Digital Commons Network^™

Ranking Trip Search Results Based On User Travel History, Pedro Gonnet, Victor Cărbune

Defensive Publications Series

Online services for searching and booking trips or vacations rank results based on user specified search terms. These services do not make use of the travel history of users. Techniques described score the uniqueness of a trip based on past user trip parameters, accessed upon specific user permission. Recommendations are effectively provided to users by ranking and displaying search results based on these uniqueness scores. Users can also select an option to display results similar to past trips. During a search, users can be prompted with hints comparing parameters of the trip being searched with parameters from past trips.

Automatic Suggestions Of Factual Information, Jayakumar Hoskere, Kiran Pandey, Shubhangi Sharma, Rohit Ananthakrishna, Zeina Oweis, Shruti Gupta, Shyam Krishnamurthy

Defensive Publications Series

Document authoring tools, e.g., word processors, include automatic checking and correction features that alert users to spelling and grammar errors. This disclosure describes techniques that enhance document authoring tools by including the capability to automatically complete or correct facts in documents, when permitted by users. Further, the techniques can also predict facts that users of a document authoring tool are likely to be interested in based on the content of a document.

Utilizing User-Level Signals For Early Spam Processing, Vladimir Rychev, Varun Sharma

Defensive Publications Series

A mechanism for early detection of a spam item by utilizing user-level signals associated with the user uploading the content item in advance of spending significant resources on processing the content item is disclosed. Upon detection of initiation of a content item uploaded by a user on a content item service, user-level signals associated with the user uploading the content item may be retrieved. Based on the user-level signals, it may be determined that the content item is a likely spam item. Subsequently, limited processing maybe performed by converting the content item may into a single file and content analysis …

Early Spam Detection Using Partially Available Content Item, Vladimir Rychev, Bartlomiej Wolowiec

Defensive Publications Series

A mechanism for early detection of a spam item by utilizing partially available content item in advance of spending significant resources on fully processing the content item is disclosed. Upon detection of initiation of a content item uploaded by a user on a content item service, a portion of the content item may be received. Based on features of the received portion of the content item, it may be determined that the content item is a likely spam item. Subsequently, limited processing maybe performed by converting the content item may into a single file and content analysis may be performed …

Aggregation And Display Of User-Submitted Comments In A Browser, Kentaro Hara

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method that facilitates the sharing of user-generated content is disclosed. By way of example and as described in more detail below, a system may aggregate comments regarding a webpage from multiple users, store the comments on a different server from the website, and display the comments in a browser alongside the webpage.

Conversion Of A 3d Scene Into Video, Jason Mayes, Leon Bayliss, Bryan Rodman

Defensive Publications Series

Three-dimensional graphics capabilities of portable devices such as smartphones are limited by their hardware. Even smartphones that include graphics processing units (GPU) cannot produce the graphics processing performance of a device (e.g., PC) that uses a more powerful desktop-class graphics processor. This disclosure describes techniques to create 360° video from a specified three-dimensional scene on a virtual desktop computer using a web browser and advanced graphics hardware. The video generated using this technique can be stored on a video hosting website and is suitable to be rendered by devices that lack advanced graphics capabilities.

Fast Firmware Update Using Host-To-Module Broadcast, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Firmware update is an important task for computer systems. Targets of firmware update includes memory (dynamic or non-volatile), FPGAs, ASICs, etc. It is often the case that there are several modules, e.g., NVDIMM modules, on a motherboard that are to be updated with the same firmware. Currently, the firmware is sequentially downloaded to each of the modules. However, sequential download and updation of module firmware is infeasible for systems that have large firmware size and a larger number of modules due to the time required for such update exceeding available maintenance time.

This disclosure describes using a broadcast technique to …

Real Time Style Transfer On Client Devices, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Due to computational cost, traditional style transfer models may not be suitable to generate stylized images on a device with limited computational capability, e.g., a client device such as a smartphone, tablet, or wearable device. This disclosure describes techniques to train a computationally inexpensive generative model to generate a stylized image from an input image. The model is trained using training images. The model is trained such that the difference between an output stylized image of the generative model and a reference stylized image is minimized. The trained generative model is suitable for use on a client device to generate …

Notch Filters For Removing Common Noise Frequencies, Robin Lundberg

Defensive Publications Series

A microphone for picking up speech in an enclosure typically also picks up noise from nearby equipment. A common approach to reduce such noise is to first estimate the noise and then to remove it, e.g., through cancellation or frequency sub-band damping. Noise cancellation typically involves additional hardware, e.g., additional microphone(s) to estimate noise, cancellation circuitry, etc.

Observing that noise from equipment typically present in conference rooms, e.g., computers, fans, etc., have a sharp noise spectral density, techniques of this disclosure employ notch filters, e.g., filters with sharp V-shaped reject-frequencies, to remove noise. Notch filters, having narrow reject-frequencies, effectively cut …

Context Based Automatic Email Responses, Victor Carbune, Daniel Keysers, Thomas Deselaers

Defensive Publications Series

When users are not available to respond to emails, they typically set-up automatic responses to incoming emails using standard messages (e.g., a standard out of office reply) or simple rule based systems. However, such standard responses may not provide adequate context and detail to the recipient of the automatic reply. Techniques described here employ machine learning and heuristic models to dynamically generate contextual responses to emails based on the communication history between the corresponding email sender and recipient(s).

Distortion Estimation And Compensation By Multi-Tone Sweep, Christian Schuldt, Robin Lundberg

Defensive Publications Series

Audio conferencing systems typically include an echo canceller to remove echo from the loudspeaker that is picked up by the microphone. The echo canceller includes a linear echo canceller for removing linear echos, and a residual echo suppressor for suppressing residual non-linear echos. The residual echo suppressor functions based upon a characterization of the inter-modulation products generated by the audio system, e.g., provided as a distortion map generated using a single-tone sweep at different volumes on the loudspeaker and measuring the distortion at the microphone. Extending this approach to multi-tone input signals has prohibitive memory requirements.

Noise And Howling Mitigation In Audio/Video Conferencing, Christian Schuldt, Robin Lundberg

Defensive Publications Series

Loudspeaker-to-microphone feedback causes echoes in audio/video conferences. A microphone typically has a background-noise level estimator, which provides noise-level estimates for the purpose of setting parameters within acoustic echo cancelers (AEC), noise reducers, comfort noise generators (CNG), etc. Output from a noisy loudspeaker may be picked up by the microphone, adding to background noise already present at the microphone. Loudspeaker noise, when picked up by the microphone, causes a misestimation of background noise, which in turn leads to incorrect parameter setting. This can lead to divergence of adaptive AEC circuitry, audible echoes, howling, etc.

Hyperlinks With Multiple Destinations, Ling-Chieh Chen, Ling-Yao Chen

Defensive Publications Series

Conventional hyperlinks have a single destination. This disclosure describes hyperlinks with multiple hyperlink destinations and a corresponding user interface that enables users to create such hyperlinks.

Displaying Summary For Skipped Advertisements, Juhyun Lee

Defensive Publications Series

Online audio and video playback services often include advertisements that are played before content requested by a user. Advertisements can be on a substantial duration, e.g., 30 seconds. Many services provide an option for the user to skip the ad after a shorter duration, e.g., 5 seconds. In such situations, a user may not see the advertised product or brand if it isn’t included in the initial portion of the advertisement. This disclosure describes techniques to display an advertisement summary, e.g., one or more video frames or a portion of audio, for a short duration of time, e.g., 100-250ms when …

Selective Activation Of Call Ads Based On Advertiser Availability, Varun Soundararajan, Manas Mittal

Defensive Publications Series

Some formats of online advertisements permit users to call the advertiser directly by clicking on the ad. Such ads can result in customer dissatisfaction when the advertiser is busy or unavailable to answer calls placed through the ad. The techniques described herein employ selective activation of call ads to improve the likelihood that calls made by customers to advertisers are answered. Contextual factors such as location, time, activity that an advertiser is engaged in, etc. for which an advertiser provides consent are utilized to predict advertiser availability. The techniques improve customer satisfaction and can reduce wasteful ad expenditure.

Drawing Flowcharts On Touch-Enabled Devices, Wei Li, Erika Lu

Defensive Publications Series

Users benefit from being able to draw flowcharts directly on touch-enabled devices without the hassle of dropdown menus for shape selection or operations to adjust shapes and sizes of drawn objects. This disclosure automatically creates shape elements that match a user’s intention based on the drawing positions, shapes, sizes of strokes, etc. Beautified versions of a user’s drawing strokes are generated and used to replace the strokes. Using the techniques of this disclosure, the touch device intelligently distinguishes between drawing positions, shapes, and handwriting. The techniques distinguish shape from handwriting text and eliminates interruptions to user workflow due to the …

Room Noise Reduction In Audio And Video Calls, Jan Schejbal

Defensive Publications Series

Audio or video conferences are often accompanied by room noises, e.g., papers being shuffled, keyboards being tapped, table-tops being tapped, noise from fans, air-conditioning, etc. Although commonly found in various in-room environments, such noises can be annoying and reduce the quality of audio in calls. Techniques of this disclosure reduce noise in microphone pick-up during calls or other in-room recording situations. The techniques utilize optimal placement of microphones, and signal processing techniques such as array processing, speech detection, noise cancellation, etc.

Advanced Dialer Based On Target Contact's Activity, Gaurav Saini, Nishesh Mehra, Sudhanshu Rawal

Defensive Publications Series

An advanced dialer system prioritizes modes of communication based on a target contact’s activity. The system, upon authorization by the user or target contact to access the user’s contacts, receives a selection of a target contact and checks the target contact’s activity status on all possible communication platforms. These communication platforms may include messaging applications using internet connectivity, traditional voice calling applications, video chat applications, etc. The system may further check the target contact’s network connectivity and feasibility of connection. The advanced dialer system calculates feasibility score for different communication platforms to reach the target contact. The system also ranks …

Conversational Bots For Advertisements, Dario Rapisardi, Amit Fatnani, Hemamalini Manickavasagam

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes a chat bot interface that provides answers to user-submitted questions within a chat interface of an advertisement on a web page. The chat bot interface can initially provide answers to some questions based on a data store, while also including live agents to answer questions for which the chat bot interface cannot identify an answer from the data store. The answers provided by the live agents are used to update the chat bot interface and the data store such that when subsequent questions are received within the chat bot interface of the advertisement, the chat bot interface …

Headset With Haptic Indicator, Christian Schuldt, Fredric Lindstrom

Defensive Publications Series

Call capabilities, e.g., using WiFi/LTE, are now available in devices other than phones. For example, a headset can be built with wireless (WiFi/LTE) communication abilities. Such a headset operates in standalone fashion, e.g., without control or short-range communication (e.g., Bluetooth) with a device such as a smartphone or tablet. The headset can be operated in a hands-free manner and can present advantages over the headset-and-smartphone combination. However, a standalone headset operates without the visual cues that are available on the screen of a device such as a phone or tablet. This disclosure describes using a haptic mechanism to convey headset …

Interchangeable Ear Hooks For Open-Ear Audio Device System, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

An audio device system includes a pod and an ear hook. The pod houses at least a portion of a bone conduction transducer (“BCT”) and includes a first attachment mechanism disposed therein. The ear hook is configured to extend at least partially around a rear portion of an ear of a user and to maintain the BCT in a substantially fixed position in direct contact with the ear of the user. The ear hook may have first and second ends, an opening positioned between the first and second ends, and a second attachment mechanism removably engageable with the first attachment …

Clip For Pendant Of Audio Device System Background, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a positioning device for a pendant of an audio device. An example positioning device may include a cable attachment mechanism, a pendant coupling mechanism housing at least one magnet, and an elongated arm. The pendant coupling mechanism may be configured to be removably coupled to the pendant of the audio device so as to maintain the pendant in a substantially fixed position. The elongated arm may be flexible and space the cable attachment mechanism and the pendant coupling mechanism apart from one another. Headphones producing bone conducting audio cause vibrations in a user’s …

Automatic Event Scheduling Based On Weather Conditions, Sara Smollett, Dina Levitan

Defensive Publications Series

Users prefer to engage in certain activities, e.g., swimming, surfing, etc. when the weather conditions are suitable. This disclosure describes techniques to automatically schedule events on a calendar based on activity information and weather information. For time periods when a user is available, weather information is compared with known user preferences and activity-specific weather requirements to schedule activities requested by the user. The techniques can be implemented as part of a calendar application and/or a virtual assistant application.

Prediction Of Incipient Speech In Audio/Video Conferences, Oliver Walter, Fredric Lindstrom, Ivo Creusen

Defensive Publications Series

In conference calls audio/video streams from different sources are received with varying latency. Jitter buffers are used at each receiver to align packets in time. A jitter buffer is long enough to ensure that audio is available to send to the output device, accounting for the variation in packet delay. The jitter buffer is constrained by latency requirements to be short. Jitter buffers can however still delay signals by hundreds of milliseconds, thus reducing audio conferencing quality, e.g., by causing participants to speak simultaneously.

Techniques of this disclosure provide participants with a look-ahead indication of which participant is about to …

Improving Headphone Fit Using Design Of Cable, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Aspects of the disclosure provide for a system that includes an ear hook, a bone conduction transducer (BCT) and a cable. In the system, the ear hook is configured to hook around at least a portion of a user’s ear. Supported by the ear hook is the BCT that is configured to contact the user's head. The cable is attached to the ear hook, the cable extending away from the ear hook at an angle with respect to a direction of a vertical axis. A force of gravity on the cable produces a torque, which presses the ear hook and …

Off-Lined Content Temporal Relevance Filtering System, Justin Lewis, Richard Rapp

Defensive Publications Series

The technology disclosed herein relates to a predictive caching mechanism that automatically offlines content based on the temporal relevance of content from a content provided and the frequency in which a user accesses the content provider. For example, the caching mechanism may deprioritize (e.g., filter out) ephemeral content for users that are unlikely to view the content before it expires and prioritize episodic content (e.g., episode in video series) that is not ephemeral.

Intelligent Assistant For Music Practice, Marcos Calvo, Philip Koonce

Defensive Publications Series

Generally, the present disclosure is directed to techniques to automatically provide feedback and suggestions to musicians. In particular, in some implementations, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can include or otherwise leverage one or more machine-learned models to provide real-time feedback to musicians based on audio and/or video of the musician playing music. The techniques of this disclosure use various input features, e.g., the musician’s practice piece; references from a database of musical scores, data from different sensors, e.g., microphones, cameras, etc. to analyze the musician’s playing and provide real-time feedback or suggestions for corrections to be made, …

Wearable Open-Ear Audio Device System With Weighted Pendant, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Aspects of the disclosure provide an audio device system. The audio device system includes an ear hook at one end. A bone conduction transducer (BCT) is attached to the ear hook such that a contact force is exerted against a user’s head when the ear hook is worn by the user on his or her ear. A cable extends from the BCT, connecting to a pendant at the other end of the audio device system. The pendant has a weight that provides additional contact force between the BCT and the user's head.

Automatic Power Adjustment To Energy Supply, Daniel Hoppe

Defensive Publications Series

AUTOMATIC POWER ADJUSTMENT TO ENERGY SUPPLY

Function Or Device For Predicting The Charging Process During Time Changeover, Daniel Hoppe

Defensive Publications Series

FUNCTION OR DEVICE FOR PREDICTING THE CHARGING PROCESS DURING TIME CHANGEOVER