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).

  • Patent number: 10511654
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 10353697
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob T. Biehl, George G. Robertson, Gregory R. Smith, Mary P. Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 10114875
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10042512
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
  • Patent number: 9933911
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Czerwinski, Greg Smith, Brian Meyers, Patrick Markus Baudisch, George G. Robertson, Daniel C. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20180074656
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Czerwinski, Greg Smith, Brian Meyers, Patrick Markus Baudisch, George G. Robertson, Daniel C. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20170374132
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 9762650
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 9671922
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Dugald R. Hutchings, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory R. Smith
  • Patent number: 9117007
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Christian Bernd Schormann, Brian Scott Ruble, Danyel A. Fisher, Jakob Peter Nielsen, Nathan Paul McCoy, William G. Morein, Michael Ehrenberg
  • Patent number: 9092112
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew J. Conway, Stephen A. Jacquot, Dennis R. Proffitt, George G. Robertson
  • Publication number: 20150143338
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob T. BIEHL, George G. ROBERTSON, Gregory R. SMITH, Mary P. CZERWINSKI
  • Publication number: 20150058791
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
  • Patent number: 8959442
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Trishul A. Chilimbi, Bongshin Lee, George G. Robertson
  • Patent number: 8949769
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob T. Biehl, George G. Robertson, Gregory R. Smith, Mary P. Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 8930879
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Roland L. Fernandez, George G. Robertson, Danyel A. Fisher, Daniel C. Robbins, Lev B. Nachmanson
  • Patent number: 8856687
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: George G. Robertson, Mary P. Czerwinski, Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirsten C. Risden, Daniel C. Robbins, Maarten R. van Dantzich
  • Publication number: 20140297814
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amy Kathleen Karlson, George G. Robertson, Brian R. Meyers, Gregory Smith, Mary Czerwinski
  • Patent number: 8810595
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 8584046
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bongshin Lee, George G. Robertson