Patents by Inventor James W. Seaman

James W. Seaman 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).

  • Publication number: 20160080025
    Abstract: An input device for switchable use between first and second computer systems. A controller of the input device can execute switching logic to direct a radio transceiver of the input device to switch an operating channel of the radio transceiver to a first channel monitored by the first computer system in response to a first event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the first computer system. The controller can execute switching logic to direct the radio transceiver to switch the operating channel to a second channel monitored by the second computer system in response to a second event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the second computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: David C. Brillhart, Christopher J. Dawson, Nicholas J. Karels, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9286731
    Abstract: Described herein are processes and devices that coalesced and/or collapse areas in a region of a virtual universe to conserve computing resources. Some embodiments are directed to detecting an indication to reduce usage of a computing resource in the virtual universe and, in response, determining the first area of the virtual universe for coalescing and collapsing into the second area of the virtual universe. In some embodiments, the first area comprises a plurality of virtual universe objects. Some embodiments are further directed to selecting a first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects for moving from the first area into the second area, coalescing the first set of the plurality of virtual universe objects into the second area from the first area, and, in response, collapsing the first area of the virtual universe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Activision Publishing, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Paul A. Moskowitz, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20160062444
    Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and program product for reducing use of one or more computer resources. In one embodiment, the invention includes monitoring a user's interaction with a virtual universe, determining whether the user's interaction with the virtual universe is consistent with the user's attention being diverted from the virtual universe, determining whether a computer resource allocated to the user should be reduced, and in the case that the computer resource should be reduced, reducing the computer resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Paul A. Moskowitz, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9274848
    Abstract: This invention provides a system or method to provide dynamically packaged Cloud services to customers via a Cloud services registry. The Cloud services registry is dynamic and operates by polling different Cloud service providers and Cloud service databases to ensure that the Cloud services registry is up to date with the latest available Cloud services. The Cloud services registry is available for queries from Cloud customers and abstracts multiple Cloud service providers. By abstracting the Cloud services, the dynamic Cloud services registry creates a modular package of different services from different Cloud service providers based on the query and requested priority for services. The dynamic Cloud registry is dynamically updated based on the level of services that the provider has available. The dynamic registry determines what service best matches the requirements from a Cloud service request (CSR) and returns a personalized set of matching services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Vincenzo V. Diluoffo, Michael D. Kendzierski, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9258017
    Abstract: An input device for switchable use between first and second computer systems. A controller of the input device can execute switching logic to direct a radio transceiver of the input device to switch an operating channel of the radio transceiver to a first channel monitored by the first computer system in response to a first event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the first computer system. The controller can execute switching logic to direct the radio transceiver to switch the operating channel to a second channel monitored by the second computer system in response to a second event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the second computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Brillhart, Christopher J. Dawson, Nicholas J. Karels, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9251127
    Abstract: A method and system for managing documents attached to electronic mail messages. An electronic mail message at a destination location is received. It is determined that a document is attached to the received electronic mail message. It is ascertained whether or not the attached document was originated at the destination location and is stored at the destination location, from which it is ascertained that the attached document was originated at the destination location and is stored at the destination location. After it is ascertained that the attached document was originated at the destination location and is stored at the destination location, the document is deleted from the received electronic mail message, after which a link for connecting to the document stored at the destination location is created in the received electronic mail message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leslie M. Ernest, Craig Fellenstein, Rick A. Hamilton, II, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9245237
    Abstract: Described herein are processes and devices that create and manage documents in a virtual universe. One of the devices described is a virtual document converter. The virtual document converter analyzes a set of one or more graphical objects of a virtual document in a virtual universe. The virtual document presents document content. The virtual document converter determines format information for generating a document file. The virtual document converter parses the document content of the virtual document. The virtual document converter generates the document file with the parsed document content and the determined format information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, James W. Seaman, Keith R. Walker
  • Patent number: 9244513
    Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and program product for reducing use of one or more computer resources. In one embodiment, the invention includes monitoring a user's interaction with a virtual universe, determining whether the user's interaction with the virtual universe is consistent with the user's attention being diverted from the virtual universe, determining whether a computer resource allocated to the user should be reduced, and in the case that the computer resource should be reduced, reducing the computer resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Paul A. Moskowitz, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9207836
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to teleporting avatars between disparate virtual worlds. A system is disclosed that includes a facility for creating a persona profile for an avatar in a first virtual world when the avatar wants to be teleported out of the first virtual world; a facility for transferring persona profiles to and from a disparate virtual world; and a facility for instantiating an inbound avatar based on a received persona profile. Persona profiles may include, e.g., rendering information, trait information, and inventory information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Vincenzo V. Di Luoffo, Rick A. Hamilton, II, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20150332330
    Abstract: A method and system of providing advertising to a moving target vehicle. At least one sensor device coupled to a moving advertising vehicle detecting a parameter associated with the moving target vehicle. The detected parameter is received by a global positioning system (GPS) device. Advertising content data pertaining to a topic associated with identification data is obtained. The topic was determined from matching identification data associated with the detected parameter to advertising correlation data. The identification data was determined from matching the detected parameter to data in a personal database. Vehicle data is determined by the at least one sensor device and/or the GPS device in the advertising vehicle. Display of the advertising content data is initiated on a display device in the advertising vehicle to display the advertising content data to the target vehicle according to at least one display parameter that is based on the vehicle data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Peter G. Finn, Stephen J. Houlihan, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9189126
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to teleporting avatars between disparate virtual worlds. A system is disclosed that includes a facility for creating a persona profile for an avatar in a first virtual world when the avatar wants to be teleported out of the first virtual world; a facility for transferring persona profiles to and from a disparate virtual world; and a facility for instantiating an inbound avatar based on a received persona profile. Persona profiles may include, e.g., rendering information, trait information, and inventory information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Vincenzo V. Di Luoffo, Rick A. Hamilton, II, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20150295864
    Abstract: The present invention allows an on-line user to specify the name by which that user is known when communicating with other target users, regardless of the name under which the sending user is currently logged-in. The invention also provides a mechanism to block messages from sending parties that are not willing to divulge their real identity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Rick A. HAMILTON, Richard J. NEWHOOK, M Shafer RAMSEY, James W. SEAMAN
  • Patent number: 9117193
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for detecting affinity between entities in a virtual universe (VU) using real time access to descriptions prepared from information about objective entities available in VU databases as well as descriptive information made available by the objective entities. Objective entities may be aggregations of virtual entities. Activators for affinity determinations are provided. The information on an objective entity is compared with descriptive information on a VU subject to determine affinity, and corresponding action of the VU subject. In this manner also the comparative affinities of different objective entities may determine actions of the VU subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred J. Brignull, Michele P. Brignull, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Pamela A. Nesbitt, Anne R. Sand, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9111577
    Abstract: A method, computer system, and/or computer program product enables a reuse of media storage space via partial file deletion. Multiple friends in a same social circle, which together have control of multiple media storage devices that are storing all segments of a media file, are identified. A last friend from the multiple friends, who has control of a last media storage device to have a last copy of a particular segment of the media file, is identified. The last media storage device is the only media storage device, from the multiple storage devices, to have a copy of the particular segment of the media file. The last media storage device is prevented from deleting the particular segment of the media file until another of the multiple storage devices stores a copy of the particular segment of the media file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Gregory J. Boss, Lydia M. Do, Rick A. Hamilton, II, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20150227636
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9104438
    Abstract: The present invention describes an approach for general management of a client desktop with respect to accessing Cloud services. Included are means for dynamically determining, viewing, organizing, and linking desktop objects to associated server side Cloud resources and services. Specifically, the present invention provides a mechanism whereby Cloud services can be automatically represented on a plurality of client systems (for example, laptops, desktops, PDAs, etc) complete with the ability for the underlying provider of those services to be dynamically mapped based on a user's profile. The user will see standard available services regardless of the provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Vincenzo V. Diluoffo, Michael D. Kendzierski, James W. Seaman
  • Publication number: 20150222298
    Abstract: An input device for switchable use between first and second computer systems. A controller of the input device can execute switching logic to direct a radio transceiver of the input device to switch an operating channel of the radio transceiver to a first channel monitored by the first computer system in response to a first event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the first computer system. The controller can execute switching logic to direct the radio transceiver to switch the operating channel to a second channel monitored by the second computer system in response to a second event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the second computer system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: David C. Brillhart, Christopher J. Dawson, Nicholas J. Karels, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9100435
    Abstract: The present invention allows an on-line user to specify the name by which that user is known when communicating with other target users, regardless of the name under which the sending user is currently logged-in. The invention also provides a mechanism to block messages from sending parties that are not willing to divulge their real identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Richard J. Newhook, Martin S. Ramsey, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9056248
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has and a corresponding method utilizes a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has and the method utilizes a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further the system has and the method utilizes an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9042830
    Abstract: An input device for switchable use between first and second computer systems. A controller of the input device can execute switching logic to direct a radio transceiver of the input device to switch an operating channel of the radio transceiver to a first channel monitored by the first computer system in response to a first event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the first computer system. The controller can execute switching logic to direct the radio transceiver to switch the operating channel to a second channel monitored by the second computer system in response to a second event, and thereby, the input device can be utilized to insert data into the second computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Brillhart, Christopher J. Dawson, Nicholas J. Karels, James W. Seaman