Patents by Inventor Philip Chou

Philip Chou 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: 11396063
    Abstract: A system used to additively manufacture an object layer-by-layer using direct energy deposition (DED) includes a base where the object is formed, a depositor configured to deposit material layer-by-layer on the base or a previously deposited layer of the object, an energy source configured to selectively direct an energized beam at the material to fuse a new layer of the material to a previously formed layer, and a heating element in contact with at least a portion of the base and configured to supply heat to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Pitera, Scott Wigen, Paul Robert Johnson, Ryan Philip Chou
  • Publication number: 20210291299
    Abstract: A system used to additively manufacture an object layer-by-layer using direct energy deposition (DED) includes a base where the object is formed, a depositor configured to deposit material layer-by-layer on the base or a previously deposited layer of the object, an energy source configured to selectively direct an energized beam at the material to fuse a new layer of the material to a previously formed layer, and a heating element in contact with at least a portion of the base and configured to supply heat to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Rudy Pitera, Scott Wigen, Paul Robert Johnson, Ryan Philip Chou
  • Patent number: 8200681
    Abstract: A media recommendation and sharing technique that employs agents on media players/devices to expand the scope of media sharing scenarios. The technique assists a user in discovering media items, such as, for example, music, recordings, play lists, pictures, video games, on nearby media players or devices (devices which are capable of receiving, storing and playing media) which are interesting to the user. The collaborative media recommendation and sharing technique contemporaneously determines a user's media preferences based on media stored on a pair of media devices and recommends media for potential sharing based on these determined user preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventors: Rajesh Hedge, Zicheng Liu, Li-wei He, Philip Chou, Christopher Meek
  • Patent number: 7697514
    Abstract: A system and method for correcting errors and losses occurring during a receiver-driven layered multicast (RLM) of real-time media over a heterogeneous packet network such as the Internet. This is accomplished by augmenting RLM with one or more layers of error correction information. This allows each receiver to separately optimize the quality of received audio and video information by subscribing to at least one error correction layer. Ideally, each source layer in a RLM would have one or more multicasted error correction data streams (i.e., layers) associated therewith. Each of the error correction layers would contain information that can be used to replace lost packets from the associated source layer. More than one error correction layer is proposed as some of the error correction packets contained in the data stream needed to replace the packets lost in the associated source stream may themselves be lost in transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Albert Wang, Sanjeev Mehrotra, Alexander Mohr
  • Patent number: 7596488
    Abstract: An “adaptive audio playback controller” operates by decoding and reading received packets of an audio signal into a signal buffer. Samples of the decoded audio signal are then played out of the signal buffer according to the needs of a player device. Jitter control and packet loss concealment are accomplished by continuously analyzing buffer content in real-time, and determining whether to provide unmodified playback from the buffer contents, whether to compress buffer content, stretch buffer content, or whether to provide for packet loss concealment for overly delayed or lost packets as a function of buffer content. Further, the adaptive audio playback controller also determines where to stretch or compress particular frames or signal segments in the signal buffer, and how much to stretch or compress such segments in order to optimize perceived playback quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dinei Florencio, Philip Chou, Li-Wei He
  • Patent number: 7543073
    Abstract: A system and process for performing an exponentially weighted moving average on streaming data to establish a moving average bit rate of data units is presented. In general, the system or process computes, on a unit-by-unit basis, the product of the moving average bit rate computed for a data unit immediately prior to a unit under consideration and a first fractional weighting factor, added to the product of the instantaneous bit rate of the data unit under consideration and a second fractional weighting factor, wherein at least one fractional weighting factor is not a constant but instead based on the time between data units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Anders Klemets, Cheng Huang
  • Patent number: 7536469
    Abstract: A system and process for controlling the coding bit rate of streaming media data is presented where a server streams data that exhibits one of a number of coding bit rates supported by the server. Initially, the server chooses the coding bit rate. However, after this startup period, the client provides coding bit rate requests. The server transmits the streaming media data at the most appropriate supported coding bit rate closest to the rate requested. The coding bit rates requested are those estimated to provide a high quality playback of the streaming data while still keeping a decoder buffer of the client filled to a desired level. A leaky bucket model is incorporated so that the changes in buffer duration due to natural variation in the instantaneous coding bit rate are not mistaken for changes in buffer duration due to network congestion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Anders Klemets, Cheng Huang
  • Publication number: 20080240267
    Abstract: A multiuser scheme allowing for a number of users, sets of user, or carriers to share one or more channels is provided. In the invention, the available channel bandwidth is subdivided into a number of equal-bandwidth subchannels according to standard OFDM practice. A transmitter transmits data on a set of OFDM subchannels that need not be contiguous in the spectrum or belong to the same OFDM channel. A receiver receives and decodes the data and detects errors on subchannels. The receiver then broadcasts the identity of those subchannels on which the error rate exceeds a specific threshold, and the transmitter may select different subchannels for transmission based on this information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amer Hassan, Christian Huitema, Wayne Stark, Yunnan Wu, Philip Chou
  • Patent number: 7412376
    Abstract: A “speech onset detector” provides a variable length frame buffer in combination with either variable transmission rate or temporal speech compression for buffered signal frames. The variable length buffer buffers frames that are not clearly identified as either speech or non-speech frames during an initial analysis. Buffering of signal frames continues until a current frame is identified as either speech or non-speech. If the current frame is identified as non-speech, buffered frames are encoded as non-speech frames. However, if the current frame is identified as a speech frame, buffered frames are searched for the actual onset point of the speech. Once that onset point is identified, the signal is either transmitted in a burst, or a time-scale modification of the buffered signal is applied for compressing buffered frames beginning with the frame in which onset point is detected. The compressed frames are then encoded as one or more speech frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dinei Florencio, Philip Chou
  • Patent number: 7366172
    Abstract: A system and method for correcting errors and losses occurring during a receiver-driven layered multicast (RLM) of real-time media over a heterogeneous packet network such as the Internet. This is accomplished by augmenting RLM with one or more layers of error correction information. This allows each receiver to separately optimize the quality of received audio and video information by subscribing to at least one error correction layer. Ideally, each source layer in a RLM would have one or more multicasted error correction data streams (i.e., layers) associated therewith. Each of the error correction layers would contain information that can be used to replace lost packets from the associated source layer. More than one error correction layer is proposed as some of the error correction packets contained in the data stream needed to replace the packets lost in the associated source stream may themselves be lost in transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Albert Wang, Sanjeev Mehrotra, Alexander Mohr
  • Patent number: 7337108
    Abstract: An adaptive “temporal audio scaler” is provided for automatically stretching and compressing frames of audio signals received across a packet-based network. Prior to stretching or compressing segments of a current frame, the temporal audio scaler first computes a pitch period for each frame for sizing signal templates used for matching operations in stretching and compressing segments. Further, the temporal audio scaler also determines the type or types of segments comprising each frame. These segment types include “voiced” segments, “unvoiced” segments, and “mixed” segments which include both voiced and unvoiced portions. The stretching or compression methods applied to segments of each frame are then dependent upon the type of segments comprising each frame. Further, the amount of stretching and compression applied to particular segments is automatically variable for minimizing signal artifacts while still ensuring that an overall target stretching or compression ratio is maintained for each frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dinei Florencio, Philip Chou, Li-Wei He
  • Publication number: 20070263607
    Abstract: Structured hierarchies for communicating contextual information relating to a VoIP conversation are provided. The structured hierarchies are utilized for efficient communications of various amounts and types of contextual information over a VoIP conversation channel. Information identifying at least one structured hierarchy, which will be used to carry the contextual information, is transmitted during establishment of a conversation between two VoIP enhanced devices and prior to the exchange of contextual information. The structural hierarchy is selected from a set of predefined and declared structured hierarchies. Subsequently transmitted contextual information exchanged between two VoIP enhanced devices is represented in accordance with the identified structural hierarchy. Additionally, the structural hierarchies can be extensible by the addition of more definitions to the current structural hierarchies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Milstein, David Howell, Linda Criddle, Michael Malueg, Philip Chou
  • Publication number: 20070253407
    Abstract: A method and system for providing enhanced VoIP services relating to the use of callee rules and/or caller rules is provided. A callee may specify callee rules defining the callee preferences such as which VoIP device of the callee is appropriate for responding to an incoming communication from a specified caller. The callee rules may define a priority of VoIP devices of the callee, designating in which order the VoIP devices are to be notified of any incoming communication from a specified caller. Similarly, a caller can specify caller rules defining the caller preferences. The method and system compares the callee rules and the caller rules to establish a communication channel. As such, various enhanced VoIP services can be tailored based on the callee rules and the caller rules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kaunsan Wang, Michael Malueg, Philip Chou
  • Publication number: 20070239428
    Abstract: A method and system for processing contextual information relating to an exchange of a conversation over a communication channel is provided. Several users, and/or service providers are allowed to specify a set of rules relating to a conversation channel. Contextual information, including information relating to the specified set of rules and conditions of the users, is exchanged among the users and/or several service providers when one user requests to initiate a communication channel. The received contextual information is processed to extract a set of rules and the current conditions of users. If the current conditions of the users satisfy the set of rules, a corresponding communication channel is established among the users. However, additional contextual information may be received and processed whenever there is a change in the contextual information during the conversation. Appropriate actions to the existing communication channel may be determined based on the changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Milstein, David Howell, Kuansan Wang, Linda Criddle, Michael Malueg, Philip Chou, Scott Forbes, Timothy Moore
  • Publication number: 20070237130
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at obtaining contextual information with a voicemail message. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that obtains additional contextual information that is not obtained automatically when a voicemail message is received. More specifically, the method includes automatically obtaining a first set of contextual information from a client associated with the caller when the caller is transferred to a voicemail system. Then a determination is made regarding whether the callee requests that additional contextual information be obtained. If the callee requests that additional contextual information be obtained, the requested information is obtained from a third-party service or by prompting the caller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Milstein, David Howell, Linda Criddle, Philip Chou, Timothy Moore
  • Publication number: 20070230439
    Abstract: A method and system for communicating a variable set of contextual information relating to a conversation over a communication channel is provided. When the contextual information is exchanged, any authorized sending party of the contextual information can change the scope, content, or amount of the contextual information that is transmitted to a next receiving party in a determined communication channel path. Before transmitting the contextual information, a desirable scope of the contextual information may be determined based on the next receiving party, in conjunction with the sending party's rules. The contextual information may be updated by adding new contextual information and/or deleting part of the contextual information which is outside of the scope. No contextual information may be transmitted if the next destination desires no contextual information or does not have capabilities to receive any contextual information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Milstein, David Howell, Linda Criddle, Michael Malueg, Philip Chou
  • Publication number: 20070206610
    Abstract: Various embodiments can utilize a distributed solution for scheduling connections between peers in a file sharing environment. In accordance with at least some embodiments, individual nodes in a peer-to-peer system include scheduling software that enables the nodes to make scheduling decisions with regard to how, when and where connections are made with other peers. Scheduling decisions can be based on a number of different parameters. In at least some embodiments, a synchronization negotiation manager is embodied with logic that drives the negotiation and scheduling process. This logic is represented by an innovative state machine that is designed to implement the negotiation and synchronization process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Teodosiu, Philip Chou, Alexandra Heron, Cheng Huang, Tom Kleinpeter, Jin Li, Eyal Schwartz, John Spivey, David Steere
  • Publication number: 20070204203
    Abstract: A data sequence may be encoded in a plurality of layers of multiple description coding. The layers of multiple description coding may include a first and a second layer of multiple description coding. The first layer of multiple description coding may include an initial part of a data sequence as well as forward error correction code for the initial part. The second layer of multiple description coding may include a next part of the data sequence as well as forward error correction code for the next part. A first set of data sequence breakpoints may be determined for the first layer of multiple description coding. A second set of data sequence breakpoints may be determined for the second layer. The data sequence may be encoded in the plurality of layers of multiple description coding as a function of the first and second sets of data sequence breakpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Venkata Padmanabhan, Helen Wang
  • Publication number: 20070201371
    Abstract: Congestion adaptive data routing is leveraged to provide a substantial increase in data throughput in networks with data congestion. By continuously adapting the data routes when a congested route is encountered, the data can reach its destination via alternate routes around the congested area. This is accomplished in a distributed manner where each node provides an alternative path to congestion based on its local knowledge and/or knowledge obtained from neighboring nodes. This allows the data path to be dynamically adjusted for congestion without requiring a centralized body of control. In another instance, data rate changes can be combined with data path changes to increase the efficiency of the data throughput. Alternative routes can be determined based upon the costs associated with selecting that route. Selecting a minimum cost route yields the most efficient transfer of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Chou, Kamal Jain, Dinesh Garg
  • Publication number: 20060251062
    Abstract: An overlay network and scheme for building and using the overlay network are described. As the overlay network is built, new nodes joining the network are connected randomly with other nodes which results in a random graph as the network topology. The network is fully scalable, with each new node providing the same number of network connections for output to other nodes as it consumes when it joins the network. In addition, network coding is implemented at each node to mix packets of data entering each node using random linear functions. The network coding at each node generates new packets that are independent combinations of original data packets entering the node. The new coded packets make the distribution of data to other nodes more efficient and robust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kamal Jain, Laszlo Lovasz, Philip Chou