, Ken H. Thai
  • Publication number: 20130322609
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Macdonald Davis
  • Patent number: 8600033
    Abstract: A system may receive a request for a business listing, and search a database to identify a set of business listings based on the request. The system may also identify at least one previously requested business or residential listing, and select and/or present one or more of the business listings based on a geographic location associated with the at least one previously requested business or residential listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karen M. Cross, Andrea Klein, Anne K. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 8548130
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Macdonald Davis
  • Publication number: 20130218836
    Abstract: Task list linking may be provided. Upon receiving an input from a user, the input may be translated into at least one actionable item. The at least one actionable item may be linked to a data source and displayed to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa Stifelman, Kathy Lee, Matt Klee, Larry Paul Heck, Gokhan Tur, Dilek Hakkani-Tur
  • Publication number: 20130158980
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of suggesting intent frame(s) for user request(s). For instance, the intent frame(s) may be suggested to elicit a request from a user. An intent frame is a natural language phrase (e.g., a sentence) that includes at least one carrier phrase and at least one slot. A slot in an intent frame is a placeholder that is identified as being replaceable by one or more words that identify an entity and/or an action to indicate an intent of the user. A carrier phrase in an intent frame includes one or more words that suggest a type of entity and/or action that is to be identified by the one or more words that may replace the corresponding slot. In accordance with these techniques, the intent frame(s) are suggested in response to determining that natural language functionality of a processing system is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shane J. Landry, Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa J. Stifelman, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Sarangarajan Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20130159001
    Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of satisfying specified intent(s) based on multimodal request(s). A multimodal request is a request that includes at least one request of a first type and at least one request of a second type that is different from the first type. Example types of request include but are not limited to a speech request, a text command, a tactile command, and a visual command. A determination is made that one or more entities in visual content are selected in accordance with an explicit scoping command from a user. In response, speech understanding functionality is automatically activated, and audio signals are automatically monitored for speech requests from the user to be processed using the speech understanding functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Anne K. Sullivan, Adam D. Elman, Larry Paul Heck, Stephanos Tryphonas, Kamran Rajabi Zargahi, Ken H. Thai
  • Patent number: 8412531
    Abstract: The present invention provides a user interface for providing press-to-talk-interaction via utilization of a touch-anywhere-to-speak module on a mobile computing device. Upon receiving an indication of a touch anywhere on the screen of a touch screen interface, the touch-anywhere-to-speak module activates the listening mechanism of a speech recognition module to accept audible user input and displays dynamic visual feedback of a measured sound level of the received audible input. The touch-anywhere-to-speak module may also provide a user a convenient and more accurate speech recognition experience by utilizing and applying the data relative to a context of the touch (e.g., relative location on the visual interface) in correlation with the spoken audible input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anne K. Sullivan, Lisa Stifelman, Kathleen J. Lee, Su Chuin Leong