Patents by Inventor George G. Robertson
George G. Robertson 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: 10511654Abstract: A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user's work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague's computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
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Patent number: 10353697Abstract: A hierarchical shared resources spatial visualization system and method including a visualization runtime user interface that quickly and efficiently displays a spatial layout of a shared resource having a hierarchical nature. The user interface provides a spatial layout of the hierarchical shared resource and overlays salient activity information of a group's interaction with the shared resource. In software development, the user interface provides software teams with awareness of activity by other developers in the group regarding files in the shared source code base. The salient activity includes active file information (such as which files are open and by whom) and source repository actions (such as a developer's activity within a project's source repository system). Visual geometry and colors are employed to create a visually distinctive environment that is used to convey the salient activity information quickly and efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2014Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Jacob T. Biehl, George G. Robertson, Gregory R. Smith, Mary P. Czerwinski
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Patent number: 10114875Abstract: A system (and corresponding methodology) by which a user can interact directly with visual data is provided. The system employs associations and relationships between visual data objects to automatically update objects based upon a change in other objects. The innovation also provides specialized controls (e.g., dashboard tools/controls) that facilitate manipulation of visual data. As there can be numerous manners in which a user can interact with visualization data, the innovation enables a specialized set of controls to be identified and provided to a user thereby reducing overwhelming effects of a large number of controls.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Gur Kimchi, Danyel Aharon Fisher, Brian L. Welcker, Jason J. Weber, Ahmed K. Kamal, Benjamin Edward Rampson, William Guthrie Morein, Morten Holm-Peterson, Bongshin Lee, George G. Robertson, Christian Bernd Schormann, Barry James Givens, Joshua W. Lee, B. Scott Ruble, Jakob Peter Nielsen, Michael V. Ehrenberg, Stella Yick Chan, Murali Krishnan, Christian Olaf Abeln, Roland L. Fernandez
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Patent number: 10042512Abstract: The present invention provides a three-dimensional user interface for a computer system that allows a user to combine and store a group of windows as a task. The image of each task can be positioned within a three-dimensional environment such that the user may utilize spatial memory in order remember where a particular task is located.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
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Patent number: 9933911Abstract: A system and method for managing software application windows in a graphical user interface having a desktop and taskbar display area are provided. Each instantiated program is represented as one or more graphical windows in the desktop and as a control tile in the taskbar. Control tiles are grouped into control tile groups that facilitate organization and single access control. Project control tile groups allow the grouping of multiple software applications. Additionally, minimized control tile group layout and state may be preserved and previewed prior to being restored.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2011Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Mary Czerwinski, Greg Smith, Brian Meyers, Patrick Markus Baudisch, George G. Robertson, Daniel C. Robbins
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Publication number: 20180074656Abstract: A system and method for managing software application windows in a graphical user interface having a desktop and taskbar display area are provided. Each instantiated program is represented as one or more graphical windows in the desktop and as a control tile in the taskbar. Control tiles are grouped into control tile groups that facilitate organization and single access control. Project control tile groups allow the grouping of multiple software applications. Additionally, minimized control tile group layout and state may be preserved and previewed prior to being restored.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2018Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Mary Czerwinski, Greg Smith, Brian Meyers, Patrick Markus Baudisch, George G. Robertson, Daniel C. Robbins
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Publication number: 20170374132Abstract: A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user's work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague's computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Inventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
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Patent number: 9762650Abstract: A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user's work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague's computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
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Patent number: 9671922Abstract: Some examples relate to facilitating multi-tasking in a computing environment. A focus area component defines a focus area within a display space—the focus area occupying a subset area of the display space area. A scaling component scales display objects as a function of proximity to the focus area, and a behavior modification component modifies respective behavior of the display objects as a function their location of the display space. Some implementations provide for interaction technique(s) and user interface(s) in connection with managing display objects on a display surface. Further, some examples define a central focus area, such that the display objects are displayed and behave as usual. Also included is a periphery outside the focus area where the display objects are reduced in size based on their location, getting smaller as the display objects near an edge of the display surface with many more objects visible.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2012Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: George G. Robertson, Dugald R. Hutchings, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory R. Smith
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Patent number: 9117007Abstract: A system facilitates dynamic data visualizations. The system includes an analysis component that periodically processes one or more incoming data streams to determine a visualization form from a plurality of visualization forms. A visualization component dynamically generates the visualization form based in part on the processing of the incoming data streams.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2008Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: George G. Robertson, Christian Bernd Schormann, Brian Scott Ruble, Danyel A. Fisher, Jakob Peter Nielsen, Nathan Paul McCoy, William G. Morein, Michael Ehrenberg
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Patent number: 9092112Abstract: A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails are rendered in a three-dimensional environment and which exploits spatial memory. The objects may be moved, continuously, with a two-dimensional input device. Pop-up title bars may be rendered over active objects. Intelligent help may be provided to the user, as visual indicators, based on proximity clustering or based on matching algorithms. The simulated location of the object thumbnails in a direction orthogonal to the surface is based on function, such as a linear, polynomial, or exponential function for example, of one or more object properties, such as number of mouse clicks since selected, age, size, etc.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2007Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Matthew J. Conway, Stephen A. Jacquot, Dennis R. Proffitt, George G. Robertson
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Publication number: 20150143338Abstract: A hierarchical shared resources spatial visualization system and method including a visualization runtime user interface that quickly and efficiently displays a spatial layout of a shared resource having a hierarchical nature. The user interface provides a spatial layout of the hierarchical shared resource and overlays salient activity information of a group's interaction with the shared resource. In software development, the user interface provides software teams with awareness of activity by other developers in the group regarding files in the shared source code base. The salient activity includes active file information (such as which files are open and by whom) and source repository actions (such as a developer's activity within a project's source repository system). Visual geometry and colors are employed to create a visually distinctive environment that is used to convey the salient activity information quickly and efficiently.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Jacob T. BIEHL, George G. ROBERTSON, Gregory R. SMITH, Mary P. CZERWINSKI
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Publication number: 20150058791Abstract: The present invention provides a three-dimensional user interface for a computer system that allows a user to combine and store a group of windows as a task. The image of each task can be positioned within a three-dimensional environment such that the user may utilize spatial memory in order remember where a particular task is located.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
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Patent number: 8959442Abstract: A “Memory Allocation Visualizer” provides a dynamic visualization that animates memory allocation event trace information over a time period of execution of a program. Consequently, the Memory Allocation Visualizer provides a visualization and understanding of a program's memory system behavior. Various modes of display with custom color mappings and zooming allow the user to see how heaps are used over time (e.g., by allocation type, age, size, thread id, etc.). Custom displays also allow the user to detect potential memory leaks and fragmentation problems. Composable filters enable the user to focus on specific issues. Various techniques are used to enable processing of a very large numbers of trace events while enabling rapid response to visualization view changes.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2010Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Trishul A. Chilimbi, Bongshin Lee, George G. Robertson
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Patent number: 8949769Abstract: A hierarchical shared resources spatial visualization system and method including a visualization runtime user interface that quickly and efficiently displays a spatial layout of a shared resource having a hierarchical nature. The user interface provides a spatial layout of the hierarchical shared resource and overlays salient activity information of a group's interaction with the shared resource. In software development, the user interface provides software teams with awareness of activity by other developers in the group regarding files in the shared source code base. The salient activity includes active file information (such as which files are open and by whom) and source repository actions (such as a developer's activity within a project's source repository system). Visual geometry and colors are employed to create a visually distinctive environment that is used to convey the salient activity information quickly and efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2007Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jacob T. Biehl, George G. Robertson, Gregory R. Smith, Mary P. Czerwinski
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Patent number: 8930879Abstract: The described implementations relate to unified application building. In one implementation unified application building tools can include a unifying component model configured to communicate with a set of components that are supported by different frameworks. The unified application building tools can also include a unification engine configured to bind events between individual components in a unified manner that is independent of an individual framework upon which individual components are supported.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Roland L. Fernandez, George G. Robertson, Danyel A. Fisher, Daniel C. Robbins, Lev B. Nachmanson
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Patent number: 8856687Abstract: The present invention provides a three-dimensional user interface for a computer system that allows a user to combine and store a group of windows as a task. The image of each task can be positioned within a three-dimensional environment such that the user may utilize spatial memory in order remember where a particular task is located.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
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Publication number: 20140297814Abstract: A collaborative phone-based file exchange technique that wirelessly synchronizes a user's work context with his or her mobile phone and makes this context readily available and sharable in collaborative situations. When the user is away from their desk, collaboration with others is possible by sharing/downloading between the mobile phone and a paired PC, which may be a colleague's computer or a meeting room workstation/computer. When the user returns to their office, any recently downloaded files are automatically synchronized back to their office PC.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
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Patent number: 8810595Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can support a declarative model-based approach to designing, constructing, and rendering visualizations. By complying with a declarative descriptor, components can be readily customized by way of modifications to the model—declaratively specifying suitable features, behaviors, appearances and so forth. The descriptors that conform to the model can also facilitate connecting to various data sources and performing data transformation operations. Moreover, the descriptors that conform to the model can declaratively specify relationships based upon a scene layout. Accordingly, the architecture can further describe the scene layout and provide features based upon the layout.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2008Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Morten Holm-Peterson, Christian Olaf Abeln, Thomas Michael Casey, Stella Yick Chan, Benjamin L. Chronister, Ian Michael Dunmore, Roland L. Fernandez, David Francis Gainer, Alexandre Gorev, Barry J. Givens, Murali A. Krishnan, Bongshin Lee, Kelley T. Maves, George G. Robertson, Brian S. Ruble, Gregory D. Schechter, Curtis G. Wong, Jason Joseph Weber
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Patent number: 8584046Abstract: A hierarchy differences visualization system and method for visualizing differences between two hierarchical structures based on similarity metrics. The two hierarchical structures are merged into a merged hierarchical structure and differences between the two hierarchical structures are computed and displayed in a user interface using node visualization metrics. In addition, at least one path is computed to a root of the merged hierarchical structure from a selected node and displayed in the user interface. The user interface uses various node visualization metrics including color, shapes, size, underlining, strikethrough, and text transparency. In some embodiments the hierarchical structures are tree structures and the similarity metric is structural uncertainty including location uncertainty and sub-tree structure uncertainty. The location uncertainty of a node is indicated by a color of the node label and sub-tree structure uncertainty of a node is shown by various levels of transparency of node labels.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2007Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bongshin Lee, George G. Robertson