Patents by Inventor Brian S. Christian

Brian S. Christian 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: 8180767
    Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Aston Motes
  • Publication number: 20100114881
    Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: BRIAN S. CHRISTIAN, ASTON MOTES
  • Patent number: 7664760
    Abstract: A tagged content inference system and method is provided. The system facilitates browsing of content with a pseudo-hierarchical feel using algorithmically-deduced relationships between items based on user applied tags. Based, at least in part, upon tagged content, an inference component can infer relationships between items (e.g., creating a pseudo-hierarchy) in order to facilitate browsing of the items. The system can further include a relationship display component that can provide a visual representation of tagged items based on relationship(s) inferred by the inference component. The visual representation can further be based, at least in part, upon user input (e.g., threshold quantity of tags to be displayed, threshold strength of relationship, color setting(s), etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Aston Motes
  • Patent number: 7536391
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for URL virtualization. The system and method for URL virtualization provide a contextually relevant URL to a requesting agent. The system may include a browser parameter determination mechanism for matching incoming request header parameters with stored information indicative of a content version and a URL lookup mechanism for locating a contextual URL mapping to a non-contextual URL that leads to the requested content version. The system may additionally include navigation controls for navigating to the requested content version using the non-contextual URL and display controls for displaying the contextual URL to the requesting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Todd Krabach
  • Patent number: 7444590
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative localization of web services. A “localize” attribute is described that uniquely identifies localized content for the final rendered element. The “localize” attribute is stripped out during the rendering process, so it never reaches the client or agent, making the “localize” attribute HTML-compliant. A separate satellite assembly is maintained for each culture. When a request is received, a culture is identified and the “localize” attribute directs processing to utilize content maintained in the satellite assembly associated with the identified culture. Processing then continues normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Earnes
  • Patent number: 7409422
    Abstract: Declarative page view and click tracking systems and methods are described. To utilize page view and/or click tracking, a web page developer includes a link identifier in a function call or build anchor tag call of a web page. A tracking server identifies links that include the link identifier and replaces the links with modified links that include a tracking identifier for use with a tracking system. When a modified link is selected, tracking is initiated for the link. If the tracking cannot be initiated within a specified timeout period, a client is redirected to the site identified in the link without waiting for the tracking to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Devatta Waghdhare
  • Patent number: 7367508
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for incorporating a client-side tracking system in conjunction with a tracking server to track URL usage. The method includes implementing the client-side tracking system for preserving a target URL upon tracking. The method additionally includes providing a failsafe mechanism for directing a client to the target URL from the client-side tracking system upon detection of tracking server failure by the client-side tracking system. The client-side tracking system includes an event detection mechanism for detecting occurrence of one of a tracking server URL logging event and a tracking server timeout event. The client-side tracking system additionally incorporates tracking information including a stored target hyperlink reference accessible to the client-side tracking system for directing the client to the selected URL upon detection of an event by the event detection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Brian S. Christian
  • Patent number: 7089307
    Abstract: Controlled devices according to a device control model maintain a state table representative of their operational state. Devices providing a user control point interface for the controlled device obtain the state table of the controlled device, and may also obtain presentation data defining a remoted user interface of the controlled device and device control protocol data defining commands and data messaging protocol to effect control of the controlled device. These user control devices also subscribe to notifications of state table changes, which are distributed from the controlled device according to an eventing model. Accordingly, upon any change to the controlled device's operational state, the eventing model synchronizes the device's state as represented in the state table across all user control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: William Michael Zintel, Brian S. Christian, Bradford A. Christian
  • Patent number: 6973616
    Abstract: A computing system capable of associating annotations with millions of content sources is described. An annotation is any content associated with a document space. The document space is any document identified by a document identifier. The document space provides the context for the annotation. An annotation is represented as an object having a plurality of properties. The annotation is associated with a content source using a document identifier property. The document identifier property identifies the content source with which the annotation is associated. A scalable computing system for managing annotations responds to requests for presenting annotations to millions of documents a day. The computing system consists of multiple tiers of servers. A tier I server indicates whether there are annotations associated with a content source. A tier II server provides an index to the body of the annotations. A tier III server provides the body of the annotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott C. Cottrille, Yoram Yaacovi, Brian S. Christian, Bruce A. MacNaughton
  • Publication number: 20040267867
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative localization of web services. A “localize” attribute is described that uniquely identifies localized content for the final rendered element. The “localize” attribute is stripped out during the rendering process, so it never reaches the client or agent, making the “localize” attribute HTML-compliant. A separate satellite assembly is maintained for each culture. When a request is received, a culture is identified and the “localize” attribute directs processing to utilize content maintained in the satellite assembly associated with the identified culture. Processing then continues normally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Eames
  • Publication number: 20040268139
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for declarative client input security screening. A configuration module in a web-based application (or project) that includes one or more web pages is designed to allow client input to be screened for the web pages by declaring particular screening attributes and actions therein. A global section in such a configuration module includes security screens that apply to input of all types, while other individual sections include security screens that apply only to input of particular type. The global section provides a way to consolidate screening that applies to all client input types, thereby precluding redundant screens having to be maintained in each individual section. Client input that survives the security screening is cached and used in normal page processing. By including the security screens in a declarative section, maintenance is made more efficient and reliable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian S. Christian, Russell M. Eames, Thomas Fakes, Bhavesh R. Thaker
  • Patent number: 6725281
    Abstract: Controlled devices according to a device control model maintain a state table representative of their operational state. Devices providing a user control point interface for the controlled device obtain the state table of the controlled device, and may also obtain presentation data defining a remoted user interface of the controlled device and device control protocol data defining commands and data messaging protocol to effect control of the controlled device. These user control devices also subscribe to notifications of state table changes, which are distributed from the controlled device according to an eventing model. Accordingly, upon any change to the controlled device's operational state, the eventing model synchronizes the device's state as represented in the state table across all user control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: William Michael Zintel, Brian S. Christian, Bradford A. Christian
  • Patent number: 6006332
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling access to digitized data. An unsecure client is provided with a launch pad program which is capable of communicating with a secure Rights Management (RM) server. The launch pad program provides an indicator to a public browser, used by the unsecured client, which acknowledges when a rights management controlled object is detected. Once a rights management object is detected, operational control is transferred from the public browser to the launch pad. The launch pad will communicate with the secured RM server and request the digitized data corresponding to the controlled object. In response thereto, the RM server identifies the type of data being requested, i.e. text, audio, video, etc. and transmits this information to the launch pad. The launch pad then searches whether a secure RM browser appropriate to handle this data is resident on the client. When it is determined that no RM browser is resident, the launch pad requests an appropriate browser from the RM server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Michael W. Rabne, James A. Barker, Tareq M.T. Alrashid, Brian S. Christian, Steven C. Cox, Elizabeth A. Slotta, Luella R. Upthegrove