Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Via Science, Inc.

Michael L Torres

Justin Denney

Jason C Fluegel

Stephen P Rosato

Nils H Pohlmann

Edward David Harris

George Edward Riehm

Matthew S Augustine

Apurva F Dalia

Mukeshkumar M Beher

Michael A Pacholec

A method, computer-readable medium, and user interface for displaying an inquiry indication related to an inquiring user's inquiry are described. An inquiring user prepares and submits an inquiry in an inquiry application. Upon preparing and submitting an inquiry, a notice of the inquiry is generated and routed to the inquiring user's network contacts. An inquiry indication is generated to notify network contacts that an inquiry has been submitted by the inquiring user. A network contact may select the inquiry indication to display an inquiry feature and may select an inquiry feature to view the inquiry and respond to the inquiry.

Notifying network contacts of inquiries

Permissions using a namespace is described. In an embodiment, a namespace system includes a network resource that has a resource permission, and includes a namespace that has one or more members associated with the namespace. The namespace system also includes a namespace permission to permission the network resource to one or more of the members of the namespace.

Permissions using a namespace

An automatic knot-tying device for tying a discrete knot about a workpiece, such as a bundle of wires, has been developed. The present invention works by pulling a filament, such as the FAA-approved lace, transversely around the workpiece. The preferred embodiment of the device comprises a hand-held housing and a knot-tying mechanism within that housing comprising a plurality of carriage rings, for wrapping the filament around the workpiece, at least one shuttle for moving the filament between the carriage rings and along the workpiece at the appropriate steps, and a plurality of hooks for pulling the filament away from the workpiece at the appropriate steps. The operation is finished by cinching, cutting, and reloading so that the resulting knot is discrete and secure. A method for automatically tying a knot around a workpiece uses the present invention to pull, instead of push, a filament around the workpiece.

Automatic knot-tying device

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Michael L Torres