Patents by Inventor Brian D. Heikes
Brian D. Heikes 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).
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Patent number: 9940401Abstract: Sharing content includes classifying content perceived by a sharing user, determining a set of recipient candidates likely to be interested in the content based upon the classification of the content and prior sharing activity of the recipients with respect to content of the same or similar classification, and presenting to the sharing user one or more members of the set of recipient candidates for sharing the content being perceived by the sharing user.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2003Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Oath Inc.Inventors: David Gang, Brian D. Heikes, John Thomas Love, Janet Hall
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Patent number: 9667572Abstract: A computer program or method provides away messages from a first user to other users of a communications system, where the first user has grouped the other users into two or more groups. An interface is provided to the first user that displays representations of the other users in a manner that identifies how the first user has grouped the other users into the groups. The first user is able to select a selected group from the groups using the interface. The first user also is able to set a group away message for the selected group using the interface. The group away message is sent to a second user that has been grouped in the selected group when the second user attempts to communicate with the first user using the communications system and the first user is offline.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: AOL Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, James A. Odell, Andrew L. Wick, Deborah R. Yurow
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Publication number: 20160294742Abstract: The same user is able to project different personalities while visiting different chat rooms. The personalities are tailored to the chat room being visited. Different personalization items (e.g., an icon or avatar, wallpaper, sounds, a smiley set, and text style) are provided based upon the chat room that the user is visiting. The personalization items may be customized based upon the identity of the chat room (such as a particular chat room, the type of chat room, or the content of the chat room). The personalization items may be host based and may leverage instant messaging (“IM”) personalization items. The personalization items may be user selected or user provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Andrew Weaver, Kristine Amber Krantz, Eric Jeffrey Wolf, Julie McCool, Julie Mills, Brian D. Heikes
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Publication number: 20140214989Abstract: Perception of a personalization item in an instant messaging communications session may be enabled by perceiving an identifier corresponding to an intended instant message recipient designated by an instant message sender system, accessing personalization items corresponding to the perceived identifier, and making perceivable the personalization items corresponding to the received identifier to the instant messaging sender system for rendering in an instant messaging application running on the instant messaging sender system, where the personalization items are made perceivable prior to communication with the intended instant message recipient.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian D. Heikes, James A. Odell, Justin Uberti, Andrew L. Wick, Xiaoyan Yin, Xiaopeng Zhang
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Patent number: 8775539Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2012Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Patent number: 8713120Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2012Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Patent number: 8577972Abstract: Managing instant messages may include receiving instant messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to an intended recipient. From among the received instant messages, qualifying instant messages may be identified that satisfy a capture rule, and two or more of the qualifying instant messages may be captured. The intended recipient may be informed of the captured instant messages unobtrusively, and also may be enabled to manage the captured instant messages.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Kristine Amber Krantz, Kelly Monroe Matthews, Russell Scott Medeiros, Venkatesh Ramanathan, Richard W. Robinson, Perry E. Roman, Edward L. Sears, Andrew L. Wick, Deborah R. Yurow
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Patent number: 8554849Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Facebook, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Publication number: 20130254316Abstract: A computer program or method provides away messages from a first user to other users of a communications system, where the first user has grouped the other users into two or more groups. An interface is provided to the first user that displays representations of the other users in a manner that identifies how the first user has grouped the other users into the groups. The first user is able to select a selected group from the groups using the interface. The first user also is able to set a group away message for the selected group using the interface. The group away message is sent to a second user that has been grouped in the selected group when the second user attempts to communicate with the first user using the communications system and the first user is offline.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: AOL Inc.Inventors: Brian D. HEIKES, James A. ODELL, Andrew L. WICK, Deborah R. YUROW
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Patent number: 8452839Abstract: A computer program or method provides away messages from a first user to other users of a communications system, where the first user has grouped the other users into two or more groups. An interface is provided to the first user that displays representations of the other users in a manner that identifies how the first user has grouped the other users into the groups. The first user is able to select a selected group from the groups using the interface. The first user also is able to set a group away message for the selected group using the interface. The group away message is sent to a second user that has been grouped in the selected group when the second user attempts to communicate with the first user using the communications system and the first user is offline.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2004Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: AOL Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, James A. Odell, Andrew L. Wick, Deborah R. Yurow
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Publication number: 20130080927Abstract: The same user is able to project different personalities while visiting different chat rooms. The personalities are tailored to the chat room being visited. Different personalization items (e.g., an icon or avatar, wallpaper, sounds, a smiley set, and text style) are provided based upon the chat room that the user is visiting. The personalization items may be customized based upon the identity of the chat room (such as a particular chat room, the type of chat room, or the content of the chat room). The personalization items may be host based and may leverage instant messaging (“IM”) personalization items. The personalization items may be user selected or user provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2010Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicant: AOL INC.Inventors: Andrew Weaver, Kristine Amber Krantz, Eric Jeffrey Wolf, Julie McCool, Julie Mills, Brian D. Heikes
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Publication number: 20130067499Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Publication number: 20130067498Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Publication number: 20100219937Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicant: AOL, Inc.Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Patent number: 7769811Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2003Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: AOL LLCInventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman
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Patent number: 7685237Abstract: The same user is able to project different personalities while visiting different chat rooms. The personalities are tailored to the chat room being visited. Different personalization items (e.g., an icon or avatar, wallpaper, sounds, a smiley set, and text style) are provided based upon the chat room that the user is visiting. The personalization items may be customized based upon the identity of the chat room (such as a particular chat room, the type of chat room, or the content of the chat room). The personalization items may be host based and may leverage instant messaging (“IM”) personalization items. The personalization items may be user selected or user provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: AOL Inc.Inventors: Andrew Weaver, Kristine Amber Krantz, Eric Jeffrey Wolf, Julie McCool, Julie Mills, Brian D. Heikes
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Publication number: 20090144626Abstract: An online identity may selectively control perceptibility of incoming sounds associated with electronic messages between online identities (FIG. 4, 400). A first online identity is provided with two or more sound control options to selectively control rendering of one or more sounds associated with electronic messaging to the first online identity from a second online identity, and two or more control sound options to selectively control rendering of one or more sounds associated with electronic messaging to the first online identity from a third online identity (405). The selected sound control options associated with electronic messaging from at least one of the online identities are stored (410) and one or more sounds from at least one of the second online identity or the third online identity are received (415). The perceptibility of sound to the first online identity is selectively controlled in accordance with a selected sound control option from the first online identity (420).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2006Publication date: June 4, 2009Inventors: Barry Appelman, Brian D. Heikes, W. Karl Renner
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Publication number: 20080027909Abstract: Sharing content includes classifying content perceived by a sharing user, determining a set of recipient candidates likely to be interested in the content based upon the classification of the content and prior sharing activity of the recipients with respect to content of the same or similar classification, and presenting to the sharing user one or more members of the set of recipient candidates for sharing the content being perceived by the sharing user.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2003Publication date: January 31, 2008Inventors: David Gang, Brian D. Heikes, John Thomas Love, Janet Hall
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Publication number: 20040223606Abstract: Perception of video clip is enabled in an instant messaging communications session by storing on a host system one or more video clips, receiving the request at the host system for a selected video clip to be delivered to an instant messaging participant system, accessing the selected video clip stored at the host system, and communicating the selected video clip from the host system to the instant messaging participant system for rendering in an instant messaging application running on the instant messaging participant system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2003Publication date: November 11, 2004Inventors: Noel Enete, Brian D. Heikes
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Publication number: 20040205775Abstract: Controlling the volume of an audible alert associated with an instant messaging communications session includes rendering, on a first instant messaging user system, an instant messaging application user interface for an instant messaging communications session involving at least a first instant messaging user and a second instant messaging user, receiving notification of an event related to the instant messaging communications session, determining a characteristic of the event, accessing an audible alert to be rendered to signal existence of the event, adjusting based upon the determined characteristic of the event a volume of the audible alert corresponding to the event, and rendering the audible alert to signal existence of the event.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2003Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Brian D. Heikes, Xiaoyan Yin, Deborah R. Yurow, Kelly Matthews, Barry Appelman