Patents by Inventor Brian D. Wentz

Brian D. Wentz 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: 6667736
    Abstract: Communicating local information, such as a user interface language, between a host application and a software component. In response to a user's request, the host application invokes the software component to perform a task addressing the user's request, such as generating user interface message. In order to determine the appropriate language for the user interface message, the software component queries the host application to identify the user and to return the user interface language requirements for the user. In the case where the host application is an end-user application, the host returns the current user interface language as the user interface language requirement. When the host application is a server application using a multi-threaded environment, the host application returns the user interface language of the currently running thread at the time of the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anil Bhansali, Brian D. Wentz
  • Publication number: 20030225834
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing a shared dynamic content experience are disclosed. A method for sharing a dynamic content experience according to the invention includes an inviter computer communicating, via a first communication path between an invitee computer and a network based communication server, an invitation to establish a shared dynamic content experience between the inviter computer and the invitee computer. If the invitation is accepted, a content sharing communication path is established between and inviter computer and the invitee computer. Information relating to a current dynamic content experience at the inviter computer is communicated, via the content sharing communication path, to the invitee computer. Information relating to a current dynamic content experience at the invitee computer is communicated, via the content sharing communication path, to the inviter computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver Lee, Quji Guo, Joel K. Grossman, Brian D. Wentz, Jordan L. K. Schwartz, Christopher J. Araman, Randall Knight Winjum, Shelly Farnham, Lili Cheng
  • Publication number: 20030225836
    Abstract: Systems and methods for establishing and maintaining a shared browsing experience are disclosed. A method for establishing a shared browsing experience includes an inviter computer communicating to an invitee computer, via an online messenger communication path, an invitation to establish a co-browsing experience. The invitee computer communicates to the inviter computer, via the first communication path, an acceptance of the invitation. A co-browsing communication path is then established between the inviter computer and the invitee computer. Information relating to the shared browsing experience is then communicated between the inviter and invitee computers via the co-browsing communication path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Oliver Lee, Christopher J. Araman, Quji Guo, Cees Van Dok, Joel K. Grossman, Brian D. Wentz, Jordan L. K. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 6553429
    Abstract: A conditional thunk utility employing an assembler-level direct-branch thunk technique. In a condition-check alternative, the conditional thunk utility performs a condition check followed by a direct-branch jump. The condition-check methodology is implemented using an assembler-level direct-branch technique, and the conditional thunk utility does not utilize the stack to queue the arguments of a function call. Thus, the stack is not altered from its desired condition just prior to executing the API function call. The condition-check alternative checks the thunk condition for each function call and, for this reason, may be used when the thunk condition can vary relatively frequently while the host computer system is running. In a jump-table alternative, the conditional thunk utility performs an assembler-level jump table check followed by a direct jump to a target address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Wentz, James Edward Walsh
  • Patent number: 6122649
    Abstract: A computer system for creating a user-defined property for a document and for linking properties to content of the document. When the document is open, a first application receives from a user a name, a type, and a value of property to be created, creates a property within the properties area of the document by storing the name and type of the property within the properties area, and stores the value within the properties area. When the document is closed, a second application retrieves the name, type, and value of the created property from the properties area, and displays the name and the value of the created property. To link the property to the content, the first application receives from a user an indication that the property is to be linked to a field within the content of the document, retrieves the value of the field from within the content of the document, and stores the retrieved value and type as the value of the property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Heikki J. Kanerva, Martin Thorsen, Brian D. Wentz