Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Coy
Stephen B. Coy 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: 20170236336Abstract: Described is a virtual environment built by drawing stacks of three-dimensional objects (e.g., discrete blocks) as manipulated by a user. A user manipulates one or more objects, resulting in stack heights being changed, e.g., by adding, removing or moving objects to/from stacks. The stack heights are maintained as sample points, e.g., each point indexed by its associated horizontal location. A graphics processor expands height-related information into visible objects or stacks of objects by computing the vertices for each stack to draw that stack's top surface, front surface and/or side surface based upon the height-related information for that stack. Height information for neighboring stacks may be associated with the sample point, whereby a stack is only drawn to where it is occluded by a neighboring stack, that is, by computing the lower vertices for a surface according to the height of a neighboring stack where appropriate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2017Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Mark T. Finch, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Stephen B. Coy, Eric S. Anderson, Lili Cheng
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Patent number: 9576395Abstract: Described is a virtual environment built by drawing stacks of three-dimensional objects (e.g., discrete blocks) as manipulated by a user. A user manipulates one or more objects, resulting in stack heights being changed, e.g., by adding, removing or moving objects to/from stacks. The stack heights are maintained as sample points, e.g., each point indexed by its associated horizontal location. A graphics processor expands height-related information into visible objects or stacks of objects by computing the vertices for each stack to draw that stack's top surface, front surface and/or side surface based upon the height-related information for that stack. Height information for neighboring stacks may be associated with the sample point, whereby a stack is only drawn to where it is occluded by a neighboring stack, that is, by computing the lower vertices for a surface according to the height of a neighboring stack where appropriate.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Mark T. Finch, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Stephen B. Coy, Eric S. Anderson, Lili Cheng
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Publication number: 20150012890Abstract: Described is a virtual environment built by drawing stacks of three-dimensional objects (e.g., discrete blocks) as manipulated by a user. A user manipulates one or more objects, resulting in stack heights being changed, e.g., by adding, removing or moving objects to/from stacks. The stack heights are maintained as sample points, e.g., each point indexed by its associated horizontal location. A graphics processor expands height-related information into visible objects or stacks of objects by computing the vertices for each stack to draw that stack's top surface, front surface and/or side surface based upon the height-related information for that stack. Height information for neighboring stacks may be associated with the sample point, whereby a stack is only drawn to where it is occluded by a neighboring stack, that is, by computing the lower vertices for a surface according to the height of a neighboring stack where appropriate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2014Publication date: January 8, 2015Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Mark T. Finch, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Stephen B. Coy, Eric S. Anderson, Lili Cheng
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Patent number: 8015141Abstract: A rule-based programming language may be devised for programming an entity in an environment. Computer systems may therefore be configured to program the entity with at least one rule comprising at least zero language conditions representing an action condition, at least one language verb representing an action, and at least zero language verb parameters representing an action object. The computer system may also be configured to facilitate entry by a user of a rule set according to the rule-based programming language by receiving user selections of language conditions, language verbs, and language verb parameters. By facilitating the programming by users of entities within environments, the computer system may facilitate individuals (such as non-technical individuals, aspiring programmers, and children) in understanding programming concepts, encourage the development of experience with computer programming, and permit the generation of useful computer programs by non-proficient programmers.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Matthew MacLaurin, Michael C. Miller, Stephen B. Coy, Lili Cheng
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Patent number: 7999807Abstract: A system combines 2D and 3D modeling in rendering shapes and includes: a 3D modeling factory to generate a 3D model of selected shape parameters or features; a front face factory to generate 2D text and text effects, and some 2D shape effects; a ground plane factory to generate effects that are rendered on a ground plane of a shape; and a rasterizer/compositing engine to combine 2D and 3D effects generated by the front face factory, ground plan factory, and the 3D modeling factory.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Georg F. Petschnigg, Ashesh P. Bakshi, Damien N. Berger, Matthew W. Kernek, Stephen B. Coy
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Publication number: 20100138793Abstract: Described is a virtual environment built by drawing stacks of three-dimensional objects (e.g., discrete blocks) as manipulated by a user. A user manipulates one or more objects, resulting in stack heights being changed, e.g., by adding, removing or moving objects to/from stacks. The stack heights are maintained as sample points, e.g., each point indexed by its associated horizontal location. A graphics processor expands height-related information into visible objects or stacks of objects by computing the vertices for each stack to draw that stack's top surface, front surface and/or side surface based upon the height-related information for that stack. Height information for neighboring stacks may be associated with the sample point, whereby a stack is only drawn to where it is occluded by a neighboring stack, that is, by computing the lower vertices for a surface according to the height of a neighboring stack where appropriate.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2008Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Mark T. Finch, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Stephen B. Coy, Eric S. Anderson, Lili Cheng
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Publication number: 20090210372Abstract: A rule-based programming language may be devised for programming an entity in an environment. Computer systems may therefore be configured to program the entity with at least one rule comprising at least zero language conditions representing an action condition, at least one language verb representing an action, and at least zero language verb parameters representing an action object. The computer system may also be configured to facilitate entry by a user of a rule set according to the rule-based programming language by receiving user selections of language conditions, language verbs, and language verb parameters. By facilitating the programming by users of entities within environments, the computer system may facilitate individuals (such as non-technical individuals, aspiring programmers, and children) in understanding programming concepts, encourage the development of experience with computer programming, and permit the generation of useful computer programs by non-proficient programmers.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Matthew MacLaurin, Michael C. Miller, Stephen B. Coy, Lili Cheng