Patents by Inventor Robert E Coggins

Robert E Coggins 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: 20160085784
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
  • Patent number: 9152656
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
  • Patent number: 8739038
    Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 8689137
    Abstract: An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls of a database application. When a task-based functionality tab is selected from the user interface, selectable functionality controls provided by the associated database application for performing aspects of a task related to the selected tab are presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above a workspace in which a user is entering or editing data. Upon selection of a different task-based functionality tab, the presentation of functionality controls associated with the first task is removed, and selectable functionality controls associated with the second selected task-based functionality tab are presented in the user interface. The selectable functionality controls presented in the user interface are grouped into logical groupings for more efficient utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Adam Russell Kenney, Christopher W. Bryant, Clinton Dee Covington, Richard L. Dickinson, Robert E. Coggins, Kelly Michael Krout, Vitore Selca, Zachary P. Woodall, Dan Jacob Hough
  • Patent number: 7870164
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided to merge, manage, create, and reuse database parts in a computer system. Database parts may include database tables, datatypes, field combinations or entire databases. A selection of a database part is received by a database software application executing on a computer system. The application may be configured to check for metadata associated with the database part to identify an action property. If, after checking for the metadata, a merge action property is identified, then the application may check for a metadata property associated with a database table. If a merge action associated with the database table is identified, then the application may merge the database part with the database table in the database. The application may also be configured to generate a user interface for creating database parts using database tables and for creating a database part by saving a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew R. Miller, Sumit Chauhan, Robert E. Coggins, Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, David Jon Conger, Suraj Poozhiyil, Vijay Mital
  • Patent number: 7818672
    Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
  • Publication number: 20100229122
    Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E. Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7747952
    Abstract: A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7730067
    Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner, Theresa A Naramore, Daniel Hough, Kelly M Krout, Clinton D Covington
  • Patent number: 7720887
    Abstract: Database interaction is facilitated by graphically presenting database objects in groups that are not necessarily dictated by object types of the database objects. In an example implementation, database navigation is facilitated by determining object dependency groups for a database in which each object dependency group corresponds to a database source object and includes at least those database objects that depend directly or indirectly from the corresponding database source object. When these data source object-based dependency groups are graphically displayed, selecting a database object thereof provides access thereto. In another example implementation, a user can designate an attribute associated with database objects by which the database objects are to be grouped. Thus, the database objects are grouped by various values that the user-designated associated attribute takes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J McCormack, Andrew R. Miller, Christopher W. Bryant, Jonathan M Sigler, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner, Theresa A Naramore, Daniel Hough, Kelly M Krout, Clinton D Covington
  • Publication number: 20090248740
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing database forms and reports. A selection of an object may be received from a database by a database software application executing on a computer system. The object may include a form or a report. The application may further receive an input to initiate saving the selected object as a new form template or a new report template. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving the selected object and save the selected object as a new form template or a new report template. Any controls, sub-forms, sub-reports, properties, macros, code, and object model references which may be included in the selected object are persisted in the newly created templates for reuse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
  • Publication number: 20090204635
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for creating and reusing custom data types in a database. A selection of a field or group of fields may be received from a database table in the database by a database software application executing on a computer system. Each selected field may include a set of field properties. The application may further receive a user input to initiate saving the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. In response to receiving the input, the application may be configured to generate a dialog for receiving custom data type information for the selected field or group of fields and save the selected field or group of fields as a custom data type. The custom data type may then be reused by the application in the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
  • Publication number: 20090132576
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided to merge, manage, create, and reuse database parts in a computer system. Database parts may include database tables, datatypes, field combinations or entire databases. A selection of a database part is received by a database software application executing on a computer system. The application may be configured to check for metadata associated with the database part to identify an action property. If, after checking for the metadata, a merge action property is identified, then the application may check for a metadata property associated with a database table. If a merge action associated with the database table is identified, then the application may merge the database part with the database table in the database. The application may also be configured to generate a user interface for creating database parts using database tables and for creating a database part by saving a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew R. Miller, Sumit Chauhan, Robert E. Coggins, Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, David Jon Conger, Suraj Poozhiyil, Vijal Mital