Patents by Inventor Eric B. Merritt

Eric B. Merritt 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: 10002363
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments configured to detect a quorum of peers in a peer to peer network. In one embodiment, a first peer receives a message originating in a second peer, where the message includes a peer identifier. The peer identifier is stored in quorum detection data in response to determining that the peer identifier is not already present in the quorum detection data. A quorum of the peers is detected based at least in part on the quorum detection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 9954910
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments involving the use of peer-to-peer teams to accomplish a goal. The specification of a joint goal for a peer-to-peer team is facilitated in a given peer, where the peer-to-peer team includes multiple peers. Also, communication is facilitated between respective pairs of the peers via a peer-to-peer network. A team control packet is maintained in each peer to indicate a performance of each peer in the peer-to-peer team. Also, the implementation of a plurality of tasks associated with respective ones of the peers is tracked, where the tasks are implemented in concert to achieve the joint goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 9516470
    Abstract: Mobile device users may be tracked either via mobile-signal triangulation or via Global Positioning Satellite information. A mobile device user's recent movements may be analyzed to determine trails or traffic patterns for device user among various locations. Mobile device trail information, either for an individual user or aggregated for multiple users, may be analyzed to determine a next destination for the user. Electronic advertising content, such as advertisements, coupons and/or other communications, associated with the next destination may be sent to the mobile device. Additionally, the identity of the mobile device use may be known and the advertisements or coupons may be tailored according to demographic information regarding the mobile device user. In addition, destinations may be recommended to mobile device users based on the recent locations the users have visited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Elmore Eugene Pope, Brad E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 9075777
    Abstract: A web browser is implemented to receive a document from a server. The document may include one or more embedded Uniform Resource Locator (URL) references. The web browser may display the document on a user interface. A user associated with the web browser may determine one or more of the original embedded URL references should be replaced. In response to user input, the web browser may change at least one of the original embedded URL references to a corresponding replacement embedded URL reference and display the document with the replacement embedded URL reference. The web browser may save an association of the original embedded URL reference with the replacement embedded URL reference and subsequently, when receiving the document with the original embedded URL reference, automatically replace the original embedded URL reference with the corresponding replacement embedded URL reference before displaying the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Brad E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Publication number: 20150058098
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments configured to detect a quorum of peers in a peer to peer network. In one embodiment, a first peer receives a message originating in a second peer, where the message includes a peer identifier. The peer identifier is stored in quorum detection data in response to determining that the peer identifier is not already present in the quorum detection data. A quorum of the peers is detected based at least in part on the quorum detection data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8880585
    Abstract: Disclosed are various systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums embodying programs that are configured to detect a quorum of peers in a peer to peer network. In one embodiment, a first one of a plurality of peers receives a message from one of a plurality of second ones of the peers, the message including at least one peer identifier listed in association with a corresponding at least one property value, where the peers communicate with each other on a peer to peer network. The at least one peer identifier is written in association with a corresponding at least one property value in a memory associated with the first one of the peers when the at least one peer identifier does not exist in the memory. Also, a quorum of peer identifiers existing in the memory that are associated with respective property values that match a predefined criteria are detected, and a predefined action is implemented in the first one of the peers upon detecting the quorum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8639739
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments involving the use of peer-to-peer teams to accomplish a goal. The specification of a joint goal for a peer-to-peer team is facilitated in a given peer, where the peer-to-peer team includes a plurality of peers. Also, communication is facilitated between respective pairs of the peers via a peer-to-peer network. A team control packet is maintained in each peer to indicate a performance of each peer in the peer-to-peer team. Also, the implementation of a plurality of tasks associated with respective ones of the peers is tracked, where the tasks are implemented in concert to achieve the joint goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmore Eugene Pope, Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8214475
    Abstract: Managing content interest data using peer-to-peer logical mesh networks. Instructions may be processor-executable to implement a given logical node of a logical mesh network that includes a number of such nodes. The given logical node may be configured to store identifying information of its peer nodes. In response to detecting a message-passing event, the given logical node may be configured to generate and convey an outgoing message, which may correspond to respective network-based content and may include indicia of the content, to its peer nodes. The given logical node may not convey the outgoing message to any node that is not a peer. Dependent upon indicia of network-based content included in an incoming message received from a given one of its peer nodes, the given logical node may be further configured to update its identifying information to add or delete a particular node as a peer node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Brad E. Marshall, Elmore Eugene Pope, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8104044
    Abstract: Method and system for client-side communication among widgets. In one embodiment, instructions may be processor-executable within a system to implement a web browser and a number of widgets configured to execute within an execution environment provided by the web browser. The web browser may be configured to obtain content from servers external to the system, and members of at least a subset of the widgets may be configured to communicate with one another without interacting with any of the external servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Brad E. Marshall, Elmore Eugene Pope, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8073460
    Abstract: Mobile device users may be tracked either via mobile-signal triangulation or via Global Positioning Satellite information. A mobile device user's recent movements may be analyzed to determine trails or traffic patterns for device user among various locations. Mobile device trail information, either for an individual user or aggregated for multiple users, may be analyzed to determine a next destination for the user. Electronic advertising content, such as advertisements, coupons and/or other communications, associated with the next destination may be sent to an electronic device likely to be viewed by the mobile device user. Additionally, the identity of the mobile device user may be known and the advertisements or coupons may be tailored according to demographic information regarding the mobile device user. In addition, destinations may be recommended to mobile device users based on the recent locations the users have visited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Elmore Eugene Pope, Brad E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 7899694
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using multiple successive interactions with multiple responders in order to perform a variety of types of tasks, such as to generate solutions to abstract or conceptual problems. In some situations, at least some of the multiple responders are humans available to perform tasks and/or provide information, such as to provide responses to questions in exchange for payment. The multiple successive interactions with the responders may be used to iteratively refine the problem and its abstract intermediate solutions until the refinements are sufficiently detailed and tangible as to allow detailed final solutions to be generated. In some situations, the interactions with the responders may be performed as part of an automated service for generating solutions to a variety of types of problems, such as in exchange for payment from the users or others who specify the problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley E. Marshall, Christopher L. Scofield, Elmore Eugene Pope, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 7797421
    Abstract: A method and system for determining and notifying users of undesirable network content are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method may include detecting an adverse content event corresponding to a given network information source, where the adverse content event occurs dependent upon activity of a given user with respect to the given network information source. The method may also include reporting the adverse content event with respect to the given network information source, detecting a reference to the given network information source on behalf of a particular user, and in response to detecting the reference, retrieving an indication corresponding to the given network information source, where the indication is determined dependent upon adverse content events reported with respect to the given network information source. The method may further include notifying the particular user of possible undesirable content with respect to the given network information source dependent upon the indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Elmore Eugene Pope, Brad E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 7747630
    Abstract: A facility for determining article influence and author authority based upon cites of the author's articles by other authors is described. Authors post new articles to their blog covering one or more memes, which describe the content of the article. The facility determines other web pages that share the same memes as the articles to form a context set, and then identifies those authors, called stakeholders, that commonly cite posts from web pages within the context set. Stakeholders are those with some knowledge about a particular topic that also write articles on the topic. Articles cited by stakeholders are considered more influential than those that are not cited, and a frequently cited author will have more authority for a given meme than one who is largely ignored, as indicated by receiving few article citations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Elmore Eugene Pope, Eric B. Merritt
  • Patent number: 7685192
    Abstract: A method and system for displaying interest space user communities. A method may include detecting a request to access a given online content source, where the request is generated on behalf of a given user, where the given online content source is one of a number of online content sources included within an interest space, and where the interest space is identified dependent upon indications of user navigation activity among the online content sources. The method may further include displaying to the given user a representation of the interest space in response to detecting the request, where the representation includes respective indications of at least a subset of the content sources included within the interest space, and for a given content source within the subset, displaying to the given user respective indications of users on whose behalf a respective previously-generated request to access the given content source has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Elmore Eugene Pope, Brad E. Marshall, Eric B. Merritt
  • Publication number: 20080082491
    Abstract: A facility for determining article influence and author authority based upon cites of the author's articles by other authors is described. Authors post new articles to their blog covering one or more memes, which describe the content of the article. The facility determines other web pages that share the same memes as the articles to form a context set, and then identifies those authors, called stakeholders, that commonly cite posts from web pages within the context set. Stakeholders are those with some knowledge about a particular topic that also write articles on the topic. Articles cited by stakeholders are considered more influential than those that are not cited, and a frequently cited author will have more authority for a given meme than one who is largely ignored, as indicated by receiving few article citations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Christopher L. Scofield, Bradley E. Marshall, Elmore Eugene Pope, Eric B. Merritt