Patents by Inventor Bailiang Zhou

Bailiang Zhou 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: 20230221840
    Abstract: A mapping API provides a digital map via a user interface of a computing device. When invoked by a software application, the mapping API is configured to receive an identifier of a user operating the software application, provide a first interactive digital map including a representation of a certain geographic area for display by the software application, where the first interactive digital map is personalizable via the software application, receive personalization content from the user via the software application, and cause a second digital map including a representation of the geographic area, when provided to the same user, to be modified in view of the personalization content, where the first digital map and the second digital map are created independently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Bailiang Zhou, Kenneth Richard Hoetmer, Patrick Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11604565
    Abstract: A mapping API provides a digital map via a user interface of a computing device. When invoked by a software application, the mapping API is configured to receive an identifier of a user operating the software application, provide a first interactive digital map including a representation of a certain geographic area for display by the software application, where the first interactive digital map is personalizable via the software application, receive personalization content from the user via the software application, and cause a second digital map including a representation of the geographic area, when provided to the same user, to be modified in view of the personalization content, where the first digital map and the second digital map are created independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Bailiang Zhou, Kenneth Richard Hoetmer, Patrick Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11353333
    Abstract: To dynamically restyle map features related to a navigation route on a digital map, a server device and/or a client device selectively applies different visual styles to certain map features to emphasize and de-emphasize navigation routes or other logically linked sets of map features. For example, the server device instructs the client device to visually emphasize the road segments included in the navigation route, de-emphasize road segments not in the navigation route, and leave the remaining features at the default (standard) level of detail. The client device then re-renders the map features accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11315296
    Abstract: A digital map is displayed via a user interface in a map viewport. The digital map includes various features representing respective entities in a geographic area, each of the features being displayed at a same level of magnification. Geolocated points of interest are determined within the geographic area, and a focal point of the map viewport is determined. For each of indicators, the size of the indicator is varied in accordance with the distance between the geographic location corresponding to the indicator and the geographic location corresponding to the focal point of the map viewport. The indicators then are displayed on the digital map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Scott Mongrain, Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11295738
    Abstract: Modulating packetized audio signals in a voice activated data packet based computer network environment is provided. A system can receive audio signals detected by a microphone of a device. The system can parse the audio signal to identify trigger keyword and request, and generate a first action data structure. The system can identify a content item object based on the trigger keyword, and generate an output signal comprising a first portion corresponding to the first action data structure and a second portion corresponding to the content item object. The system can apply a modulation to the first or second portion of the output signal, and transmit the modulated output signal to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE, LLC
    Inventors: Gaurav Bhaya, Robert Stets, Bailiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20210333120
    Abstract: To dynamically restyle map features related to a navigation route on a digital map, a server device and/or a client device selectively applies different visual styles to certain map features to emphasize and de-emphasize navigation routes or other logically linked sets of map features. For example, the server device instructs the client device to visually emphasize the road segments included in the navigation route, de-emphasize road segments not in the navigation route, and leave the remaining features at the default (standard) level of detail. The client device then re-renders the map features accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11131559
    Abstract: A nonlinear route for traveling from a source to a destination is determined. The route includes a sequence of (i) route segments and (ii) intermediate geographic locations defining endpoints of the route segments. A linear visual representation of the route on a titled plane to a create a three-dimensional perspective is generated and displayed via a user interface of a computing device. Indicators of the intermediate geographic locations are positioned along the linear visual representation of the route, interactive controls for retrieving additional information related to the intermediate geographic locations are provided, and the linear representation of the route is displayed via a user interface of a computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11015950
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that implement an application programming interface (API) for generating digital maps. When invoked by a software module executing on one or more processors of a client device, the API operates to (i) determine a geographic location to be included in a digital map, where the geographic location is specified by a server device coupled to the client device via a communication network, (ii) select a parameter for a viewport of the digital map based at least on a distance from a current location of the client device to the specified geographic location, (iii) generate the digital map in accordance with the selected parameter, and display the digital map via a user interface of the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 10838611
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing efficient navigation tools for an infinite scroll user interface are provided. One example method includes providing at least a portion of a set of content items, the set of content items including a plurality of previously displayed content items that have previously been displayed and one or more currently displayed content items. The method includes storing user engagement data for each content item. The method includes displaying a navigational tool that enables the user to access the plurality of previously displayed content items. The method includes automatically selecting previously displayed content items based on the user engagement data. The method includes presenting one or more content markers associated with the automatically selected one or more previously displayed content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20200348834
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing efficient navigation tools for an infinite scroll user interface are provided. One example method includes providing at least a portion of a set of content items, the set of content items including a plurality of previously displayed content items that have previously been displayed and one or more currently displayed content items. The method includes storing user engagement data for each content item. The method includes displaying a navigational tool that enables the user to access the plurality of previously displayed content items. The method includes automatically selecting previously displayed content items based on the user engagement data. The method includes presenting one or more content markers associated with the automatically selected one or more previously displayed content items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20200097564
    Abstract: A system determines a geographic area of interest to be presented to a user in a digital map. The system identifies a set of general POIs based on one or more signals unrelated to the user and, in a first instance, places respective indicators for the set of general POIs on the digital map of the geographic area of interest. In a second instance, the system identifies a set of personalized POIs of likely relevance to the user, based on signals specific to the user and independent of geography, and places respective indicators for the set of personalized POIs on the digital map of the geographic area along with some but not all of the indicators for the set of general POIs, so that density of the indicators does not exceed a certain threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 10599688
    Abstract: An application programming interface (API) for automatically providing digital maps to third-party software applications is provided. The API is configured to (i) receive a string of alphanumeric characters from a third-party software application that executes independently of a map service, (ii) automatically determine whether the string is consistent with one or more indications of geographic locations, (iii) when the string is consistent with an indication of a geographic location, determine whether a digital map of a geographic area including the indicated geographic location should be generated, and (iv) in response to determining that the digital map should be generated, receive the digital from the map service and provide the digital map to the third-party software application for display via a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Bailiang Zhou, Kenneth Richard Hoetmer
  • Publication number: 20190355359
    Abstract: Modulating packetized audio signals in a voice activated data packet based computer network environment is provided. A system can receive audio signals detected by a microphone of a device. The system can parse the audio signal to identify trigger keyword and request, and generate a first action data structure. The system can identify a content item object based on the trigger keyword, and generate an output signal comprising a first portion corresponding to the first action data structure and a second portion corresponding to the content item object. The system can apply a modulation to the first or second portion of the output signal, and transmit the modulated output signal to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Gaurav Bhaya, Robert Stets, Bailiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20190156538
    Abstract: A digital map is displayed via a user interface in a map viewport. The digital map includes various features representing respective entities in a geographic area, each of the features being displayed at a same level of magnification. Geolocated points of interest are determined within the geographic area, and a focal point of the map viewport is determined. For each of indicators, the size of the indicator is varied in accordance with the distance between the geographic location corresponding to the indicator and the geographic location corresponding to the focal point of the map viewport. The indicators then are displayed on the digital map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Scott Mongrain, Bailiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20190120651
    Abstract: A nonlinear route for traveling from a source to a destination is determined. The route includes a sequence of (i) route segments and (ii) intermediate geographic locations defining endpoints of the route segments. A linear visual representation of the route on a titled plane to a create a three-dimensional perspective is generated and displayed via a user interface of a computing device. Indicators of the intermediate geographic locations are positioned along the linear visual representation of the route, interactive controls for retrieving additional information related to the intermediate geographic locations are provided, and the linear representation of the route is displayed via a user interface of a computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: D843413
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Hunt, Ying Y. Su, Bailiang Zhou, Geoffrey Howie, Erika Rice Scherpelz, Christopher Jay Wahlen, Michael Eberle-Levine, Matthew Simpson, Graham Rosser, Chris Raykovich
  • Patent number: D926780
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: D949908
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Hunt, Ying Su, Bailiang Zhou, Erika Rice Scherpelz, Christopher Wahlen, Matthew Simpson, Michael Eberle-Levine, Chris Raykovich, Graham Rosser, Geoffrey Howie, Craig Prince, Sarah Needham
  • Patent number: D974381
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventor: Bailiang Zhou
  • Patent number: D976282
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Hunt, Ying Y. Su, Bailiang Zhou, Erika Rice Scherpelz, Christopher Jay Wahlen, Matthew Robert Simpson, Chris Raykovich, Stephen Zelinka