Eric R Bear, 42159 Alberta Ln, Freehold, NY 12431

7216221, May 8, 2007

Sep 30, 2003

10/677101

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Dale C. Crosier - Kirkland WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06F 17/00

713 1, 700 94, 381101, 381104, 381105, 381106, 381107

A system and method for improved audio controls on a personal computer is provided. The system and method provide a unified architecture for audio controls across hardware and software interfaces of the personal computer. An intelligent facility may automatically change audio controls for users to simply interact with various communications and media applications. To this end, a configurable audio controller intelligently handles various aspects of the system's audio devices by following various rules that may be based at least in part on user-configurable settings and a current operating state. The present invention also provides audio controls so that a user may easily change audio settings such as the volume of an audio output device. There are many applications that may use the present invention for automatic control of audio devices based upon the user's context.

7221331, May 22, 2007

May 5, 2003

10/429932

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Chris Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
Adrian M. Chandley - Sammamish WA, US
William J. Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Dale C. Crosier - Kirkland WA, US
Robert Scott Plank - Bellevue WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G09G 5/00

345 11, 345 13, 345169

A method and system for auxiliary display of information for a computing device. An auxiliary display is integrated with a computing system to provide an area where notifications can be peripherally presented off-screen. Whenever a background task sends a notification to the main display of the system, the notification may be redirected to appear instead on the auxiliary display. A user may then glance at the notification appearing on the auxiliary display to be informed of the message without interruption from the current task onscreen. Any type of information may be presented on the auxiliary display including incoming communications, meeting reminders, system alerts, and information from Internet subscription services. The auxiliary display may be placed on the central processor chassis or on the monitor border along with LED indicator lights to provide simple peripheral-vision notification. By pressing a button, a user may obtain additional detailed follow-up information.

7240228, Jul 3, 2007

May 5, 2003

10/429930

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Chris Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
Adrian Chandley - Sammamish WA, US
William J. Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Dale C. Crosier - Kirkland WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06F 1/32

713320, 713324, 345 11

A method and system for auxiliary processing of information for a computing device. By simplifying the user managed power states to On and Standby, the computing device preserves its execution context by default when the machine is powered down. As a result, the computing device is made available for use even when it appears to be powered down. The computer hardware and software is capable of responding immediately to network or communication activity, user input, and other events. While the computer is in Standby, it is alert and able to handle background tasks that do not require user interaction. Activities such as answering phone calls, handling voice mail, displaying new e-mail, record voice messages, browsing the Internet, recording TV shows and so forth occur without the user having to turn on the computer.

7372371, May 13, 2008

May 5, 2003

10/429931

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Adrian M. Chandley - Sammamish WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G08G 5/00
G09G 1/06
G06F 3/048

3408154, 3406911, 3406914, 3406916, 345 30, 715859, 715860

Notifications to computer users are provided via indicators such as lights. The indicators are controlled according to rules, to convey computer-related state information to users in a consistent manner. Locations of visible indicators are chosen to facilitate easy viewing. The rules dictate colors and/or illumination pattern components that together provide users with important computer-related information. For example, colors are assigned to types of information, and illumination patterns generally to behavior-related information. Colors may be combined in various illumination patterns. In one implementation, many or all of the visible indicators may be grouped together on a single control panel from rapid viewing. Alternatively, the visible indicators may be grouped by function or other logical arrangement, such as on the keyboard and/or frame of a monitor. Alternative light sources that illuminate the system (e. g.

7424740, Sep 9, 2008

May 5, 2003

10/430369

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Chris Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
Adrian Chandley - Sammamish WA, US
William J. Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06F 7/04
G06F 1/26

726 20, 713320, 713321, 713323, 713324, 713340, 713185, 713186, 726 2, 726 9

A system and method for improved activation of a personal computer and/or other processing devices is provided. Power and security states are combined and further reduced to three activation states which may be operated by a single secure device. The system may include any number of activation states for operating the computer using only the single secure device. The secure access device handles both security and power management by authenticating physical access to the computer and the identity of the user. For this purpose, a device containing a biometric reader may be integrated with a smart card and the biometric identification used as an authentication code to secure the smartcard. The secure access device may be inserted into a locking mechanism used by the user to transition between activation states.

7440556, Oct 21, 2008

Sep 30, 2003

10/677084

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Dale C. Crosier - Kirkland WA, US
Robert S. Plank - Bellevue WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

H04M 11/00

379 9001, 379 9307

A system and method including telephony controls for handling telephony applications on a personal computer with integrated telephony capabilities is provided. The telephony controls include a hook switch, a talk button, a speakerphone button, a mute button, a flash button, a conference button, a microphone button, and a voice mail button. There may also be other telephony control buttons such as an optional record button in close proximity to the telephony controls for use in responding to voice mail. An indicator light may be located adjacent to or integrated into each telecommunication control button. The system and method allow a number of user interaction scenarios with respect to real-time communications, including handling an incoming telephone call, making a telephone call, and handling voice mail.

7443971, Oct 28, 2008

May 5, 2003

10/429903

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US
Dale C. Crosier - Kirkland WA, US
Robert Scott Plank - Bellevue WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

H04M 3/42

37921001, 37921101, 37921102, 37921501, 379908

A do not disturb system and method in a computer system at which communications such as voice calls and text messages are received. A user or process may set a computer system into a do not disturb mode, in which any communication routed through the machine will be evaluated against a set of rules to determine how that communication is to be handled, based on criteria such as the source of the communication and the type of communication. A notification and outgoing action is selected and performed in accordance with user-configurable settings. The outgoing action may include a return communication to the source of the communication indicating that the do not disturb mode is in effect.

7548255, Jun 16, 2009

Sep 30, 2003

10/677118

Eric Gould Bear - Bellevue WA, US
Chad Magendanz - Issaquah WA, US
Aditha May Adams - Seattle WA, US
Carl Ledbetter - Mercer Island WA, US
Steve Kaneko - Medina WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

H04N 5/225
H04N 7/14

34820711, 348 1401

A system and method for improved video capture on a personal computer is provided. The personal computer is equipped with video controls and a camera with a privacy lens cover. A sensor for sensing when the lens cover is closed may be used along with an actuator for mechanically opening the lens cover, so that the system may optionally open the lens cover automatically for video capture applications. A user may easily capture a video stream or still images using the video controls provided. A user may also answer an incoming phone call that supports video by pressing the camera button or, optionally, the user can set a preference so that the camera is automatically enabled whenever answering a call that supports video. Additionally, the system may automatically transition to or from video anytime during a call.