Dr. Qi Lu Named To Run Microsoft’s Online Services Group; McAndrews Departs

It's official: Former Yahoo (YHOO) tech star Qi Lu has been named to head up Microsoft's (MSFT) Online Services Group. The job puts Lu in charge of web search and online advertising for Microsoft and Windows Live.

Rumors Lu was a contender for the job have been circulating since a report on AllThingsD this morning. 

A big day of change for Microsoft. The company also said Brian McAndrews, SVP of Microsoft’s Advertiser & Publisher Solutions Group, would be leaving the company. McAndrews was said to be vying for the job that went to Lu.

The full release:

Microsoft Corp. today announced that Dr. Qi Lu will join the company as president of the Online Services Group. Dr. Lu will lead Microsoft’s efforts in search and online advertising and all the company’s online information and communications services. Dr. Lu will report to Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer.

Lu most recently served as executive vice president of Engineering for the Search and Advertising Technology Group at Yahoo!, where he was responsible for development efforts around Yahoo!’s Web search and monetization platforms. Dr. Lu left Yahoo! in August 2008 after 10 years of service.

“I am tremendously excited to welcome Qi to Microsoft,” Ballmer said. “Dr. Lu’s deep technical expertise, leadership capabilities and hard-working mentality are well-known in the technology industry, and Microsoft will benefit from his addition to our executive management team.”

“I am genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead for Microsoft to make an enormous impact on the online industry,” Dr. Lu said. “Microsoft has built a great foundation for its search and advertising technologies and put an amazing team of researchers and engineers in place to drive the next wave of innovation in online services. I’m looking forward to working with them to help transform the way people and businesses use the Internet to find and share information.”
Before his most recent role at Yahoo!, Lu was vice president of engineering responsible for the technology development of Yahoo!’s Search and Marketplace business unit, which includes the company’s search, e-commerce, and local listings of businesses and products.
Before joining Yahoo! in 1998, Dr. Lu was a Research Staff Member at IBM Almaden Research Center. Before IBM, Dr. Lu worked at Carnegie Mellon University as a Research Associate, and at Fudan University in China as a faculty member. Dr. Lu holds 20 U.S. patents, and received his bachelor of science and master of science in computer science from Fudan University and his Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University.

Lu’s first day at Microsoft will be Jan. 5, 2009. In his role running the Online Services Group, he will oversee several groups including the Advertiser & Publisher Solutions business, managed by Scott Howe who was promoted to corporate vice president; the Online Audience business, managed by Senior Vice President Yusuf Mehdi; OSG Research & Development, managed by Senior Vice President Satya Nadella; and OSG Finance, managed by Rik van der Kooi who was promoted to corporate vice president.

With the successful integration of aQuantive now complete, Brian McAndrews, former CEO of aQuantive and senior vice president of Microsoft’s Advertiser & Publisher Solutions Group, has decided to transition out of Microsoft, and will do so over the next several months, serving in a consultative capacity to Steve Ballmer and Qi Lu during that time.

“Brian McAndrews built a world-class business for advertisers and publishers and led the successful integration of aQuantive into Microsoft, setting the foundation for our next phase of growth,” Ballmer said. “While I am sorry to see Brian leave the company, I respect and understand his decision and wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

“I also want to congratulate Scott and Rik on their well-deserved promotions and look forward to their leadership in the Online Services Group alongside Qi, Yusuf and Satya,” Ballmer said.

As part of today’s announcement, several teams will move to further align resources. The field sales organizations in the Online Services Group will move to Microsoft’s centralized Sales, Marketing and Services Group led by chief operating officer Kevin Turner. This group, called Consumer & Online, will be led by Corporate Vice President Darren Huston and will include the Global Advertising Sales and Services organization, led by vice president Bill Shaughnessy.

 

2005

Systems and methods for identifying and extracting data from HTML pages

Inventors: Udi Manber and Qi Lu
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent 6,920,609
Granted July 19, 2005
Filed August 24, 2000

Abstract

Systems and methods for analyzing HTML formatted web pages to automatically identify and extract desired information. A computer algorithm identifies and extracts different pieces of information from different web pages automatically after minimal manual setup. The algorithm automatically analyzes pages with different content if they have the same, or similar, formats.

2002

Electronic commerce system for referencing remote commerce sites at a local commerce site

Inventors: Phu Hoang and Qi Lu
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent 6,499,052
Granted December 24, 2002
Filed August 11, 1999

Abstract

According to the present invention, an electronic commerce method and system for referencing remote merchant sites at a local commerce site is provided. The local commerce site may also be a remote merchant integration server (RMIS). The remote commerce site may also be a remote merchant site. The remote merchant site may be a website of a merchant. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electronic commerce method and system for referencing remote merchant sites at a local commerce site includes the following: session managing a client request from a user client and a cookie stripped merchant response, where the session managing includes generating a processed remote merchant integration server (RMIS) response related to a merchant cookie and to the cookie stripped merchant response; traffic relaying the client request and a content transformed merchant response, where the traffic relaying includes generating a processed client request related to the client request, removing the merchant cookie from the content transformed merchant response, and generating the cookie stripped merchant response related to the content transformed merchant response; service integrating the processed client request; and content transforming a merchant response from the remote merchant site, where the content transforming includes generating the content transformed merchant response related to the merchant response.

System and method for personalized information filtering and alert generation

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, Ashvinkumar P. Patel, Qi Lu, Udi Manber, and Kristine Rudkin
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent 6,381,594
Granted April 30, 2002
Filed July 11, 2000

Abstract

A search engine that forms a compact representation of a plurality of user queries to efficiently find desired information in an information network. The search engine comprises a profile processor having logic to receive the queries from the users and a search module. The search module is coupled to the profile processor and has logic to receive the information content, to combine the user queries into a master query, and to match the master query with the information content to determine matching content. The search engine also includes logic to analyze the matching content to determine if any of the queries has been satisfied.

Patent applications assigned to Yahoo!

2006

Database search system and method of determining a value of a keyword in a search

Inventors: Ramesh R. Sarukkai and Qi Lu
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20060010105
Published January 12, 2006
Filed July 8, 2004

Abstract

Methods of determining values of keywords in an internet search are described. According to one aspect of the invention, a method comprises steps of receiving keywords entered for a plurality of searches; detecting converted transactions associated with the plurality of searches; analyzing the converted transactions; and determining values associated with the keywords based upon the converted transactions. According to other aspects of the invention, methods for recommending subsets of keywords and for recommending keywords based upon converted transactions and click through rates are disclosed. A database search system is also disclosed.

2005

Search system and methods with integration of user annotations from a trust network

Inventors: Qi Lu, Eckart Walther, David Ku, Chung-Man Tam, Kevin Lee, Zhichen Xu, Ali Diab, Kenneth Norton, and Jianchang Mao
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050256866
Published November 17, 2005
Filed March 15, 2005

Abstract

Computer systems and methods incorporate user annotations (metadata) regarding various pages or sites, including annotations by a querying user and by members of a trust network defined for the querying user into search and browsing of a corpus such as the World Wide Web. A trust network is defined for each user, and annotations by any member of a first user’s trust network are made visible to the first user during search and/or browsing of the corpus. Users can also limit searches to content annotated by members of their trust networks or by members of a community selected by the user.

Search systems and methods with integration of aggregate user annotations

Inventors: Eckart Walther, Qi Lu, David Ku, Kevin Lee, Chung-Man Tam, and Ali Diab
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050256867
Published November 17, 2005
Filed March 15, 2005

Abstract

Computer systems and methods allow users to annotate content items found in a corpus such as the World Wide Web. Annotations, which can include any descriptive and/or evaluative metadata related to a document, are collected from a user and stored in association with that user. Users are able to annotate and view their annotations for any document they encounter while interacting with the corpus, including hits returned in a search of the corpus. Users are also able to search their annotations or to limit searches to documents they have annotated. Metadata from annotations can also be aggregated across users and aggregated metadata applied in generating search results.

Search systems and methods with integration of user annotations

Inventors: Eckart Walther, Qi Lu, David Ku, Kevin Lee, Chung-Man Tam, and Ali Diab
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050234891
Published October 20, 2005
Filed March 15, 2005

Abstract

Computer systems and methods allow users to annotate content items found in a corpus such as the World Wide Web. Annotations, which can include any descriptive and/or evaluative metadata related to a document, are collected from a user and stored in association with that user. Users are able to annotate and view their annotations for any document they encounter while interacting with the corpus, including hits returned in a search of the corpus. Users are also able to search their annotations or to limit searches to documents they have annotated. Metadata from annotations can also be aggregated across users and aggregated metadata applied in generating search results.

Search system using search subdomain and hints to subdomains in search query statements and sponsored results on a subdomain-by-subdomain basis

Inventors: Ali Diab, Scott A. Gatz, Shyam Kapur, David Ku, Chuck Kung, Phu Hoang, Qi Lu, Lynne Pogue, Yuan Kui Shen, Norman Shi, Thai Tran, Eckart Walther, and Jeff Weiner
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050228780
Published October 13, 2005
Filed April 5, 2004

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating search results including searching by subdomain and providing sponsored results by subdomain is provided. A search system according to embodiments of the present invention analyzes search queries to determine if they are to be routed to subdomains and presents results include sponsored hits sponsored on a subdomain by subdomain basis.

Inverse search systems and methods

Inventors: Ali Diab, David Ku, Kevin Lee, Qi Lu, Nam Nguyen, and Eckart Walther
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050216454
Published September 29, 2005
Filed March 15, 2005

Abstract

Inverse search systems and methods operate on identifiers of content items in a corpus such as the World Wide Web In an inverse search, the user submits a query that includes an identifier of a target content item in the corpus and receives information (metadata) about the target content item being returned to the user. Many types of metadata can be returned, including ratings or other metadata related to the target content item obtained from users, popularity data specific to the target content item, information about previously submitted forward search queries that led to the target content item being identified as a hit, and metadata extracted from the target content item.

Systems and methods for collecting user annotations

Inventors: Eckart Walther, Qi Lu, David Ku, Kevin Lee, Chung-Man Tam, and Ali Diab
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050216457
Published September 29, 2005
Filed March 15, 2005

Abstract

Computer systems and methods allow users to annotate content items found in a corpus such as the World Wide Web. Annotations, which can include any descriptive and/or evaluative metadata related to a document, are collected from a user and stored in association with that user. Users are able to annotate and view their annotations for any document they encounter while interacting with the corpus, including hits returned in a search of the corpus. Users are also able to search their annotations or to limit searches to documents they have annotated. Metadata from annotations can also be aggregated across users and aggregated metadata applied in generating search results.

Lateral search

Inventors: Qi Lu, John Thrall, and David Ku
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050192946
Published September 1, 2005
Filed December 27, 2004

Abstract

A search query is received. Personal information for a user is then determined. A search is performed in a general subdomain of general content using the search query. For example, the general subdomain of general content may be a WWW search. Then, a vertical subdomain is determined based on the personal information. A search is then performed in the vertical subdomain of specialized content using the search query. The search performed in the general subdomain and the search performed in the vertical subdomain generate general search results and vertical search results. The results may be combined and outputted to a client.

Method and system for serving advertisements

Inventors: Lawrence Morrisroe, John Connelly, Justin Everett-Church, Qi Lu, Steven Milano, David Shen, and Stanley Wong
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20050144073
Published June 30, 2005
Filed August 26, 2004

Abstract

An embodiment comprises a method and system for serving an advertisement. The method comprises identifying generic advertisement content to be provided to the user, identifying additional personalized advertisement content which is personalized to the user based on user information, and combining the personalized advertisement content with the generic advertisement content to create a personalized advertisement.

System and method of placing a search listing in at least one search result list

Inventors: Ryan Roslansky, Andrew Braccia, and Qi Lu
US Patent Application 20050004835
Published January 6, 2005
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.

Abstract

A system and method is provided for qualifying search listings for placement in at least one search result list and ordering the search listings according to an algorithm. Specifically, a searching device is adapted to received items of information, such as search listings (e.g., www.yahoo.com, etc.), search terms (e.g., “cars,” “beauty supplies,” etc.) and monetary amounts (e.g., $1.00, etc.), from a plurality of promoting devices, receive a search inquiry (i.e., a search term) from a reception device, and provide (in response thereto) at least one search result list including search listings (i) associated with the search inquiry and (ii) qualified for placement in the search result list. In other words, if the search term linked to the search listing is the same as (or substantially similar to) the search inquiry, then the first prong is met. Furthermore, if a predetermined number of monetary amounts (i.e., as linked to a predetermined number of search listings associated with the search inquiry) are not higher than the monetary amount linked to the search listing, then the second prong is met and the search listing is qualified for placement. Thus, only a predetermined number of search listings (e.g., three, five, etc.) that are both (i) associated with the search inquiry and (ii) linked to the highest monetary amounts are qualified for placement in the search result list. Once the search listings are qualified for placement in the search result list, the searching device is adapted to arrange the qualified search listings according to an algorithm (e.g., randomly, according to relevance, according to monetary amounts, etc.).

2004

Content bridge for associating host content and guest content wherein guest content is determined by search

Inventors: Qi Lu
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20040249800
Published December 9, 2004
Filed March 31, 2004

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating content for an electronic content access system wherein requests for host content are received and responses to such requests include at least references to the host content requested and at least references to guest content related to the host content requested, comprising obtaining host content from sources external to the electronic content access system, importing the obtained host content to a host content database, distilling the host content to derive host content summary data for the host content, storing the host content summary data in an indexable structure and storing guest content in an indexable structure, such that a query using host content summary data can be applied as a search against the guest content to retrieve guest content related to the requested host content without requiring preassociated links to guest content.

Display system and method

Inventors: John Connelly, Linda Jane Bennett, Qi Lu, Justine Everett-Church, Steven Milano, and David Shen
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20040225647
Published November 11, 2004
Filed November 26, 2003

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing display, and, more particularly, systems and methods for monitoring and filtering data entered by Internet users to promote products and services on a display medium, such as a computer or outdoor billboard, are described. Certain embodiments of the invention include receiving search queries from multiple users, filtering the search queries based on one or more filtering criteria, and initiating display of filtered search queries to viewers, the viewers remote from the users.

2002

Method and system of facilitating on-line shopping using an internet browser

Inventors: Thomas Joshua Shafron, Qi Lu, and Ashish Baldua
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20020186255
Published December 12, 2002
Filed November 1, 2001

Abstract

A method of modifying an Internet browser interface to provide shopping assistant functionality facilitating on-line shopping at a supported merchant Internet site. A wallet created in accordance with the present invention comprises a database having various user data stored therein under certain predetermined field names. A supported merchant data file identifies a plurality of supported merchants and enables the modified browser interface to determine when a shopper has navigated to a supported merchant web site. For each supported merchant, a rules and mapping file is created that may be used in connection with the wallet to map user-provided information in the wallet to corresponding fields in the merchant’s check-out web page. When a user navigates to a supported merchant web site and desires to purchase merchandise and/or services from that merchant, the wallet automatically fills out the merchant’s check-out web page(s), thereby simplifying on-line shopping and particularly, the check-out process.

Method and system of facilitating automatic login to a web site using an internet browser

Inventors: Qi Lu, and Ashish Baldua
Assigned to Yahoo! Inc.
US Patent Application 20020186249
Published December 12, 2002
Filed June 21, 2002

Abstract

A method and system of adding functionality to an Internet browser interface. In one embodiment of the present invention, the added functionality may facilitate automatic login to a web site using an Internet browser. In another embodiment, the added functionality may enable the user to perform various tasks using the Internet browser such as, by way of non-limiting example, performing various tasks required to navigate one or more web pages, or to retrieve information desired by the user from one or more web pages or web sites.

Patents assigned to IBM

2006

Calendar desktop graphical user interface (GUI) for computer workstations, personal computers, and personal digital assistants

Inventors: Stefan B. Edlund, Daniel A. Ford, Joseph J.Gebis, and Qi Lu
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 7,003,735
Granted February 21, 2006
Filed March 29, 2001

Abstract

A structure and method for supplying a graphic user interface for a computer. The graphic user interface comprises a schedule having at least one time slot identifying at least one activity and at least one link associated with the activity. The link starts at least one computer program and opens a computer file associated with the activity.

Portable personal radio system and method

Inventors: Joseph Gebis and Qi Lu
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,993,290
Granted January 31, 2006
Filed February 11, 2000

Abstract

An information handling system includes a content database for storing content, a receiver for receiving information relating to a subscriber personal profile including subscriber content preferences, a text-to-audio converter coupled to the database for converting textual content to audio content, a content controller for selecting and mixing content from the content database according to the content preferences, a modulator coupled to the text-to-audio converter for modulating audio content to provide audio-modulated signals, and a transmitter coupled to the database for transmitting the content to a remote subscriber unit via a wireless link.

2004

Pointing device for navigating a 3 dimensional GUI interface

Inventors: Joshua M. Dobies, Matthias Eichstaedt, and Qi Lu
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,822,638
Granted November 23, 2004
Filed May 10, 1999

Abstract

A pointing device for entering data into an information processing system for a 3-dimensional graphical user interface. The pointing device comprises: a switch mounted on a pointing device for producing a first signal during actuation by a vertical downward pressure on a first region of the switch; a circuit for coupling the first signal to a Z-axis on a display attached to the information processing system so as to control movement of information along the Z-axis presented on the display. In another embodiment, the switch produces a second signal by a vertical downward pressure on a second region of the switch; and a circuit for coupling the second signal to a Z-axis on the display so as to move information present on the display along the Z-axis in a direction opposite to that of the movement along the Z-axis in response to the first signal.

Graphical user interface to query music by examples

Inventors: Reiner Kraft, Qi Lu, and Shang-Hua Teng
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,674,452
Granted January 6, 2004
Filed April 5, 2000

Abstract

A According to the invention, a music search system includes a music player, music analyzer, a search engine and a sophisticated user interface that enables users to visually build complex query profiles from the structural information of one or more musical pieces. The complex query profiles are useful for performing searches for musical pieces matching the structural information in the query profile. The system allows the user to supply an existing piece of music, or some components thereof, as query arguments, and lets the music search engine find music that is similar to the given sample by certain similarity measurement.

2003

Outbound information analysis for generating user interest profiles and improving user productivity

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, Qi Lu, Shang-Hua Teng
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,654,735
Granted November 25, 2003
Filed January 8, 1999

Abstract

A system for automatically generating user interest profiles and delivering information to users learns a user’s interests by monitoring the user’s outbound communication streams, i.e., the information that the user produces either by typing (e.g., while a user is composing an e-mail message or editing a word processor document) or by speaking (e.g., while a user is engaged in a phone conversation or listening to a lecture). The system uses the monitored text to build (and possibly update) a user interest profile. The profile is constructed from current text generated by the user, so that the retrieved information reflects present user interests. In addition, the profile may also retain past user interests, so that the profile reflects a combination of past and present user interests. The system then automatically queries diverse databases for information relevant to the interest profile. The databases may include internet web pages, files stored on the user’s local network, and other local or remote data repositories. The queries may use a combination of internet search engines, the specific selection of which may depend upon the nature and/or content of the queries. The information retrieved in response to the queries is then presented to the user. The retrieved information may contain, for example, answers to questions that the user might ask and/or data related to the user’s current and continuing interests. Because a user’s current speech or typed text is highly correlated with the user’s current interests, the retrieved information will be relevant to the user’s actual interests. The communication stream monitoring, interest profile building, data base querying, and presentation of retrieved information are all performed automatically, in real time, and in the background of current user activities.

Method and system for relevance feedback through gaze tracking and ticker interfaces

Inventors: Myron Dale Flickner, David Bruce Koons, Qi Lu, Paul Philip Maglio, Carlos Hitoshi Morimoto, and Edwin Joseph Selker
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,577,329
Granted June 10, 2003
Filed February 25, 1999

Abstract

A system and method (and signal medium) for interactively displaying information, include a ticker display for displaying items having different views, a tracker for tracking a user’s eye movements while observing a first view of information on the ticker display, and a mechanism, based on an output form the tracker, for determining whether a current view has relevance to the user.

Cut and paste pen for pervasive computing devices

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, John Pete Lazarus, and Qi Lu
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,563,494
Granted May 13, 2003
Filed October 8, 1998

Abstract

A stylus includes a wireless transceiver, a processor controlling the transceiver, and a data storage device. Data can be selected on a first computer such as a first personal digital assistant (PDA) and then transmitted via wireless link to the stylus, when the user manipulates a button on the stylus to signal to the operating system of the first PDA that it is ready to receive data. The data is transmitted to the stylus and stored therein. Then, the stylus is aimed at a second PDA and the button is manipulated to cause the stylus to transmit the data to the second PDA via wireless link. With this invention, users of the PDAs can, e.g., quickly and efficiently exchange business cards electronically, without excessive manual data entry and without resorting to connecting their PDAs to a network.

Method and system for voice guided secure entry of private data in a public setting

Inventors: Qi Lu and Shang-Hua Teng
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,519,699
Granted February 11, 2003
Filed August 7, 1998

Abstract

Private user data is securely entered from a public location in a way that the private user data cannot be ascertained by observers. A voice agent generates vocal instructions for a user, instructing the user to enter response data. The vocal instructions are communicated to the user with a telephonic link, in a manner that is secure from observers of entry of the response data. The instructions implement an encryption function, which causes the private user data to be encrypted within the response data. The response data is entered by the user vocally into a telephone, or by pressing buttons on a telephone keypad, or by pressing keys on a computer keyboard. The response data entered by the user is received by a security agent, which ascertains the private user data from the response data, and which also determines the validity of the data.

2002

Active calendar system

Inventors: Daniel Alexander Ford, Tobin Jon Lehman, Qi Lu, Udi Manber, and Ron Yair Pinter
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,480,830
Granted November 12, 2002
Filed March 27, 1998

Abstract

An “active” calendar automatically analyzes a user’s calendar entries and sends machine-readable messages to destinations appropriate to content of the calendar entry. A group of event categories is established, each category specifying one class of anticipated calendar entry. An action rule database pre-associates each event category with one or more message formats each having a content and a destination. The action rule database also contains data identifying sources containing the content and destination for each message format. These sources include records of the action rule database itself, subparts of calendar entries of the pre-associated event category, one or more other databases, or a combination of the foregoing. After the calendar receives a user-submitted computer calendar entry describing a planned event, it identifies one of the event categories of the established group that classifies the planned event. For each message format pre-associated with the identified event category, the calendar determines the content and destination for the message as specified by the action rule database, and transmits the message to the destination.

Automatic user interest profile generation from structured document access information

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, Qi Lu, and Shang-Hua Teng
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,385,619
Granted May 7, 2002
Filed January 8, 1999

Abstract

A system generates user interest profiles by monitoring and analyzing a user’s access to a variety of hierarchical levels within a set of structured documents, e.g., documents available at a web site. Each information document has parts associated with it and the documents are classified into categories using a known taxonomy. The user interest profiles are automatically generated based on the type of content viewed by the user. The type of content is determined by the text within the parts of the documents viewed and the classifications of the documents viewed. In addition, the profiles also are generated based on other factors including the frequency and currency of visits to documents having a given classification, and/or the hierarchical depth of the levels or parts of the documents viewed. User profiles include an interest category code and an interest score to indicate a level of interest in a particular category. The profiles are updated automatically to accurately reflect the current interests of an individual, as well as past interests. A time-dependent decay factor is applied to the past interests. The system presents to the user documents or references to documents that match the current profile.

2001

Gaze-based secure keypad entry system

Inventors: Myron Dale Flickner, Qi Lu, and Carlos Hitoshi Morimoto;
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,282,553
Granted August 28, 2001
Filed November 4, 1998

Abstract

A system for secure data entry, includes a virtual keypad having a plurality of keys, a mechanism for determining to which virtual key of the keypad a user is looking, and an actuator, operable by the user, for confirming key selection. Another system for secure data entry, includes a virtual keypad having a plurality of keys, an eye tracker for tracking eye movement of a user, and for receiving a coded input from an eye movement of the user gazing upon at least a selected one of the keys of the virtual keypad, and an actuator for being selectively actuated by the user upon confirmation of the coded input by the user.

Method and apparatus for music summarization and creation of audio summaries

Inventors: Reiner Kraft, Qi Lu, and Shang-hua Teng
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,225,546
Granted May 1, 2001
Filed April 5, 2000

Abstract

A method and system for generating audio summaries of musical pieces receives computer readable data representing the musical piece and generates therefrom an audio summary including the main melody of the musical piece. A component builder generates a plurality of composite and primitive components representing the structural elements of the musical piece and creates a hierarchical representation of the components. The most primitive components, representing notes within the composition, are examined to determine repetitive patterns within the composite components. A melody detector examines the hierarchical representation of the components and uses algorithms to detect which of the repetitive patterns is the main melody of the composition. Once the main melody is detected, the segment of the musical data containing the main melody is provided in one or more formats. Musical knowledge rules representing specific genres of musical styles may be used to assist the component builder and melody detector in determining which primitive component patterns are the most likely candidates for the main melody.

Integrated touch-skin notification system for wearable computing devices

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt and Qi Lu
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,218,958
Granted April 17, 2001
Filed October 8, 1998

Abstract

A tactile notification device that can be embodied in, e.g., a wristwatch, communicates via wireless link with plural personal computing devices, including cellular telephones, pagers, and palm top computers, of the person wearing the notification device. When one of the personal computing devices alerts, e.g., when the telephone receives an incoming call, the pager receives a page, or the palm top computer receives an email, the personal computing device sends a signal to the notification device, which generates a discrete tactile signal against the person’s skin. The notification device can generate different tactile signals, and each tactile signal can be correlated as desired by the user to one of the personal computing devices. In one embodiment, opposed pinch bars are provided on the skin-facing tactile surface of a wristwatch to gently pinch the skin and thereby establish a first tactile signal that can be correlated to, for example, an alert for an incoming phone call. Also, a rotating bar can be provided on the tactile surface of the wristwatch, and the tactile signal that corresponds to, e.g., an incoming page can be established by rotating the bar against the skin.

Efficient large-scale access control for internet/intranet information systems

Inventors: Qi Lu and Shang-Hua Teng
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,219,667
Granted April 17, 2001
Filed May 28, 1998

Abstract

An efficient method and apparatus for regulating access to information objects stored in a database in which there are a large number of users and access groups. The invention uses a representation of a hierarchical access group structure in terms of intervals over a set of integers and a decomposition scheme that reduces any group structure to ones that have interval representation. This representation allows the problem for checking access rights to be reduced to an interval containment problem. An interval tree, a popular data structure in computational geometry, may be implemented to efficiently execute the access-right checking method.

Collaborative team crawling:Large scale information gathering over the internet

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, Daniel Alexander Ford, Tobin Jon Lehman. Qi Lu, and Shang-Hua Teng
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,182,085
Granted January 30, 2001
Filed May 28, 1998

Abstract

A distributed collection of web-crawlers to gather information over a large portion of the cyberspace. These crawlers share the overall crawling through a cyberspace partition scheme. They also collaborate with each other through load balancing to maximally utilize the computing resources of each of the crawlers. The invention takes advantage of the hierarchical nature of the cyberspace namespace and uses the syntactic components of the URL structure as the main vehicle for dividing and assigning crawling workload to individual crawler. The partition scheme is completely distributed in which each crawler makes the partitioning decision based on its own crawling status and a globally replicated partition tree data structure.

Method and apparatus for parallel profile matching in a large scale webcasting system

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt, Qi Lu, and Shang-Hua Teng
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,169,989
Granted January 2, 2001
Filed May 21, 1998

Abstract

A method and apparatus for efficiently matching a large collection of user profiles against a large volume of data in a webcasting system. The invention generally includes in one embodiment four steps to parallelize the profiles. First, an initial profile set is partitioned into several subsets also referred to as sub-partitions using various heuristic methods. Second, each sub-partition is mapped onto one or more independent processing units. Each processing unit is not required to have equal processing performance. However, for best performance results, subset data should be mapped in one embodiment where the subset with a highest cost is mapped to a fastest processor, and the next highest cost subset mapped to the next fastest processor. Where appropriate, the invention evaluates the relative subset processing speed of each processor and adjusts future subset mapping based upon these evaluations. For each information item I that needs to be matched with a profile predicate, a third and a fourth step are executed. The third step broadcasts I to all processing units, and a fourth step performs a sequential profile match on I.

2000

System for creating structured fields on electronic forms

Inventors: Reiner Kraft, Qi Lu, and Ron Yair Pinter
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,137,488
Granted October 24, 2000
Filed July 29, 1998

Abstract

A computer system enables a user to conveniently fill-out, configure, and submit a structure of interrelated data fields, where the order and type of linking between the fields is user selected. A graphical user interface presents a field template having one or more data fields. The user may extend the electronic form by selecting an expand form field; in response to selection of the expand field, the user interface adds a second field template and a connective field to the display. This second template, like the first, includes one or more data fields. Using a connective field, the user identifies a logical relationship between the first field template and the second field template. For instance, the user may select from Boolean or other connective terms to construct a form having a complex format of interrelated fields. As each new field template is added with its corresponding connective field, the user interface also presents a nesting icon, allowing the user to establish a logical hierarchy between the various field templates.

Task distribution processing system and the method for subscribing computers to perform computing tasks during idle time

Inventors: Reiner Kraft, Qi Lu, and Marat Wisebond
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,112,225
Granted August 29, 2000
Filed March 30, 1998

Abstract

A computer executable “aggregate” task is processed by dividing it into subtasks and distributing the subtasks “on demand” to remotely located subscribing computers via a computer network. The aggregate task originates at a coordinating computer, coupled to one or more peripheral computers by appropriate communications links. The coordinating computer divides the aggregate task into multiple independent subtasks. Each peripheral computer begins to “subscribe” to the coordinating computer’s aggregate task by obtaining an “idle time activation program” from the coordinating computer, and then installing the program locally. The idle time activation program which may include a screen saver, activates automatically when the subscribing computer is inactive. Continuing the subscription process, each peripheral computer requests a subtask from the coordinating computer. In response, the coordinating computer distributes different subtasks among the subscribing computers, completing the subscription process. The subscribing computers automatically work on their respective subtasks whenever they are idle, as directed by the local idle time activation program. When a subscribing computer completes its subtask, it transmits results back to the coordinating computer. When results of all subtasks have been received from subscribing computers, the coordinating computer compiles and stores these results, concluding the aggregate task.

Method and apparatus for efficient profile matching in a large scale webcasting system

Inventors: Matthias Eichstaedt and Qi Lu
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,108,645
Granted August 22, 2000
Filed November 26, 1997

Abstract

A method and apparatus for efficiently matching a large collection of user profiles against a large volume of data in a webcasting system. The method removes redundant patterns in user profiles and information content to improve matching performance based on a Boolean-based query language. Users can select desired information content by choosing a set of predicates to assert the properties for each cyberspace document desired. Boolean operators of AND, OR and NOT connect predicates together on the information items that will be pushed to them. The method includes dynamic cost/credit adjustment based profile indexing and matching.

System for directly accessing fields on electronic forms

Inventors: Reiner Kraft, Qi Lu, and Ron Yair Pinter
Assigned to International Business Machines Corp.
US Patent 6,084,585
Granted July 4, 2000
Filed July 29, 1998

Abstract

A computer system provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to assist a user in completing electronic forms. The computer includes components such as a processor, user interface, and video display. Using the video display, the processor presents a row entry template including a menu field and an associated data field. The user completes the menu field by selecting a desired menu entry from a list of predefined menu entries. The user completes the data field by entering data into the data field. This format is especially useful when the data entry provides data categorized by the menu entry, explains the menu entry, or otherwise pertains to the menu entry. Each time the GUI detects activation of a form expand key, it presents an additional row entry template for completion by the user. Upon selection of a submit key, data of the completed form is sent to a predefined destination, such as a linked list, table, database, or another computer. Thus, by planned selection of menu entries, the user can limit his/her completion of an electronic form to blanks applicable to that user, avoiding the others. Nonetheless, the form can be easily expanded row by row to accommodate as many different blanks as the user wishes to complete. The invention may be implemented by a host sending a remote computer machine-executable instructions which the remote computer executes to provide the GUI, where the remote computer ultimately returns the completed form data to the host.

Audio ticker system and method for presenting push information including pre-recorded audio

Inventors: Qi Lu and Lev Stesin
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent 6,035,336
Granted March 7, 2000
Filed October 17, 1997

Abstract

For use with client/server or network communication and processing systems, such as the Internet, a “push” information system is provided, for automatically providing information to a user. The information is provided in audio form. The system includes a library of prerecorded sounds, including a dictionary of words and phrases. When information appears, for instance in text format, a mapper produces a sequence of audio clips from the library, to convey information substantially identical to that in the information. This sequence of audio clips is played at the user’s terminal. Thus the user is exposed to the information, while the user continues to use an application on the terminal. The information does not require screen real estate, and the user need not look away from his/her work in order to receive the information.

Patent application assigned to IBM

2002

Pointing Device for Navigating a 3 Dimensional GIU Interface

Inventors: Josua M. Dobies, Matthias Eischstaedt, and Qi Lu
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation
US Patent Application 20020196231
Published December 26, 2002
Filed May 10, 1999

Abstract

A pointing device for entering data into an information processing system for a 3-dimensional graphical user interface. The pointing device comprises: a switch mounted on a pointing device for producing a first signal during actuation by a vertical downward pressure on a first region of the switch; a circuit for coupling the first signal to a Z-axis on a display attached to the information processing system so as to control movement of information along the Z-axis presented on the display. In another embodiment, the switch produces a second signal by a vertical downward pressure on a second region of the switch; and a circuit for coupling the second signal to a Z-axis on the display so as to move information present on the display along the Z-axis in a direction opposite to that of the movement along the Z-axis in response to the first signal.