| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100121138 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SENSING FORCE - A medical system comprises a medical probe including an elongated probe body, a lumen extending within the probe body, an axially flexible section, and a push-pull rod slidably disposed within the lumen. The system comprises a ditherer mechanically coupled to the rod for cyclically displacing it axially back and forth within the lumen, such that the ends of the probe body are axially displaced relative to each other via the axially flexible section. The system further comprises a sensor for sensing a force axially applied to the distal end of the probe body. A method comprises introducing a medical probe into a patient, axially dithering the distal end of the medical probe back and forth relative to the proximal end of the medical probe, and sensing a force applied between tissue of the patient and the distal end of the medical probe while the distal end is axially dithered. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100253487 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HAPTIC DEVICES HAVING MULTIPLE OPERATIONAL MODES - A haptic device having a plurality of operational modes, including a first operational mode and a second operational mode is provided. The first operational mode is associated with a frequency range. The second operational mode is associated with a frequency range that is different from the frequency range of the first operational mode. A controller is coupled to the haptic device, and is configured to send the haptic device a plurality of control schemes. Each control scheme is uniquely associated with an operational mode from the plurality of operational modes. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20110102340 | Method And Apparatus For Providing Tactile Sensations - Products and processes for providing tactile sensations to input devices or electronic devices are provided. Input devices include mechanical input devices (such as, for example, mechanical switches) and non-mechanical input devices (such as, for example, touchpads). Tactile feedback is provided by using an actuator or other means in communication with the input device or electronic device. A controller may be employed to receive signals from the input devices and control the actuator. Tactile feedback to an input device or electronic device may be provided in response to one or more events or situations. Such an event or situation may be any one designated. Examples of such events and situations include the level of pressure placed on an input device; the availability or lack of availability of a function associated with an input device; and the function, menu, or mode of operation associated with an input device's activation. A variety of feedback types and combinations may be selected. | 05-05-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100106604 | Multi-Stage Bidding System for Guaranteed Advertising Contracts in a Network of Networks - This patent discloses a system to host a multi-stage competition for an online advertisement opportunity in a network of networks. The online advertisement opportunity may be received in a second network from a first network as a result of a process where a first bid from a first software agent representing a guaranteed contract may be compared with a second bid from a second software agent representing one of a nonguaranteed contract and a guaranteed contract. A third bid for the online advertisement opportunity may be received in the second network from a third software agent representing a guaranteed contract. In addition, a fourth bid for that same online advertisement opportunity may be received in the second network from a fourth software agent representing one of a nonguaranteed contract and a guaranteed contract. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100106613 | Bidding System for Guaranteed Advertising Contracts in an Online Spot Market - This patent discloses a system to host a competition for an online advertisement opportunity. Notice of the online advertisement opportunity may be sent to software agents, one of which may represent a guaranteed contract. On receipt of the notice, the software agents may prepare and submit bids. An ad server may receive bids, including a first bid from a first software agent representing a guaranteed contract and a second bid from a second software agent representing a nonguaranteed contract. The ad server may screen out bids and arbitrate the remaining bids to determine a highest bidder for the online advertisement opportunity. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100228635 | Unified Marketplace for an Online Advertisement Bidding System - An online advertising system integrates third party agents to permit the third party agents to participate in auctions to bid on a per opportunity basis. An advertising exchange module receives requests for opportunities to serve online advertisements to users. In response, an advertising exchange module applies one or more business rules to determine third party agents that qualify to serve the online advertisement. A bid gateway module generates and transmits requests for bids to the third party agents. The bid gateway module then receives bids from the third party agents in response to the requests for bids. The advertising exchange module then selects an advertisement based on the bid. The online advertisement exchange system provides a unified marketplace to permit integrator networks to bid on both ads pursuant to guaranteed contracts and ads not subject to guaranteed contracts (e.g., non-guaranteed ads). The online advertisement system further includes traffic management to allow the third parties to regulate bid requests sent from the online advertisement system. In some embodiments, the online advertising system caches bids, to efficiently implement the per opportunity auction, and transmits information, such as targeting information, to the third party agents to aid in the third party agents' formulation of bids. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100228637 | Architecture for an Online Advertisement Bidding System - An online advertising system integrates third party agents to permit the third party agents to participate in auctions to bid on a per opportunity basis. An advertising exchange module receives requests for opportunities to serve online advertisements to users. In response, an advertising exchange module applies one or more business rules to determine third party agents that qualify to serve the online advertisement. A bid gateway module generates and transmits requests for bids to the third party agents. The bid gateway module then receives bids from the third party agents in response to the requests for bids. The advertising exchange module then selects an advertisement based on the bid. The online advertisement exchange system provides a unified marketplace to permit integrator networks to bid on both ads pursuant to guaranteed contracts and ads not subject to guaranteed contracts (e.g., non-guaranteed ads). The online advertisement system further includes traffic management to allow the third parties to regulate bid requests sent from the online advertisement system. In some embodiments, the online advertising system caches bids, to efficiently implement the per opportunity auction, and transmits information, such as targeting information, to the third party agents to aid in the third party agents' formulation of bids. | 09-09-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080250136 | ACCELERATED AND REPRODUCIBLE DOMAIN VISITOR TARGETING - A device, system, and method are directed towards managing and tracking of cross-domain user activities through use of a beacon. As a user of a client device requests content from different domain services managed by a common entity, they may receive a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to a beacon in at least one of the different domains. In one embodiment, the beacon is a single pixel image. The client device may also receive a Match-ID. A beacon server in one of the other domains may receive the request for the beacon, and store in a domain log the Match-ID, and other information about the client device, which domain service provided the URL, and/or other related user activities. The different domain logs may then be employed for use in searching for matching Match-IDs, joining common user or client device activities, and for tracking other cross-domain user activities. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20090313371 | ACCELERATED AND REPRODUCIBLE DOMAIN VISITOR TARGETING - A device, system, and method are directed towards managing and tracking of cross-domain user activities through use of a beacon. As a user of a client device requests content from different domain services managed by a common entity, they may receive a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to a beacon in at least one of the different domains. In one embodiment, the beacon is a single pixel image. The client device may also receive a Match-ID. A beacon server in one of the other domains may receive the request for the beacon, and store in a domain log the Match-ID, and other information about the client device, which domain service provided the URL, and/or other related user activities. The different domain logs may then be employed for use in searching for matching Match-IDs, joining common user or client device activities, and for tracking other cross-domain user activities. | 12-17-2009 |