Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Other

David William Baumert

Flora P Goldthwaite

Jonathan C Cluts

Pamela J Heath

Sven Pleyer

Gregory L Hendrickson

Aaron Woodman

Immaneni Ashok

James T Reichert

Johnny Hsienchow Lee

Johnson T Apacible

Masaaki Fukumoto

Katsushi Ikeuchi

Joseph Ygona Laurino

Stephen David Bader

Adam Edwin Behringer

Wistar D Rinearson

Michelle Li

Hsiao-Lan Wang

John P Gallagher

Jordan Lee Kravitz

Victor Keith Blanco

Holly Serdy

Suze Woolf

Glenn T Thrush

James T Reichert, Jr

Flora Goldthwaite

Noise reduction in a robot system includes the use of a gesture library that pairs noise profiles with gestures that can be performed by the robot. A gesture to be performed by the robot is obtained, and the robot performs the gesture. The robot's performance of the gesture creates noise, and when a user speaks to the robot while the robot performs a gesture, incoming audio includes both user audio and robot noise. A noise profile associated with the gesture is retrieved from the gesture library and is applied to remove the robot noise from the incoming audio.

Noise reduction in robot human communication

Noise reduction in a robot system includes the use of a gesture library that pairs noise profiles with gestures performed by the robot. A gesture to be performed by the robot is obtained, and the robot performs the gesture. The robot's performance of the gesture creates noise, and when a user speaks to the robot while the robot performs a gesture, incoming audio includes both user audio and robot noise. A noise profile associated with the gesture is retrieved from the gesture library and is applied to remove the robot noise from the incoming audio.

Techniques for maintaining display of a portion of a video as the video continues to be displayed in a background are described herein. In some instances, a video may be captured at a first location and transmitted to a second location, where the video is output in real-time. As the video is displayed, a user may select a portion of the video to be paused. Based on the selection, the portion of the video may be paused while the rest of the video continues in a background. The background video may be displayed according to a different level of focus, image resolution, transparency, etc. than the portion of the video.

Video pinning

Techniques for augmenting video content to enhance context of the video content are described herein. In some instances, a video may be captured at a first location and transmitted to a second location, where the video is output in real-time. A context surrounding a user that is capturing the video and/or a user that is viewing the video may be used to augment the video with additional content. For example, the techniques may process speech or other input associated with either user, a gaze associated with either user, a previous conversation for either user, an area of interest identified by either user, a level of understanding of either user, an environmental condition, and so on. Based on the processing, the techniques may determine augmentation content. The augmentation content may be displayed with the video in an overlaid manner to enhance the experience of the user viewing the video.

Shared experience with contextual augmentation

A person is viewing a display. By evaluating tracked information about the person, the display and/or the content being viewed, a tracking system determines that an opportunity exists to present an advertisement that is relevant to the person in the context of the person currently viewing the display. The tracking system provides advertiser data for the advertisement and instructions for generating the advertisement to a synthesis system local to the viewer and the viewer's display system, which dynamically synthesizes the advertisement and provides it to the display.

Advertising that is relevant to a person

Embodiments of the invention provide a communication network having a plurality of communication devices capable of transferring content wirelessly. The communication network comprises at least two communication devices and a mediator. The first communication device receives streaming content. The second communication device receives content different from the content streaming to the first communication device. In turn, the mediator determines whether the streaming content should take precedence over the content different from the content streaming on the first communication device.

Dynamically mediating multimedia content and devices

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, or other type of device that transmits data in response to a broadcast of energy, may have a switch. The switch may allow an operator to signal whether the device will transmit data when energized. The switch could also allow an operator to select a particular item of data, or a combination of items of data, to be transmitted. Receiving data reflected from the device may signify an action to be performed, or may signify the fact that some physical action (e.g., pressing, by a human finger) has occurred with respect to the device. Thus, device that transmit data when energized may be used to direct the operation of other devices (e.g., by turning such other devices on or off), to implement tactilely-sensitive displays, or as part of other applications.

Action using switched device that transmits data

A method and system are provided for facilitating interaction between a device and a device environment. The system may include a detection module for automatically detecting proximity of a participant within the device environment. The system may additionally include a user-configurable authorization module for authorizing the device to adjust a device user interface in a pre-determined manner in response to the detection of the participant. The system may also provide for sharing resources among multiple participating devices, wherein each of the multiple participating devices has a device specific set of application resources. The system may additionally include a configurable resource regulation mechanism for making the device specific application resources from the second participating device available to the first participating device.

System and method for sharing information based on proximity

A method and system are provided for allowing a user to efficiently manage communications. A system for allowing a user having a unique identity is provided, wherein the unique identity is associated with a plurality of electronic devices. The system includes a service for assigning a reference to a user's unique identity, wherein other identities can access the user's unique identity only by using the reference. The system additionally includes permission controls for allowing the user to control access to the unique identity by restricting authorization to a selected set of other identities. Groups of individuals may receive different levels of authorization such that some individuals may be authorized to make live contact and others may be required to leave a message. Preference controls allow the system user to select at least one associated device from a plurality of associated devices for receiving communication upon an access attempt by an authorized user. The preference controls also allow a system user to select a preferred mode of receiving communication such as audio, video or text modes.

System and method for managing electronic communications

A method and system are provided for allowing a user to efficiently manage communications. A system for allowing a user having a unique identity is provided, wherein the unique identity is associated with a plurality of electronic devices. The system includes a service for assigning a reference to a user's unique identity, wherein other identities can access the user's unique identity only by using the reference. The system additionally includes permission controls for allowing the user to control access to the unique identity by restricting authorization to a selected set of other identities. Groups of individuals may receive different levels of authorization such that some individuals may be authorized to make live contact and others may be required to leave a message. Preference controls allow the system user to select at least one associated, device from a plurality of associated devices for receiving communication upon an access attempt by an authorized user. The preference controls also allow a system user to select a preferred mode of receiving communication such as audio, video or text modes.

An adaptive user interface presented on a heads-up display of an automobile is provided. The adaptive user interface comprises a number of display elements that may be presented in a variety of display states. The display state for each display element is determined based on inputs from a variety of sources (e.g., the automobile).

Adaptive heads-up user interface for automobiles

A system and related techniques integrate the accessing, retrieving and playback of enhanced music or other digital media or content, including to permit advanced authoring, mixing and environmental inputs and effects. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, a user may access a playback engine to retrieve and dynamically mix, manage and integrate music content with environmental sensors and effects such as detection people or numbers or people, lighting effects and other sensory experience. Thus the tempo of a mixed music track may vary with the number or persons in a room or the time of day or night, or lighting effects may brighten or dim based on dynamic contrasts in the music or other content. According to further embodiments, the playback engine may permit a user to link or navigate to other community resources such as a Web site detailing an artist, album, movie or soundtrack, or a bulletin board for consumers with an interest in artists, actors or others. Because the music authorizing format and reproduction system may compatibly operate on musical and other content containing defined media extensions and permit the content to be freely mixed and integrated with environmental inputs and effects, the richness and participation of the musical and other playback experience for the user may be enhanced.

System and method for dynamic media reproduction

A system and method for distributing digital content over a computer network. A set of digital content is provided in a storage location that is accessible by the network. One or more physical tokens store data related to accessing the set of digital content. When a token is at a remote location, a request for the set of digital content to be presented at the remote location is received. In response to this request, presentation of the digital content is allowed at the remote location.

Growing community of inventors

Sammamish, WA, United States of America

David William Baumert