Patents by Inventor Douglas L. Milvaney

Douglas L. Milvaney 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: 11416520
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a unified activity service. In one aspect, different files stored on different storage platforms may be rendered on different user interfaces. Multiple activities associated with each of the different files may be obtained from the activity service. In another aspect, activity metadata corresponding to the multiple activities may be stored in the activity service. Activities associated with the different files may include content changes in a file (e.g., edits and deletions), sharing a file, renaming a file, comments within a file, messaging, and conversations related to a file. The different storage platforms may be independent of the activity service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Andrew W. Harris, Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Manish Kumar Shukla, Daniel J. Chattan
  • Patent number: 11010539
    Abstract: Implementations of enhanced content collaboration technology are disclosed herein. In an implementation, a collaboration service determines which collaboration commands to surface in association with each user in a list of users collaborating on a document. The collaboration commands are selected based on each user's collaboration state. The service updates local applications with information indicative of the user state, so that the local applications may surface a user-specific, collaboration state-driven selection of commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Wilde, Jade Kessler, Ashlyn D. Zoecklein, Douglas L. Milvaney
  • Patent number: 10708208
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for providing distinct conversations within a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. A file created with an application may be rendered on the user interface. The file may include at least a chat pane comprising a plurality of chat messages and a file activity feed including one or more activities associated with the file. It may be determined when a distinct conversation begins and ends within the chat pane. The distinct conversation may include at least some of the plurality of chat messages. In response to determining when the distinct conversation begins and ends, the distinct conversation may be recorded as a distinct conversation activity associated with the file. The distinct conversation activity may be displayed within the file activity feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Wilde, Douglas L. Milvaney, Nikhil Nathwani
  • Patent number: 10649623
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for creating a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, data comprising a plurality of activities associated with a file may be obtained. Two or more activities from the plurality of activities may be grouped into a single module of work for display within the file activity feed. The file activity feed may be displayed on the user interface of the client computing device. In some cases, the file activity feed includes one or more file activity elements including at least the single module of work. In some cases, the file activity feed includes a filter icon and a query feature. The filter icon may provide one or more filter preferences for filtering the file activity feed. The query feature may facilitate querying the file activity feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Taili Feng, Manoj Sharma, Sophie I. Vennix
  • Patent number: 10540431
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for extending emoji reactions into file specific content. In one aspect, a file created with an application may be rendered on a user interface. One or more activities associated with the file created with the application may be obtained. In one example, the one or more activities include corresponding activity metadata. A file activity feed including the one or more activities associated with the file may be rendered within the file. The one or more activities may include at least an emoji icon displayed within at least one of the one or more activities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Aleksandr Polyakov
  • Publication number: 20190310998
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a unified activity service. In one aspect, different files stored on different storage platforms may be rendered on different user interfaces. Multiple activities associated with each of the different files may be obtained from the activity service. In another aspect, activity metadata corresponding to the multiple activities may be stored in the activity service. Activities associated with the different files may include content changes in a file (e.g., edits and deletions), sharing a file, renaming a file, comments within a file, messaging, and conversations related to a file. The different storage platforms may be independent of the activity service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Andrew W. Harris, Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Manish Kumar Shukla, Daniel J. Chattan
  • Patent number: 10353926
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a unified activity service. In one aspect, different files stored on different storage platforms may be rendered on different user interfaces. Multiple activities associated with each of the different files may be obtained from the activity service. In another aspect, activity metadata corresponding to the multiple activities may be stored in the activity service. Activities associated with the different files may include content changes in a file (e.g., edits and deletions), sharing a file, renaming a file, comments within a file, messaging, and conversations related to a file. The different storage platforms may be independent of the activity service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Andrew W. Harris, Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Manish Kumar Shukla, Daniel J. Chattan
  • Patent number: 10289282
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for creating a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, data comprising a plurality of activities associated with a file may be obtained. A timestamp associated with a user identity of the file may be identified. One or more missed activities (e.g., those that occurred since a user was away from the file) may be identified from the plurality of activities based on the identified timestamp. It may be determined which missed activities of the one or more missed activities are relevant to a user associated with the user identity. The one or more missed activities determined to be relevant to the user associated with the user identity may be displayed within the file activity feed on the user interface of the client computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Benjamin G. Wilde, Manoj Sharma, Douglas L. Milvaney
  • Publication number: 20170366493
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for providing distinct conversations within a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. A file created with an application may be rendered on the user interface. The file may include at least a chat pane comprising a plurality of chat messages and a file activity feed including one or more activities associated with the file. It may be determined when a distinct conversation begins and ends within the chat pane. The distinct conversation may include at least some of the plurality of chat messages. In response to determining when the distinct conversation begins and ends, the distinct conversation may be recorded as a distinct conversation activity associated with the file. The distinct conversation activity may be displayed within the file activity feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Wilde, Douglas L. Milvaney, Nikhil Nathwani
  • Publication number: 20170177182
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for creating a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, data comprising a plurality of activities associated with a file may be obtained. A timestamp associated with a user identity of the file may be identified. One or more missed activities (e.g., those that occurred since a user was away from the file) may be identified from the plurality of activities based on the identified timestamp. It may be determined which missed activities of the one or more missed activities are relevant to a user associated with the user identity. The one or more missed activities determined to be relevant to the user associated with the user identity may be displayed within the file activity feed on the user interface of the client computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Benjamin G. Wilde, Manoj Sharma, Douglas L. Milvaney
  • Publication number: 20170147185
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for extending emoji reactions into file specific content. In one aspect, a file created with an application may be rendered on a user interface. One or more activities associated with the file created with the application may be obtained. In one example, the one or more activities include corresponding activity metadata. A file activity feed including the one or more activities associated with the file may be rendered within the file. The one or more activities may include at least an emoji icon displayed within at least one of the one or more activities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Aleksandr Polyakov
  • Publication number: 20170139550
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for creating a file activity feed for display on a user interface of a client computing device. In one aspect, data comprising a plurality of activities associated with a file may be obtained. Two or more activities from the plurality of activities may be grouped into a single module of work for display within the file activity feed. The file activity feed may be displayed on the user interface of the client computing device. In some cases, the file activity feed includes one or more file activity elements including at least the single module of work. In some cases, the file activity feed includes a filter icon and a query feature. The filter icon may provide one or more filter preferences for filtering the file activity feed. The query feature may facilitate querying the file activity feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Taili Feng, Manoj Sharma, Sophie I. Vennix
  • Publication number: 20170140025
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a unified activity service. In one aspect, a first file stored on a first storage platform may be rendered on a first user interface. One or more activities associated with the first file may be obtained from the activity service. A second file stored on a second storage platform may be rendered on a second user interface. One or more activities associated with the second file may be obtained from the activity service. In another aspect, activity metadata corresponding to at least one activity associated with a first file stored on a first storage platform and activity metadata corresponding to at least one activity associated with a second file stored on a second storage platform may be received at and stored in the activity service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Douglas L. Milvaney, Andrew W. Harris, Candy Hoi Mei Wong, Manish Kumar Shukla, Daniel J. Chattan
  • Publication number: 20170004119
    Abstract: Implementations of enhanced content collaboration technology are disclosed herein. In an implementation, a collaboration service determines which collaboration commands to surface in association with each user in a list of users collaborating on a document. The collaboration commands are selected based on each user's collaboration state. The service updates local applications with information indicative of the user state, so that the local applications may surface a user-specific, collaboration state-driven selection of commands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Wilde, Jade Kessler, Ashlyn D. Zoecklein, Douglas L. Milvaney