Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Paul Stephen Hellyar

Christopher Andrew Evans

Victor Tan

Travis Muhlestein

Giampiero M Sierra

Robert Sadao Unoki

Kenneth Michael Bayer

Patrick Markus Baudisch

David Andrew Matthews

Praerit Garg

Reiner Fink

Adam Clyde Eversole

Kye Hyun Kim

John Carlton Platt

Chris J Guzak

Roland Lucas Fernandez

Louis Amadio

Richard Wales Stoakley

Alexander Vaschillo

Joel K Grossman

Brian Scott Aust

Steve Glenner

Michael A Schmidt

Scott E Dart

Jean-Emile Elien

Scott S Hysom

Scott Hanggie

Nathaniel Harper Ballou

Bradley Phillip Gibson

Jerry Paul Hook

Wes Wahlin

Arish Ali

Daniel Collins Balma

Rocco Crea, Iii

Michael Brendan Frei

Daniel J Shapiro

Jae Pum Park

Shyam Krishnamoorthy

Kelly Elizabeth Rollin

Jerry Alan Johnson

Anthony Vincent Discolo

Michael Courage

Andres Vega-Garcia

Tracy Sharpe

Simon P Attwell

Chad Wesley Wahlin

Russell Alexander

Daniel Ryan Mitchell

Justin Layne Nordin

Malia Rebecca Guerrero

Paul J Lukinich

Kurt Mar

Roger Arthur Roach

Daniel Kyle Taylor

Travis J Muhlestein

Rocco Iii Crea

Redirection of physical media interaction is disclosed. For instance, a read action can be redirected from an optical disc to a secure virtualization module that virtualizes optical discs. The module can take digital packages in one format and present them to optical disc drivers configured to read the content of such packages in a different format. Thus, the module allows for online media content to remain in its native format while being accessible to existing native gaming console resources configured to read content in a different format. In other aspects, the module can perform various security checks on the packages, including hashing the fragments of packages, where such fragments can contain licensing provisions that can be examined by the module. The module itself can be downloaded and installed onto a gaming system or it can be pre-installed.

Read redirection of physical media

Various methods and systems for securing communications with enhanced media platforms, are provided. In particular, an enhanced media platform is authenticated using a trusted location. The authenticated enhanced media platform establishes a bidirectional trust with an enhanced remote location, the enhanced media platform being stored in the enhanced remote location. Upon authentication and establishing the bidirectional trust, the enhanced media platform may securely communicate media content in a media content distribution service infrastructure while supporting custom functionality. The method for securing communications with enhanced media platforms includes communicating authentication credentials to an internal security component at the trusted location. The method further includes receiving validation credentials from the internal security component. The method also includes authenticating the enhanced remote location based on at least a portion of the validation credentials received. The method further includes establishing the bidirectional trust relationship with the enhanced remote location using the validation credentials.

Securing communications with enhanced media platforms

Cooperative interaction of a message processor and an intermediation processor. The message processor processes messages received from a network and to be sent over a network. The intermediation processor intermediates between the message processor and the network using a shared memory that includes a memory portion that is within the address space of the message processor. The message processor writes messages into the memory portion over a physical channel and reads message from the memory portion over the physical channel. The intermediation processor provides messages received from a network into the memory portion so that the received messages can be read by the message processor over the physical channel. The intermediation processor dispatches messages written to the memory portion by the message processor over the network.

Network communication using intermediation processor

A system that contains multiple game servers that have a non-user specific unused state, and a user-specific game state. When the game server is providing a game service on the other hand, the game server first obtains the user data for the user and game that is to be initiated. Accordingly, the game servers may be thought of as a bank of game servers, any one of which being potentially utilizable for incoming game requests. Once the game session is completed, the user data for the gamer may be deleted, and the game server goes back into the pool of available generic game servers. The user data is downloaded from a user data store, and may be quite limited to perhaps just that portion of the user data that relates to the game to be played.

Game progression using retrieved partial user data

The present invention is generally directed to assisting users to position a pointer on a target. Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer-readable medium that guide a pointer toward a target. After the pointer is located on a target, pointer movement continues to be adjusted so that the user may easily keep the pointer located on the target.

System and method for acquiring a target with intelligent pointer movement

In an Item-based system, Images (e.g., JPEG, TIFF, bitmap, and so on) are treated as core platform objects ('Image Items' or, more simply, 'Images') and exist in an &#x201c;Image Schema&#x201d; that provides an extensible representation of an Image in the system&#x2014;that is, the characteristics of an Image and how that Image relates to other Items (including but not limited to other Images) in the system. To this end, the Image Schema defines the properties, behaviors, and relationships for Images in the system, and the Schema also enforces rules about Images, for example, what data specific Images must contain, what data specific Images may optionally contain, how specific Images can be extended, and so on and so forth.

Systems and methods for the implementation of a digital images schema for organizing units of information manageable by a hardware/software interface system

An on-line service manages downloads of digital content in response to user requests. User requests to download digital content include parameters defining conditions for downloads. Parameters may define the device to which the requested content is to be downloaded and the time that the download is to take place. The requests and related parameters are maintained in a queue which may be centrally managed and maintained. The queue is monitored and downloads executed consistent with the user-specified parameters. Digital content is downloaded to devices other than from which the request was made and at times specified by the user.

Managing content remotely on a device

A system and method for presenting images and related items to a user. A digital image from a data store is assessed, and a portion of the image is defined as a region of interest. Properties are associated with this defined region, and these properties are utilized to infer relationships between the region of interest and related items in the data store. Optionally, a user input indicating a desire to view related content may be received and such content may be presented to the user.

System and method for storing and presenting images and related items to a user

Methods and arrangements are provided for use in multiple user computing environments. These methods and arrangements can be configured to allow for a plurality of separate and concurrent desktops and workspaces within the shared computing environment. One method includes creating a separate desktop thread for each user that is authenticated during a logon process, creating a separate desktop associated with each desktop thread, and maintaining a list of desktop threads that are created. In this manner, several users can be logged on simultaneously. In certain implementations, the method further includes establishing a separate user environment associated with each desktop and launching a separate user shell associated with each desktop. The list of desktop threads allows for selective and/or automatic switching from a first desktop to a second desktop without terminating a desktop thread associated with the first desktop. The methods and arrangements are also applicable to remote process logon and switching.

Methods and arrangements for providing multiple concurrent desktops and workspaces in a shared computing environment having remote nodes

Generally described, a method is provided for use in a computer system that allows users to navigate quickly through multiple applications. In accordance with the method, when the computer receives a signal from the user, it extracts a preview representing a screen shot for each window open within the operating system. It then displays the preview, a description, and an icon for the next window in the activation hierarchy and a description and an icon for the remaining open windows. In other embodiments, the previews for all open windows with corresponding descriptions and icons are displayed utilizing several different arrangements. The computer then receives a designation from the user of the next window he or she wants to make active and brings to the foreground the top level window corresponding to the selection.

Method and system for switching between multiple computer applications

The present invention provides a system, method, and computer-readable medium that adjusts pointer movement when an input device causes the pointer to intersect one or more alignment areas. Pointer movement is adjusted in the alignment areas to allow users to easily align GUI objects. The adjusted pointer movement is not proportional to input received from an input device. Instead alignment areas have 'friction' in that the pointer is less responsive to input compared to other areas of the computer display.

System and method for aligning objects using non-linear pointer movement

A data presentation system dynamically generates and renders a user interface (UI) in the form of a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document. Extensible Markup Language (XML) data files contain data that defines the UI. The XML data is maintained independently of any application and/or computing system's settings and controls that define the presentation of the UI. The XML data files also have reference links to secondary data files that contain data further defining the UI. The UI is dynamically generated when an application invokes the XML data files. The HTML document incorporates the data from both the XML data files and from the secondary data files when rendering the UI.

Methods and systems for dynamically creating user interfaces

Methods and arrangements for providing multiple concurrent desktops and workspaces in a shared computing environment

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Paul Stephen Hellyar