Patents by Inventor Michael A Smuga

Michael A Smuga 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: 8244878
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable storage media, and systems for establishing multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program to enhance the user experience. The user receives notifications of request to communicate, an email, or an alert on communication devices. By choosing which communication device to respond on, that particular communication device becomes active, continuing the communication to transmit to and receive from on that communication device. The process also includes mirroring the communication on the other communication devices that are alive (connected) and non-mobile. Furthermore, the other communication devices are kept alive to allow the user to switch from one communication device to another during communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandra K Heron, John S Holmes, Nicole D Steinbok, Michael A Smuga, Geeven Singh
  • Patent number: 7904801
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods enabling creation and/or use of a recursive section for an electronic form are described. In one embodiment, a system and/or method enables alteration, responsive to graphical selection of a recursive section component, of an electronic form's schema to permit a recursive section. In another embodiment, a system and/or method enables a user to modify a recursive section in an electronic form through a rendering of the electronic form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alessandro Catorcini, Anand Ramagopalrao, Michael A Smuga, Michael B. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7712022
    Abstract: Systems and methods enabling creation and/or use of an electronic form capable of allowing a user to select from mutually exclusive options without the electronic form being in an invalid state are described. One of the described electronic forms remains valid to its schema by atomic swapping of data substructures corresponding to the form's mutually exclusive options. A method and a user interface for creating some of these electronic forms are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A Smuga, Alessandro Catorcini, Scott M. Roberts, Willson Kulandai Raj David, Andrew Paul Begun