Patents by Inventor Joseph Ruff
Joseph Ruff 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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Publication number: 20100185447Abstract: Embodiments are provided for selecting and utilizing multiple recognizers to process an utterance based on a markup language document. The markup language document and an utterance are received in a computing device. One or more recognizers are selected from among the multiple recognizers for returning a results set for the utterance based on markup language in the markup language document. The results set is received from the one or more selected recognizers in a format determined by a processing method specified in the markup language document. An event is then executed on the computing device in response to receiving the results set.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew K. Krumel, Pierre-Alexandre F. Masse, Joseph A. Ruff
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Publication number: 20100011306Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2009Publication date: January 14, 2010Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joseph RUFF, Robert G. JOHNSTON, JR., Robert ULRICH
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Patent number: 7609279Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2005Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Robert Ulrich
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Publication number: 20090112782Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a decision-making process are disclosed. In one aspect of the present disclosure, in response to receiving a request to facilitate a decision making process, the decision-making agent participates in a communications thread where users are attempting to reach a decision regarding a business to frequent and/or an activity to partake. Since group activities are oftentimes scheduled via common communication threads, the decision-making agent can intervene in such communication threads, when requested, and assist the participating users in making a decision or making informed suggestions toward reaching an agreement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Karen M. Cross, Robert P. Starling, Michael D. Trinkala, Joseph Ruff, Brandon W. Porter, Gary Clayton
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Publication number: 20050190182Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2005Publication date: September 1, 2005Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert Johnston, Robert Ulrich
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Patent number: 6909437Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2001Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Robert Ulrich
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Patent number: 6710782Abstract: A method and system are described for creating and editing a theme associated with a graphical user interface (GUI). In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a theme is selected from a plurality of themes. The theme is edited by modifying information associated with at least one GUI definition object, wherein the at least one GUI definition object is associated with the theme. Information associated with the at least one GUI definition object is stored as part of the theme.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2001Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Robert Ulrich
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Patent number: 6664981Abstract: The program code for control objects in a graphical user interface is organized in a multi-level hierarchial structure. At one level of the structure, each different type of control defines a class of objects. The definition of a class includes most, if not all, of the functionality associated with the objects of that class. In addition, the class definition includes the overall structure of the object, such as the relative positions of different elements which make up the object. The actual appearance of these elements is defined by user selectable software that resides at a lower level of the hierarchy. Using this approach, only one instance of the program code which defines the functionality and overall structure of each object is required, resulting in smaller the overall memory requirements of the program code.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2001Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Dylan B. Ashe, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Joseph A. Ruff, Daniel Clifford
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Publication number: 20020093523Abstract: The program code for control objects in a graphical user interface is organized in a multi-level hierarchial structure. At one level of the structure, each different type of control defines a class of objects. The definition of a class includes most, if not all, of the functionality associated with the objects of that class. In addition, the class definition includes the overall structure of the object, such as the relative positions of different elements which make up the object. The actual appearance of these elements is defined by user selectable software that resides at a lower level of the hierarchy. Using this approach, only one instance of the program code which defines the functionality and overall structure of each object is required, resulting in smaller the overall memory requirements of the program code.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Inventors: Dylan B. Ashe, Robert G. Johnston, Joseph A. Ruff, Daniel Clifford
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Publication number: 20020085019Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2001Publication date: July 4, 2002Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Robert Ulrich
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Patent number: 6404433Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1996Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Robert Ulrich
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Publication number: 20020052721Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Robert Ulrich
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Patent number: 6307574Abstract: The program code for control objects in a graphical user interface is organized in a multi-level hierarchial structure. At one level of the structure, each different type of control defines a class of objects. The definition of a class includes most, if not all, of the functionality associated with the objects of that class. In addition, the class definition includes the overall structure of the object, such as the relative positions of different elements which make up the object. The actual appearance of these elements is defined by user selectable software that resides at a lower level of the hierarchy. Using this approach, only one instance of the program code which defines the functionality and overall structure of each object is required, resulting in smaller the overall memory requirements of the program code.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 1995Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Dylan B. Ashe, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Joseph A. Ruff, Daniel Clifford
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Patent number: 6243102Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be switched dynamically by switching pointers to drawing procedures or switching data being supplied to these procedures. To buffer applications from the switchable nature of graphical user interfaces according to the present invention, colors and patterns used to implement the interface objects are abstracted from the interface by, for example, pattern look-up tables.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1999Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert G. Johnston, Jr., Robert Ulrich