Patents by Inventor Robert P. St. Pierre

Robert P. St. Pierre 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: 10402375
    Abstract: A cloud content states framework is described herein. In implementations, a framework is configured to perform operations for management of cloud content files at the computing device on behalf of cloud storage providers. The framework is operable to manage states for cloud content files accessible from multiple cloud storage services. The framework also manages and outputs state indicators with file system representations of the cloud content files. The states include at least a set of primary states indicative of synchronization status controlled by the framework. The states may also include custom states associated with cloud storage services that are defined via an interface exposed by the framework. In operation, states associated with cloud content files are recognized in connection with rendering a user interface with cloud content file representations. Then, state indicators that reflect the recognized states are exposed along with cloud content file representations in the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raju Jain, Robert P. St. Pierre, David Ben Perry, Mohammed Amirali Samji, Elizabeth P. Salowitz, Aaron Naoyoshi Sheung Yan Woo, Anshul Rawat, John H. Lueders
  • Publication number: 20180018345
    Abstract: A cloud content states framework is described herein. In implementations, a framework is configured to perform operations for management of cloud content files at the computing device on behalf of cloud storage providers. The framework is operable to manage states for cloud content files accessible from multiple cloud storage services. The framework also manages and outputs state indicators with file system representations of the cloud content files. The states include at least a set of primary states indicative of synchronization status controlled by the framework. The states may also include custom states associated with cloud storage services that are defined via an interface exposed by the framework. In operation, states associated with cloud content files are recognized in connection with rendering a user interface with cloud content file representations. Then, state indicators that reflect the recognized states are exposed along with cloud content file representations in the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Raju Jain, Robert P. St. Pierre, David Ben Perry, Mohammed Amirali Samji, Elizabeth P. Salowitz, Aaron Naoyoshi Sheung Yan Woo, Anshul Rawat, John H. Lueders
  • Patent number: 8923507
    Abstract: The innovation supports the ability to map alpha characters entered directly into the dialer application of a smartphone. These alpha characters can be entered via a smartphone keyboard (e.g., QWERTY keyboard) and converted to the appropriate digits as mapped to a conventional telephone keypad. The resultant numerical digits can be used to prompt a network call. Additionally, the innovation can be used during an active call to respond to prompts that traditionally require 12-key mappings. This innovation allows a user to both dial a number directly via a smartphone keyboard, and filter contacts by name, in a non-modal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Li-Kai K. Chang, Genevieve Gambardella, Timothy L. Bui, Jason S. Hamilton, Navneet Mehta, Robert P. St. Pierre, Kelly Ann Grantham Gachet, Anil Dhawan
  • Patent number: 7890633
    Abstract: A method of associating a range of destination IP addresses with a real IP address for use with the Virtual Address Resolution Protocol is disclosed. The destination addresses may be a range of virtual IP addresses in a virtual network or a range of real IP addresses in a physical network. A record of the association of the range of destination addresses with a single real IP address is stored in a Virtual Address Resolution Protocol lookup table which is utilized when sending messages from a virtual IP address. The ability to assign a range of destination addresses to a single real IP address represents an extension of the use of VARP. The association of multiple destination addresses to a single real IP address allows an electronic device to function as a router to a widely distributed real or virtual network. The virtual network of the present invention adds a layer of encryption to the originating virtual network by sending encrypted data packets between the origin and destination addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Germano Caronni
  • Patent number: 7881206
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimizing mesh routing for stability and system lifetime maximization in networks, for example in wireless networks. A routing module may be instantiated in nodes on the network. The routing module may implement a link quality and node health aware routing protocol on the network that considers a combination of link quality and node health/residual lifetime metrics in the calculation of the desirability of nodes and links between nodes as parts of an overall route. A route selection metric for each route may be determined from routing cost metrics for the nodes on the route and the number of hops on the route. A node may then select a best route according to the determined route selection metrics for the routes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Vipul Gupta, Pradip S. De
  • Patent number: 7814228
    Abstract: A method of extending the functionality of a virtual network is disclosed. Messages intended for a virtual destination address located on a network equipped with a device performing packet filtering, network address translation or a similar function on the edge of the network (an “edge device”), are encapsulated in higher level protocols prior to being sent to the edge device. The virtual destination address may be associated with a process on the edge device or a process on another device in the interior of the network. Higher level protocol designations, including transport protocol designations accompanied by a port number and application protocol designations, are retrieved from an extended virtual address registration. Messages arriving at the edge device are determined by the Network layer to contain a higher level protocol and are passed up the Internet Protocol model stack to a higher layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Germano Caronni, Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Patent number: 7802246
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates customizing software installation such as software updates for a user interface (UI) of a mobile communication device. The systems and methods of the present invention utilize a component that receives software updates (e.g., releases, releases, patches, upgrades, etc.) and presents various installation options to an installer through an interface. The installer can interact with the interface to select one or more components (e.g., controls, menus, menu items, etc) to install and define how such components are installed. For example, the installer can determine a control's location with respect to other controls within a user interface. This can be achieved by moving graphical components within the user interface and/or by providing parameters, setting flags, and/or including suitable arguments. In addition, the installer can add components to an installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin A. Kennedy, Robert P. St. Pierre, Lee Dicks Clark
  • Publication number: 20090168653
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for optimizing mesh routing for stability and system lifetime maximization in networks, for example in wireless networks. A routing module may be instantiated in nodes on the network. The routing module may implement a link quality and node health aware routing protocol on the network that considers a combination of link quality and node health/residual lifetime metrics in the calculation of the desirability of nodes and links between nodes as parts of an overall route. A route selection metric for each route may be determined from routing cost metrics for the nodes on the route and the number of hops on the route. A node may then select a best route according to the determined route selection metrics for the routes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Vipul Gupta, Pradip S. De
  • Patent number: 7526797
    Abstract: A method of processing callback requests included in web procedure calls through a firewall is discussed. A requesting device contacts a receiving device and requests the performance of a procedure. The procedure call includes a callback request that includes a destination address and port on the requesting device, as well as the address of a broker device. The receiving device parses the procedure call and identifies the requested service and the callback request and then terminates the connection with the requesting device. The receiving device executes the procedure and then requests a new connection to the broker device once the results of the requested service are obtained. The broker verifies the identity of the device and establishes a connection with the receiving device. The receiving device then transmits the results of the requested procedure to the broker which then forwards the results to the requesting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Publication number: 20080317240
    Abstract: The innovation supports the ability to map alpha characters entered directly into the dialer application of a smartphone. These alpha characters can be entered via a smartphone keyboard (e.g., QWERTY keyboard) and converted to the appropriate digits as mapped to a conventional telephone keypad. The resultant numerical digits can be used to prompt a network call. Additionally, the innovation can be used during an active call to respond to prompts that traditionally require 12-key mappings. This innovation allows a user to both dial a number directly via a smartphone keyboard, and filter contacts by name, in a non-modal manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Li-Kai K. Chang, Genevieve Gambardella, Timothy L. Bui, Jason S. Hamilton, Navneet Mehta, Robert P. St. Pierre, Kelly Ann Grantham Gachet, Anil Dhawan
  • Patent number: 7406496
    Abstract: A method of utilizing transport protocols to provide bidirectional web procedure calls is disclosed. A callback request included with a web procedure call provides a destination address and port on the requesting device to be utilized in a new connection for receiving the response from the receiving device. The utilization of a callback request included with a web procedure call enables a receiving device to terminate the original connection upon which it received the web procedure call while performing the requested procedure. In situations where the requested procedure takes an extended period of time or the receiving device is responding to a large number of requests, the ability to drop the original connection, perform the procedure, and respond to the requesting device via a new connection saves resources on the receiving device. Replies to the request are sent to the requesting device utilizing the destination address and port included as a parameter in the callback request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Patent number: 7254835
    Abstract: A method for conveying a security context, including creating and assigning a virtual address to a client process, issuing a first Internet Protocol version compliant packet wherein the first Internet Protocol version compliant packet comprises a security context, prepending an issued packet with a second Internet Protocol version header producing a second Internet Protocol version compliant packet, forwarding the second Internet Protocol version compliant packet to a recipient, stripping away the second Internet Protocol version compliant header from the second Internet Protocol version compliant packet producing a stripped packet at the recipient, decrypting and authenticating the stripped packet using a particular method as indicated by the security context producing a decrypted and authenticated packet, and routing the decrypted and authenticated packet to a recipient process using the virtual address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Germano Caronni
  • Patent number: 7237011
    Abstract: A network messaging protocol enabling messages from multiple network devices to share a single display device is disclosed. The protocol enables a display device to prioritize among incoming messages from different network devices and to prioritize among incoming multiple messages from a single device. The protocol further enables multiple networked devices communicating over an IP based network to share a display device, and also provides the ability for a network device to specify the display characteristics of its message. A display device executing the messaging protocol processes and displays multiple messages from multiple network devices without the need to overwrite important messages or display messages in unreadable sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Patent number: 7136895
    Abstract: A method of chaining together multiple dependent web-based procedure calls into a single request is disclosed. A request containing multiple MIME encoded service requests is transmitted to a first service. The request is parsed and the first service identified and performed. The results of the first service are appended to the remainder of the request which is forwarded to a second service listed in the request. The second service listed in the request may use the output of the first service as input and performs the second service. The process continues until the last service listed in the request is performed. Any output from the performance of the service requests is returned to the requesting device following execution of a MIME encoded callback request, the callback request being embedded in the original request following the last of the listed service requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Glenn C. Scott
  • Patent number: 7046994
    Abstract: This invention is directed toward a computer-implemented system and method for associating a contact with a telephone number. The method includes determining a set of candidate contacts from within a contact information database related to the telephone number, searching the set of candidate contacts for a matching contact and displaying a rich display of contact-related information obtained from the matching contact. In addition, the method may include linking to the contact-related information. Identifying the set of candidate contacts includes performing a Boyer Moore fast approximation. In addition, a tail end match may be performed to determine whether one of the candidate contacts matches the call ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Padawer, Jessie D. Tenenbaum, Peter G. Chin, Susan E. Pappalardo, Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Patent number: 6874012
    Abstract: A display device executing a network messaging protocol and capable of receiving display requests from multiple network devices communicating with the display device over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network is disclosed. The network priority messaging protocol executed by the display device enables the display device to efficiently display messages received from multiple network devices. The protocol enables the display device to prioritize among incoming messages from different network devices and to prioritize among incoming multiple messages from a single device. The protocol executed by the display device further enables the display device to receive display characteristics encoded as part of a message from a network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Patent number: 6853841
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the difficulties of controlling new devices which have been added to a network. A network protocol, the NetCTL protocol, enables a remote control device to dynamically learn the command codes of a newly network attached device if the new device is executing the protocol. The intervention of a system administrator is not necessary since the dynamic teaming process happens automatically when the new device is attached to the network. Because the protocol allows the remote control device to learn the codes dynamically, there is no need to consult previously written tables of commands which can omit the codes for newly invented devices. A user of the remote control device which has “learned” the codes (i.e. acquired the codes) for a network attached device is able to control that device, regardless of the device's physical location, by selecting and sending the network attached device a command code to perform an operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Publication number: 20040162915
    Abstract: A method of extending the functionality of a virtual network is disclosed. Messages intended for a virtual destination address located on a network equipped with a device performing packet filtering, network address translation or a similar function on the edge of the network (an “edge device”), are encapsulated in higher level protocols prior to being sent to the edge device. The virtual destination address may be associated with a process on the edge device or a process on another device in the interior of the network. Higher level protocol designations, including transport protocol designations accompanied by a port number and application protocol designations, are retrieved from an extended virtual address registration. Messages arriving at the edge device are determined by the Network layer to contain a higher level protocol and are passed up the Internet Protocol model stack to a higher layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Germano Caronni, Robert P. St. Pierre
  • Publication number: 20040162914
    Abstract: A method of associating a range of destination IP addresses with a real IP address for use with the Virtual Address Resolution Protocol is disclosed. The destination addresses may be a range of virtual IP addresses in a virtual network or a range of real IP addresses in a physical network. A record of the association of the range of destination addresses with a single real IP address is stored in a Virtual Address Resolution Protocol lookup table which is utilized when sending messages from a virtual IP address. The ability to assign a range of destination addresses to a single real IP address represents an extension of the use of VARP. The association of multiple destination addresses to a single real IP address allows an electronic device to function as a router to a widely distributed real or virtual network. The virtual network of the present invention adds a layer of encryption to the originating virtual network by sending encrypted data packets between the origin and destination addresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. St. Pierre, Germano Caronni
  • Publication number: 20040019682
    Abstract: A method of utilizing transport protocols to provide bidirectional web procedure calls is disclosed. A callback request included with a web procedure call provides a destination address and port on the requesting device to be utilized in a new connection for receiving the response from the receiving device. The utilization of a callback request included with a web procedure call enables a receiving device to terminate the original connection upon which it received the web procedure call while performing the requested procedure. In situations where the requested procedure takes an extended period of time or the receiving device is responding to a large number of requests, the ability to drop the original connection, perform the procedure, and respond to the requesting device via a new connection saves resources on the receiving device. Replies to the request are sent to the requesting device utilizing the destination address and port included as a parameter in the callback request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. St. Pierre