Patents by Inventor Francis Zhou
Francis Zhou 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: 11915696Abstract: A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. includes an extensibility client that exposes an interface and service that enables third party applications to be integrated with the digital assistant so the application user experiences are rendered using the native voice of the digital assistant. Specific voice inputs associated with a given application may be registered by developers using a manifest that is loaded when the application is launched on the device so that voice inputs from the device user can be mapped by the digital assistant extensibility client to the appropriate application as input events for consumption. In typical implementations, the manifest is arranged as a declarative document that streamlines application development and provides a seamless user experience by enabling customization of third party applications to integrate the digital assistant's voice and behaviors within the user experience of the application's domain.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Derek Liddell, Francis Zhou, Cheng-Yi Yen
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Publication number: 20210398534Abstract: A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. includes an extensibility client that exposes an interface and service that enables third party applications to be integrated with the digital assistant so the application user experiences are rendered using the native voice of the digital assistant. Specific voice inputs associated with a given application may be registered by developers using a manifest that is loaded when the application is launched on the device so that voice inputs from the device user can be mapped by the digital assistant extensibility client to the appropriate application as input events for consumption. In typical implementations, the manifest is arranged as a declarative document that streamlines application development and provides a seamless user experience by enabling customization of third party applications to integrate the digital assistant's voice and behaviors within the user experience of the application's domain.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Derek LIDDELL, Francis ZHOU, Cheng-Yi YEN
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Patent number: 11144196Abstract: A facility enabling a user to operate visual user interface controls with ink commands is described. The facility causes to be displayed a control operable with mouse input, and receives an ink command directed to the displayed control. In response, the facility operates the displayed control in accordance with the received ink command.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: David Walker Duhon, Yibo Sun, Xiao Tu, Francis Zhou
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Patent number: 11107466Abstract: A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. includes an extensibility client that exposes an interface and service that enables third party applications to be integrated with the digital assistant so the application user experiences are rendered using the native voice of the digital assistant. Specific voice inputs associated with a given application may be registered by developers using a manifest that is loaded when the application is launched on the device so that voice inputs from the device user can be mapped by the digital assistant extensibility client to the appropriate application as input events for consumption. In typical implementations, the manifest is arranged as a declarative document that streamlines application development and provides a seamless user experience by enabling customization of third party applications to integrate the digital assistant's voice and behaviors within the user experience of the application's domain.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2018Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Derek Liddell, Francis Zhou, Cheng-Yi Yen
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Patent number: 10956663Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that allows freehand digital inputs to be received (e.g., via movement of a pen, stylus, finger, etc.). The digital input system provides functionality allowing applications to receive digital inputs from a user and control the display of data based on the digital inputs. The digital input system receives digital input from a user and analyzes the digital input to collect input data for the digital input. As the digital input is received, the input data is made available to an application, allowing the application to operate on the input data (e.g., modify the input data and/or generate additional input data) and provide the operated-on input data to the digital input system. The digital input system then proceeds to control the display of data based on the operated-on input data.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, Silvano Bonacina, David Abzarian
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Patent number: 10802613Abstract: A computing device includes a digital ink system that provides digital ink support to applications on the computing device. Digital ink inputs are received by the digital ink system, which provides ink stroke data for the digital ink inputs to the application for storage in a manner and format the application desires. The digital ink system also generates a digital ink container associated with the digital ink input, and communicates the digital ink container to a digital ink repository. The digital ink repository stores digital ink containers for multiple applications, and can be searched from a computing device to identify digital ink input to an application regardless of which application the digital ink was input to.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2019Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventor: Francis Zhou
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Publication number: 20200125253Abstract: A facility enabling a user to operate visual user interface controls with ink commands is described. The facility causes to be displayed a control operable with mouse input, and receives an ink command directed to the displayed control. In response, the facility operates the displayed control in accordance with the received ink command.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: David Walker Duhon, Yibo Sun, Xiao Tu, Francis Zhou
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Publication number: 20190369798Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that provides digital input functionality for the computing device. The digital input system receives both a first input and a second input. The first input is typically an input with the user's dominant hand (e.g., using a pen, stylus, finger, etc.), and the second input is typically an input with the user's non-dominant hand. The digital input system determines whether a second input is received simultaneously with the first input, and selects one of multiple behaviors for the first input based on whether the second input is received simultaneously with the first input. Various different behaviors for the first input can be selected from, such as freehand or freeform input, constraining digital input corresponding to the first input to be along an edge of a stencil, and so forth.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Silvano Bonacina, Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, David Abzarian, Moshe R. Lutz
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Patent number: 10365757Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that provides digital input functionality for the computing device. The digital input system receives both a first input and a second input. The first input is typically an input with the user's dominant hand (e.g., using a pen, stylus, finger, etc.), and the second input is typically an input with the user's non-dominant hand. The digital input system determines whether a second input is received simultaneously with the first input, and selects one of multiple behaviors for the first input based on whether the second input is received simultaneously with the first input. Various different behaviors for the first input can be selected from, such as freehand or freeform input, constraining digital input corresponding to the first input to be along an edge of a stencil, and so forth.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Silvano Bonacina, Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, David Abzarian, Moshe R. Lutz
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Publication number: 20190171702Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that allows freehand digital inputs to be received (e.g., via movement of a pen, stylus, finger, etc.). The digital input system provides functionality allowing applications to receive digital inputs from a user and control the display of data based on the digital inputs. The digital input system receives digital input from a user and analyzes the digital input to collect input data for the digital input. As the digital input is received, the input data is made available to an application, allowing the application to operate on the input data (e.g., modify the input data and/or generate additional input data) and provide the operated-on input data to the digital input system. The digital input system then proceeds to control the display of data based on the operated-on input data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, Silvano Bonacina, David Abzarian
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Publication number: 20190163293Abstract: A computing device includes a digital ink system that provides digital ink support to applications on the computing device. Digital ink inputs are received by the digital ink system, which provides ink stroke data for the digital ink inputs to the application for storage in a manner and format the application desires. The digital ink system also generates a digital ink container associated with the digital ink input, and communicates the digital ink container to a digital ink repository. The digital ink repository stores digital ink containers for multiple applications, and can be searched from a computing device to identify digital ink input to an application regardless of which application the digital ink was input to.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2019Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventor: Francis Zhou
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Patent number: 10228775Abstract: A computing device includes a digital ink system that provides digital ink support to applications on the computing device. Digital ink inputs are received by the digital ink system, which provides ink stroke data for the digital ink inputs to the application for storage in a manner and format the application desires. The digital ink system also generates a digital ink container associated with the digital ink input, and communicates the digital ink container to a digital ink repository. The digital ink repository stores digital ink containers for multiple applications, and can be searched from a computing device to identify digital ink input to an application regardless of which application the digital ink was input to.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventor: Francis Zhou
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Publication number: 20190066685Abstract: A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. includes an extensibility client that exposes an interface and service that enables third party applications to be integrated with the digital assistant so the application user experiences are rendered using the native voice of the digital assistant. Specific voice inputs associated with a given application may be registered by developers using a manifest that is loaded when the application is launched on the device so that voice inputs from the device user can be mapped by the digital assistant extensibility client to the appropriate application as input events for consumption. In typical implementations, the manifest is arranged as a declarative document that streamlines application development and provides a seamless user experience by enabling customization of third party applications to integrate the digital assistant's voice and behaviors within the user experience of the application's domain.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Inventors: Derek LIDDELL, Francis ZHOU, Cheng-Yi YEN
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Publication number: 20180348953Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that provides digital input functionality for the computing device. The digital input system receives both a first input and a second input. The first input is typically an input with the user's dominant hand (e.g., using a pen, stylus, finger, etc.), and the second input is typically an input with the user's non-dominant hand. The digital input system determines whether a second input is received simultaneously with the first input, and selects one of multiple behaviors for the first input based on whether the second input is received simultaneously with the first input. Various different behaviors for the first input can be selected from, such as freehand or freeform input, constraining digital input corresponding to the first input to be along an edge of a stencil, and so forth.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Silvano Bonacina, Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, David Abzarian, Moshe R. Lutz
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Patent number: 10147421Abstract: A digital assistant supported on devices such as smartphones, tablets, personal computers, game consoles, etc. includes an extensibility client that exposes an interface and service that enables third party applications to be integrated with the digital assistant so the application user experiences are rendered using the native voice of the digital assistant. Specific voice inputs associated with a given application may be registered by developers using a manifest that is loaded when the application is launched on the device so that voice inputs from the device user can be mapped by the digital assistant extensibility client to the appropriate application as input events for consumption. In typical implementations, the manifest is arranged as a declarative document that streamlines application development and provides a seamless user experience by enabling customization of third party applications to integrate the digital assistant's voice and behaviors within the user experience of the application's domain.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: MICROCOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Derek Liddell, Francis Zhou, Cheng-Yi Yen
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Patent number: 10146759Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that allows freehand digital inputs to be received (e.g., via movement of a pen, stylus, finger, etc.). The digital input system provides functionality allowing applications to receive digital inputs from a user and control the display of data based on the digital inputs. The digital input system receives digital input from a user and analyzes the digital input to collect input data for the digital input. As the digital input is received, the input data is made available to an application, allowing the application to operate on the input data (e.g., modify the input data and/or generate additional input data) and provide the operated-on input data to the digital input system. The digital input system then proceeds to control the display of data based on the operated-on input data.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, Silvano Bonacina, David Abzarian
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Patent number: 10061427Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that provides digital input functionality for the computing device. The digital input system receives both a first input and a second input. The first input is typically an input with the user's dominant hand (e.g., using a pen, stylus, finger, etc.), and the second input is typically an input with the user's non-dominant hand. The digital input system determines whether a second input is received simultaneously with the first input, and selects one of multiple behaviors for the first input based on whether the second input is received simultaneously with the first input. Various different behaviors for the first input can be selected from, such as freehand or freeform input, constraining digital input corresponding to the first input to be along an edge of a stencil, and so forth.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Silvano Bonacina, Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, David Abzarian, Moshe R. Lutz
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Publication number: 20170285931Abstract: A facility enabling a user to operate visual user interface controls with ink commands is described. The facility causes to be displayed a control operable with mouse input, and receives an ink command directed to the displayed control. In response, the facility operates the displayed control in accordance with the received ink command.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2016Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: David Walker Duhon, Yibo Sun, Xiao Tu, Francis Zhou
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Publication number: 20170277674Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that allows freehand digital inputs to be received (e.g., via movement of a pen, stylus, finger, etc.). The digital input system provides functionality allowing applications to receive digital inputs from a user and control the display of data based on the digital inputs. The digital input system receives digital input from a user and analyzes the digital input to collect input data for the digital input. As the digital input is received, the input data is made available to an application, allowing the application to operate on the input data (e.g., modify the input data and/or generate additional input data) and provide the operated-on input data to the digital input system. The digital input system then proceeds to control the display of data based on the operated-on input data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2016Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, Silvano Bonacina, David Abzarian
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Publication number: 20170277333Abstract: A computing device includes a digital input system that provides digital input functionality for the computing device. The digital input system receives both a first input and a second input. The first input is typically an input with the user's dominant hand (e.g., using a pen, stylus, finger, etc.), and the second input is typically an input with the user's non-dominant hand. The digital input system determines whether a second input is received simultaneously with the first input, and selects one of multiple behaviors for the first input based on whether the second input is received simultaneously with the first input. Various different behaviors for the first input can be selected from, such as freehand or freeform input, constraining digital input corresponding to the first input to be along an edge of a stencil, and so forth.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2016Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Silvano Bonacina, Francis Zhou, Xiao Tu, David W. Duhon, David Abzarian, Moshe R. Lutz