Patents by Inventor Donald Thompson
Donald Thompson 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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Publication number: 20100312743Abstract: A goal of computer development is to understand the user and the data with which the user is engaged. If a better understanding of the user and their data can be accomplished, then additional information and features may be provided based upon the user's intent and interests. Accordingly, as provided herein, Kinds may be created as digital representations of everyday things. Kind classifications may be created to characterize the Kinds. The Kind classifications may be updated based upon user interaction to further characterize Kinds with which the user has interacted. For example, when a user writes an email about using orange peels as an air freshener, an orange Kind classification may be updated to reflect that an orange may be used as an air freshener. Kind feature vectors and user feature vectors may be created to represent the probabilities that the Kind or user relates to particular characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Donald Thompson, Alexander S. Stojanovic
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Publication number: 20100312726Abstract: One goal of computer services (e.g., email, web pages, blogs, advertisements, etc.) is to provide a user with Kinds (digital representations of everyday things) that may be relevant and interesting to the user. Users and Kinds may be plotted within a multidimensional matrix as feature vectors based upon their respective characteristics. An unsupervised clustering technique may be executed upon the matrix to create a mathematical cluster of feature vectors having similar characteristics. For example, a clothing cluster may comprise a dress Kind, a shoe Kind, a wool Kind, a watch Kind, etc. because the unsupervised clustering technique may determine these Kinds are plotted within the matrix in such a way that they have similar characteristics relating to clothing. The unsupervised clustering technique may also be utilized in determining which Kinds may be relevant to a user given a particular context with which a user is engaged with a computer resource.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Donald Thompson, Alexander S. Stojanovic
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Patent number: 7792121Abstract: Serialized data from broadcast services is provided to a broadcast server for transmitting to one or more client devices. The serialized data may correspond to shared data, private data, or control data. Data is scheduled for transmission based on weighted priorities including quality of service metrics. The transmission frame is arranged according to a frame protocol that includes provisions for a table of contents indexing system for the shared data. Packets of shared data are formatted based on criteria that is known by the particular broadcast service and corresponding application that is resident on the client device. The client device receives the table of contents at the transport layer, and notifies applications of data that will be available in the next frame. Applications submit prioritized requests to the transport layer, requesting data in the next frame. Data is retrieved by the transport layer, and deserialized by handlers for each application.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2003Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: R. Donald Thompson, III, Davide Massarenti, Cosmin A. Corbea, Gerald F. Cermak, Gideon A. Yuval
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Patent number: 7762286Abstract: A terry fabric includes a plurality of longitudinally-oriented ground warp yarns, a plurality of pile warp yarns in parallel with the ground warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns oriented substantially laterally to the ground warp yarns. Each weave sequence of the terry fabric includes first and second placements of weft yarns in a first shed of the ground warp yarns, third and fourth placement of weft yarns in a second shed of the ground warp yarns and a fifth placement of weft yarn in a third shed of the ground warp yarns and the pile warp yarns such that the pile warp yarns form a pile loop over the first, second, third and fourth placements of weft yarns.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2009Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.Inventors: Bradley T. Speaks, Donald A. Thompson, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100169318Abstract: A user's experience with internet content may be given semantic meaning based upon extracting features of the content and creating kind classifications from the features. Kind classifications may be used to enrich a user's experience with internet content by providing meaningful navigation and discovery of information. As provided herein, a data stream (e.g., HTML, audio, video, unstructured data, etc.) is received, and features (e.g., text, phrases, titles, paragraphs, image data, etc.) may be extracted from the data stream. Kind classifications may be created based upon the extracted features. For example, a shirt image kind classification may be created based upon a button image feature, a collar image feature, and a sleeve image feature. The user's experience may be enriched by a presentation of actions allowing the user to view similar shirts, purchase the shirt, and/or discover other information relating to the shirt, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2008Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Donald Thompson, Alexander Sasha Stojanovic, Alexander Kolmykov-Zotov
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Patent number: 7746885Abstract: Described is a communication system including wireless client devices. In the described system, the client devices may be wrist-worn watches such as are in common use today, except that the watches are specially configured to receive transmissions from broadcast towers. A client device is associated with one or more home service regions, and is configured to receive personal messages on a home channel when in the home service region. The client device employs a self-assignment method to identify and select a home channel without the need for interaction by a user. A tower discovery method is employed to identify broadcast towers and available channels within a service region. A failover method is employed to identify a change in the broadcast system, and take appropriate action such as, for example, changing to another broadcast tower, selecting another frequency, selecting a sleep mode, as well as others.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2006Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: R. Donald Thompson, III, Cosmin A. Corbea
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Patent number: 7706728Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Palghat S. Ramesh, John F. Knapp, Paul John McConville, Daniel M. Bray, Robert Pictor, Todd Kenneth Preston, Lawrence Floyd, Jr., James Edward Williams, Michael Donald Thompson
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Publication number: 20100053840Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are systems and methods to impart an electrostatic charge to particles. An exemplary method can include providing a plurality of particles to be charged and providing a plurality of nanostructures disposed over a first electrode array, the first electrode array including a plurality of electrodes spaced apart. The method can also include providing a multi-phase voltage source operatively coupled to the first electrode array and applying a multi-phase voltage to the first electrode array to create a traveling electric field between each electrode of the first electrode array, thereby causing electron emission from the plurality of nanostructures and forming a plurality of charged particles. The method can further include transporting each of the plurality of charged particles using the traveling electric field onto a surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2008Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventor: Michael Donald Thompson
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Publication number: 20100053289Abstract: A method and system of embossing ink including applying the ink to a print substrate, applying an embossing substrate to the ink wherein the embossing substrate imprints a predetermined pattern into the ink, and curing, via a radiation source, the ink such that an imprint of the predetermined pattern is embossed in the ink.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2008Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: Xerox CorporationInventor: Michael Donald Thompson
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Patent number: 7660551Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable first magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Palghat S. Ramesh, John F. Knapp, Daniel M. Bray, Robert Pictor, Todd Kenneth Preston, Lawrence Floyd, Jr., James Edward Williams, Michael Donald Thompson
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Patent number: 7605714Abstract: A wearable electronic device is configured to control and command a variety of wireless devices within its proximity. The wearable device dynamically generates a user interface corresponding to the services of a particular wireless device. Through the user interface, the wireless device surface content to a user and allows a user select interactions with the wireless devices using the wearable device.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: R. Donald Thompson, Eric G. Lang, Russell I. Sanchez
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Publication number: 20090210233Abstract: One or more commands are configured to cause content to be stored for retrieval. The content to be stored includes one or more entries. The content may include event-triggered content stored for retrieval upon an occurrence of a specified event or other content. The content is retrieved in response to a retrieval command specifying a given pattern by comparing the given pattern with the stored content and, upon finding a match for the given pattern, wherein the match corresponds with the given pattern within a predetermined variance, retrieving additional content stored with the match for the given pattern. The content also may be retrieved by identifying the occurrence of the specified event and retrieving the event-triggered content upon the occurrence of the specified event.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Ralph Donald Thompson, III, Russell I. Sanchez
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Patent number: 7532830Abstract: A development station that improves toner halftone dot development over a wide range of environmental conditions includes a developer housing for retaining semi-conductive carrier particles and toner particles, a first magnetic roll having a stationary core with at least one magnet and a sleeve having longitudinal grooves that rotates about the stationary core of the first magnetic roll, a second magnetic roll having a stationary core with at least one magnet and a sleeve having longitudinal grooves that rotates about the stationary core of the second magnetic roll, an environmental sensor for generating an environmental condition signal, a variable voltage supply coupled to the first magnetic roll and the second magnetic roll, and a control circuit for adjusting an output level for the variable voltage supply.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2006Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Ajay Kumar, Hirotsugu Oba, Keith Allan Nau, David Antwone Reed, Cory Joseph Winters, Michael Donald Thompson, Allen T. Retzlaff, Jennifer Rea Wagner, Paul W. Morehouse, Jr., Rasin Moser, Song Feng Mo, Rachael L. McGrath, John Franklyn Knapp
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Publication number: 20090112905Abstract: An indexing system uses a graph-like data structure that clusters features indexes together. The minimum atomic value in the data structure is represented as a leaf node which is either a single feature index or a sequence of two or more feature indexes when a minimum sequence length is imposed. Root nodes are formed as clustered collections of leaf nodes and/or other root nodes. Context nodes are formed from root nodes that are associated with content that is being indexed. Links between a root node and other nodes each include a sequence order value that is used to maintain the sequencing order for feature indexes relative to the root node. The collection of nodes forms a graph-like data structure, where each context node is indexed according to the sequenced pattern of feature indexes. Clusters can be split, merged, and promoted to increase the efficiency in searching the data structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Kunal Mukerjee, R. Donald Thompson, III, Jeffrey Cole, Brendan Meeder
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Publication number: 20090043575Abstract: Indexing methods are described that may be used by databases, search engines, query and retrieval systems, context sensitive data mining, context mapping, language identification, image recognition, and robotic systems. Raw baseline features from an input signal are aggregated, abstracted and indexed for later retrieval or manipulation. The feature index is the quantization number for the underlying features that are represented by an abstraction. Trajectories are used to signify how the features evolve over time. Features indexes are linked in an ordered sequence indicative of time quanta, where the sequence represents the underlying input signal. An example indexing system based on the described processes is an inverted index that creates a mapping from features or atoms to the underlying documents, files, or data. A highly optimized set of operations can be used to manipulate the quantized feature indexes, where the operations can be fine tuned independent from the base feature set.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2007Publication date: February 12, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: R. Donald Thompson, Kunal Mukerjee
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Patent number: 7433714Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are generally related to an alert mechanism. The alert mechanism is activated by the detection of one or more triggers, where the triggers can be categorized as time based and event based. Time-based triggers include timer based functions and scheduler based functions, while event-based triggers include internal alert functions and message based alert functions. Alerts are processed based on a priority scheme. Alerts take over the display area until dismissed by activation of one or more selectors by the user. Indicators may be included in a display screens to keep the user informed of ongoing changes in the alert status.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2003Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Dane M. Howard, Albert W. Tan, R. Donald Thompson, III, Paul Jacob Johannes VanderSpek
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Publication number: 20080226353Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Palghat S. RAMESH, John F. KNAPP, Paul John MCCONVILLE, Daniel M. BRAY, Robert PICTOR, Todd Kenneth PRESTON, Lawrence FLOYD, James Edward WILLIAMS, Michael Donald THOMPSON
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Publication number: 20080226354Abstract: An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a rotatable first magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the reservoir and delivers the toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: XEROX CORPORATIONInventors: Palghat S. RAMESH, John F. KNAPP, Daniel M. BRAY, Robert PICTOR, Todd Kenneth PRESTON, Lawrence FLOYD, James Edward WILLIAMS, Michael Donald THOMPSON
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Patent number: 7421423Abstract: A system and method for implementing a conditional payload server are provided. A request for a payload corresponding to a subset of client attributes is obtained. Additionally, one or more payload(s) is obtained in which each payload defines criteria for delivering the payload. The criteria for delivering each payload are then embodied into an expression tree that is scored and optimized for traversal. The expression tree is converted into an evaluation tree data structure in which the conjunctive and disjunctive operators are the tree nodes and attribute evaluator value expressions are the leaf nodes. The expression tree is merged into a catalog data structure having a master attribute list, an evaluator list, a value list, a payload list, and a conjunction list. The catalog is then evaluated according to the subset of client attributes corresponding to the payload request and a payload is delivered.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2005Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: R Donald Thompson
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Patent number: 7403754Abstract: Described is a communication system including wireless client devices. In the described system, the client devices may be wrist-worn watches such as are in common use today, except that the watches are specially configured to receive transmissions from broadcast towers. A client device is associated with one or more home service regions, and is configured to receive personal messages on a home channel when in the home service region. The client device employs a self-assignment method to identify and select a home channel without the need for interaction by a user. A tower discovery method is employed to identify broadcast towers and available channels within a service region. A failover method is employed to identify a change in the broadcast system, and take appropriate action such as, for example, changing to another broadcast tower, selecting another frequency, selecting a sleep mode, as well as others.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: R. Donald Thompson, III, Cosmin A. Corbea