Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Other

Microsoft Corporation

Zhigu Holdings Limited

Aamer Hydrie

Robert Victor Welland

Galen Clyde Hunt

Bassam Tabbara

Steven P Levi

Geoffrey Hugh Outhred

Kevin Grealish

Anders Bertil Vinberg

Rob M Mensching

David S Stutz

Robert M Fries

Rene Antonio Vega

John M Parchem

Eric Joseph Winner

Jeffrey A Woolsey

Edwin R Lassettre

Ashvinkumar J Sanghvi

Vij Rajarajan

Vitaly Voloshin

Glenn R Peterson

Jakob Rehof

David Searle Noble

Anand Lakshminarayanan

Mark D Van Antwerp

Charlie D Chase

Alexander Torone

Mathilde C Brown

Anders Edgar Klemets

Rebecca Claire Weiss

Joseph M Joy

John L Miller

Christos Gkantsidis

Wei Wei Ada Cho

Stephen Richard Husak

Liang Ge

Eduardo P Oliveira

Sean B House

Pablo Rodriguez Rodriguez

Bruno Kraychete Da Costa

Paulo Henrique Cavalcante Lisboa

Zhengyou Zhang

Steven Mark Drucker

Abolade Gbadegesin

Li-wei He

Raymond W McCollum

Sanjay N Kaniyar

Efstathios Papaefstathiou

David C James

Rajesh Hegde

Leslie B Lamport

Michael Joseph Healy

Bruce Wayne Copeland

John H Wilson

Mazhar Naveed Mohammed

Jonathan C Hardwick

Rajagopalan Badri Narayanan

Demetrios Achlioptas

Robert V Welland

Armando Garcia-Mendoza

Kevin D J Grealish

Zhengkai Kenneth Pan

Christopher L Darling

Przemek Pardyak

Galen C Hunt

Pablo Rodriguez Microsoft Research Ltd Rodriguez

Christos Microsoft Research Ltd Gkantsidis

John Microsoft Research Ltd Miller

Rebecca Weiss

Model-based virtual system provisioning includes accessing a model of a workload to be installed on a virtual machine of a system as well as a model of the system. A workload refers to some computing that is to be performed, and includes an application to be executed to perform the computing, and optionally includes the operating system on which the application is to be installed. The workload model identifies a source of the application and operating system of the workload, as well as constraints of the workload, such as resources and/or other capabilities that the virtual machine(s) on which the workload is to be installed must have. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the workload and the model of the virtual system.

Model-based virtual system provisioning

Aggregating media content catalog data from a plurality of content providers. The catalog data is merged according to rules and provided to a user on a scheduled basis or on demand. In an embodiment, the merged catalog data represents an incremental update to previously delivered catalog data.

Media content catalog service

Model-based system monitoring includes accessing a model of a system that includes multiple components and executing a monitoring policy to monitor performance of the system. A notification of a problem is received from a first component. A determination is made regarding the cause of the problem. The determination is made, at least in part, based on the model of the system. At least one component associated with the cause of the problem is then identified.

Model-based system monitoring

A topology management process is implemented in peer-to-peer content distribution clouds using tracker nodes. Tracker nodes have information about available peers and assist peers in finding other peers to connect to. Various algorithms for use at the tracker nodes are described for selecting which peers to return as potentials for forming connections to. In addition, architectures and algorithms to allow efficient scaling of tracker nodes in peer-to-peer clouds are described.

Topology management in peer-to-peer content distribution clouds

The invention describes a control node for a content distribution network and a method of automatically verifying content distributed over a network at a node in the network. In the method, a content description is received which comprises a content identifier, a publisher identifier, publisher authorization information and content checking information. The integrity and validity of this information are checked and if both the checks are passed, the content description is stored.

Secure content descriptions

Enforcing rendering of advertisements and other predetermined media content in connection with playback of download selected media content. Playback of selected media content is made conditional on acquisition of a locally cached playback token in response to playback of the predetermined content. The playback token may be implemented as a digital rights management (DRM) license acquired from a local cache in response to playback of the predetermined content. Another aspect involves a downloading ads or other predetermined content with associated playback tokens in a local cache.

Offline playback of advertising supported media

Model-based provisioning of test environments includes accessing a model of an application to be installed in a test environment of a system and further accessing a model of the system and a model of the test environment. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the application, the model of the system, and the model of the test environment.

Model-based provisioning of test environments

Persistent, spatial collaboration on the web supports a free-form, user-intuitive approach to a variety of projects and activities. Users can place differing object types at any time any where on a web page and/or the system can automatically, and with no user effort, affect object placement based on one or more meta data characteristics. A user can, in real-time, see changes made by another user to a web page, and, if desired, react accordingly, enabling true collaboration even if the various users are at remote locations. The flexibility of the methodology and system provides a platform for users to engage in projects and activities in a manner and environment suited to the users' mind sets, creativity, and natural proclivities.

Persistent spatial collaboration

Enforcing rendering advertisements and other predetermined media content in connection with playback of downloaded selected media content. Playback of selected media content is made conditional on acquisition of a playback token that is generated in response to playback of the predetermined content. The playback token may be implemented as a digital rights management (DRM) license acquired in response to playback of the predetermined content. Another aspect involves a content insertion engine for inserting ads or other predetermined content into the playback of downloaded content.

Enforcing advertisement playback for downloaded media content

Model-based system monitoring includes identifying multiple monitors configured to monitor multiple components in a system, and accessing multiple health models associated with the multiple monitors. A monitoring policy is generated to monitor the system. The monitoring policy is derived, at least in part, from the multiple health models.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Aamer Hydrie