Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Meek
Christopher A. Meek 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: 8533049Abstract: For a multi-party advertising exchange, including publishing entities and advertising entities from disparate advertising networks, which facilitates transactions for publishing inventory, a value add broker is provided to aggregate information from third parties having valuable information for input to the exchange or to perform services that are valuable to transactions in the exchange. The valuable information or services further facilitate the transactions for the publishing inventory automatically generating a benefit for the third parties providing the valuable information or services commensurate with the value added to the transactions.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2007Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Gary W. Flake, Brett D. Brewer, Christopher A. Meek, David Max Chickering, Jody D. Biggs, Ewa Dominowska, Brian Burdick
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Patent number: 8527339Abstract: A “Quality-Based Ad Pricer” prices ads as a function of how users respond to a particular page and/or domain to which they are sent by an online advertisement. User experience is improved by ensuring that advertisements that are more relevant to a user are priced less than an ads which are less relevant to the user. In particular, a quality factor for each ad is determined as a property of the advertiser's site based on measured user behaviors with respect to that site. This quality factor is then used in ranking, selecting, and pricing ads in an automated online auction. Further, while ad aggregators are not excluded from the ad market by the pricing rules of the Quality-Based Ad Pricer, these rules ensure that there is a “level playing field” such that ads of merchants are not excluded by the ads of ad aggregators.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Asela J. Gunawardana, Jody D. Biggs, Jesper B. Lind, Christopher A. Meek
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Publication number: 20130180789Abstract: A front end structure for a vehicle includes a facia member defining a forward end of an engine compartment of the vehicle and a radiator disposed in the engine compartment rearwardly spaced from the facia member. A duct member is interposed between the facia member and the radiator. The duct member at least partially blocks the radiator and defines a duct passage extending from an underside opening of the vehicle to the radiator. At least one duct opening is defined in the duct member for supplementing air flow to the radiator from the underside opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Michael W. Maurer, Christopher Meeks, Jason A. Widmer, Sukwon Kim, Karl Forster, Jeremy Paul Lucas, Ryan L. Kabbes, Kyle Stephen Mihok
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Patent number: 8479852Abstract: A vehicle transmission fluid cooler system includes a transmission fluid cooler and an airflow ducting assembly engaged therewith. The airflow ducting assembly is provided to increase the amount of airflow directed toward the transmission fluid cooler so as to improve the cooling performance thereof, and includes a dam member, a duct member, and air guides. The duct member forms a passage communicating an airflow inlet opening with an airflow outlet opening. The dam member operates to scoop and direct airflow into the airflow inlet opening, and the air guides cooperate with the dam member to increase the amount of airflow scooped by the dam member which is directed into the airflow inlet opening. The airflow outlet opening is positioned to direct the airflow which has passed through the duct member to the transmission fluid cooler.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Michael W. Maurer, Christopher Meeks, Jason A. Widmer, Karl Forster, Sukwon Kim, Andy Praseteo
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Patent number: 8480495Abstract: Useful information is acquired from a community of individuals by way of a game that rewards participants with social information about other participants. Points can be awarded to participants simply for participation and/or as a function of game performance. Such points can subsequently be exchanged to reveal information about game partners or other community members. Among other things, such a reward system can motivate individuals to perform tasks that might not otherwise be compelling and/or enjoyable.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David M. Chickering, Christopher A. Meek, Bryan N. Culbertson
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Patent number: 8478535Abstract: The subject invention provides systems and methods that facilitate AIDS vaccine cocktail assembly via machine learning algorithms such as a cost function, a greedy algorithm, an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, etc. Such assembly can be utilized to generate vaccine cocktails for species of pathogens that evolve quickly under immune pressure of the host. For example, the systems and methods of the subject invention can be utilized to facilitate design of T cell vaccines for pathogens such HIV. In addition, the systems and methods of the subject invention can be utilized in connection with other applications, such as, for example, sequence alignment, motif discovery, classification, and recombination hot spot detection. The novel techniques described herein can provide for improvements over traditional approaches to designing vaccines by constructing vaccine cocktails with higher epitope coverage, for example, in comparison with cocktails of consensi, tree nodes and random strains from data.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2005Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Nebojsa Jojic, Vladimir Jojic, David E. Heckerman, Brendan John Frey, Christopher A. Meek
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Patent number: 8458349Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to anonymous network interaction. More specifically, mechanisms are provided to ensure anonymity with respect network interaction such that third parties are unable to determine the source and/or intent of communications. Accordingly, entities may anonymize all outgoing and/or incoming data packets so as to mitigate outside entities from learning about information being sought and/or provided. For example, a user or corporation may employ an anonymizer with respect to web searching so that outside entities are not able to determine what information is attempted to be accessed and by whom.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bradly A. Brunell, Susan T. Dumais, Joshua T. Goodman, Eric J. Horvitz, Gary Flake, Anoop Gupta, Christopher A. Meek, Ramez Naam, Kyle Peltonen
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Patent number: 8438288Abstract: A system is described for allowing a user, operating a trusted device, to remotely log into a server via a potentially untrustworthy client. The system operates by establishing a first secure connection between the client and the server. The system then establishes a second secure connection between the device and the server through the client. The user then remotely logs into the server over the second secure connection using the device. The second secure connection is tunneled within the first secure connection, preventing the untrustworthy client from discovering personal information associated with the user. According to one feature, prior to forming the second secure connection, the user can establish a pairing relationship with the client by reading an address of the client using any kind of reading mechanism. According to another feature, the device can receive marketing information in the course of a transaction.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2010Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Carlos Garcia Jurado Suarez, Curtis N. von Veh, Darko Kirovski, Christopher A. Meek
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Publication number: 20130006915Abstract: A method of generating a decision graph from event stream data, wherein the event stream data includes a plurality of events, and each event includes an associated time stamp, includes generating decision nodes for the graph, wherein the decision nodes each comprise a question having a temporal element. The method includes generating leaf nodes for the graph, wherein the leaf nodes each comprise a rate parameter, and iteratively splitting and merging nodes in the graph in order to maximize a measure of purity of outcomes in resulting nodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Asela Jeevaka Ranaweera Gunawardana, Christopher A. Meek, Puyang Xu
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Publication number: 20120330978Abstract: Two methods for measuring keyword-document relevance are described. The methods receive a keyword and a document as input and output a probability value for the keyword. The first method is a similarity-based approach which uses techniques for measuring similarity between two short-text segments to measure relevance between the keyword and the document. The second method is a regression-based approach based on an assumption that if an out-of-document phrase (the keyword) is semantically similar to an in-document phrase, then relevance scores of the in and out-of document phrases should be close to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wen-tau Yih, Christopher A. Meek
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Publication number: 20120323537Abstract: In one embodiment, an event impact signature detector may analyze a time series with external events. A data interface 250 may receive a data set 310 representing the time series with external events. A processor 220 may fit the data set 310 into a baseline time series model 330. The processor 220 may iteratively determine each event location 352 for multiple external events 350 affecting the baseline time series model 330. The processor 220 may iteratively solve for each event impact 354 of the multiple external events 350 factoring in interactions between the multiple external events 350.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Alex Bocharov, Christopher A. Meek, Bo Thiesson
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Publication number: 20120323968Abstract: A model for mapping the raw text representation of a text object to a vector space is disclosed. A function is defined for computing a similarity score given two output vectors. A loss function is defined for computing an error based on the similarity scores and the labels of pairs of vectors. The parameters of the model are tuned to minimize the loss function. The label of two vectors indicates a degree of similarity of the objects. The label may be a binary number or a real-valued number. The function for computing similarity scores may be a cosine, Jaccard, or differentiable function. The loss function may compare pairs of vectors to their labels. Each element of the output vector is a linear or non-linear function of the terms of an input vector. The text objects may be different types of documents and two different models may be trained concurrently.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wen-tau Yih, Kristina N. Toutanova, Christopher A. Meek, John C. Platt
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Patent number: 8326859Abstract: This patent application pertains to computing scenarios that allow users to more readily accomplish desired tasks. One implementation includes at least one dictionary of potential auto-suggestions that can be generated in relation to user-input. The implementation also includes a text framework configured to weight at least some of the potential auto-suggestions based upon one or more parameters. This implementation further includes a task engine configured to associate tasks with at least some of the potential auto-suggestions.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Timothy S. Paek, Christopher A. Meek
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Patent number: 8290946Abstract: Two methods for measuring keyword-document relevance are described. The methods receive a keyword and a document as input and output a probability value for the keyword. The first method is a similarity-based approach which uses techniques for measuring similarity between two short-text segments to measure relevance between the keyword and the document. The second method is a regression-based approach based on an assumption that if an out-of-document phrase (the keyword) is semantically similar to an in-document phrase, then relevance scores of the in and out-of document phrases should be close to each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Wen-tau Yih, Christopher A. Meek
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Publication number: 20120199316Abstract: A vehicle transmission fluid cooler system includes a transmission fluid cooler and an airflow ducting assembly engaged therewith. The airflow ducting assembly is provided to increase the amount of airflow directed toward the transmission fluid cooler so as to improve the cooling performance thereof, and includes a dam member, a duct member, and air guides. The duct member forms a passage communicating an airflow inlet opening with an airflow outlet opening. The dam member operates to scoop and direct airflow into the airflow inlet opening, and the air guides cooperate with the dam member to increase the amount of airflow scooped by the dam member which is directed into the airflow inlet opening. The airflow outlet opening is positioned to direct the airflow which has passed through the duct member to the transmission fluid cooler.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2011Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Michael W. Maurer, Christopher Meeks, Jason A. Widmer, Karl Forster, Sukwon Kim, Andy Praseteo
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Patent number: 8239460Abstract: Providing for automated generation of tags (e.g., metadata descriptors) for items of e-mail or syndication formatted communication is described herein. By way of example, a system can include a filtering component that can generate one or more tags based on information relevant to content of the communication, a sender, or recipient, or combinations thereof. In addition, such tags can be automatically attached to a received item, or a presentation component can furnish the tags to a recipient (e.g., by way of a communication device user interface) for selection, whereby selected tags are associated with the item of communication. Accordingly, the subject innovation provides for improved classification and description of items of communication by automatic generation of descriptive and/or representative tags associated therewith.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Christopher A. Meek, Ojiakonobi Amala Udezue
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Patent number: 8214890Abstract: A user working on a client computer is allowed to remotely login to a server over a computer network. A first secure connection is established between the client and the server. Communications with a trusted device which is in the user's control is established via a communication channel between the trusted device and the client, where this channel is not part of the network. A second secure connection is established between the trusted device and the server through the client, where this second secure connection is tunneled within the first secure connection. The user remotely logs into the server over the second secure connection using the trusted device.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Darko Kirovski, Christopher A. Meek
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Patent number: 8200681Abstract: A media recommendation and sharing technique that employs agents on media players/devices to expand the scope of media sharing scenarios. The technique assists a user in discovering media items, such as, for example, music, recordings, play lists, pictures, video games, on nearby media players or devices (devices which are capable of receiving, storing and playing media) which are interesting to the user. The collaborative media recommendation and sharing technique contemporaneously determines a user's media preferences based on media stored on a pair of media devices and recommends media for potential sharing based on these determined user preferences.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2007Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Microsoft Corp.Inventors: Rajesh Hedge, Zicheng Liu, Li-wei He, Philip Chou, Christopher Meek
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Patent number: 8090738Abstract: A multi-modal search system (and corresponding methodology) that employs wildcards is provided. Wildcards can be employed in the search query either initiated by the user or inferred by the system. These wildcards can represent uncertainty conveyed by a user in a multi-modal search query input. In examples, the words “something” or “whatchamacallit” can be used to convey uncertainty and partial knowledge about portions of the query and to dynamically trigger wildcard generation.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2008Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Timothy Seung Yoon Paek, Bo Thiesson, Yun-Cheng Ju, Bongshin Lee, Christopher A. Meek
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Publication number: 20110320822Abstract: A human interactive puzzle (HIP) authorization architecture where keyed and animated puzzles are executed by HIP players which are distinct and obfuscated to the point where breaking a single player is a relatively costly operation. A key is created in response to a request for a service, a HIP player is created based on the key, and a small installation executable is created that expands during installation to produce a computationally expensive data structure on the client relative to verification of the solution at the server. Thus, copying of the player or relay of the puzzle to a third system requires more time than allowed to receive the solution at the server.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Jesper B. Lind, Darko Kirovski, Christopher A. Meek