Patents by Inventor Bill Chau

Bill Chau 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: 10936275
    Abstract: A system and method include presentation of a plurality of virtual objects to a first user, reception, from the first user, of a command to associate a voice annotation with one of the plurality of virtual objects, reception of audio signals of a first voice annotation from the first user, and storage the received audio signals in association with metadata indicating the first user and the one of the plurality of virtual objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Duncan Og Macconnell, Ilya Yurievich Rostovtsev, Stephen Earl Fenton, Bill Chau, Kenneth Douglas Smith, Kelly Jean Graham, Ines Khelifi, Thomas Charles Butcher
  • Patent number: 10757328
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of low-latency, low-power eye tracking. In some embodiments, the eye tracking method operates a first sensor having a first level of power consumption that tracks positions of an eye of a user. In response to detection that the eye does not change position for a time period, the method stops operation of the first sensor and instead operates a second sensor that detects a change of position of the eye. The second sensor has a level of power consumption lower than the level of power consumption of the first sensor. Once the eye position changes, the second sensor resumes operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Vaibhav Thukral, Chris Aholt, Christopher Maurice Mei, Bill Chau, Nguyen Bach, Lev Cherkashin, Jaeyoun Kim
  • Publication number: 20200210138
    Abstract: A system and method include presentation of a plurality of virtual objects to a first user, reception, from the first user, of a command to associate a voice annotation with one of the plurality of virtual objects, reception of audio signals of a first voice annotation from the first user, and storage the received audio signals in association with metadata indicating the first user and the one of the plurality of virtual objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Duncan Og MACCONNELL, Ilya Yurievich ROSTOVTSEV, Stephen Earl FENTON, Bill CHAU, Kenneth Douglas SMITH, Kelly Jean GRAHAM, Ines KHELIFI, Thomas Charles BUTCHER
  • Patent number: 10564713
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for generating a continuous motion control using neurological data and for associating the continuous motion control with a continuous user interface control to enable analog control of the user interface control. The user interface control is modulated through a user's physical movements within a continuous range of motion associated with the continuous motion control. The continuous motion control enables fine-tuned and continuous control of the corresponding user interface control as opposed to control limited to a small number of discrete settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, Khuram Shahid, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida
  • Publication number: 20190212810
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for generating a continuous motion control using neurological data and for associating the continuous motion control with a continuous user interface control to enable analog control of the user interface control. The user interface control is modulated through a user's physical movements within a continuous range of motion associated with the continuous motion control. The continuous motion control enables fine-tuned and continuous control of the corresponding user interface control as opposed to control limited to a small number of discrete settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, Khuram Shahid, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida
  • Patent number: 10203751
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for generating a continuous motion control using neurological data and for associating the continuous motion control with a continuous user interface control to enable analog control of the user interface control. The user interface control is modulated through a user's physical movements within a continuous range of motion associated with the continuous motion control. The continuous motion control enables fine-tuned and continuous control of the corresponding user interface control as opposed to control limited to a small number of discrete settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, Khuram Shahid, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida
  • Publication number: 20180184002
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method of low-latency, low-power eye tracking. In some embodiments, the eye tracking method operates a first sensor having a first level of power consumption that tracks positions of an eye of a user. In response to detection that the eye does not change position for a time period, the method stops operation of the first sensor and instead operates a second sensor that detects a change of position of the eye. The second sensor has a level of power consumption lower than the level of power consumption of the first sensor. Once the eye position changes, the second sensor resumes operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Vaibhav Thukral, Chris Aholt, Christopher Maurice Mei, Bill Chau, Nguyen Bach, Lev Cherkashin, Jaeyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 9864431
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for changing the state of an application by detecting neurological user intent data associated with a particular operation of a particular application state, and changing the application state so as to enable execution of the particular operation as intended by the user. The application state is automatically changed to align with the intended operation, as determined by received neurological user intent data, so that the intended operation is performed. Some embodiments relate to a computer system creating or updating a state machine, through a training process, to change the state of an application according to detected neurological data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, David Kim, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida, Khuram Shahid
  • Publication number: 20170329392
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for generating a continuous motion control using neurological data and for associating the continuous motion control with a continuous user interface control to enable analog control of the user interface control. The user interface control is modulated through a user's physical movements within a continuous range of motion associated with the continuous motion control. The continuous motion control enables fine-tuned and continuous control of the corresponding user interface control as opposed to control limited to a small number of discrete settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, Khuram Shahid, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida
  • Publication number: 20170329404
    Abstract: Computer systems, methods, and storage media for changing the state of an application by detecting neurological user intent data associated with a particular operation of a particular application state, and changing the application state so as to enable execution of the particular operation as intended by the user. The application state is automatically changed to align with the intended operation, as determined by received neurological user intent data, so that the intended operation is performed. Some embodiments relate to a computer system creating or updating a state machine, through a training process, to change the state of an application according to detected neurological data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Cem Keskin, David Kim, Bill Chau, Jaeyoun Kim, Kazuhito Koishida, Khuram Shahid
  • Patent number: 7660781
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Chau
  • Patent number: 7542965
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Chau
  • Publication number: 20080208752
    Abstract: Content communication and purchases using a computer-based media component are described. A tuner component can individually interact with client components, where each communication of content may be varied or configured independent of interactions with other client components. Additionally, content can be purchased using the computer-based media component, where the purchase and/or presentation of the content may utilize the computer-based media component and/or coupled client components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel Gottlieb, Ken Reneris, Bill Chau
  • Patent number: 7376654
    Abstract: A computing systems data reporting system is comprised of a processing component and a reporting component. The processing component includes a configuration file and a system analysis and aggregation executable program module. The system analysis and aggregation executable module utilizes the input and output directory information from the configuration file to collect performance, usage and security data from sources such as those described above. The reporting component comprises an XML output memory component for storing aggregated data received from the executable module of the processing component. As XML data is passed to the reporting component, the XML data is transformed for publication via an Internet-based web page such that the data is viewable by interested users on a near real-time basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Chau, Fuyau Lin, Chi-Ming Lin
  • Publication number: 20050114330
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Chau
  • Publication number: 20050108225
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventor: Bill Chau
  • Patent number: 6865568
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Chau
  • Publication number: 20030018622
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for searching and navigating a document database is provided. Document categories are assigned unique numeric category identifiers. Each document in a database is assigned to one of the document categories. Metadata is associated with each electronic document that includes the numeric category identifier corresponding to the category assigned to the document. The database may be searched or browsed based on category by utilizing the metadata. URLs may also be embedded in a Web page that includes a list of document identifiers and an index. The list of document identifiers is a list containing the identities of an arbitrary number of search results. The index identifies one of the documents in the list of document identifiers to be retrieved. When such a URL is selected, a Web server computer utilizes the list of document identifiers and the index to identify the document to be returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Bill Chau