| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090326406 | WEARABLE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY-BASED CONTROLLERS FOR HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERFACE - A “Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller” includes a plurality of Electromyography (EMG) sensors and provides a wired or wireless human-computer interface (HCl) for interacting with computing systems and attached devices via electrical signals generated by specific movement of the user's muscles. Following initial automated self-calibration and positional localization processes, measurement and interpretation of muscle generated electrical signals is accomplished by sampling signals from the EMG sensors of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. In operation, the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller is donned by the user and placed into a coarsely approximate position on the surface of the user's skin. Automated cues or instructions are then provided to the user for fine-tuning placement of the Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller. Examples of Wearable Electromyography-Based Controllers include articles of manufacture, such as an armband, wristwatch, or article of clothing having a plurality of integrated EMG-based sensor nodes and associated electronics. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090327171 | RECOGNIZING GESTURES FROM FOREARM EMG SIGNALS - A machine learning model is trained by instructing a user to perform proscribed gestures, sampling signals from EMG sensors arranged arbitrarily on the user's forearm with respect to locations of muscles in the forearm, extracting feature samples from the sampled signals, labeling the feature samples according to the corresponding gestures instructed to be performed, and training the machine learning model with the labeled feature samples. Subsequently, gestures may be recognized using the trained machine learning model by sampling signals from the EMG sensors, extracting from the signals unlabeled feature samples of a same type as those extracted during the training, passing the unlabeled feature samples to the machine learning model, and outputting from the machine learning model indicia of a gesture classified by the machine learning model. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100194677 | MAPPING OF PHYSICAL CONTROLS FOR SURFACE COMPUTING - Physical controls on a physical controller device (PCD) are dynamically mapped to application controls for an application being executed on a computer having a touch-sensitive display surface. The computer identifies a PCD which has been placed by a user on the display surface and displays a mapping aura for the PCD. When the user touches an activate direct-touch button displayed within the mapping aura, the computer activates a mapping procedure for the PCD and displays a highlighted direct-touch button over each application control which is available to be mapped to the physical controls on the PCD. When the user selects a particular application control which is available to be mapped by touching the highlighted button residing over the control, the computer creates a dynamic mapping between the selected application control and a user-selected physical control on the PCD. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100244767 | MAGNETIC INDUCTIVE CHARGING WITH LOW FAR FIELDS - A charging station wirelessly transmits power to mobile electronic devices (MEDs) each having a planar-shaped receiver coil (RC) and a capacitor connected in parallel across the RC. The station includes a planar charging surface, a number of series-interconnected bank A source coils (SCs), a number of series-interconnected bank B SCs, and electronics for energizing the SCs. Each SC generates a flux field perpendicular to the charging surface. The bank A and bank B SCs are interleaved and alternately energized in a repeating duty cycle. The coils in each bank are also alternately wound in a different direction so that the fields cancel each other out in a far-field environment. Whenever an MED is placed in close proximity to the charging surface, the fields wirelessly induce power in the RC. The MEDs can have any two-dimensional orientation with respect to the charging surface. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110133934 | Sensing Mechanical Energy to Appropriate the Body for Data Input - Described is using the human body as an input mechanism to a computing device. A sensor set is coupled to part of a human body. The sensor set detects mechanical (e.g., bio-acoustic) energy transmitted through the body as a result of an action/performed by the body, such as a user finger tap or flick. The sensor output data (e.g., signals) are processed to determine what action was taken. For example, the gesture may be a finger tap, and the output data may indicate which finger was tapped, what surface the finger was tapped on, or where on the body the finger was tapped. | 06-09-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080319944 | USER INTERFACES TO PERFORM MULTIPLE QUERY SEARCHES - User interfaces for conducting multi-query searches. These user interfaces also provide specific mechanisms for supporting multi-query searches including: saving/restoring search context; search-specific query history; a “keepers” bin for storing useful results; elimination of redundant results; re-ranking of common search results; integration of searching with navigation; pivoting on search results; collaboration among multiple searchers; user-generated content; support for generation of hypotheses; re-executing queries and executing standing queries; multi-monitor searching and automatic preparation of search summaries. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080319975 | Exploratory Search Technique - A technique for the creation of synthesized results from multi-query searches to provide more relevant information to the user in a more useful format and to discard or reduce in relevancy information that is not so useful. It allows a user to define the boundaries of the exploratory search before it starts or retroactively define which queries belong to the search. It can imply which queries belong to the search based on parameters in the queries or results. It also provides mechanisms for supporting exploratory searches including: saving/restoring search context; search-specific query history; a “keepers” bin for storing useful results; elimination of redundant results; re-ranking of common search results; integration of searching with navigation; pivoting on search results; collaboration among multiple searchers; user-generated content; generation of hypotheses; re-executing queries and executing standing queries; multi-monitor searching and automatic preparation of search summaries. User interfaces for conducting multi-query searches are also provided. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090006324 | MULTIPLE MONITOR/MULTIPLE PARTY SEARCHES - A technique for the creation of synthesized results from multi-query, multi-party and multi-monitor searches to provide more relevant information to the user in a more useful format and to discard or reduce in relevancy information that is not so useful. It also provides mechanisms for supporting exploratory searches including: saving/restoring search context; search-specific query history; a “keepers” bin for storing useful results; elimination of redundant results; re-ranking of common search results; integration of searching with navigation; pivoting on search results; collaboration among multiple searchers; user-generated content; generation of hypotheses; re-executing queries and executing standing queries; multi-monitor searching and automatic preparation of search summaries. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090006358 | SEARCH RESULTS - A technique for the creation of synthesized results from multi-query searches to provide more relevant information to the user in a more useful format and to discard or reduce in relevancy information that is not so useful. It can determine which queries belong to the search based on parameters in the queries or results. It also provides mechanisms for supporting exploratory searches including: saving/restoring search context; search-specific query history; a “keepers” bin for storing useful results; elimination of redundant results; re-ranking of common search results; integration of searching with navigation; pivoting on search results; collaboration among multiple searchers; user-generated content; generation of hypotheses; re-executing queries and executing standing queries; multi-monitor searching and automatic preparation of search summaries. | 01-01-2009 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080224532 | PARKING BRAKE INTERLOCK - A parking brake interlock is provided according to the invention. The parking brake interlock includes a parking brake inlet configured to receive a parking brake air supply, a service brake inlet configured to receive a service brake air supply, an exhaust port, and an interlock valve mechanism in communication with the parking brake inlet, the service brake inlet, and the exhaust port. The interlock valve mechanism is configured to exhaust the parking brake air supply if the service brake air pressure is not received. The interlock valve mechanism is further configured to hold the parking brake air supply in order to generate a parking brake air pressure if the service brake air pressure is received. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090056530 | FORCE AMPLIFIER - A force amplifier comprising a housing is provided. The force amplifier includes a force assembly positioned in the housing. The force assembly comprises an input force component, an output force component, and an intermediate force component rigidly coupling the input force component to the output force component. An assist piston is positioned in the housing. The assist piston is coupled to the force assembly. A regulating piston is positioned in the housing. The regulating piston is coupled to the force assembly. The regulating piston controls the supply of a pressurized fluid acting on the assist piston. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090096268 | SEAT HEIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a leveling valve including a first port, a second port, a third port, a valve, and a clutch. The clutch is provided with an engaged position and a disengaged position. At least a portion of the clutch may move relative to the valve when the clutch is in the disengaged position. The clutch moves the valve when the clutch is in the engaged position. The valve is movable between a first position, a second position, and a third position. When the valve is in the first position, the valve blocks a first pathway, which extends from the first port, from connecting with a second pathway, which extends from the second port. When the valve is in the second position, the valve allows the first pathway to connect with the second pathway. When the valve is in the third position, the valve allows the second pathway to connect with a third pathway, which extends from the third port. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20100045030 | POSITIVE COMPLETION COUPLER INSERT AND COUPLER - A positive completion coupler insert ( | 02-25-2010 |
| 20110101257 | LIFT AXLE CONTROL VALVE - A lift axle control valve ( | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110265641 | FORCE AMPLIFIER - A force amplifier comprising a housing is provided. The force amplifier includes a force assembly positioned in the housing. The force assembly comprises an input force component, an output force component, and an intermediate force component rigidly coupling the input force component to the output force component. An assist piston is positioned in the housing. The assist piston is coupled to the force assembly. A regulating piston is positioned in the housing. The regulating piston is coupled to the force assembly. The regulating piston controls the supply of a pressurized fluid acting on the assist piston. | 11-03-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090012805 | Portable Digital Rights for Multiple Devices - Portable digital rights for multiple devices is described. In an embodiment, a digital rights management (DRM) system includes a first device with a removable component configured as a token that is associated with a DRM license. The first device also includes a removable memory card that stores protected media content on which the first device can perform actions as permitted by the DRM license. The DRM system also includes a second device that can have the removable component and the removable memory card when removed from the first device and installed in the second device such that the second device can perform the actions on the protected media content as permitted by the DRM license. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090300658 | DEFINING, DISTRIBUTING AND PRESENTING DEVICE EXPERIENCES - Platforms and techniques for defining, authorizing/authenticating, distributing, and presenting dynamic device experiences using a number of hierarchically-related, declarative language data structures, such as extensible markup language (“XML”) elements or attributes. A dynamic device experience is presented when two electronic devices are in communication via a communication medium. The data structures are processed to present a graphical user interface to a user—the graphical user interface implements a dynamic device experience associated with the other electronic device. In one exemplary scenario, independent hardware vendors (“IHVs”) author XML documents that include device experience information (such as branding or advertising information, access to Web services or applications, and access to device functionality), in the form of items of data stored in the data structures. The XML documents are verified against a predetermined schema, secured using a cryptographic technique such as a digital signature, and discovered/distributed in flexible, tamper-resistant manners. | 12-03-2009 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090100021 | Search-centric hierarchichal browser history - A search-centric hierarchical browser history technique that provides for the creation of a Web search history hierarchy organized according to the search queries that a user has conducted. In one embodiment, search queries occupy the highest level of the search history hierarchy and all Web sites/search results relating to a particular search query that the user accessed are hierarchically organized below that query. In another embodiment, queries may also be optionally grouped into a higher-level hierarchy that reflects search topics. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090271691 | LINKING DIGITAL AND PAPER DOCUMENTS - Various embodiments facilitate linking physical documents to digital documents. Links link physical documents to digital documents. Using a sensor, the physical documents are automatically detected and identified on a digital workspace. A computer is capable of displaying graphics, and user interaction with displayed graphics can be detected. The digital workspace displays a GUI component having one or more controls, and the GUI component is displayed at a location relative to a physical document on the digital workspace. User interaction with the control is detected and either a link between the physical document and one of the digital documents is edited, or an existing link between the physical document and a digital document is used to perform an operation on the digital document. Alternatively or additionally, links may be automatically generated digital documents determined to be implicitly related to the physical document. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100194677 | MAPPING OF PHYSICAL CONTROLS FOR SURFACE COMPUTING - Physical controls on a physical controller device (PCD) are dynamically mapped to application controls for an application being executed on a computer having a touch-sensitive display surface. The computer identifies a PCD which has been placed by a user on the display surface and displays a mapping aura for the PCD. When the user touches an activate direct-touch button displayed within the mapping aura, the computer activates a mapping procedure for the PCD and displays a highlighted direct-touch button over each application control which is available to be mapped to the physical controls on the PCD. When the user selects a particular application control which is available to be mapped by touching the highlighted button residing over the control, the computer creates a dynamic mapping between the selected application control and a user-selected physical control on the PCD. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100306231 | COLLABORATIVE SEARCH TOOLS - Described herein are technologies pertaining to search in general, and collaborative searching in particular. Graphical items are generated that are representative of searches. The graphical items include graphical indicia that indicate which search results were included in other, related searches. | 12-02-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100031202 | USER-DEFINED GESTURE SET FOR SURFACE COMPUTING - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates generating an intuitive set of gestures for employment with surface computing. A gesture set creator can prompt two or more users with a potential effect for a portion of displayed data. An interface component can receive at least one surface input from the user in response to the prompted potential effect. A surface detection component can track the surface input utilizing a computer vision-based sensing technique. The gesture set creator collects the surface input from the two or more users in order to identify a user-defined gesture based upon a correlation between the respective surface inputs, wherein the user-defined gesture is defined as an input that initiates the potential effect for the portion of displayed data. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100031203 | USER-DEFINED GESTURE SET FOR SURFACE COMPUTING - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates generating an intuitive set of gestures for employment with surface computing. A gesture set creator can prompt two or more users with a potential effect for a portion of displayed data. An interface component can receive at least one surface input from the user in response to the prompted potential effect. A surface detection component can track the surface input utilizing a computer vision-based sensing technique. The gesture set creator collects the surface input from the two or more users in order to identify a user-defined gesture based upon a correlation between the respective surface inputs, wherein the user-defined gesture is defined as an input that initiates the potential effect for the portion of displayed data. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100079369 | Using Physical Objects in Conjunction with an Interactive Surface - An interaction management module (IMM) is described for allowing users to engage an interactive surface in a collaborative environment using various input devices, such as keyboard-type devices and mouse-type devices. The IMM displays digital objects on the interactive surface that are associated with the devices in various ways. The digital objects can include input display interfaces, cursors, soft-key input mechanisms, and so on. Further, the IMM provides a mechanism for establishing a frame of reference for governing the placement of each cursor on the interactive surface. Further, the IMM provides a mechanism for allowing users to make a digital copy of a physical article placed on the interactive surface. The IMM also provides a mechanism which duplicates actions taken on the digital copy with respect to the physical article, and vice versa. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100205190 | SURFACE-BASED COLLABORATIVE SEARCH - The claimed subject matter relates to architectures that can provide rich features associated with information-based collaborative searches by leveraging a multi-touch surface computing-based display. In particular, a first architecture can include a multi-touch surface configured to support interactivity with multiple collocated users simultaneously. Based upon such interaction, the first architecture can transmit to a search engine a multiuser surface identifier and a set of search terms input by collocated users that share a collaborative task. In response, the architecture can receive a set of search results from a second architecture, and present those results to the multi-touch surface in a variety of ways. The second architecture can relate to a search engine that can process the search terms to generate corresponding search results and also process information associated with the multiuser surface identifier. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20110252011 | Integrating a Search Service with a Social Network Resource - A system is described for integrating a search engine and one or more social network resources. The system operates by determining whether a search operation being conducted by a user warrants interaction with a social network resource. If so, the system may provide an invitation to the user to forward a query-related message to the social network resource. The system then sends the message to a group of contacts via the social network resource, where the group of contacts can be defined in various ways. The system receives a response from at least one contact in the group of contacts and presents that response to the user using various delivery mechanisms, as governed by various delivery timings. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110252108 | DESIGNATING AUTOMATED AGENTS AS FRIENDS IN A SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICE - A system is described in which a user can add one or more automated agents as “friends” in a social network service. In operation, an automated agent observes an information need expressed by the user via the social network service, e.g., in the form of an original message posted to the social network service; determines whether it is appropriate to reply to the information need; uses automated functionality to generate a reply message to the information need (if it is deemed appropriate to reply to the information need); and sends the reply message to a target destination, such as a social network page associated with the user. For example, without limitation, one type of automated agent performs a question-answering function. Another type of automated agent performs a social referral service. | 10-13-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090132671 | MESSAGE STATE MAINTENANCE AT A CURSOR - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for maintaining message state at a cursor. A message consumer requests messages from a cursor. The cursor can maintain state information for the message consumers separately from a message log that stores messages. Any of a variety of message delivery assurances can be used when delivering a message to a message consumer. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090132868 | MESSAGE STATE MAINTENANCE AT A MESSAGE LOG - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for maintaining message state at a message log. Messages are accumulated at a message log in accordance with a message retention policy. Any of a variety of message capture assurances can be used when capturing a message from a message producer within a message log. A message becomes visible to message consumers after the outcome of writing the message is known (either failure or success). Messages are requested using (e.g., monotonically increasing) sequence numbers. Messages are also dropped from the message log in accordance with the message retention policy. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090133038 | DISTRIBUTED MESSAGING SYSTEM WITH CONFIGURABLE ASSURANCES - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for configuring assurances within distributed messaging systems. A defined set of message log and cursor components are configurably activatable and deactivatable to compose a variety of different capture assurances, transfer assurances, and delivery assurances within a distributed messaging system. A composition of a capture assurance, a transfer assurance, and a delivery assurance can provide an end-to-end assurance for a messaging system. End-to-end assurances can include one of best effort, at-most-once, at-least-once, and exactly once and can include one of: durable or non-durable. Using a defined set of activatable and deactivatable message log and cursor components facilities more efficient transitions between desired assurances. In some embodiments, a composition of a capture assurance, a transfer assurance, and a delivery assurance provides durable exactly-once message delivery. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090133039 | DURABLE EXACTLY ONCE MESSAGE DELIVERY AT SCALE - The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for durable exactly once message delivery at scale. A message capture system uses a synchronous capture channel and transactions to provide durable exactly once message capture. Messages are sent from the message capture system to a message delivery system over a network using an at least once transfer protocol. The message delivery system implements a durable at most once messaging behavior, the combination of which results in durable exactly once transfer of messages from the message capture system to the message delivery system. The message delivery system uses a synchronous delivery channel and transactions to provide durable exactly once message delivery. Cursors maintaining message consumer state are collocated with message consumers, freeing up message log resources to process increased volumes of messages, such as, for example, in a queued or pub/sub environment. | 05-21-2009 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090172543 | THUMBNAIL NAVIGATION BAR FOR VIDEO - While playing back video on a display device, a user request to display a navigation bar corresponding to the video is received. In response to receiving the user request, the navigation bar is displayed on the display device. This navigation bar includes multiple thumbnails each corresponding to a different location in the video. A user selection of one of the multiple thumbnails is received, and playing of the video is changed to begin playing at a location corresponding to the selected thumbnail. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090328102 | Representative Scene Images - Representative scene images are described. In embodiment(s), an episodes user interface can be generated to include scene images that each represent and visually distinguish a different episode in a television program series. The episodes user interface can then be communicated to a media device to be rendered for display where the scene images are viewer-selectable via the episodes user interface. A scene image can be selected to initiate a request for an episode in the television program series to be rendered for viewing at the media device. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090328103 | GENRE-BASED SEGMENT COLLECTIONS - Genre-based segment collections is described. In embodiment(s), program segments that have been segmented from multiple television programs can be determined to have a common association based on a genre of the program segments. A segment collection can then be generated to include the program segments that have been determined to have the common association. The program segments of the segment collection can be selected from a collections user interface to initiate rendering the program segments for viewing. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100088602 | Multi-Application Control - Multi-application control is described. In embodiment(s), multiple media applications can be processed to generate a media content output from each of the media applications. The media content outputs from the media applications can be displayed together on a display device. A control input can be received to initiate a change to one or more of the media content outputs that are displayed on the display device, and a determination is made as to which of the media content outputs to change when receiving the control input. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100088630 | CONTENT AWARE ADAPTIVE DISPLAY - Content aware adaptive display is described. In embodiment(s), a media image can be displayed on an integrated display of a media device. The media device can detect that a display device is proximate the media device, determine a display orientation for the media image at the display device, and communicate the media image to the display device that then displays the media image in the determined display orientation. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100318927 | MEDIA ASSET PIVOT NAVIGATION - Media asset pivot navigation is described. In various embodiments, collections of media assets are determined from relational metadata that corresponds to the media assets in a respective collection. Each collection of media assets are represented as a navigation axis along which the media assets in a respective collection can be located, and a media asset can be associated with multiple collections of media assets based on the relational metadata. A media asset navigation interface is generated for display from which the collections of media assets can be navigated to locate the media assets for selection. The media asset navigation interface includes a display of a collection of media assets represented as a navigation axis. A navigation input can be received to pivot from the navigation axis to an alternate navigation axis and initiate a display of an additional collection of media assets that are represented as the alternate navigation axis. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100325552 | Media Asset Navigation Representations - Media asset navigation representations are described. In various embodiments, a content navigation input is received, such as an input to a client device, to initiate a display of a media asset navigation interface from which media assets can be selected. Groups of related media assets are determined, and each group of related media assets is represented for user selection from the media asset navigation interface. A visual element is identified for each group of related media assets, and the visual elements each provide a coherent visual representation of the related media assets in a respective group. A display can be initiated of the visual elements in the media asset navigation interface where each of the visual elements are selectable to individually navigate the related media assets in the respective groups. | 12-23-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20110292876 | DYNAMIC MESH NETWORKS - In an embodiment, a wireless data exchange network includes a wireless device (WD) operating under a wireless network communications protocol, a wireless access point (AP), operatively linked to the WD and a wired network, and operating under the wireless network communications protocol, and a wireless mobile device (WMD) capable of operatively linking with the WD and the AP, and operating under the network communications protocol. In another embodiment, a method for dynamically establishing a wireless data link between the WD and the AP wherein the WMD functions as a bridge there between, where the method may include determining the state of the data exchange link between the WD and the AP, selectively receiving and retransmitting data, by the WMD, from the WD to the AP and from the AP to the WD; and maintaining the wireless network communications protocol of the WMD during reception and retransmission of data between itself and the WD or the AP. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110314147 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING UNAUTHORIZED WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS - Unauthorized wireless access points are detected by configuring authorized access points and mobile units to listen to all wireless traffic in its cell and report all detected wireless devices to a monitor. The monitor checks the reported devices against a list of authorized network devices. If the reported wireless device is not an authorized device, the monitor determines if the reported device is connected to the network. If the reported device is connected to the network and is not an authorized device, the monitor alerts the network operator or network manager of a rogue device connected to the network and attempts to locate and isolate the rogue device. | 12-22-2011 |