Patents by Inventor Howard B. Gefen

Howard B. Gefen 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: 10198764
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishay S. Nihalani, Diwakar Gupta, Chih-Jen Huang, Philip Yuen, Howard B. Gefen, Gerald Yuen
  • Patent number: 10007712
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for employing a phrase as a unique identifier of a user and a corresponding user account. For instance, a transaction processing service may maintain multiple user accounts each associated with respective users. In addition, the transaction processing service may associate one or more unique phrases with each of these respective users and user accounts. Users may then configure rules associated with their respective user accounts to enable use of associated phrases as identifiers for storing a variety of different content in association with the phrases. Users may also configure their accounts with communication rules that instruct the transaction processing service to send pieces of content that are received with the phrase to different specified destinations. Users may also configure their accounts with preferences used by vendors to complete transactions initiated with use of a phrase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew T. Williams, Howard B. Gefen, Vinay P. Vaidya
  • Patent number: 8973120
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for receiving task requests from unregistered devices are described. Embodiments may include a communication interface service configured to receive from a communication device a message indicative of a request to perform a task. The communication interface service may determine that the communication device is not registered with an existing account that provides information for performing said task. The communication interface service may obtain identification and authentication information for an existing account via a communication channel. The existing account may be an account for that is accessible via a network-based interface. The communication channel through which the identification and authentication information is received by the communication interface service may be any communication channel that does not include the network-based interface of the existing account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chesley B. Coughlin, Isaac W. Oates, Diwakar Gupta, Philip Yuen, Gerald Yuen, Chih-Jen Huang, Lee M. Butler, Howard B. Gefen
  • Publication number: 20140095391
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for receiving task requests from unregistered devices are described. Embodiments may include a communication interface service configured to receive from a communication device a message indicative of a request to perform a task. The communication interface service may determine that the communication device is not registered with an existing account that provides information for performing said task. The communication interface service may obtain identification and authentication information for an existing account via a communication channel. The existing account may be an account for that is accessible via a network-based interface. The communication channel through which the identification and authentication information is received by the communication interface service may be any communication channel that does not include the network-based interface of the existing account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: CHESLEY B. COUGHLIN, ISAAC W. OATES, DIWAKAR GUPTA, PHILIP YUEN, GERALD YUEN, CHIH-JEN HUANG, LEE M. BUTLER, HOWARD B. GEFEN
  • Publication number: 20140012702
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: VISHAY S. NIHALANI, DIWAKAR GUPTA, CHIH-JEN HUANG, PHILIP YUEN, HOWARD B. GEFEN, GERALD YUEN
  • Patent number: 8533059
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishay S. Nihalani, Diwakar Gupta, Chih-Jen Huang, Philip Yuen, Howard B. Gefen, Gerald Yuen
  • Publication number: 20120303482
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Vishay S. Nihalani, Diwakar Gupta, Chih-Jen Huang, Philip Yuen, Howard B. Gefen, Gerald Yuen
  • Patent number: 8244592
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishay S. Nihalani, Diwakar Gupta, Chih-Jen Huang, Philip Yuen, Howard B. Gefen, Gerald Yuen
  • Publication number: 20090248543
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for message-based purchasing are described. The system and method for message-based purchasing may include a message-based purchase service configured to determine that a selection has been performed through a network-based interface. Such selection may be indicative of one or more items offered for sale via the network-based interface. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to the selection of one or more items, send to a communication device, a message indicating a code corresponding to the selection. The message-based purchase service may receive from the communication device through a communication channel that does not include the network-based interface, a message including the code. The message-based purchase service may be configured to, in response to determining that the message received from the communication device includes the code, generate a purchase request for the one or more previously selected items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Vishay S. Nihalani, Diwakar Gupta, Chih-Jen Huang, Philip Yuen, Howard B. Gefen, Gerald Yuen