Inventors list

Assignees list

Classification tree browser

Top 100 Inventors

Top 100 Assignees


Butcher, WA

Aaron M. Butcher, Duvall, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100180226User Interface for Displaying Selectable Software Functionality Controls that are Relevant to a Selected Object - An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.07-15-2010

Aaron Michael Butcher, Duvall, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090217192Command User Interface For Displaying Multiple Sections of Software Functionality Controls - To increase command-access efficiency and to optimize a user's available user interface work space, an improved user interface is provided for displaying logical groupings of selectable software functionality controls that are associated with one or more selected top-level functionalities. Upon selection of a top-level functionality tab, selectable functionalities associated with the top-level functionality tab are divided into logical groupings and are presented in a customizable functionality control section below the tab. Upon selection of a different top-level functionality tab, selectable functionalities associated with the subsequently selected top-level functionality tab may either replace the first functionality control section or may be displayed in a separate functionality control section adjacent to the first functionality control section if real estate is available in the user interface.08-27-2009

Christopher Charles John Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090209349PREDICTION OF NETWORK PATH QUALITY AMONG PEER NETWORKING DEVICES - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates connectivity within a peer-to-peer networking environment. A client can transmit a request to connect with a host for peer-to-peer networking. A server can generate a list that includes at least one host that matches the request from the client. A predictor engine can reduce the list by at least one matched host based upon a predictor, wherein the predictor is at least one of an Internet Protocol history predictor, a prefix history predictor, or a geography predictor.08-20-2009

Larry R. Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100107068User Interface with Parallax Animation - user interface animation techniques are described. In an implementation, an input having a velocity is detected that is directed to one or more objects in a user interface. A visual presentation is generated that is animated so a first object in the user interface moves in parallax with respect to a second object. The presentation is displayed so the first object appears to moves at a rate that corresponds to the velocity.04-29-2010

Thomas Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090077260APPLICATION PLATFORM - A method and system for mapping logical identifiers to physical identifiers is provided. In one embodiment, a logical routing system allows each application, or more generally entity (e.g., user of an application), to register its logical identifier to physical identifier mapping when the application starts executing on a computer. To send a message to an application identified by a logical identifier, a client program uses the registered mapping to identify the physical identifier of the computer. If an application later starts executing on a different computer, then the application can register a different mapping.03-19-2009

Thomas C. Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090019141Network management - A tool for managing a computer network includes a gateway service module that identifies a gateway for a network and a network information service module. The network information service module identifies devices in the network, determines at least one property for each of the identified devices, and creates a network information data structure for storing device properties. A communication agent service module transmits at least one determined device property to other agent service modules associated with the network, receives at least one device property from another agent service module associated with the network, and provides the received at least one property device to the network information service module. A method of monitoring a computer network is also provided. The method includes identifying devices in a network, determining at least one property for each of the identified devices, receiving at least one determined device property from another device the network, and creating a network information data structure for storing the determined device properties.01-15-2009
20100268574TRACKING USER PROFILE INFLUENCE IN A DIGITAL MEDIA SYSTEM - Methods and systems for tracking user profile influence in a digital media system are provided. One exemplary method includes computing connection weights of connections between a plurality of user nodes, each user node representing a user profile of the digital media system, to thereby generate an influence network. The connection weights may be based on implicit activity notifications received at a media server via a plurality of media clients associated with the user nodes. The method may further include calculating a dynamic influence score for each of the user nodes based on the connection weights between the user nodes in the influence network. The method may further include comparing the dynamic influence scores to an influence score threshold to determine one or more lead user nodes, and sending an influence reward to the media clients associated with the one or more lead user nodes.10-21-2010
20110081967INTERACTIVE MEDIA SOCIAL GAME - An interactive media social game is described. In embodiments, a social game service administrates a networked social game based on media asset interactions. Media asset interaction data is received that identifies media assets when they are downloaded or played at a user device. The media assets are correlated with a social game entity, such as a music pet that is a token entity of the networked social game. The music pet adaptively changes according to characteristics of the media assets. The media asset interaction data is also compiled as a media asset selection history corresponding to a user that is associated with the user device. A media asset recommendation for the user can be generated based on the media asset selection history, and the media asset recommendation is communicated as a recommendation message from the music pet to the user that is associated with the user device.04-07-2011
20110131507Personification of Software Agents - Personification techniques for software agents are described. In an implementation, a plurality of software agents is personified in a user interface to be selectable as friends in a social network service. Each of the software agents is executable to make one or more recommendations based on criteria of the software agent, respectively. Recommendations made by particular software agents are communicated via user accounts of the social network service that have selected the particular software agents as friends.06-02-2011
20110145040CONTENT RECOMMENDATION - Content recommendation techniques are described. In an implementation, content preferences for a group are determined by identifying an intersection of content preferences for individual users in the group. Content that is currently available for presentation is recommended based on the intersection by comparing the content preferences for the group with metadata for the content that is available for presentation.06-16-2011
20110167141NETWORK MANAGEMENT - A tool for managing a computer network includes a gateway service module that identifies a gateway for a network and a network information service module. The network information service module identifies devices in the network, determines at least one property for each of the identified devices, and creates a network information data structure for storing device properties. A communication agent service module transmits at least one determined device property to other agent service modules associated with the network, receives at least one device property from another agent service module associated with the network, and provides the received at least one property device to the network information service module. A method of monitoring a computer network is also provided. The method includes identifying devices in a network, determining at least one property for each of the identified devices, receiving at least one determined device property from another device the network, and creating a network information data structure for storing the determined device properties.07-07-2011
20110167145NETWORK MANAGEMENT - A tool for managing a computer network includes a gateway service module that identifies a gateway for a network and a network information service module. The network information service module identifies devices in the network, determines at least one property for each of the identified devices, and creates a network information data structure for storing device properties. A communication agent service module transmits at least one determined device property to other agent service modules associated with the network, receives at least one device property from another agent service module associated with the network, and provides the received at least one property device to the network information service module. A method of monitoring a computer network is also provided. The method includes identifying devices in a network, determining at least one property for each of the identified devices, receiving at least one determined device property from another device the network, and creating a network information data structure for storing the determined device properties.07-07-2011
20110167154NETWORK MANAGEMENT - A tool for managing a computer network includes a gateway service module that identifies a gateway for a network and a network information service module. The network information service module identifies devices in the network, determines at least one property for each of the identified devices, and creates a network information data structure for storing device properties. A communication agent service module transmits at least one determined device property to other agent service modules associated with the network, receives at least one device property from another agent service module associated with the network, and provides the received at least one property device to the network information service module. A method of monitoring a computer network is also provided. The method includes identifying devices in a network, determining at least one property for each of the identified devices, receiving at least one determined device property from another device the network, and creating a network information data structure for storing the determined device properties.07-07-2011
20110184792SOCIAL NETWORK REWARDS - Social network reward techniques are described. In an implementation, a method implemented by at least one computing device includes obtaining data that describes users' interaction with a social network service and determining influence of one or more said users on other said users via the social network service from the obtained data. A reward is computed based on the determined influence for at least one said user.07-28-2011

Patent applications by Thomas C. Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Tom Butcher, Seattle, WA US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20110196519CONTROL OF AUDIO SYSTEM VIA CONTEXT SENSOR - Embodiments related to the control of a computing device via an audio output apparatus having a context sensor are provided. One disclosed embodiment provides a computing device configured to receive a first input from a context sensor on an audio output apparatus, and to activate a selected listening mode based on the first input, wherein the listening mode defining a mapping of a set of context sensor inputs to a set of computing device functionalities. The storage subsystem further includes instructions executable by the logic subsystem to receive a second input from the context sensor after activating the selected listening mode, and in response, to selectively trigger execution of a computing device functionality from the set of computing device functionalities based on the second input, and to transform an audio signal supplied to the audio output apparatus based on the selected computing device functionality.08-11-2011