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).
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Publication number: 20160085784Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
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Patent number: 9152656Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
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Patent number: 8739038Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 13, 2010Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
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Patent number: 8689137Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 10, 2006Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: 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
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Patent number: 7870164Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 20, 2007Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew R. Miller, Sumit Chauhan, Robert E. Coggins, Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, David Jon Conger, Suraj Poozhiyil, Vijay Mital
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Patent number: 7818672Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
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Publication number: 20100229122Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E. Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
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Patent number: 7747952Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Andrew R. Miller, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner
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Patent number: 7730067Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J McCormack, Christopher W. Bryant, Robert E Coggins, Scott T. Gardner, Theresa A Naramore, Daniel Hough, Kelly M Krout, Clinton D Covington
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Patent number: 7720887Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 30, 2004Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: 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
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Publication number: 20090248740Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
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Publication number: 20090204635Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2009Publication date: August 13, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, Sumit Chauhan, David J. Conger, Robert E. Coggins, Andrew R. Miller, Ryan McMinn
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Publication number: 20090132576Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2007Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew R. Miller, Sumit Chauhan, Robert E. Coggins, Michael J. McCormack, Scott T. Gardner, Jason A. Bould, David Jon Conger, Suraj Poozhiyil, Vijal Mital