Patents by Inventor Nicholas M. Hofmeister

Nicholas M. Hofmeister 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: 20140108154
    Abstract: Display of cross-sell advertisements to a user, including, but not limited to, in a social genetics network includes: associating genetic data with product and service categories; accessing specific genetic data of a user to obtain a set of product and service categories associated with the genetic data of the user; analyzing non-genetic data of the user, including past purchase history, and analyzing the genetic data of the user to discover correlations in preferences of the user; selecting one or more desired product and service categories from the set of the product and service categories that match the correlations in the preferences of the user; sending a product or service request to at least one advertiser for a cross-sell advertisement relating to the desired product and service categories; and responsive to receiving the cross-sell advertisement from the advertiser, displaying the cross-sell advertisement on an electronic device of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Fabric Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander M. Aravanis, Nicholas M. Hofmeister, Jason L. Pyle
  • Publication number: 20140108527
    Abstract: Creation of a social genetics network that provides personal and business services includes: receiving non-genetic data and genetic data about a user and storing the non-genetic data and genetic data in a database; analyzing the genetic data and the non-genetic data to i) assign traits to the user based at least in part on phenotypic and/or genotypic relationships found in the genetic data and the non-genetic data, and ii) determine trait connections between the user and other users in the network based on a similarity of the traits that are common to the user and the other users; and generating and displaying on an electronic device a social genetics profile that includes at least a portion of the non-genetic data, at least a portion of the traits assigned to the user, and at least a portion of the trait connections of the user to the other users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Fabric Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander M. Aravanis, Nicholas M. Hofmeister, Jason L. Pyle
  • Patent number: 7925996
    Abstract: A plurality of elements is identified by a user for input to the computing system by at least one of sequential and simultaneous selection of elements presented on a display of a computing system. Based on the elements thus identified, which may include at least one operator and at least one operand, the computing system recognizes a function to be performed by the computing system and causes a visual indication to be presented on the display. The computing system thus may present a visual indication showing a connection between, for example, the operator and an operand, or an operand and a functional area of the display associated with the function to be performed as a result of the elements identified. The visual indication thus confirms to the user the elements that the user has identified, and the resulting function that will be initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Hofmeister, Dane T. Storrusten, Ann Valencia
  • Patent number: 7676767
    Abstract: A user is able to access additional functions not represented in a current image displayed by a graphical user interface. At least one function not presented on the current image is represented by a symbol on an underlying image that is at least partially covered by the current image. When the user performs a predetermined user input (e.g., selecting a corner of the current image), the underlying image and the at least one function represented thereby become accessible. When the user input is performed, a visual effect depicts the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image, thereby revealing and permitting access to the at least one additional function. The user input is made by the user performing an action with the user's hand or another object adjacent to a responsive display, or by using a pointing device to manipulate a displayed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Hofmeister, Dane T. Storrusten
  • Patent number: 7017155
    Abstract: Installing software using the configuration manager so that the rollback and security features of the configuration manager may be used during the installation process. A mobile computing device accesses files that are to be installed on the mobile computing device, and well as computer-executable instructions that define how the files are to be installed on the mobile computing device. The configuration manager then causes the computer-executable instructions to be executed (e.g., using configuration service providers), and causes a mirroring rollback document to be constructed. If the installation fails, the installation process is reversed by executing the rollback document. The configuration manager may also be used to implement security when executing the installation instructions by checking to determine whether or not execution of each installation instruction is authorized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Igor B. Peev, Scott R. Shell, Kevin J. Savage, Hung M. Dang, Nicholas M. Hofmeister
  • Patent number: 6993760
    Abstract: Installing software using the configuration manager so that the rollback and security features of the configuration manager may be used during the installation process. A mobile computing device accesses files that are to be installed on the mobile computing device, and well as computer-executable instructions that define how the files are to be installed on the mobile computing device. The configuration manager then causes the computer-executable instructions to be executed (e.g., using configuration service providers), and causes a mirroring rollback document to be constructed. If the installation fails, the installation process is reversed by executing the rollback document. The configuration manager may also be used to implement security when executing the installation instructions by checking to determine whether or not execution of each installation instruction is authorized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Igor B. Peev, Scott R. Shell, Kevin J. Savage, Hung M. Dang, Nicholas M. Hofmeister
  • Publication number: 20030121033
    Abstract: Installing software using the configuration manager so that the rollback and security features of the configuration manager may be used during the installation process. A mobile computing device accesses files that are to be installed on the mobile computing device, and well as computer-executable instructions that define how the files are to be installed on the mobile computing device. The configuration manager then causes the computer-executable instructions to be executed (e.g., using configuration service providers), and causes a mirroring rollback document to be constructed. If the installation fails, the installation process is reversed by executing the rollback document. The configuration manager may also be used to implement security when executing the installation instructions by checking to determine whether or not execution of each installation instruction is authorized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Igor B. Peev, Scott R. Shell, Kevin J. Savage, Hung M. Dang, Nicholas M. Hofmeister