Patents by Inventor Marc Eliot Davis

Marc Eliot Davis 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: 20120226995
    Abstract: Techniques for content customization with security for client preferences are described herein. The techniques describe the customization of content provided by websites according to preferences, such as the interests, “likes” and demographic and/or geographic information of users. Additional techniques describe aspects of keeping the users' preferences secure from the website, so that the users' privacy and anonymity are protected. In one implementation, a “trusted entity” is trusted by users to obtain and store the preferences. Content may be obtained by the trusted entity from a content provider, such as a website. The content may be changed according to the preferences. The content is then provided to the users. In view of the changes made by the trusted entity, the user enjoys a customized version of the content. Additional techniques describe limits to customization, based on permissible customizations and frameworks generated by the content providers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Matthew Graham Dyor, Lili Cheng, Richard J. Qian, Marc Eliot Davis, Steven William Macbeth
  • Publication number: 20120222132
    Abstract: Users may choose to have their behavior analyzed in order to infer default sharing permission settings for documents and other information maintained in one or more computer systems. This may increase information security for the users and streamline implementation of privacy and/or sharing permissions. The default sharing permissions are implemented by a computer system as soft permissions that may be used to determine which documents are to be shared with which recipients. The soft permissions may address sharing situations for which a user has not expressly indicated his or her sharing rules. The soft permissions may change over time in response to changing user behavior and/or the soft permissions may be revised in light of user feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Burger, Marc Eliot Davis, Eric J. Horvitz
  • Publication number: 20120203853
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods delivering communications associated with delivery conditions in which the occurrence of the delivery condition is determined by monitoring information received from a plurality of sources via multiple communication channels. The message delivery systems allow messages to be delivered to any “Who, What, When, Where” from any “Who, What, When, Where” upon the detection of an occurrence of one or more “Who, What, When, Where” delivery conditions. A message (which may be any data object including text-based messages, audio-based message such as voicemail or other audio such as music or video-based prerecorded messages) is delivered in accordance with delivery conditions based on any available data, including topical, spatial, temporal, and/or social data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Eliot Davis, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Christopher William Higgins, Keith David Saft, Nathanael Joe Hayashi, Marco Boerries, Paul Callan, Luke Wroblewski
  • Publication number: 20120166925
    Abstract: Information regarding a mobile user's context including but not limited to current mobile activity, social relations and associations history, and past mobile, search and browsing history is identified and converted to metadata. Metadata is also applied to content sources delivering content to a search engine or personalized content engine. The metadata is used in part to determine the relative display of content objects delivered to the mobile user as search results or a personalized aggregated information resource, e.g., home page. The user may select information, from one or more entities or search results or as presented to the user in other contexts, to be automatically delivered to the user's home page as a content feed including multiple content objects or content feeds associated with an entity. Information regarding mobile user activity is compiled and used to permit publishers and advertisers to identify target candidates to receive advertisements or marketing materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Marco Boerries, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Keith David Saft, Marc Eliot Davis, Amit Kumar, Erik Nis Jessen, Jonathan Merrel Chum, George Grinsted, Lee John Parry, Adam Taggart
  • Patent number: 8166168
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods for disambiguating a non-unique identifiers of real world entities (RWEs) detected by a computing network by dynamically identifying relationships between RWEs known to the network. The relationships are determined based on social, spatial, temporal and logical information known about the RWEs based on the RWEs previous interactions with the network. These relationships are then used to generate a probability for each RWE that the non-unique identifier identifies that RWE. Based on the probabilities an RWE is selected and the proper network identifier may be used in place of the non-unique identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Joseph Hayashi, Marco Boerries, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Ronald Martinez, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Robert Carter Trout
  • Patent number: 8166124
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods delivering communications associated with delivery conditions in which the occurrence of the delivery condition is determined by monitoring information received from a plurality of sources via multiple communication channels. The message delivery systems allow messages to be delivered to any “Who, What, When, Where” from any “Who, What, When, Where” upon the detection of an occurrence of one or more “Who, What, When, Where” delivery conditions. A message (which may be any data object including text-based messages, audio-based message such as voicemail or other audio such as music or video-based prerecorded messages) is delivered in accordance with delivery conditions based on any available data, including topical, spatial, temporal, and/or social data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Eliot Davis, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Christopher William Higgins, Keith David Saft, Nathanael Joe Hayashi, Marco Boerries, Paul Callan, Luke Wroblewski
  • Patent number: 8166016
    Abstract: A system and method for automated service recommendations. A request is received over a network, from a user for service recommendations, wherein the request comprises an identification of the user and at least one service selection criteria. A query is formulated so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, spatial data, temporal data, social data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the requesting user, the service selection criteria and to a plurality of services available via the network so as to a identify a subset of the plurality of services available via the network that relate to the request. A list of the identified subset of services is transmitted, via the network, to the requesting user. A selection of at least one of the selected subset of services available received from the user and the user is enrolled in the selected service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher William Higgins, Marc Eliot Davis
  • Patent number: 8150967
    Abstract: A system and method for verified presence tracking. A request for a location is received over a network. The request comprises a request type, a request source and at least one request target. Location data relating to the request targets is retrieved from a plurality of location data sources. The reliability of the retrieved location data is determined. A response is formulated using based on the request type, the retrieved location data, and the determined reliability of the retrieved location data. The response is then transmitted over the network to the request source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Simon P King, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins
  • Publication number: 20120078938
    Abstract: A system and method for context based query augmentation. A question is received over a network from a questioning user comprising an identification of a user and at least one question criteria. A first query is formulated so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data so as to identify user context data relevant to question criteria. The question is modified using the user context data to create at least one modified question having at least one additional criteria based on the user context data. A second query is formulated so as to search, via the network, for knowledge data, user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data so as to identify knowledge data relevant to the identified user and the modified question criteria. The knowledge data is transmitted, over the network, to the questioning user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher T. Paretti, Simon P. King, Rahul Nair, Carrie Burgener
  • Patent number: 8140566
    Abstract: Information regarding a mobile user's context including but not limited to current mobile activity, social relations and associations history, and past mobile, search and browsing history is identified and converted to metadata. Metadata is also applied to content sources delivering content to a search engine or personalized content engine. The metadata is used in part to determine the relative display of content objects delivered to the mobile user as search results or a personalized aggregated information resource, e.g., home page. The user may select information, from one or more entities or search results or as presented to the user in other contexts, to be automatically delivered to the user's home page as a content feed including multiple content objects or content feeds associated with an entity. Information regarding mobile user activity is compiled and used to permit publishers and advertisers to identify target candidates to receive advertisements or marketing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Boerries, Edward Stanley Ott, IV, Keith David Saft, Marc Eliot Davis, Amit Kumar, Erik Nis Jessen, Jonathan Merrel Chum, George Grinsted, Lee John Parry, Adam Taggart
  • Publication number: 20120030578
    Abstract: A system and method for Context Enhanced Mapping. A request is received from a user over a network for a map comprising an identification of a physical location, and at least one criteria. The physical location is mapped. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the physical location and criteria is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network and prioritized for inclusion based upon the user and context of the request. The map of the physical location and at least some of the retrieved spatial, temporal, topical, and social data is displayed on a user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Athellina Athsani, Christopher T. Paretti, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Ronald Martinez, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Christopher Kalaboukis
  • Patent number: 8108778
    Abstract: A system and method for Context Enhanced Mapping. A request is received from a user over a network for a map comprising an identification of a physical location, and at least one criteria. The physical location is mapped. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the physical location and criteria is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network and prioritized for inclusion based upon the user and context of the request. The map of the physical location and at least some of the retrieved spatial, temporal, topical, and social data is displayed on a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Athellina Athsani, Christopher T. Paretti, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Ronald Martinez, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Christopher Kalaboukis
  • Publication number: 20120010997
    Abstract: A system and method for deriving income from URL based context queries. A URL based user context query is received over a network from a user, wherein the user context comprises at least one user context criteria. A query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data, topical data and context query bid data that is available via the network and relates to the context so as to identify entries in a context query bid database that relate to user context criteria. A dynamic webpage is generated having content relating to the query and advertisements associated with the selected bid are inserted into the webpage. The dynamic webpage is transmitted to the user. The advertiser associated with the selected bid is charged a fee when a user interface event relating to the dynamic webpage occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Nair, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Simon P. King
  • Publication number: 20110302128
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods for disambiguating a non-unique identifiers of real world entities (RWEs) detected by a computing network by dynamically identifying relationships between RWEs known to the network. The relationships are determined based on social, spatial, temporal and logical information known about the RWEs based on the RWEs previous interactions with the network. These relationships are then used to generate a probability for each RWE that the non-unique identifier identifies that RWE. Based on the probabilities an RWE is selected and the proper network identifier may be used in place of the non-unique identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: YAHOO! INC.
    Inventors: Nathaniel Joseph Hayashi, Marco Boerries, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Ronald Martinez, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Robert Carter Trout
  • Patent number: 8069142
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods for synchronizing data on a network based on temporal, spatial, social and logical data available to the network. The method includes receiving a first information object (IO) containing attributes for a first real-world entity (RWE), the first IO associated with a second RWE; identifying one or more second IOs, each second IO containing one or more attributes for the first RWE and each second IO independently associated with a third RWE; generating a different probability for each IO based on a comparison of contents of the first and second IOs and their associated RWEs; and replacing one or more of the attributes in at least one IO with at least one attribute from a different IO based on the probabilities for each IO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Eliot Davis, George Grinstead, Lee J. Parry, Marco Boerries, Christopher William Higgins, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Ronald Martinez, Robert Carter Trout
  • Patent number: 8060492
    Abstract: A system and method for generation of URL context queries. A request is received over a network from a user for generation a URL based context query, wherein the request comprises at least one query generation criteria. A multidimensional dataspace having a spatial axis, a temporal axis, a topical axis and a social axis is searched for clusters of related data objects using the query generation criteria, wherein at least one cluster of data objects relating to the query generation criteria is identified. Permissions are checked relating to each data object cluster of related data objects. If the user does not have permission to view the data object, it is removed from the cluster. A URL having a context query comprising at least one context criteria is generated from the properties of the cluster of data objects. The URL having a context query is then transmitted to the end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Nair, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Simon P King
  • Patent number: 8055675
    Abstract: A system and method for context based query augmentation. A question is received over a network from a questioning user comprising an identification of a user and at least one question criteria. A first query is formulated so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data so as to identify user context data relevant to question criteria. The question is modified using the user context data to create at least one modified question having at least one additional criteria based on the user context data. A second query is formulated so as to search, via the network, for knowledge data, user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data so as to identify knowledge data relevant to the identified user and the modified question criteria. The knowledge data is transmitted, over the network, to the questioning user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher William Higgins, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher T Paretti, Simon P King, Rahul Nair, Carrie Burgener
  • Publication number: 20110252101
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods delivering communications associated with delivery conditions in which the occurrence of the delivery condition is determined by monitoring information received from a plurality of sources via multiple communication channels. The message delivery systems allow messages to be delivered to any “Who, What, When, Where” from any “Who, What, When, Where” upon the detection of an occurrence of one or more “Who, What, When, Where” delivery conditions. A message (which may be any data object including text-based messages, audio-based message such as voicemail or other audio such as music or video-based prerecorded messages) is delivered in accordance with delivery conditions based on any available data, including topical, spatial, temporal, and/or social data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Marc Eliot Davis, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Christopher William Higgins, Keith David Saft, Nathanael Joe Hayashi, Marco Boerries, Paul Callan, Luke Wroblewski
  • Patent number: 8032508
    Abstract: A system and method for URL based query for retrieving data related to a context. A request is received over a network from a user for data related to a context, wherein the request is a URL comprising a context query comprising at least one context criteria. The context criteria are parsed and translated and disambiguated. A network data query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search, via the network, for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data and topical data that is available via the network and relates to the context query so as to identify at least one data object that relates to context criteria. Permissions relating to the identified data objects are checked and references to the data objects are transmitted over the network to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Martinez, Christopher William Higgins, Joseph James O'Sullivan, Marc Eliot Davis
  • Patent number: 8024317
    Abstract: A system and method for deriving income from URL based context queries. A URL based user context query is received over a network from a user, wherein the user context comprises at least one user context criteria. A query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data, topical data and context query bid data that is available via the network and relates to the context so as to identify entries in a context query bid database that relate to user context criteria. A dynamic webpage is generated having content relating to the query and advertisements associated with the selected bid are inserted into the webpage. The dynamic webpage is transmitted to the user. The advertiser associated with the selected bid is charged a fee when a user interface event relating to the dynamic webpage occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Nair, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Simon P. King