Patents by Inventor Robert P. Starling

Robert P. Starling 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).

  • Facilitating a decision-making process
    Patent number: 8504621
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a decision-making process are disclosed. In one aspect of the present disclosure, in response to receiving a request to facilitate a decision making process, the decision-making agent participates in a communications thread where users are attempting to reach a decision regarding a business to frequent and/or an activity to partake. Since group activities are oftentimes scheduled via common communication threads, the decision-making agent can intervene in such communication threads, when requested, and assist the participating users in making a decision or making informed suggestions toward reaching an agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Ruff, Robert P. Starling, Michael D. Trinkala, Karen M. Cross, Brandon W. Porter, Gary Clayton
  • FACILITATING A DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
    Publication number: 20090112782
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating a decision-making process are disclosed. In one aspect of the present disclosure, in response to receiving a request to facilitate a decision making process, the decision-making agent participates in a communications thread where users are attempting to reach a decision regarding a business to frequent and/or an activity to partake. Since group activities are oftentimes scheduled via common communication threads, the decision-making agent can intervene in such communication threads, when requested, and assist the participating users in making a decision or making informed suggestions toward reaching an agreement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Karen M. Cross, Robert P. Starling, Michael D. Trinkala, Joseph Ruff, Brandon W. Porter, Gary Clayton