Patents by Inventor Robert Little
Robert Little 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: 20040226553Abstract: A draft control system and method can provide for automated control of the air drafting for heating systems. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary draft control system comprises at least one draft plate and a draft plate control system. Draft plate control system can comprise a control unit, one or more input devices, and one or more actuation systems. During operation, the control unit can receive a signal from an input device and use the actuation system to automatically adjust the amount of air intake by controlling movement of one or more draft plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2004Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventors: Robert A. Little, George H. K. Lau, E. Wayne Thurber
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Publication number: 20040210818Abstract: A word processor including a native XML file format is provided. The well formed XML file fully represents the word-processor document, and fully supports 100% of word-processor's rich formatting. There are no feature losses when saving the word-processor documents as XML. A published XSD file defines all the rules behind the word-processor's XML file format. Hints may be provided within the XML associated files providing applications that understand XML a shortcut to understanding some of the features provided by the word-processor. The word-processing document is stored in a single XML file. Additionally, manipulation of word-processing documents may be done on computing devices that do not include the word-processor itself.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: October 21, 2004Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Brian M. Jones, Andrew K. Bishop, Daniel R. Snyder, Marcin Sawicki, Robert A. Little, Anthony D. Krueger
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Publication number: 20040205583Abstract: A system and method for enabling validation of an extensible markup language (XML) document having elements associated with two or more schemata where elements of each schema may be arbitrarily nested within elements from the other schema and each set of elements remains valid within it's own schema. Elements of the second schema are transparent to the elements of the first schema when the word-processor validates the elements of the first schema. The elements of the second schema are separately validated, such that the elements of the first schema are transparent for the validation of the elements corresponding to the second schema.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2002Publication date: October 14, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian M. Jones, E. Mark Sunderland, Marcin Sawicki, Robert A. Little, Ziyi Wang
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Patent number: 6799301Abstract: A converter converts between structured language elements and objects embeddable in the native format of a document editor. A data structure representing the embeddable object is created without instantiating an instance of the object and includes the associated structured language element. Subsequently, the structured language element is used to instantiate an object and set its properties. Any portion of the structured language element not recognized during the conversion process is retained by the embeddable object. If conversion back to a structured language element is subsequently required, the conversion process is facilitated by the presence of the original structured language element within the embeddable object as well as the retained portion of the structured language element not recognized.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2000Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: James Lee Francis, Frank Mantek, Andrew Layman, Robert A. Little, Darren Alexander Apfel
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Publication number: 20040172584Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enhancing the paste functionality available to a computer software application for pasting data into a computer-generated document. Data is selected from a document to be pasted to a second document. The selected data is saved to a memory location, such a clipboard. Along with the selected data, information or data related to the selected data is saved for providing a consuming or pasting software application information about any data types associated the selected data. In response, the consuming application may obtain a namespace and an associated resource such as an Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation file for transforming the selected data from a first data type associated with the first document to a second data type for pasting the selected data to the second document in order to maintain data structure and formatting in the pasted data as was applied to the selected data prior to pasting.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 2, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian Jones, Marcin Sawicki, Robert Little, Michael Murray, Robert Collie, Michael Tucker
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Publication number: 20040172594Abstract: Methods and systems provide a tree view showing unannotated text nodes in a corresponding data formatted document. When the user begins to annotate the document with a desired data format structure, such as a markup language like XML, a tree view pane is displayed to the user to provide the user with an outline of the data structure presently applied to the document or to provide the user with an outline of the data structure applied to the document as the user annotates the document with data structure. In the tree view, an indicator is displayed in the location of any unannotated text nodes relative to their sibling data elements. If the user focuses on a given unannotated text node indicator in the tree view, the corresponding text node in the corresponding document is highlighted to the user to show the user the location of the text node that has not been annotated with data structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 2, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian Jones, Robert Little, Marcin Sawicki, Mark Sunderland
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Publication number: 20040006744Abstract: A system and method for validating an extensible markup language (XML) document and reporting schema violations in real time. A parallel tree is maintained that includes nodes corresponding to non-native XML elements of the XML document. When changes occur to the XML document, the non-native XML elements corresponding to the changes are marked. The nodes corresponding the marked non-native XML elements are validated against an XML schema that corresponds to the non-native XML markup. The elements and nodes corresponding to errors in the non-native XML markup are then reported to the user according to display indicators in the XML document and the parallel tree.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2002Publication date: January 8, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Brian M. Jones, Marcin Sawicki, Robert A. Little
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Publication number: 20040001099Abstract: A method and system are provided for associating actions with semantic labels in an electronic document. The document is created or edited in an application program module and sections of the electronic document are annotated with semantic labels. The application program module passes the semantic labels to an action DLL. The action DLL is responsible for communicating with the application program module, transmitting the labels to action plug-ins, and receiving, from the action plug-ins, the actions to be associated with the labels. The application program module communicates with the action DLL to retrieve the actions associated with the semantic labels and displays them to a user. The document may be created in eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and may be annotated using XML tags. The semantic labels may be associated with strings of text or graphical objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2002Publication date: January 1, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jeffrey C. Reynar, Marcin Sawicki, Brian Jones, Robert Little, Christopher H. Pratley, Paul Broman
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Publication number: 20040003389Abstract: A method and system are provided for downloading software components from a remote source to a software application for providing updates or additions to the application's functionality. All components and files that may be utilized to update or add to functionality available to the application are identified and are assembled on a manifest that may be located on a remote web server accessible by the application. If components of the application should be updated, or corrections or improvements to existing components are available, or new functionality is available that will transform the user's existing application and document into a “smart” application and “smart” document, the application may connect to the web server to download the required components.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2002Publication date: January 1, 2004Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jeff Reynar, Paul Broman, Brian Jones, Robert Little
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Patent number: 6584101Abstract: A method of communicating data frames between nodes in a network comprised of one or more end system nodes where each end system node has a unidirectional ingress port and a unidirectional egress port. The method comprises transmitting a data frame from an egress port of one end system node to the ingress port of another end system node, the receiving end system node then determining whether it is the final destination for the data frame. If the receiving end system node is the final destination of the data frame, the receiving end system node absorbs the message. If not, the receiving end system node buffers and then retransmits the data frame through its own egress port. The method provides scalability, low cost, distributed pipeline scheduling, maximum complexity of the network fabric, and maximum speed.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1998Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignee: PMC-Sierra Ltd.Inventors: Barry Benjamin Hagglund, Thomas Alexander, Vernon Robert Little
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Publication number: 20020174143Abstract: A table styles inference engine is described to determine the optimal body pattern to describe a user-created table. In order to achieve compatibility with existing table styles, an optimal uniform body pattern, an optimal row banding pattern and an optimal column banding pattern are determined. The user-defined table is analyzed assuming different uniform body patterns. The optimal uniform body pattern is then determined by determining the uniform body pattern that most closely matches the user-defined table. The user-defined table is also analyzed assuming different row banding body patterns. The optimal row banding body pattern is then determined by determining the row banding body pattern that most closely matches the user-defined table. The user-defined table is also analyzed assuming different column banding body patterns. The optimal column banding body pattern is then determined by determining the column banding body pattern that most closely matches the user-defined table.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2001Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Roberto C. Taboada, Robert Little
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Publication number: 20020110120Abstract: A method of communicating data frames between nodes in a network comprised of one or more end system nodes where each end system node has a unidirectional ingress port and a unidirectional egress port. The method comprises transmitting a data frame from an egress port of one end system node to the ingress port of another end system node, the receiving end system node then determining whether it is the final destination for the data frame. If the receiving end system node is the final destination of the data frame, the receiving end system node absorbs the message. If not, the receiving end system node buffers and then retransmits the data frame through its own egress port. The method provides scalability, low cost, distributed pipeline scheduling, maximum complexity of the network fabric, and maximum speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 1998Publication date: August 15, 2002Inventors: BARRY BENJAMIN HAGGLUND, THOMAS ALEXANDER, VERNON ROBERT LITTLE
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Patent number: 6292486Abstract: A method of providing broadband communication services to a subscriber comprised of providing first broadband services from a central office via an ATM link to a neighborhood pedestal system, providing time division multiplex (TDM) services including voice communication services from the central office via a TDM link to the neighborhood pedestal system, providing a SONET-ATM communication link from the neighborhood pedestal system over two unshielded pair of twisted wires to a user-to-network interface (UNI) at a subscriber location, and providing ATM services over the SONET-ATM communication link and providing integrated services digital network (ISDN) or voice services within a SONET-ATM data frame using timing of the SONET-ATM communication link, to the UNI, whereby ATM, ISDN and voice services are provided between the neighborhood pedestal system and the subscriber location over the unshielded wires.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1995Date of Patent: September 18, 2001Assignee: PMC-Sierra Ltd.Inventor: Vernon Robert Little
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Patent number: 6182092Abstract: A converter converts between structured language elements and objects embeddable in the native format of a document editor. A data structure representing the embeddable object is created without instantiating an instance of the object and includes the associated structured language element. Subsequently, the structured language element is used to instantiate an object and set its properties. Any portion of the structured language element not recognized during the conversion process is retained by the embeddable object. If conversion back to a structured language element is subsequently required, the conversion process is facilitated by the presence of the original structured language element within the embeddable object as well as the retained portion of the structured language element not recognized.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1997Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: James Lee Francis, Frank Mantek, Andrew Layman, Robert A. Little, Darren Alexander Apfel
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Patent number: 5742765Abstract: An ATM network interface comprising a physical layer interface having transmit and receive line interfaces, transmit and receive framers and overhead processors coupled to respective ones of the transmit and receive line interfaces and transmit and receive cell processors coupled to respective ones of transmit and receive framers and overhead processors. The interface further includes a segmentation and reassembly interface coupled to the physical layer interface having transmit and receive ATM and adaptation layer processors coupled to respective ones of the transmit and receive ATM cell processors and a transmit ATM Traffic Shaper coupled to said Transmit ATM and Adaptation Layer Processor, and a coupler to couple the segmentation and reassembly interface to a PCI bus. By incorporating the SAR unit on the same monolithic device as the remainder of the interface, one is able to eliminate the need for expensive external static RAM or SRAM for connection context memory.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1996Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: PMC-Sierra, Inc.Inventors: David Wong, Salman Ghufran, Vernon Robert Little
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Patent number: 4930972Abstract: A new lugger truck employs a moveable load carrying platform in place of the standard fixed platform, the container being loaded on to the platform while it is in a rear position, which is then moved to a forward position, allowing the load carried by the truck to be positioned more forward of the rear axles, distributing the load proportionately between the front and rear axles to increase stability and load carrying capacity. The platform can be mounted on a standard truck chassis with a mimimum of modification and allows the use of a standard lugger mechanism with fixed-length arms, thereby decreasing cost and complexity and also permitting government regulations to be met with regard to maximum height of the truck. The platform is supported for its forward/rearward movement by longitudinal bearing surfaces mounted on both the platform and the truck chassis, the platform being moved by a hydraulic actuator.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1989Date of Patent: June 5, 1990Inventor: Robert Little
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Patent number: 4560783Abstract: A process for preparing a stable aqueous solution of aluminum citrate comprising adding citric acid or sodium citrate gradually to an agitated aqueous solution of sodium aluminate under an atmosphere substantially free of carbon dioxide.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1983Date of Patent: December 24, 1985Assignee: Phillips Petroleum CompanyInventors: Tod K. Shioyama, Robert A. Little