Patents by Inventor Joseph Wheeler

Joseph Wheeler 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: 10186262
    Abstract: A speech recognition system interprets both spoken system commands as well as application commands. Users may speak commands to an open microphone of a computing device that may be interpreted by at least two speech recognizers operating simultaneously. The first speech recognizer interprets operating system commands and the second speech recognizer interprets application commands. The system commands may include at least opening and closing an application and the application commands may include at least a game command or navigation within a menu. A reserve word may be used to identify whether the command is for the operation system or application. A user's cadence may also indicate whether the speech is a global command or application command. A speech recognizer may include a natural language software component located in a remote computing device, such as in the so-called cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Klein, Dennis Mooney, II, Thomas Soemo, Leo Soong, Joseph Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10139992
    Abstract: A video playlist associated with a set of videos is distinguished in a graphical user interface using a dynamic thumbnail to represent the playlist. The dynamic thumbnail comprises a static portion comprising a first image associated with the set of videos and a dynamic portion comprising one or more second images associated with the set of videos. An image provided in the dynamic portion is configured to change while the first image remains the same in response to a shift in the graphical user interface that results in a change in position of the thumbnail about the user graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, Chris Lauritzen
  • Publication number: 20180107354
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for navigating a user interface are provided. In some embodiments, methods for navigating a user interface is provided, the method comprising: causing a user interface to be presented including media identifiers that correspond media assets; causing the media identifiers to be arranged along a first direction; causing a first media identifier at a first position to be highlighted; causing a menu element to be presented at a first menu position associated with the first media identifier; receiving an instruction from a user input device to navigate to a next element along the first direction; causing a second media identifier next to the first position to be highlighted in response to receiving the instruction; causing the menu element to be presented at a second menu position associated with the second media identifier; and inhibiting presentation of the menu element at the first menu position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, Chris Lauritzen
  • Publication number: 20180081530
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for providing media guidance with contextual controls are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: causing a user interface to be presented that includes media interface elements, wherein each of the media interface elements is a selectable object that represents at least one media content item; determining that a media interface element from the media interface elements has been selected; in response to determining that the media interface element has been selected, causing the at least one media content item corresponding to the selected media interface element to be presented in a portion of the user interface; and concurrently with causing the at least one media content item to be presented, causing a control interface to be presented that is associated with the selected media interface element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, David Mark Halloran
  • Patent number: 9910884
    Abstract: Functionality is described herein for presenting representations of the z most recently presented items. The functionality also presents indicators which convey the presentation modes that were last used to present the z items. When the user selects one of the z items, the functionality presents it, as a default, using the last-used presentation mode, as conveyed by the indicator associated with this item. In one particular case, the last-used presentation mode corresponds to a full mode or a snap mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Churchill, Joseph Wheeler, Jérôme Jean-Louis Vasseur, Thomas R. Fuller, Jason D. Giles
  • Patent number: 9880705
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for navigating a user interface are provided. In some embodiments, methods for navigating a user interface is provided, the method comprising: causing a user interface to be presented including media identifiers that correspond media assets; causing the media identifiers to be arranged along a first direction; causing a first media identifier at a first position to be highlighted; causing a menu element to be presented at a first menu position associated with the first media identifier; receiving an instruction from a user input device to navigate to a next element along the first direction; causing a second media identifier next to the first position to be highlighted in response to receiving the instruction; causing the menu element to be presented at a second menu position associated with the second media identifier; and inhibiting presentation of the menu element at the first menu position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, Chris Lauritzen
  • Publication number: 20180011614
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for navigating a user interface are provided. In some embodiments, a method for navigating a user interface is provided, the method comprising: causing a user interface to be presented including a plurality of media identifier elements corresponding to media assets; causing the plurality of media identifier elements to be arranged along a first direction of the user interface; selecting a first media asset associated with a first media identifier element for presentation; identifying related media assets in response to selection of the first media asset; causing the first media asset to be presented in a first portion of the user interface; and causing related media identifier elements to be presented in a second portion of the user interface aligned with the first portion along the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, Chris Lauritzen
  • Publication number: 20170371920
    Abstract: Functionality is described herein for presenting representations of the z most recently presented items. The functionality also presents indicators which convey the presentation modes that were last used to present the z items. When the user selects one of the z items, the functionality presents it, as a default, using the last-used presentation mode, as conveyed by the indicator associated with this item. In one particular case, the last-used presentation mode corresponds to a full mode or a snap mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John E. CHURCHILL, Joseph WHEELER, Jérôme Jean-Louis VASSEUR, Thomas R. FULLER, Jason D. GILES
  • Publication number: 20170358021
    Abstract: A computing system for managing product customization is provided. The computing system includes instructions stored in memory and executable by a processor to receive, for each of a plurality of parts of a 3D product, a color selection input specifying a color selected by a user for that part, responsive to receiving the color selection inputs, generate a color histogram of the 3D product including a plurality of units, each unit being associated with one of the parts and assigned the color of that part, where the number of units allocated to each part is based on a size of the part, and display the color histogram in a graphical user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Wheeler, Craig R. Maitlen, Devin Brown, Jurgen Brenkert
  • Patent number: 9830061
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for providing media guidance with contextual controls are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: causing a user interface to be presented that includes media interface elements, wherein each of the media interface elements is a selectable object that represents at least one media content item; determining that a media interface element from the media interface elements has been selected; in response to determining that the media interface element has been selected, causing the at least one media content item corresponding to the selected media interface element to be presented in a portion of the user interface; and concurrently with causing the at least one media content item to be presented, causing a control interface to be presented that is associated with the selected media interface element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, David Mark Halloran
  • Publication number: 20170323316
    Abstract: A method for documenting a customer's journey using an online survey platform has an administrator account and a plurality of user profiles, each of which are managed by a remote server and are also associated with corresponding PC devices. The method begins by receiving a project creation request from the administrator account. The project creation request initiates the survey creation process. Next, a survey template is created to function as the framework around which the survey is structured. The survey template is then formatted to contain the appropriate questions that gauge user experience while moving through the phases of a task. The formatted survey template is sent multiple user profiles. The user associated to those profiles then respond to the survey. Finally, the responses are analyzed and the results of the analysis is presented to the administrator account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventor: Joseph Wheeler
  • Patent number: 9767142
    Abstract: Functionality is described herein for presenting representations of the z most recently presented items. The functionality also presents indicators which convey the presentation modes that were last used to present the z items. When the user selects one of the z items, the functionality presents it, as a default, using the last-used presentation mode, as conveyed by the indicator associated with this item. In one particular case, the last-used presentation mode corresponds to a full mode or a snap mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Churchill, Joseph Wheeler, Jérôme Jean-Louis Vasseur, Thomas R. Fuller, Jason D. Giles
  • Patent number: 9766781
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for navigating a user interface are provided. In some embodiments, a method for navigating a user interface is provided, the method comprising: causing a user interface to be presented including a plurality of media identifier elements corresponding to media assets; causing the plurality of media identifier elements to be arranged along a first direction of the user interface; selecting a first media asset associated with a first media identifier element for presentation; identifying related media assets in response to selection of the first media asset; causing the first media asset to be presented in a first portion of the user interface; and causing related media identifier elements to be presented in a second portion of the user interface aligned with the first portion along the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Joseph Wheeler, Chris Lauritzen
  • Patent number: 9720567
    Abstract: Multitasking and full screen menu contexts are described. In one or more implementations, an input is received to cause output of a menu in a user interface of a computing device. Responsive to this receipt, a determination is made as which of a plurality of portions displayed simultaneously in the user interface in a multitasking mode has focus, each of the plurality of portions corresponding to an output of a respective one of a plurality of applications. Responsive to the determination, output is caused of the menu as associated with the focused portion of the user interface and having a representation of at least one function based the focused portion, the representation selectable to cause performance of the function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Churchill, Joseph Wheeler, Jerome Jean-Louis Vasseur, Thomas Fuller, Jason Dean Giles
  • Publication number: 20170083696
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure are directed towards providing feedback to users of multi-user system that has biometric recognition capabilities, so that a user knows whether the system has correctly associated the user with his or her identity. The feedback may include a display of a current camera view, along with visible identity information that is associated with each user in the view. The feedback may include per-user icons (e.g., tiles, thumbnail images and so on) by which a user visually confirms that he or she is correctly recognized. Any misrecognition may be detected via the feedback and corrected. Feedback may convey other information, such as the current interaction state/capabilities of a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell Smith, Emily M. Yang, Joseph Wheeler, Sergio Paolantonio, Xiaoji Chen, Eric C. Sanderson, Calvin Kent Carter, Christian Klein, Mark D. Schwesinger, Rita A. Yu
  • Patent number: D789952
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Craig R. Maitlen, Joseph Wheeler, David Gardner, Devin Brown, Jurgen Brenkert
  • Patent number: D791804
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Emmanuel Reyes, Benjamin Perry, John Snavely, Xiaoji Chen, Ryan Phillips, Jeff Fleischmann, Mitchell Johnson, Nicholas Robinson, Joseph Wheeler, Nathan Johnson, Brian Ralphs, David Gardner
  • Patent number: D797767
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Tyler Paul Esselstrom, Joseph Wheeler, Giancarlo Lari, Nando Costa, Anthony J. Giardini, Craig R. Maitlen
  • Patent number: D807396
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Gardner, Joseph Wheeler
  • Patent number: D826965
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Smith, Tyler Paul Esselstrom, Quinn Damerell, Ruth Anne Zschoche, Randy Huynh, Joseph Wheeler