Patents by Inventor Heather C. Miller

Heather C. Miller 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: 10284699
    Abstract: A method for contact list prioritization according to predicted reachability includes loading a contact list of contacts and retrieving a reachability value for each corresponding contact in the contact list that has been computed for each corresponding contact according to usage data of each corresponding contact for an associated mobile telephone. Thereafter, contacts in the contact list that are determined to be most reachable according to a corresponding reachability value are displayed first. In one aspect, the usage data for the associated mobile telephone is based upon accelerometer data of the associated mobile telephone. In another aspect, the usage data is based upon recency or frequency of use of the mobile telephone to place telephone calls. In yet another aspect, the usage data is based upon recency or frequency of use of a messaging application executing in the associated mobile telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20180077275
    Abstract: A method for contact list prioritization according to predicted reachability includes loading a contact list of contacts and retrieving a reachability value for each corresponding contact in the contact list that has been computed for each corresponding contact according to usage data of each corresponding contact for an associated mobile telephone. Thereafter, contacts in the contact list that are determined to be most reachable according to a corresponding reachability value are displayed first. In one aspect, the usage data for the associated mobile telephone is based upon accelerometer data of the associated mobile telephone. In another aspect, the usage data is based upon recency or frequency of use of the mobile telephone to place telephone calls. In yet another aspect, the usage data is based upon recency or frequency of use of a messaging application executing in the associated mobile telephone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 9854079
    Abstract: A method for contact list prioritization according to predicted reachability includes loading a contact list of contacts and retrieving a reachability value for each corresponding contact in the contact list that has been computed for each corresponding contact according to usage data of each corresponding contact for an associated mobile telephone. Thereafter, contacts in the contact list that are determined to be most reachable according to a corresponding reachability value are displayed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 9191642
    Abstract: An object located within an image foreground relative to image content within a field of view of at least one camera lens is identified, using image processing module, as an image obstruction. Responsive to identifying the image obstruction, points of view of at least one camera lens are determined that provide image content portions of the image content that, in combination, yield a complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the image foreground. The image content portions are combined to yield the complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the foreground. The combined complete image is stored to a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 8964025
    Abstract: An object located within an image foreground relative to image content within a field of view of at least one camera lens is identified, using image processing module, as an image obstruction. Responsive to identifying the image obstruction, points of view of at least one camera lens are determined that provide image content portions of the image content that, in combination, yield a complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the image foreground. The image content portions are combined to yield the complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the foreground. The combined complete image is stored to a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 8567958
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing projection areas on a surface. A search module is configured to search for one or more markers defining one or more projection areas on a surface. An area module is configured to select a usable projection area from the one or more projection areas on the surface. A boundary module is configured to determine a boundary for the usable projection area. A constraint module is configured to constrain a projection from a projector onto the surface within the boundary of the usable projection area in response to the boundary module determining the boundary of the usable projection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20130172051
    Abstract: A method for contact list prioritization according to predicted reachability includes loading a contact list of contacts and retrieving a reachability value for each corresponding contact in the contact list that has been computed for each corresponding contact according to usage data of each corresponding contact for an associated mobile telephone. Thereafter, contacts in the contact list that are determined to be most reachable according to a corresponding reachability value are displayed first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 8449119
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for modifying application windows based on projection surface characteristics. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a determination module, an identification module, and a modification module. The determination module determines one or more characteristics of a projection surface including detrimental characteristics. The identification module identifies one or more application windows for displayed within the projected image. The one or more application windows correspond to one or more applications executing on a processor. One or more of the identified application windows are for projection on at least one location of one or more detrimental characteristics. The modification module modifies one or more of a size, a shape, and a position of at least a portion of the one or more identified application windows to avoid the at least one location of the one or more detrimental characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120262569
    Abstract: An object located within an image foreground relative to image content within a field of view of at least one camera lens is identified, using image processing module, as an image obstruction. Responsive to identifying the image obstruction, points of view of at least one camera lens are determined that provide image content portions of the image content that, in combination, yield a complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the image foreground. The image content portions are combined to yield the complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the foreground. The combined complete image is stored to a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120262572
    Abstract: An object located within an image foreground relative to image content within a field of view of at least one camera lens is identified, using image processing module, as an image obstruction. Responsive to identifying the image obstruction, points of view of at least one camera lens are determined that provide image content portions of the image content that, in combination, yield a complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the image foreground. The image content portions are combined to yield the complete image of the image content without the image obstruction located within the foreground. The combined complete image is stored to a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120236038
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing projection areas on a surface. A search module is configured to search for one or more markers defining one or more projection areas on a surface. An area module is configured to select a usable projection area from the one or more projection areas on the surface. A boundary module is configured to determine a boundary for the usable projection area. A constraint module is configured to constrain a projection from a projector onto the surface within the boundary of the usable projection area in response to the boundary module determining the boundary of the usable projection area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120162260
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for managing projected images on a projection surface. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a sensor module, a determination module, and an interference module. The sensor module is configured to sense a projected image displayed on a projection surface. The projected image is projected from a projector. The determination module is configured to determine whether the projector is authorized to project the projected image on the projection surface in response to the sensor module sensing the projected image projected on the projection surface. The interference module is configured to interfere with a display of the projected image in response to the determination module determining that the projector is not authorized to project the projected image on the projected surface. The interference module alters the display of at least a portion of the projected image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Randall C. Humes, Christopher J. Hardee, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120050689
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for modifying application windows based on projection surface characteristics. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a determination module, an identification module, and a modification module. The determination module determines one or more characteristics of a projection surface including detrimental characteristics. The identification module identifies one or more application windows for displayed within the projected image. The one or more application windows correspond to one or more applications executing on a processor. One or more of the identified application windows are for projection on at least one location of one or more detrimental characteristics. The modification module modifies one or more of a size, a shape, and a position of at least a portion of the one or more identified application windows to avoid the at least one location of the one or more detrimental characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, Randall C. Humes, Heather C. Miller
  • Patent number: 8001099
    Abstract: In some embodiments a method comprises detecting a request to copy and determining information related to the copied data from the document. The method can also comprise augmenting a copy history to include the data and the information related to the data, and storing this copy history. The method can also include detecting a request to access the copy history associated with the document, presenting the copy history including the data and the information related to the copied data, and copying the data from the copy history for further use. The method can also comprise blocking copying of data if the document's copy rules are violated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Belinda Y. Chang, Vijay Dheap, Christopher J. Hardee, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20100037157
    Abstract: A method, information processing system, and computer program product manage information mashups. A first widget is selected from a plurality of widgets. A widget is an entity that at least one of consumes data and produces data. Metadata associated with the first widget is analyzed. The metadata at least includes compatible input type information, compatible output type information, previous usage information, and user feedback information. A second widget is selected from the plurality of widgets based on the metadata associated with the first widget and metadata associated with the second widget. The first widget and the second widget are coupled together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: BELINDA CHANG, Vijay Dheap, Christopher J. Hardee, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20090287634
    Abstract: In some embodiments a method comprises detecting a request to copy and determining information related to the copied data from the document. The method can also comprise augmenting a copy history to include the data and the information related to the data, and storing this copy history. The method can also include detecting a request to access the copy history associated with the document, presenting the copy history including the data and the information related to the copied data, and copying the data from the copy history for further use. The method can also comprise blocking copying of data if the document's copy rules are violated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Belinda Y. Chang, Vijay Dheap, Christopher J. Hardee, Heather C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20090118015
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for enhancing a user's experience in an electronic game by dynamically incorporating user-created tag data. Such a system can include an electronic game application running on a network-capable computing device, a game tag monitor, and a game tag information coordinator. The game tag monitor can be configured to accept and present user-created game tag data within the electronic game application. User created game tag data can also be received outside a gameplay situation using a suitable game tagging interface. The game tag data can be presented dynamically based on the current context of the game. The game tag information coordinator can be configured to provide the game tag monitor with game tag data and receive new game tag data from the game tag monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: BELINDA YING-CHIEH CHANG, VIJAY DHEAP, CHRISTOPHER J. HARDEE, HEATHER C. MILLER
  • Publication number: 20090095813
    Abstract: A method of providing a kitchen inventory based on expiration of goods. A spreadsheet displays a kitchen inventory that includes item names corresponding to multiple currently stored goods. The inventory also includes multiple quantities, expiration dates, remaining time values corresponding to a difference between the expiration dates and a current date, and status values corresponding to the remaining time values. If the currently stored goods change, the spreadsheet updates one or more quantities and expiration dates. If a user requests a recipe, the spreadsheet searches a recipe database for one or more suggested recipes that include one or more of the stored goods having expiration dates in proximity to the current date and outputs one or more suggested recipes. If a user requests a shopping list, the spreadsheet generates a list that includes needed quantities of one or more ingredients in relation to the currently stored goods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: BELINDA Y. CHANG, Vijay Dheap, Christopher J. Hardee, Heather C. Miller