Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Steve Ballon

Brian W MacDonald

Steven William Macbeth

Christina Marie Koehn

Daniel Marantz

Rodney Coleman Edwards

Keith Alan Regier

Steven Tullis

Darwin Kengo Yamamoto

Alec John Berntson

Computer-storage media, methods, and systems for formatting and surfacing a badge are provided. The badge represents a graphical region presented in visual association with a search result on a web-results page. The format of the badge is initially dictated by a template that is automatically generated. Upon collecting performance information, a website owner is granted permission to alter the template and appearance of the badge, via a publisher portal. During interaction with the publisher portal, the website owner is prompted to provide feedback in order to manage parameters of the badge, such as uploading a visual representation of a logo, trademark, or other branded element, or specifying a type of metadata to be imported to the graphical region. Accordingly, the badge operates to improve a users' ability to distinguish between search results on the web-results page and assists users in confidently deciding upon and selecting a relevant search result.

Aiding search-result selection using visually branded elements

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Steve Ballon