Patents by Inventor Brent Robert Mills

Brent Robert Mills 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: 11080314
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing dynamic and category specific search suggestions are provided. According to one embodiment, a partial search query entered by a user can be used to determine a set of relevant search queries, which can be displayed as search suggestions within a search query suggestion window. Each query in the list can be associated with at least one specific category. According to various embodiments, the set of relevant queries and associated categories are dynamically updated as the user modifies the partial search query. Furthermore, each category is selectable by the user such that a detailed list of items associated only with the selected category can be displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: A9.COM, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Amacker, Blair L. Hotchkies, Daniel R. Parshall, Brent Robert Mills, Anil A. Sewani, Daniel E. Rose, Alexandru I. Indrei, Jason P. Patrikios
  • Patent number: 10547909
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing interactive electronic commerce functionality via graphical overlays on live streaming video. An indication is received that an item is featured or discussed in a live video stream. The live video stream is sent to a client. Data encoding a selectable graphical overlay is sent to the client in response to the indication. The selectable graphical overlay is configured to be rendered by the client relative to the live video stream. A selection of the selectable graphical overlay is configured to perform an interactive function relative to the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Steven Kessel, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Patent number: 10491958
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a live video stream with an interactive shopping interface. A live video stream and item information are obtained from another computing device. The item information indicates one or more items being featured in the live video stream. A user interface is rendered upon a display. The user interface includes the live video stream and a timeline interface indicating the items being featured during various segments in the live video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Gary Alexander Campbell, David James Roy Erdmann, Paul Anthony Kotas, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Patent number: 10440436
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for synchronizing interactive content with a live video stream. Items featured or discussed during a segment of a live video stream are determined. A manifest is generated for the segment. The manifest includes locator information for obtaining the segment and item information indicating the items. The manifest is then sent to one or more clients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, David James Roy Erdmann, Alexandru Ion Indrei, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Dan Catalin Teodorescu
  • Patent number: 10217138
    Abstract: Aspects of server-side advertisement injection are described. In one embodiment, a computing device includes logic that receives a request for content from a client device. The logic identifies a targeted advertisement for a user of the client device based on information in the request. The logic further obtains a manifest file associated with the requested content, generates a second manifest file based on a combination of the first manifest file and the targeted advertisement, and transmits the second manifest file to the client device. Because the second manifest file includes references to clips of the content and the targeted advertisement, the client device can play back the content and advertisement without the necessary processing overhead required to manage client-side buffering and insertion of the advertisement within the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Brent Robert Mills, Dan Catalin Teodorescu
  • Publication number: 20180295424
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing interactive electronic commerce functionality via graphical overlays on live streaming video. An indication is received that an item is featured or discussed in a live video stream. The live video stream is sent to a client. Data encoding a selectable graphical overlay is sent to the client in response to the indication. The selectable graphical overlay is configured to be rendered by the client relative to the live video stream. A selection of the selectable graphical overlay is configured to perform an interactive function relative to the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Steven Kessel, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Patent number: 10021458
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing interactive electronic commerce functionality via graphical overlays on live streaming video. An indication is received that an item is featured or discussed in a live video stream. The live video stream is sent to a client. Data encoding a selectable graphical overlay is sent to the client in response to the indication. The selectable graphical overlay is configured to be rendered by the client relative to the live video stream. A selection of the selectable graphical overlay is configured to perform an interactive function relative to the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Steven Kessel, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Publication number: 20180152764
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a live video stream with an interactive shopping interface. A live video stream and item information are obtained from another computing device. The item information indicates one or more items being featured in the live video stream. A user interface is rendered upon a display. The user interface includes the live video stream and a timeline interface indicating the items being featured during various segments in the live video stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Gary Alexander Campbell, David James Roy Erdmann, Paul Anthony Kotas, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Patent number: 9973819
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a live video stream with an interactive shopping interface. A live video stream is obtained from a media server. Item information is obtained from the media server. The item information indicates one or more items being featured in the live video stream. A user interface is rendered upon a display. The user interface includes the live video stream and the item information indicating the items being featured in the live video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Gary Alexander Campbell, David James Roy Erdmann, Paul Anthony Kotas, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh
  • Publication number: 20180103298
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of broadcaster tools configured to manage and control interactive shopping interfaces presented in connection with a live video stream. A broadcaster user interface is generated that includes the live video stream. The broadcaster user interface can be modified to include statistics related to the users consuming the live video stream. The broadcaster user interface can also be modified to include components that when selection cause an action to be performed with respect to the live video stream and/or interactive shopping interfaces rendered on client devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Jon Darren Fleming, John Devlin Lynch, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh, Gary Alexander Campbell
  • Publication number: 20180060427
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for navigating a taxonomy using search queries. A search query is parsed in order to identify one or more item categories. A confidence score for each item categories is generated. When the confidence score meets a threshold, a pool of items associated with a respective category is selected. When the confidence score fails to meets the threshold, the pool of items is selected from the collection of items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Blair L. Hotchkies, Brent Robert Mills, Jennica Jane Pounds, Sikandar Saifullah, Alexandru I. Indrei, Jason P. Patrikios, Daniel R. Parshall, David Aaron Lichterman, Dan Catalin Teodorescu, Sean P. Forde
  • Patent number: 9883249
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of broadcaster tools configured to manage interactive shopping interfaces presented in connection with a live video stream. A sequence of items scheduled to be featured within a live video stream is obtained. A user interface that facilitates editing the sequence of items is rendered. An edit to the sequence of items is received via the user interface. Item information transmitted to clients consuming the live video stream is modified based at least in part on the edit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Jon Darren Fleming, John Devlin Lynch, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh, Gary Alexander Campbell
  • Patent number: 9842162
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for navigating a taxonomy using search queries. An unstructured search query is parsed in order to identify one or more categories of a taxonomy of a collection of items. Each one of the one or more categories is associated with a confidence score. When the confidence score meets a threshold, a pool of items is selected from a respective one of the one or more categories. When no confidence score meets the threshold, the pool of items is selected from the collection of items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Blair L. Hotchkies, Brent Robert Mills, Jennica Jane Pounds, Sikandar Saifullah, Alexandru I. Indrei, Jason P. Patrikios, Daniel R. Parshall, David Aaron Lichterman, Dan Catalin Teodorescu, Sean P. Forde
  • Publication number: 20160381427
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of broadcaster tools configured to manage interactive shopping interfaces presented in connection with a live video stream. A sequence of items scheduled to be featured within a live video stream is obtained. A user interface that facilitates editing the sequence of items is rendered. An edit to the sequence of items is received via the user interface. Item information transmitted to clients consuming the live video stream is modified based at least in part on the edit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Amber Autrey Taylor, Jon Darren Fleming, John Devlin Lynch, Daniel Thomas Mellott, Brent Robert Mills, Liza Marie Walsh, Gary Alexander Campbell
  • Publication number: 20160283580
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing dynamic and category specific search suggestions are provided. According to one embodiment, a partial search query entered by a user can be used to determine a set of relevant search queries, which can be displayed as search suggestions within a search query suggestion window. Each query in the list can be associated with at least one specific category. According to various embodiments, the set of relevant queries and associated categories are dynamically updated as the user modifies the partial search query. Furthermore, each category is selectable by the user such that a detailed list of items associated only with the selected category can be displayed to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew W. Amacker, Blair L. Hotchkies, Daniel R. Parshall, Brent Robert Mills, Anil A. Sewani, Daniel E. Rose, Alexandru I. Indrei, Jason P. Patrikios
  • Patent number: 9424357
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for predictive page loading. Text entered by a user into a search query form is captured. If an evaluation of the size of the captured text or identity of characters in the captured text in accordance with a confidence criteria indicates that the confidence criteria is met, a speculative search query is provided to a server. The speculative search query includes a selected suggested search term. A received plurality of speculative search results is rendered in a hidden portion of a browser window. In response to receiving a user instruction to execute a committed search query that includes the at least one selected suggested search term, at least a portion of the received plurality of speculative search results is rendered in a visible portion of the browser window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Blair L. Hotchkies, Michael L. Brundage, Pongsakorn Teeraparpwong, Jason P. Patrikios, Sarah E. Williams, Brent Robert Mills, Alexandru I. Indrei, Daniel R. Parshall, John M. Nilles, Sikandar Saifullah
  • Patent number: 9405841
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing dynamic and category specific search suggestions are provided. According to one embodiment, a partial search query entered by a user can be used to determine a set of relevant search queries, which can be displayed as search suggestions within a search query suggestion window. Each query in the list can be associated with at least one specific category. According to various embodiments, the set of relevant queries and associated categories are dynamically updated as the user modifies the partial search query. Furthermore, each category is selectable by the user such that a detailed list of items associated only with the selected category can be displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Amacker, Blair L. Hotchkies, Daniel R. Parshall, Brent Robert Mills, Anil A. Sewani, Daniel E. Rose, Alexandru I. Indrei, Jason P. Patrikios
  • Patent number: 9380332
    Abstract: A method is described for selecting and caching a video advertisement to be presented on a client device. The method may include determining customer interests for an individual customer, selecting a video advertisement based upon the customer's interests and providing the video advertisement to a client device so that the video advertisement may be cached on the client device and may be available to display to a customer when a customer selects video content to play on the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Robert Mills, Cyrus Khoshnevisan, Dan Catalin Teodorescu
  • Patent number: 9305090
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for predictive page loading. A number of speculative search queries are provided to a server. Each speculative search query includes one of a plurality of suggested keywords. The number of speculative search queries is based on the number of suggested keywords. Responses corresponding to the speculative search queries are obtained. Each response includes a corresponding plurality of speculative search results. A portion of speculative search results from more than one of the responses is rendered in a hidden portion of a browser window. The portion of the speculative search results is rendered in a visible portion of the browser window in response to receiving a user instruction to execute a committed search query that includes a suggested keyword in one of the speculative queries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Blair L. Hotchkies, Michael L. Brundage, Pongsakorn Teeraparpwong, Jason P. Patrikios, Sarah E. Williams, Brent Robert Mills, Alexandru I. Indrei, Daniel R. Parshall, John M. Nilles, Sikandar Saifullah
  • Patent number: 9299030
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for predictive network page loading. Content corresponding to a network request is obtained. A next network page associated with the obtained page content is predicted. If the prediction is confident relative to a predetermined confidence threshold, then a first network page is generated. The first network page includes the page content corresponding to the network request and a portion of content for the predicted network page. The generated first network page is provided to a client. A request for another network page is received. If the another network page in the request corresponds to the predicted next network page, a second network page is generated. The second network page includes the remainder of the content for the predicted page content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Blair L. Hotchkies, Michael L. Brundage, Pongsakorn Teeraparpwong, Jason P. Patrikios, Sarah E. Williams, Brent Robert Mills, Alexandru I. Indrei, Daniel R. Parshall, John M. Nilles, Sikandar Saifullah