Patents by Inventor Neal Sample
Neal Sample 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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Patent number: 10264095Abstract: Enabling an authenticated user to access content associated with an authenticated user as though the authenticated user had a selected user relationship with the authenticated user. The user relationship may comprise a relationship degree, a relationship category, a relationship rating, and/or the like. An invitation to join an electronic service, such as an online social network, is sent to the unauthenticated user at an address known to the authenticated user. The invitation includes a time-limited token, such as a URL, that includes an invitation identifier, which relates the invitation to the authenticated user content. The token may be encrypted in the invitation. The unauthenticated user returns the token as a request to preview the authenticated user content without first becoming an authenticated user of the electronic service. If the token is still valid, access is granted. The unauthenticated user may also request to establish a connection with the authenticated user.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2013Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: EXCALIBUR IP, LLCInventors: Michael La Rotonda, Neal Sample, F. Randall Farmer, Paul Brody, Ellen Sue Perelman
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Patent number: 9894049Abstract: A device, system and method for aggregating resources, services or data across a network in which data and services from various source networks can be converted into an internal, aggregatable form (or vice versa) that can be sent to relevant properties or systems on request or through scheduling. The framework of the device, system and method permits scalability and potentially support any number of users, applications and services.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: EXCALIBUR IP, LLCInventors: Neal Sample, Paul Lo
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Patent number: 9083794Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. In one embodiment, a status of the user is received over a channel. The channel may include an application protocol. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a media format of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified based on social network information, preferences of a recipient, receiving device information, channel information, or the like. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: YAHOO! INC.Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Neal Sample, Chris Kalaboukis
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Publication number: 20150135295Abstract: A device, system and method for aggregating resources, services or data across a network in which data and services from various source networks can be converted into an internal, aggregatable form (or vice versa) that can be sent to relevant properties or systems on request or through scheduling. The framework of the device, system and method permits scalability and potentially support any number of users, applications and services.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Inventors: Neal Sample, Paul Lo
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Patent number: 9015170Abstract: Techniques are provided for selecting a diverse mix of content items that may be displayed to a user. Content items such as user-generated events are received from a variety of sources. One or more content items are added to a set of content items based on a diversity of characteristics. The diversity of characteristics for the one or more content items may be calculated by measuring a diversity of characteristics of the set as if the one or more content items were added to the set. Content items that produce a greater diversity are selected for addition to the set. The set is displayed to the user, who is provided with a more meaningful mix of content due to the greater diversity in content.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Zhichen Xu, Aurora Skarra-Gallagher, Neal Sample, Yun Fu
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Patent number: 8954500Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for detecting social relationships across multiple networks and/or communication channels. These social relationships may then be utilized in a wide variety of ways to support and enhance a broad range of user services.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2008Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Marc Davis, Neal Sample, Michael Curtis, Ryan Kennedy, Yathin Krishnappa, Luke Wroblewski, Marco Boerries, Joe Hayashi
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Patent number: 8869256Abstract: A device, system and method for aggregating resources, services or data across a network in which data and services from various source networks can be converted into an internal, aggregatable form (or vice versa) that can be sent to relevant properties or systems on request or through scheduling. The framework of the device, system and method permits scalability and potentially support any number of users, applications and services.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Neal Sample, Paul Lo
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Patent number: 8838599Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards a Modified Sequitur algorithm (MSA) using pipelining and indexed arrays to identify trending topics within a plurality of documents having user generated content (UGC). The documents are parallelized and distributed across a plurality of network devices, which place at least some of the received documents into a buffer for which the MSA may then be applied to the documents within the buffer to identify n-grams or phrases within the documents' contents. The identified phrases are further analyzed to remove extraneous co-occurrences of phrases, and/or words based on a part of speech analysis. A weighting of the remaining phrases is used to identify trending topic phrases. Links to content in the plurality of UGC documents that is associated with the trending topic phrases may then be displayed to a client device.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2010Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Zhichen Xu, Yun Fu, Neal Sample
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Publication number: 20140067980Abstract: Enabling an authenticated user to access content associated with an authenticated user as though the authenticated user had a selected user relationship with the authenticated user. The user relationship may comprise a relationship degree, a relationship category, a relationship rating, and/or the like. An invitation to join an electronic service, such as an online social network, is sent to the unauthenticated user at an address known to the authenticated user. The invitation includes a time-limited token, such as a URL, that includes an invitation identifier, which relates the invitation to the authenticated user content. The token may be encrypted in the invitation. The unauthenticated user returns the token as a request to preview the authenticated user content without first becoming an authenticated user of the electronic service. If the token is still valid, access is granted. The unauthenticated user may also request to establish a connection with the authenticated user.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Michael La Rotonda, Neal Sample, F. Randall Farmer, Paul Brody, Ellen Sue Perelman
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Publication number: 20140006422Abstract: Techniques are provided for selecting a diverse mix of content items that may be displayed to a user. Content items such as user-generated events are received from a variety of sources. One or more content items are added to a set of content items based on a diversity of characteristics. The diversity of characteristics for the one or more content items may be calculated by measuring a diversity of characteristics of the set as if the one or more content items were added to the set. Content items that produce a greater diversity are selected for addition to the set. The set is displayed to the user, who is provided with a more meaningful mix of content due to the greater diversity in content.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: ZHICHEN XU, AURORA SKARRA-GALLAGHER, NEAL SAMPLE, YUN FU
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Patent number: 8584258Abstract: Enabling an unauthenticated user to access content associated with an authenticated user as though the unauthenticated user had a selected user relationship with the authenticated user. The user relationship may comprise a relationship degree, a relationship category, a relationship rating, and/or the like. An invitation to join an electronic service, such as an online social network, is sent to the unauthenticated user at an address known to the authenticated user. The invitation includes a time-limited token, such as a URL, that includes an invitation identifier, which relates the invitation to the authenticated user content. The token may be encrypted in the invitation. The unauthenticated user returns the token as a request to preview the authenticated user content without first becoming an authenticated user of the electronic service. If the token is still valid, access is granted. The unauthenticated user may also request to establish a connection with the authenticated user.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2005Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Michael La Rotonda, Neal Sample, F. Randall Farmer, Paul Brody, Ellen Sue Perelman
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Patent number: 8533202Abstract: Techniques are provided for selecting a diverse mix of content items that may be displayed to a user. Content items such as user-generated events are received from a variety of sources. One or more content items are added to a set of content items based on a diversity of characteristics. The diversity of characteristics for the one or more content items may be calculated by measuring a diversity of characteristics of the set as if the one or more content items were added to the set. Content items that produce a greater diversity are selected for addition to the set. The set is displayed to the user, who is provided with a more meaningful mix of content due to the greater diversity in content.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2009Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Zhichen Xu, Aurora Skarra-Gallagher, Neal Sample, Yun Fu
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Patent number: 8489597Abstract: A method for encoding XML tree data that includes the step of encoding the semi-structured data into strings of arbitrary length in a way that maintains non-structural and structural information about the XML data, and enables indexing the encoded XML data in a way that facilitates efficient search and browsing.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2004Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Ori Software Development Ltd.Inventors: Moshe Shadmon, Neal Sample, Brian Cooper, Michael J. Franklin
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Publication number: 20120284338Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. In one embodiment, a status of the user is received over a channel. The channel may include an application protocol. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a media format of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified based on social network information, preferences of a recipient, receiving device information, channel information, or the like. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: YAHOO! INC.Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Neal Sample, Chris Kalaboukis
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Publication number: 20120209914Abstract: Enabling a content publisher and a receiving user to control access to content updates based on user relationships. The content publisher and the receiving user may assign a relationship degree, relationship category, and/or relationship rating to each other and to other users. The content publisher and/or receiving user also specify a required relationship that is needed to access or accept a content update. The content publisher and receiving user may further specify acceptable types of content updates, such as blog entries, product reviews, photos, and the like that are accessible or acceptable. Upon logon or other event, a summary of content updates is provided to each receiving user that meets each content publisher's required relationship, and the content updates are delivered according to a selected delivery method from those content publishers that meet the relationship requirements of the receiving users. Delivery includes email, instant message, RSS feeds, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Neal Sample, F. Randall Farmer, Ericson DeJesus, Ellen Sue Perelman, Mark Everett Hull
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Patent number: 8224359Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. In one embodiment, a status of the user is received over a channel. The channel may include an application protocol. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a media format of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified based on social network information, preferences of a recipient, receiving device information, channel information, or the like. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2006Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Neal Sample, Chris Kalaboukis
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Patent number: 8219126Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards sending a status of a user in a social network to a recipient. A status of the user is received over a channel. The recipient is selected based on a membership in the social network, a preference of the recipient, or a type of the status. Another channel is selected based on information about a mode of communication between the recipient and the user and/or another member related to the user in the social network. The status may be modified from one type to another type based on the recipient. The status is forwarded to the recipient over the other channel. Forwarding may comprise unicasting, multicasting, and/or delaying sending the status until the other channel is available. A channel may include an application protocol.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2010Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Cameron Marlow, Neal Sample, Chris Kalaboukis
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Patent number: 8166069Abstract: Enabling a content publisher and a receiving user to control access to content updates based on user relationships. The content publisher and the receiving user may assign a relationship degree, relationship category, and/or relationship rating to each other and to other users. The content publisher and/or receiving user also specify a required relationship that is needed to access or accept a content update. The content publisher and receiving user may further specify acceptable types of content updates, such as blog entries, product reviews, photos, and the like that are accessible or acceptable. Upon logon or other event, a summary of content updates is provided to each receiving user that meets each content publisher's required relationship, and the content updates are delivered according to a selected delivery method from those content publishers that meet the relationship requirements of the receiving users. Delivery includes email, instant message, RSS feeds, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2006Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventors: Neal Sample, F. Randall Farmer, Ericson DeJesus, Ellen Sue Perelman, Mark Everett Hull
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Publication number: 20120047186Abstract: A method for encoding XML tree data that includes the step of encoding the semi-structured data into strings of arbitrary length in a way that maintains non-structural and structural information about the XML data, and enables indexing the encoded XML data in a way that facilitates efficient search and browsing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: ORI SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LTD.Inventors: Moshe SHADMON, Neal Sample, Brian Cooper, Michael J. Franklin
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Patent number: 8065308Abstract: A method for encoding XML tree data that includes the step of encoding the semi-structured data into strings of arbitrary length in a way that maintains non-structural and structural information about the XML data, and enables indexing the encoded XML data in a way that facilitates efficient search and browsing.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2007Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Ori Software Development Ltd.Inventors: Moshe Shadmon, Neal Sample, Brian Cooper, Michael J. Franklin