Innovation Timeline
Software & Internet
From early operating system patents to search algorithms, one-click purchasing, and social feeds — how software IP shaped the web era.
Landmark patents
317
Total citations
34,606
Span
1939 – 2025
Milestones
64
1970s
Hamilton's Early Digital Watch with LED Display
Hamilton's 1972 patent for a digital watch that uses electronic circuits and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to show time, instead of gears and hands, powered by a rechargeable battery.
118 citations
Early Automatic Cash Dispenser Using Credit Cards
This 1973 patent describes a machine that dispenses cash using a coded credit card, verifies the card's validity, and updates its code after each transaction to prevent fraud.
36 citations
Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to Detect Cancer in Tissue
This 1974 patent describes a method and apparatus using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to measure how quickly certain atomic nuclei in a tissue sample return to their normal energy state, helping to distinguish cancerous from healthy tissue.
83 citations
How Early Cell Phones Handled Calls Across Different Towers
This patent describes a system for early portable phones to automatically find the strongest signal from a base station and switch channels as the user moves, reducing battery drain and interference.
206 citations
How Multiple Computers Share a Network Cable Without Crashing
This patent describes how multiple computers can share a single communication cable by listening for other transmissions and stopping their own if a collision occurs, then trying again later.
301 citations
The First Digital Camera's Core Technology
Kodak's 1978 patent on the fundamental technology for capturing, processing, and storing digital images using a CCD sensor and magnetic tape.
106 citations
How to Create a Secret Code Key Without Meeting First
This 1980 patent describes a way for two people to create a secret code key over a public channel, like the internet, without ever meeting or sharing the key directly.
708 citations
How RSA Public-Key Encryption Keeps Digital Messages Secret
This patent describes the foundational RSA algorithm, a method for securely sending messages where anyone can encrypt a message using a public key, but only the intended recipient can decrypt it using a secret private key.
1,015 citations
1980s
How Computers Use Hardware to Stop Software Piracy and Cracking
A 1982 hardware-based security system that prevents software from being copied or cracked by destroying sensitive data if the computer detects unauthorized access or execution.
280 citations
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
This patent describes a system where a store can make a custom product for a customer, but only after getting permission and the necessary design information from a central, remote office.
498 citations
How Computers Compress Data Using Dictionary Building
This 1985 patent describes a method for making computer files smaller by building a dictionary of common data patterns and replacing them with shorter codes.
347 citations
How 3D Printers Build Objects Layer by Layer from Liquid
This patent describes the foundational method for 3D printing, where a machine builds a three-dimensional object layer by layer by hardening a liquid material with light or other energy.
1,094 citations
How to Speed Up Neural Network Training Using Momentum
A 1988 method for training artificial neural networks that uses an 'activating variable' to speed up how quickly the network learns from its mistakes.
29 citations
Prodigy's System for Interactive Online Information and Shopping
Prodigy's 1994 patent outlines an interactive online system that delivered news, shopping, and banking to personal computers by breaking applications into 'objects' stored locally or remotely, and used user data for targeted ads.
808 citations
How Machines Build 3D Objects Layer by Layer from Melting Plastic
This patent describes a method and machine for creating three-dimensional objects by precisely depositing melted material, layer by layer, from a movable nozzle onto a base.
793 citations
1990s
How 3D Icons Rotate to Show More Information
A 1994 Apple patent for a 3D computer icon that can be rotated by clicking specific areas to reveal different sides, each containing extra information about a file or folder.
257 citations
How Digital Sticky Notes Work Inside Computer Programs
A 1993 Apple patent for attaching digital sticky notes to documents so they move and behave like regular text or images within an application.
244 citations
CSIRO's High-Frequency Wireless Network Technology
This 1996 patent from CSIRO describes a wireless local area network system that can send data reliably using radio waves above 10 GHz, even when signals bounce off walls.
120 citations
How a Modern Camera Sensor Captures Light and Converts It to Data
This patent describes a camera sensor technology that combines light-capturing elements with a special circuit to read out the image data quickly and efficiently, all on a single chip.
620 citations
How Cable Boxes Download Software Updates Remotely
A method for cable television boxes to automatically download and install new software updates sent over the air from the cable provider's main office.
249 citations
How Web Browsers Run Embedded Programs Inside Documents
A 1994 invention that allowed web browsers to automatically launch and run external programs directly inside a webpage, enabling interactive content like 3D models or complex data viewers.
576 citations
How Digital Audio Compression Works
A foundational method for compressing digital audio by transforming sound into spectral data and using variable-length codes to store it efficiently.
108 citations
How the QR Code Works
The 1995 patent by Toyota Central R&D Labs that invented the QR code, using three distinct corner squares with a unique 1:1:3:1:1 pixel ratio to let scanners instantly find and read the code from any angle.
250 citations
How Windows 95 Supported Long Filenames While Staying Compatible
A clever method for storing long filenames in older file systems by hiding them in extra directory entries that older programs simply ignore.
39 citations
How Netscape Created the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for Web Security
Netscape's 1995 patent defining the architecture for SSL, the foundational technology that allows browsers to securely transmit encrypted data over the internet.
383 citations
How Interactive Pop-up Help Windows Work in Computer Interfaces
A 1995 patent describing how computer interfaces can automatically show helpful, rich-text pop-up windows when a user hovers their mouse over an icon or button.
119 citations
How Websites Remember You Using Stored Data
Netscape's 1998 patent on storing small pieces of website information (like login details or preferences) on your computer so the website can recall them later, enabling personalized experiences and smoother navigation.
508 citations
How Computers Automatically Detect and Act on Data Like Phone Numbers
Apple's 1999 patent describing how software can automatically recognize patterns like phone numbers or dates in text and offer relevant actions like calling or scheduling.
297 citations
Logitech's Method for Using Two Fingers on a Touchpad
Logitech's 1998 patent describes how a touchpad can detect two fingers touching it in a specific sequence to perform actions like clicking or dragging, going beyond single-finger mouse emulation.
1,577 citations
How Early Mobile Devices Accessed the Internet Using Split Proxies
A 1996 system that made the early web usable on slow, unreliable wireless connections by using two 'proxy' servers to shrink and simplify data before sending it.
546 citations
How Load Balancers Route Web Traffic Based on Specific Content
A method for web servers to route user requests to specific machines based on which files they store, rather than just blindly balancing traffic across all servers.
1,148 citations
How to Build Complex Database Searches Using Venn Diagrams
A method for searching databases by visually connecting Venn diagrams to represent complex logical relationships between different sets of data.
859 citations
How Servers Combine Global and Local Content for Personalized Web Displays
A 1997 Microsoft patent describing how a server can mix general content with specific local details to create a personalized experience for users based on their location or demographics.
111 citations
How Amazon's One-Click Ordering Works for Online Purchases
Amazon's 1999 patent describes how a customer can buy an item online with just one click, bypassing a traditional shopping cart by using pre-stored payment and shipping information.
1,636 citations
How Bluetooth Creates Wireless Networks with Unique Addresses
This 2003 patent describes how Bluetooth devices use a master device's address and clock to create a unique, hopping radio channel for communication and build a network map.
131 citations
How the Windows Taskbar Manages Open Programs
Microsoft's 1999 patent defines the mechanics of the Windows taskbar, allowing users to track open programs and manage window layouts through a persistent interface element.
124 citations
How DNS Servers Route Web Traffic to the Least Busy Server
A method for balancing web traffic by having servers report their current workload to a DNS server, which then directs new users to the fastest available machine.
123 citations
How Websites Get Ranked by Importance
This patent describes a computer method for scoring documents in a linked database, like the internet, by considering the importance of other documents that link to them, helping search engines find better results.
818 citations
How Websites Use Distorted Text Riddles to Stop Bots
This patent describes the original method for creating CAPTCHAs, using distorted text or audio riddles to distinguish human users from automated bots.
219 citations
How Software Services Pass Messages Across Different Network Zones
A method for letting different parts of a large software network communicate by linking their notification services together like a relay race.
13 citations
How Browsers Automatically Choose Your Start Page Based on History
An IBM patent from 1998 that describes how a web browser can automatically pick which website to load first based on your past browsing habits.
95 citations
How TiVo Pauses and Rewinds Live Television
TiVo's 1998 patent on a digital video recorder that converts television signals into digital files, splits them into audio and video, and stores them on a hard drive to allow simultaneous recording and playback.
798 citations
How Phones Use Motion Sensors to Change Screen Orientation and Views
A patent describing how mobile devices use sensors to detect movement, allowing the screen to rotate or scroll through pages based on how you tilt or roll the device.
4 citations
How Real-Time Pitch Correction and Auto-Tune Technology Works
A method for detecting the pitch of a musical note and adjusting it to a target frequency in real time using auto-correlation.
39 citations
How a Multi-Touch Screen Detects Multiple Fingers and Palms
This patent describes the underlying electronic circuits and methods for a multi-touch surface that can track multiple fingers and palms simultaneously, even before they fully touch the screen.
2,641 citations
How Dynamic Web Applications Use Templates to Fetch Data
A method for web applications to use abstract templates that automatically connect to back-end databases based on the user's device or platform.
78 citations
Smart Ranking of Emails and Files Based on How You Click
IBM's 1999 patent on automatically sorting lists of items, like emails, by watching which ones you click first and updating a mathematical model of your preferences in the background.
135 citations
How Computers Automatically Label Different Speakers in Audio Recordings
A method for identifying and labeling speakers in audio recordings, even if the system has never heard the person speak before, by grouping similar voices and asking a user to name them.
75 citations
How the Apple Mac Dock Magnifies Icons
Apple's 1999 patent on the macOS Dock, which shrinks a row of app icons to save screen space and smoothly magnifies them as your mouse pointer glides over them.
232 citations
2000s
How Virtual Fitting Rooms Work for Online Shopping
A method for creating a virtual dressing room where a user's photo is combined with images of clothing from different websites to see how they look together.
35 citations
How Handheld Devices Organize Recently Used Files and Contacts
A 2000-era Microsoft patent for showing a 'Recent' category on handheld devices, allowing users to interact with recent items exactly like they would with any other file.
73 citations
How Digital Images Hide Invisible Markers to Track Rotation and Scaling
A method for hiding invisible patterns in digital images that allow computers to detect if an image has been rotated or resized, even if the original version is missing.
136 citations
How to Seamlessly Switch Video Streams for Many Viewers
This patent describes a computer system that allows an administrator or viewer to smoothly switch between different video or audio sources for many people watching at the same time, without interrupting their viewing experience.
98 citations
How Computers Find Hidden Connections Between Different Fields of Knowledge
A method for finding related ideas in completely different subjects by using math to map how words appear together, even when the subjects use different vocabulary.
456 citations
How Distributed Servers Find Data Using Location Pointers
A system that uses a network of specialized servers to track where specific data is located, allowing computers to find information by asking a server for its address rather than searching every machine.
119 citations
How to Play Any Media Playlist by Converting it to a Standard Format
This patent describes a system that takes media playlists in various formats, converts them into a single standard format, and then streams the referenced content, even allowing for dynamic changes during playback.
92 citations
How Interactive Television Systems Send Applications Alongside Video Streams
A system for broadcasting interactive software applications alongside video programs so that a television or set-top box can run them in real-time.
1 citation
How External Hardware Keys Secure Digital Purchases and Downloads
A system using a physical hardware device to prove your identity to a server, allowing you to securely download and decrypt digital assets.
16 citations
How Computers Automatically Manage Temporary Pop-up Windows
A method for computer systems to automatically display, fade out, and close temporary windows based on timers or system events without requiring user interaction.
20 citations
How Google Ads Detect Which Web Page You Are Viewing
A method for web browsers to identify the correct webpage address to show relevant advertisements, even when the ad code is hidden inside a frame.
427 citations
How Search Engines Personalize Results Based on Your Browsing History
Google's patent for narrowing down search results by prioritizing websites that match your personal interests and past browsing habits.
24 citations
How Digital Systems Pool Money from Many People for One Goal
A system that lets multiple people contribute small amounts of money toward a shared goal, only releasing the total funds to a recipient once specific conditions are met.
9 citations
How a Server Updates Smart Card Apps and Shows Ads
This patent describes a system where a central server authenticates a smart card user, identifies the specific smart card, allows the user to update applications on it, and then sends an advertisement to the user's computer.
1 citation
How to Keep Apps Running Without a Constant Internet Connection
IBM's method for letting apps think they are connected to a server even when the internet is offline by using a proxy that stores requests and fakes responses.
1 citation
How Apps Automatically Link Multiple User Accounts
A method for logging into multiple separate user accounts with a single set of credentials and managing them through one unified interface.
26 citations
How Google Distributed Machine Learning Across Many Computers
A 2003 Google patent describing a way to build machine learning models by splitting the work across a large network of computers rather than a single machine.
72 citations
How Large Interactive Whiteboards Track Fingers Across Multiple Sensors
A method for stitching together data from multiple overlapping touch sensors so a single large surface acts as one seamless input area.
84 citations
How to Automatically Track and Act on Internet Domain Name Expirations
This patent describes a system that automatically checks when internet domain names are set to expire, calculates how much time is left, and can notify a user or even try to register the domain once it becomes available.
55 citations
How Digital Maps Are Built From Small Image Pieces
Google's 2007 patent on how to assemble small map images, called tiles, into a larger map view on your device, enabling smooth zooming and panning.
399 citations
How a Centralized Broker Handles Online Shopping Transactions
A system where a third-party broker handles payments and shipping logistics for online merchants, allowing customers to checkout without entering payment details on every individual site.
9 citations
How Software Interfaces Shrink to Save Screen Space
A method for automatically shrinking a navigation sidebar into a slim icon-based strip while maintaining access to full features through a temporary pop-up menu.
34 citations
How Software Predicts What You Need Based on Your Coworkers
A system that uses the browsing history and work habits of your colleagues to automatically build a personalized dashboard of links and content you are likely to need next.
5 citations
How Phones Sense Your Finger Hovering Without Touching the Screen
This patent describes a system for electronic devices, like phones, to detect a finger hovering just above the screen, display a specific interactive element below it, and then let you control that element with gestures without ever making contact.
860 citations
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
1,269 citations
How to Verify Anonymous Users Using Third-Party Identity Services
A method for a system to identify and authorize a user it doesn't know by asking a different, trusted service that already has the user's information.
39 citations
How Search Engines Rank Images Using User Ratings
A system that improves image search results by combining how well an image matches a search term with how highly users have rated that image elsewhere.
46 citations
How Remote Servers Automatically Adjust Your TV Settings
A method for a remote server to automatically configure a TV's picture and sound settings by analyzing what other users with similar viewing habits prefer.
4 citations
How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings
A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back.
24 citations
Delivering Targeted Ads and Digital Content to Remote Kiosks
A method for sending digital content and personalized advertisements to remote kiosks by combining scheduled data pushes with real-time requests.
How Phones Store and Rotate Ads Locally by Breaking Rules
Sprint's 2006 patent on a system that downloads a pool of ads to a phone and uses an on-device manager to decide which ad to show, even breaking its own rules to make sure lagging ad campaigns get seen.
119 citations
Detecting When Gamers Stop Playing to Save Power
Sony's 2010 patent on using motion and image data to detect when a gamer stops playing, allowing the game console to pause or save energy.
42 citations
How to Aggregate Transaction Notifications Using Secure Tokens
A method for a central server to collect and organize event notifications from different merchants using unique, secure tokens that prove the user's identity without sharing sensitive account details.
How American Express Tracks Your Spending Habits Across Different Stores
A system that links store-specific product codes to universal manufacturer codes to help consumers track their spending and stay within personal budgets.
36 citations
How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work
This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted.
148 citations
How Apple's Navigation Bar Manages App Screens
A method for navigating between different screens in a music app using a fixed bar that shows where you are, where you came from, and a shortcut to the player.
80 citations
How Facebook's News Feed Picks Stories You'll Like
Facebook's 2012 patent explains how it creates a personalized news feed by showing stories about friends' actions, ordered by your interest, and updating it based on what you click.
134 citations
Displaying Friends' Activities in a Social Network Feed
This patent describes how social networks like Facebook collect what users do, create short updates about those actions, and show them to specific friends in a personalized list called a "news feed."
231 citations
How Apps Fetch Data in the Background While You Are Offline
A method for mobile devices to store web content for offline viewing and automatically fetch new updates in the background once a wireless connection is restored.
8 citations
How Mobile Phones Can Securely Authorize Payments Using Random ID Codes
A 2006 system that uses a mobile phone to receive and relay a unique, temporary ID code to a store terminal to verify and authorize a payment transaction.
17 citations
How Online Stores Automatically Block Illegal Alcohol and Tobacco Deliveries
A system that checks if your online order of alcohol or tobacco is legal to deliver at your chosen time based on local laws.
11 citations
How Multi-Touch Gestures Like Pinch-to-Zoom Work on Smartphones
Apple's patent on using two-finger gestures to manipulate images and objects on a touchscreen, allowing for smooth zooming and rotation even if you lift your fingers briefly.
163 citations
How the iPhone Switches and Adds Mobile Web Browser Tabs
Apple's 2007 patent on using swipes, edge taps, and dedicated buttons to create and flip through multiple full-screen windows in a mobile web browser.
88 citations
How Smartphones Suggest and Correct Words While You Type
Apple's patent on a system that displays word suggestions above a touchscreen keyboard, allowing users to accept or reject them with simple taps or keystrokes.
58 citations
How Your Phone Knows When It's Against Your Ear
This Apple patent describes how a phone uses both a proximity sensor and an ambient light sensor to accurately detect when it's held to your ear, preventing accidental screen touches during calls.
368 citations
How Touchscreens Handle Scrolling and Rubber-Band Effects
This patent describes the software logic that allows touchscreens to distinguish between simple scrolling and multi-finger gestures, while also enabling the signature 'rubber-band' bounce effect when you reach the end of a page.
132 citations
BlackBerry Device with QWERTY Keyboard and Trackball Design
This 2012 patent describes a handheld device, like an early BlackBerry, with a QWERTY keyboard and a trackball, focusing on the physical arrangement of keys around the navigation tool.
How Touchscreens Use Math to Recognize Your Fingers
Apple's patent on using mathematical ellipses to track and identify individual fingers and palms on a touch-sensitive surface.
93 citations
Device for Receiving and Processing TV Signals from Cables and Wireless Sources
This patent describes a device that combines signals from a cable TV line and a wireless source, processes them to create copy-protected video and audio, and sends them to a TV or other device.
170 citations
How Computers Safely Resume Interrupted Data Backups
A method for computers to pause a large data backup and resume exactly where they left off without restarting the entire process from scratch.
5 citations
How to Automatically Generate Musical Harmonies from Audio
This 2012 patent describes a system that listens to music and automatically generates harmony notes to accompany a melody, even detecting and ignoring accidental strums on stringed instruments.
24 citations
How Computers Automatically Organize and Search Photos Using Contextual Data
A system for indexing images by attaching descriptive data to objects within them and adjusting search rankings based on how often a user searches for those specific items.
2 citations
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
Apple's 2008 patent describes how a touchscreen device displays a blank area when a user scrolls past the edge of a document, then smoothly snaps the document back into place when the user lifts their finger.
402 citations
How to Send Data Streams Independently Without Connection Overload
A method for sending multiple streams of data between devices using independent, reliable paths that keep data in the correct order without needing a constant connection.
42 citations
How Smartphones Switch Between Slow and Fast Scrolling
A system that automatically changes how a list scrolls based on how fast or hard you interact with the screen.
42 citations
How a Smart System Verifies and Updates Customer Data
This patent describes an automated system that uses artificial intelligence to pick the best ways to check and update information about people or businesses, choosing from methods like web searches, phone calls, or direct mail.
102 citations
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
This patent describes how touchscreens use smart rules, called heuristics, to figure out if your finger movement means scrolling up, moving around a map, or flipping to the next photo, especially by looking at how you start your swipe.
1,120 citations
How Amazon Optimizes Website Loading Speeds by Managing Domain Requests
A system that tests different ways to distribute website resources across multiple domains to find the fastest way to load a webpage for users.
123 citations
How Facebook's Share Button Works Across Different Websites
A patent describing how a social network can pull content from an outside website and share it with friends based on specific user-selected settings.
4 citations
How Cloud Storage Providers Automatically Connect Files to Content Delivery Networks
A system that lets website owners use a single button in their storage dashboard to automatically distribute their files across a global network of servers for faster loading.
10 citations
How Network Providers Subcontract Data Processing Tasks
A method for internet service providers to bundle specific data processing tasks from many users and send them to a third party for efficient handling.
3 citations
How Computers Automatically Target Ads Based on Trending Internet Memes
A system that finds trending internet topics, measures how fast they are spreading, and automatically places relevant advertisements on the web pages where those topics are being discussed.
8 citations
How Human Searchers Unlock Restricted Web Content for Users
A system that uses human searchers to access password-protected or subscription-based websites to retrieve information for users who otherwise cannot see that content.
How Devices Track Offline Ad Watching and Share Media Recommendations
A system for tracking which ads a user watches in downloaded video files while offline and reporting that data back to publishers once the device reconnects to the internet.
20 citations
How Devices Predict Your Next Move Using Gestures and History
A patent for a smart interface that tracks your physical gestures and past habits to predict what you want to do next, showing custom options on a screen to save you time.
34 citations
How Software Automatically Ranks and Manages Online Customer Feedback
A system that automatically finds, scores, and prioritizes online mentions of a company so they can respond to the most important conversations first.
27 citations
How eBay Uses Image Fingerprints to Search for Products
A system that lets you search for items on a marketplace by uploading a photo instead of typing text, using image 'fingerprints' to find matching products.
12 citations
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2011 patent describes a method for unlocking a touchscreen device by dragging a specific graphical icon from a starting point to a designated end point.
141 citations
Controlling a Camera on Your Phone with a Separate Gadget
Apple's 2014 patent describes how a separate device, like a remote control, can talk to a phone to take pictures and videos, and show them on the remote.
210 citations
Predicting User Interests Based on Who Looks at Whose Profile
A method for predicting what a user might be interested in by analyzing the web of connections created when people view each other's social media profile pages.
73 citations
How Computers Calculate Probabilities in Large Knowledge Bases
A method for finding answers in a database of uncertain facts by ignoring probabilities to find a solution first, then calculating how likely that solution is based on the underlying evidence.
1 citation
How to Buy Digital Media Once and Get Multiple Formats
A system that lets you pay for a digital file once and download it in different formats from various providers without paying again.
12 citations
2010s
How Google Uses User Feedback to Rank Websites by Quality
A method for Google to judge a website's quality by looking at how users interact with its search results across different categories of search queries.
26 citations
How to Browse TV Shows Using 3D Virtual Objects
A method for organizing television content by mapping category labels onto 3D surfaces that transform into video players when selected.
18 citations
Google's System for Auto-Searching Text on Your Device
Google's 2015 patent describes a system that automatically finds and displays relevant information online based on text it detects on your device, even without you asking it to.
189 citations
How to Keep Backup Data in the Correct Order
A method for ensuring that backup data arrives at a secondary storage location in the exact same sequence it was created at the primary location to prevent data corruption.
4 citations
How Google's Patent Scores Authors and Posts on Messaging Systems
Google's 2013 patent describes a system for ranking authors and their posts on a messaging platform based on user interactions and subscriptions, influencing content visibility.
150 citations
How Pull-to-Refresh Works on Your Smartphone
This patent describes the 'pull-to-refresh' gesture that lets users update a list of content, like a social media feed, by dragging down until a trigger appears and then releasing.
22 citations
How Websites Get Paid for Referring Video Traffic
A method for tracking which website sent a user to a video stream so the referring site can be paid for the advertisement shown.
6 citations
How Phones Use Photos to Buy or Research Products
A method for using a smartphone camera to photograph a product and send that image to a remote server to trigger a purchase or retrieve product information.
4 citations
Managing Who Can Do What in Complex Business Workflows
A system that uses two separate, configurable matrices to strictly control which users can view specific data or perform specific actions within a business process based on their assigned roles.
1 citation
How Devices Automatically Tag and Monetize Real-World Events
A system for capturing data about a specific moment or location—like a song playing or a vehicle passing—to automatically trigger online searches and sponsor payments.
4 citations
How Touchscreen Gestures Use Physics to Feel Real
Google's patent on making touchscreen gestures feel natural by applying simulated physics, like friction or magnetism, to items on your screen.
63 citations
How Smartphones Organize Apps into Folders
Apple's 2010 patent describing the logic for creating and interacting with app folders on a touchscreen device, specifically distinguishing between 'normal' use and 'editing' modes.
48 citations
How Mobile Devices Switch Between Open Apps Using Gestures
Apple's patent describes a way to switch between open apps on a touchscreen by showing a bar of app previews and selecting one with a tap.
70 citations
How IMDb Knew If You'd Go to a Movie or Concert
This 2015 IMDb patent describes a system that predicts if you'll attend an event, like a movie, by checking your phone's location near the event time and place, then sending you related content.
62 citations
How Cloud Systems Automatically Assign Virtual Machines to Servers
A method for cloud services to automatically choose the best server for a task by filtering out impossible options and then ranking the remaining ones.
3 citations
How Streaming Services Dynamically Insert Targeted Ads Into Videos
A method for streaming services to stitch personalized advertisements into video content by dynamically generating playlists that match the user's profile and internet speed.
1 citation
How Eventbrite Recommends Events Based on Your Social Network
A system that suggests events to you by analyzing your social media connections and your past attendance history to see what your friends are doing.
51 citations
How a Server Aggregates Comments from Different Websites About One File
A system that collects comments or data from multiple websites about a single photo or video and bundles them together to display on your device.
2 citations
How Devices Give Haptic Feedback While You Hover Your Finger
This patent describes a system that triggers physical vibrations or sensations on a device when your finger hovers near the screen without actually touching it.
11 citations
How Software Automatically Collects and Organizes Data from Multiple Websites
A system that automatically logs into multiple websites, pulls information, and stores it locally before you even ask for it, so it is ready to view instantly.
18 citations
How Digital Media Streams Are Automatically Tagged and Organized
A method for embedding standardized labels directly into digital video or audio streams so that devices can automatically identify and extract specific segments of content.
4 citations
How Software Automatically Picks the Best Way to Send Job Ads
A system that uses data analytics to choose the most effective communication channel for sending job advertisements to specific people and tracks the resulting referrals.
2 citations
How Amazon Created a Marketplace for Recommendation Algorithms
A system that lets website owners rent recommendation algorithms from third-party developers, with a built-in payment structure that rewards developers based on how well their algorithms perform.
3 citations
How Software Packages Create Independent Windows for Web Content
A system for creating small, independent software windows that fetch and display specific web content outside of a standard web browser.
1 citation
How to Split a Smartphone Keyboard with a Gesture
Apple's 2013 patent describes how to split a phone's keyboard in half and move it up the screen with a swipe, making it easier to type with thumbs.
6 citations
How Voice Commands Help Computers Find Objects in Pictures and Videos
A method for using voice commands to tell a computer which object in a photo or video you want to search for, allowing it to automatically isolate that object and perform a visual search.
4 citations
How Servers Prepare Web Pages for You to Read Offline
A method for a remote server to process a website in two different ways simultaneously: one for live viewing and one optimized for later offline access.
5 citations
How to Draw 3D Shapes on Touchscreens Using Your Fingers
A method for creating 3D objects in design software by simply dragging your finger across a touchscreen, allowing the shape to grow in real-time as you move.
17 citations
How Cable Networks Manage Virtual Ownership of Digital Movies
A system for cable providers to let users 'own' digital movies on a server instead of buying physical discs, allowing the provider to update that content remotely.
3 citations
How a Digital Assistant Launches Apps Using Your Voice
This patent describes how a digital assistant like Siri uses your spoken words and understanding of your conversation to figure out what you want and launch the right app.
211 citations
How Software Detects What You Want Based on Your Social Media Posts
A system that reads your social media posts to figure out your intent, then automatically serves ads or updates your profile based on how likely you are to actually buy or do something.
34 citations
How Google Displays Knowledge Panels Next to Search Results
A method for automatically assembling and displaying information boxes on search result pages by pulling data from multiple sources based on user query patterns.
25 citations
How Facebook Ranks Search Results Based on Your Friends' Activity
A method for ranking search results by prioritizing links that your social network friends have clicked on previously.
66 citations
How Cloud Storage Providers Automatically Connect Files to Content Delivery Networks
A system where a cloud storage provider detects when a website's files need faster delivery and automatically handles the setup with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for the user.
How Cable Systems Automatically Filter Ads for On-Demand Content
A system that checks if a cable provider is authorized and their account is active before letting them insert ads into on-demand videos.
2 citations
How Home Gateways Manage Video Streaming Traffic to Prevent Buffering
A system where home internet gateways report device buffer status to a central server to intelligently manage bandwidth for multiple video streams.
24 citations
How Cloud Services Automatically Switch Providers When One Fails
A system that uses conversational AI to understand your reliability needs and automatically switches your cloud service to a backup provider if your current one goes down.
1 citation
How Facebook Uses User Feedback to Improve Search Results
A method for improving search engine accuracy by letting users manually rate search results, then using those ratings to automatically adjust how the search algorithm ranks future results.
How Smartphones Use Flashing Barcodes for Secure Ticketing
A system for mobile devices to display a series of flashing barcodes that a scanner reads, ensuring tickets are only used during specific valid time windows.
How Computers Match and Join Messy Data from Different Sources
A method for merging datasets by identifying related but non-identical items using flexible matching rules rather than strict equality.
15 citations
Device That Adjusts Power for Charging Multiple Devices
This 2016 patent describes a system that intelligently adjusts the power supplied to charge multiple devices, ensuring one device gets a steady charge while another can receive a variable amount.
How Websites Use Your Cookie Data to Show Targeted Ads
Adobe's patent describes a system where website administrators create custom rules to match a user's browser cookie data with specific advertisements or content.
2 citations
How Groupon Automatically Categorizes Merchant Services Using Text Analysis
A system that automatically scans merchant websites and uses high-precision search queries to label their services, helping platforms like Groupon organize thousands of business listings.
25 citations
How Servers Automatically Connect Users Based on Mutual Friend Lists
A method for servers to automatically create secure communication links between two users only if they have both added each other to their respective contact or buddy lists.
7 citations
How Software Developers Keep Track of API Versions Automatically
A system that automatically tags software building blocks with version data to prevent developers from accidentally breaking code when updating operating systems.
8 citations
How Networks Keep Video Streams Smooth During Busy Times
A method for internet providers to automatically balance network resources so that multiple users streaming video simultaneously experience the best possible overall quality.
9 citations
How Microsoft Protects Corporate Data on Employee Devices
A system that lets companies remotely lock or delete specific work data on a phone or computer without wiping the user's personal files.
10 citations
How Phones Use Your Voice History to Fix Your Typing
Apple's patent for a system that improves text autocorrection by using a database of words the user has previously spoken into their device.
5 citations
How Snapchat Stories Advance with a Tap
This patent describes how an electronic device can quickly show a series of short-lived messages, deleting the current one and showing the next in response to a simple screen tap.
176 citations
How Mobile Apps Connect Drivers to Real-Time Parking Spots
A system where a parking server uses a mobile carrier's authentication to help drivers find, track, and reserve parking spots in real-time.
1 citation
How Apps Automatically Connect Friends Based on Their Current Location
A system that automatically invites people to a group chat when they enter a specific geographic area defined by a friend's mobile device.
10 citations
How Servers Share an IP Address for High Availability
Cisco's 2017 patent describes a system where multiple servers can share a single virtual IP address to ensure an application stays online even if one server fails.
4 citations
How Databases Keep Read-Only Copies Up-to-Date
Amazon's 2016 patent describes a system for efficiently updating read-only copies of a distributed database by sending specific change notifications, ensuring read-only nodes show accurate data.
108 citations
How Apps Pass Touch Gestures Between Each Other
A method for a device to decide which app should handle a user's touch gesture when multiple apps are running at the same time.
6 citations
How Social Networks Automatically Create Groups Based on Time and Place
Google's patent describes a system that automatically groups social media users together based on where they are or when they are posting, allowing for instant, context-aware content sharing.
6 citations
How Vehicles Send Data Without Revealing Who Is Driving
A system that separates a driver's personal identity from vehicle performance data by sending them to a server in separate, disconnected communication sessions.
How Digital Receipts Turn One-Time Payments Into Ongoing Customer Relationships
A system that transforms static digital receipts into dynamic, time-sensitive portals for rewards, feedback, and tipping after a purchase is complete.
7 citations
How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems
A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code.
11 citations
How Referral-Based Text Message Marketing Systems Work
A system that tracks web browsing to send personalized text message offers to users, incentivizing them to share those offers with friends to grow a subscriber database.
3 citations
How Square Uses Your Phone's Location to Verify Credit Card Payments
A system that uses GPS data from a customer's smartphone to confirm they are physically present at a store during a credit card transaction to reduce fraud.
9 citations
How Nextdoor Verifies Neighbors and Limits Online Social Circles
A patent describing a system for a private, location-based social network that verifies users' home addresses to restrict communications to people living in the same neighborhood.
14 citations
How to Make Software Debugging Consistent Using Object Finalization Control
A method for virtual machines to pause and precisely replay the cleanup of computer objects, ensuring that debugging logs match the original program execution exactly.
4 citations
How to Securely Pass Data Packets Within a Trusted Network
A method for tagging data packets with verified properties so that internal network nodes can trust the data without re-verifying it themselves.
3 citations
Preventing Sensitive Data Leaks from Company Communications
This patent describes a system that watches for unsent drafts of company communications, checks their content for sensitive data based on your current situation, and can block them or warn you if they seem risky.
174 citations
How Salesforce Speeds Up Data Processing Using Bulk Message Handling
A method for cloud systems to grab multiple tasks at once instead of one by one, using a locking mechanism to ensure data stays consistent during bulk processing.
7 citations
How Computers Automatically Adjust Tasks to Run Faster in Data Centers
A method for cloud computers to monitor their own performance while processing massive data tasks and automatically changing their settings or resource levels to stay efficient.
32 citations
How Instant Messaging Apps Open Reply Windows for Social Media Updates
A method for letting users reply to social media updates directly within an instant messaging app by using external software to control the appearance of the reply window.
How Square Syncs Inventory Between Physical Shops and Online Stores
A system that lets store owners toggle items between online and physical sales channels using a single dashboard to keep stock counts accurate everywhere.
6 citations
How the Apple Watch Uses the Digital Crown to Flip Objects
A method for rotating virtual objects on a small wearable screen by spinning the physical dial on the side of the device based on how fast you turn it.
18 citations
How Microsoft Word Suggests Research Content While You Write
A system that automatically fetches and suggests relevant research data and outlines directly inside word processors or note-taking apps based on what you are currently writing.
1 citation
How to Clean Files by Rebuilding Them Instead of Scanning Them
A security method that stops malware by rebuilding files from scratch based on strict format rules, rather than looking for known viruses.
7 citations
How Apps Automatically Switch Between Video Call Connection Methods
A system that automatically decides whether to connect video calls directly between users or through a central server based on the number of people and connection quality.
156 citations
How CDNs Use Client-Side Code to Speed Up Web Downloads
Amazon's patent on using client-side code like JavaScript to dynamically rewrite website links so they point directly to the fastest content delivery server, bypassing traditional DNS routing bottlenecks.
69 citations
How to Keep Data Safe During a Site Failover
A method for keeping data backups synchronized and accessible even when a primary data center goes offline and systems must switch to a backup location.
21 citations
How Banks Attach Extra Transaction Details Using Shortened Web Links
A system for banks to send extra payment details, like invoices or receipts, by embedding a short web link inside standard financial transaction messages.
6 citations
How Apps Compare Local Prices and Ratings for Specific Items
A system that helps users find and order a specific product from nearby stores by ranking them based on price, ratings, and item attributes like calorie count.
20 citations
Square's System for Predicting Orders and Guiding Couriers
This 2018 patent from Square describes a system that predicts which restaurants will get orders and tells delivery drivers where to wait to be ready.
63 citations
How Online Work Platforms Manage New Freelancer Onboarding
A system for online freelance marketplaces to automatically create and manage task-based checklists that guide new workers through hiring and project setup.
6 citations
How Amazon Delivers Content Faster Using Local Servers
Amazon's 2016 patent describes a system for breaking down digital content into smaller pieces and storing them on servers located near users to speed up downloads and reduce network traffic.
75 citations
How Google Automatically Groups Photos and Contextual Data into Moments
A method for automatically grouping photos from front and rear cameras with related data like audio, weather, and location to create a rich, interactive digital memory.
12 citations
How Uber Updates App Features for Specific Groups of Users
A system that automatically changes how an app looks or behaves for some users based on their location or device, while leaving other users' apps unchanged.
2 citations
Adjusting Touchscreen Sensitivity Based on Device Tilt Angle
This patent describes how a computing device can decide if a touch on its screen is intentional or accidental by changing its sensitivity settings based on how much the device is tilted.
5 citations
How Computers Group Files Based on Meaning and Context
A system that organizes digital files and data into related groups by analyzing their meaning, context, and how they relate to one another.
17 citations
How to Shrink Large AI Models Using Knowledge Distillation
A method for teaching small, efficient AI models to mimic the complex decision-making patterns of much larger, more powerful neural networks.
4 citations
How Microsoft Organizes Data in Multi-Tier Storage Systems
A method for organizing computer data into three specific tiers—log, hash, and journal stores—to make writing and reading data faster and more efficient.
4 citations
How Smart Home Devices Automatically Connect to Utility Energy Programs
A system that lets smart home devices like thermostats enroll in energy-saving programs without the user needing to manually provide their utility account number.
7 citations
How AI Learns New Tasks Using Old Data Labels
A method for helping AI models understand new topics by grouping similar labels from different datasets into a shared, broader category.
4 citations
How Apple Watches Use a Rotating Dial to Navigate Menus
A method for using a physical rotating dial on a device to scroll through lists and menus while providing audio feedback for accessibility.
8 citations
How a Single Electronic Component Can Learn and Process AI Data
This patent describes a tiny electronic component called a resistive processing unit (RPU) that acts like a brain cell in an artificial intelligence network, storing and processing information directly within its changing electrical resistance.
11 citations
How Smartphones Suggest Apps Based on Where You Are
Apple's patent for a system that automatically highlights or suggests mobile apps based on your current location or a location you are planning to visit.
16 citations
How Virtual Machines Keep Their Data Separate on Shared Storage
A method for virtual machines to store data in isolated, non-mixed logical storage units to improve security and management efficiency within a shared physical storage pool.
12 citations
How Uber Calculates Ride-Pooling Times to Keep Detours Reasonable
Uber's 2015 patent on matching multiple riders into a single shared vehicle by calculating whether the detour will keep everyone's arrival times within an acceptable limit compared to a private ride.
49 citations
How Facebook Uses Deep Learning to Predict What You Might Like
A method for training AI models to recommend new content by comparing a user's past interactions with unseen items in a social network.
8 citations
How AI Systems Learn to Predict and Act Simultaneously
A method for training AI models that combines supervised learning for prediction with reinforcement learning for decision-making in a single, coordinated system.
4 citations
How Streaming Services Automatically Build Custom Radio Stations
A method for streaming services to create custom music radio stations by analyzing genre percentages and artist relationships to pick the best songs.
3 citations
Managing App Screens Across Multiple Displays Simultaneously
A system for keeping multiple screens or windows in a software application perfectly synced so that they all show the correct information at the same time.
How to Make Artificial Intelligence Explain Its Own Decisions
A system that helps complex machine learning models explain why they made a specific decision by turning their data into simple, readable rules.
37 citations
Securing Data Storage Commands with Passcodes
This patent describes a system for securely executing commands on data storage systems by requiring a generated passcode, which is based on user authentication and specific storage entity attributes.
89 citations
How Spacecraft Calculate Maneuvers to Change Orbits Near Another Satellite
A mathematical method for onboard computers to calculate the precise engine burns needed for one satellite to change its orbital plane while moving relative to another satellite.
1 citation
How Sonos Speakers Use Personalized Wake Words to Recognize Different Users
A system that lets multiple people control a shared speaker by using unique voice-trigger words to link their specific music accounts and preferences.
15 citations
How Automated Systems Generate and Track Consumer Dispute Letters
A software system that helps consumers write, format, and send formal complaint letters to businesses by turning simple questionnaire answers into professional, legally-compliant documents.
3 citations
How Computers Find Similar Text Using Compact Data Structures
This patent describes a method for efficiently identifying similar text records, like documents or product reviews, by using special compact data structures that store text terms probabilistically and then analyzing them with machine learning.
18 citations
How Websites Can Sell Items from Other Sites Without Redirecting Users
A method for a website to display and process purchases for items listed on a completely different website, allowing users to buy products without ever leaving the page they are currently browsing.
2 citations
How AI Uses Question-Guided Attention to Answer Questions About Images
A method for AI to answer questions about images by dynamically focusing on relevant parts of the picture based on the specific question asked.
28 citations
How Software Automatically Checks for Configuration Errors in Complex Systems
A method for keeping large-scale computer systems consistent by automatically checking if new or removed parts break established configuration rules.
How Operating Systems Display Cloud File Status Icons
A system for Windows or other operating systems to show synchronization status icons for files stored in various cloud services like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
4 citations
How to Search Through Long Videos Using a Compressed Visual Timeline
A method for searching large collections of video or image data by condensing them into a single, scrollable visual strip that triggers automated searches as you move a slider.
1 citation
How Square Prepares Digital Tabs for Customers Before They Arrive
A system that lets merchants create a digital customer tab before a guest arrives, using reservation data to pre-load preferences and payment info for a faster checkout.
3 citations
How AI Learns to Control Game Characters Based on Their Surroundings
A system that allows digital characters to automatically perform actions by matching their current environment to previously learned experiences stored in a database.
26 citations
How Voice Assistants Change Their Speech Based on How You Talk
This patent describes a system where a voice-controlled device adjusts its text-to-speech output characteristics, like speed or tone, based on the user's speaking habits or current situation, making responses feel more natural and personalized.
26 citations
How Banks Dynamically Adjust Security Questions Based on Your Behavior
A system that automatically changes the difficulty and number of security questions you face when opening a bank account based on your device data and risk level.
13 citations
How Computers Use Memory Networks to Answer Questions
A method for AI to search through large amounts of stored information by repeatedly 'hopping' through memory to find the most relevant facts for answering a question.
1 citation
How Messaging Apps Quickly Share Photos and Camera Previews
Apple's patent describes a way to quickly open a camera or photo gallery directly inside a messaging app so you can attach media without leaving your conversation.
Training AI Models Across Different Computers
This 2026 patent describes a way to train AI models on one computer, send a version to another computer for further training with private data, and then update the original model with the improvements.
How Wearable Tech Uses 3D Sound to Guide Visually Impaired People
A system that builds a 3D map of the world and uses spatial audio to act as a virtual guide, helping visually impaired users navigate around obstacles.
How AI Systems Adjust Their Behavior Based on User Mood
A system that monitors human-AI interactions to build personality profiles and automatically adjust AI responses to improve communication quality.
How a Local Server Decides to Save or Degrade Digital Content
A system that checks if incoming digital files are authentic, fake, or unknown, and then either saves them, rejects them, or lowers their quality accordingly.
5 citations
Teaching Computers to Understand Document Similarity Using AI
This patent describes a way to train a computer program (a neural network) to understand how similar documents are to each other, by showing it examples and teaching it to group similar ones together and separate dissimilar ones.
53 citations
How Mobile Devices Use Tags to Close Restaurant Checks
A system for restaurant servers to open and close customer tabs by tapping a mobile device against a physical tag at a table.
1 citation
How Digital Audio Compression Saves Space by Copying Frequencies
A method for shrinking audio files by only saving the lower-pitched sounds and using clever math to reconstruct the higher-pitched sounds from them.
How eBay Uses AI to Identify Brands in Search Queries
A system that uses deep learning to recognize brand names in search queries and automatically improve search results by adding relevant product terms.
2 citations
How Smart Speakers Know You're Talking to Them After a Command
This patent describes how a smart speaker system can tell if follow-up speech is meant for it, even without a "wake word," by analyzing voice activity and partial speech recognition results using an AI model.
64 citations
How to Interact with Background Apps While Using Another App
A method for controlling background applications directly through a visual window inside the app you are currently using.
How Apple's Interface Switches Between Music Playlists and Menus
A method for navigating through a stack of music playlists on a touchscreen or dial, which automatically shifts to a menu view when you reach the end of the list.
How Digital Assistants Control Apps and Ask for More Information
This patent describes how a digital assistant on a device can understand what a user wants from a natural language command, find the right app, get a step-by-step guide from another device, and then ask the user for more details on the screen to complete the task with that app.
48 citations
How Medical Monitors Adapt Oxygen Alarms to Reduce False Alerts
This patent describes an adaptive alarm system for medical patient monitors that dynamically adjusts oxygen saturation thresholds based on recent patient data, aiming to reduce unnecessary alerts.
251 citations
Central Bank Digital Currency for Phones and Watches
This patent describes a system for using a central bank-issued digital currency on mobile devices, generating a special 3D code for payments that can be scanned or read via near field communication.
35 citations
How Online Systems Verify Your Identity Using External Data
A system for verifying user identity and payment details in an online environment by pulling data from external sources and generating virtual payment tokens.
1 citation
How Computers Find Your Pupil Even With Glare
This patent describes a computer method to accurately find the outline of a person's eye pupil by using radial search lines and handling bright reflections differently from clear areas.
1 citation
How Samsung Uses Two AI Models to Improve Sentence Generation
A method for training an AI to write better sentences by using a second model that reads or generates text in a different order to grade the first model's work.
1 citation
How AI Models Understand Language Using 'Attention'
This patent describes a neural network architecture, known as a Transformer, that uses a "self-attention" mechanism to process sequences of information, like words in a sentence, by weighing the importance of different parts of the input.
45 citations
How to Automatically Tune Machine Learning Settings Using Smart Math
A system that uses advanced statistical modeling to automatically find the best settings for complex machine learning models, saving engineers from manual trial and error.
How Cloud Systems Automatically Create and Train AI Data Models
A cloud-based system that generates fake, privacy-safe data to train AI models, ensuring they remain accurate while protecting sensitive personal information.
4 citations
How to Automatically Detect and Fix Changes in AI Model Data
This patent describes a system that automatically notices when the real-world data an AI model sees changes, causing its predictions to become less accurate, and then fixes the model.
32 citations
Training Robot AI Models Faster Using Smart Simulations
This patent describes a cloud service that helps train artificial intelligence models for robots by running simulations, even suggesting improvements to the AI's learning rules before starting.
How Computers Train AI Models Using Separate Virtual Simulations
This patent describes a system where one virtual computer runs simulations of a system, like a robot, and another virtual computer uses the simulation data to teach an AI model how to make better decisions.
13 citations
How to Design High-Quality Gene Editing Tools for a Whole Genome
This patent describes a computer system and method for creating a comprehensive library of gene-editing guides (sgRNAs) by carefully designing and filtering them to be accurate and avoid unintended genetic changes.
1 citation
How to Force AI to Follow Logical Rules During Training
A system that uses a dual-headed neural network to ensure AI models obey specific logical rules by embedding those rules directly into the training process.
2 citations
AI System for Diagnosing Machines and Managing Data in Factories
This patent describes a system that uses artificial intelligence to detect problems in industrial machines while smartly adjusting how much data it collects and sends to avoid overwhelming the network.
3 citations
AI System That Learns Normal Email Use to Spot and Stop Cyber Threats
This 2023 patent describes an AI system that learns how your company normally uses email and then automatically takes action to stop cyber threats that behave unusually.
3 citations
Nvidia's Method for Training Self-Driving Car AI in Simulations
Nvidia's 2022 patent describes how to train AI for self-driving cars by using simulated environments and virtual sensors, then matching the simulated data format to real-world sensor data for AI processing.
17 citations
How Devices Pair Automatically by Scanning Patterns with a Camera
A method for pairing two electronic devices by having one device use its camera to scan a visual pattern displayed on the other device's screen.
How to Rent Out Space on Satellites for Different Customers
A system for managing a fleet of satellites so multiple customers can share the same hardware to run their own specific space-based tasks.
Electric or Natural Gas Blending and Pumping for Oil Wells
This patent describes a compact, modular system for mixing and pumping fluids used in oil and gas wells, powered by electricity or natural gas, using gravity to feed materials into a main blender.
34 citations
How AI Connects Different Databases Using Knowledge Graphs
This patent describes a server-based method that uses artificial intelligence and two learning models to automatically find and integrate connections between data fields and data values across multiple databases that have different structures.
2 citations
2020s
How Web Browsers Create Fluid Animations Without Reloading Pages
A method for web browsers to render smooth, real-time animations by using a downloaded engine that calculates transitions on the fly instead of refreshing the entire page.
How AI Helps Pilots Talk to Flight Management Systems
A system that uses artificial intelligence to understand pilot requests and automatically trigger the right flight data or software services.
How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving
Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions.
72 citations
How Projection Neural Networks Speed Up AI Predictions
A method for making artificial intelligence models faster and more efficient by using fixed, non-trainable projections to simplify complex data before processing.
1 citation
How AI Cleans Up Irrelevant Topics in Recorded Phone Calls
A system that automatically identifies and removes 'noisy' or irrelevant topics from call center transcripts by analyzing how consistently and broadly those words appear.
1 citation
How Assistant Systems Combine Information About One Thing from Many Places
This patent describes a system that gathers all known information about a single person, place, or thing from various sources and combines it into one complete profile for an assistant system.
How Apple Devices Securely Display Digital Passes and Tickets
A system for securely displaying digital tickets or account codes on a screen only after verifying the user's identity, and automatically hiding them once used or if time runs out.
How Computers Use Neural Networks to Read Messy Handwriting
A system that uses artificial intelligence to identify text in images by combining dictionary lookups with neural networks that analyze visual traits like handwriting style or blur.
How Smartphones Let You Rearrange and Organize Your Home Screen Icons
Apple's patent describes the specific software logic used to let users drag, drop, and rearrange app icons on a touchscreen by entering a special 'jiggle' mode.
How Devices Detect Touch Using Heat Signatures
This patent describes a system that uses a thermal camera to detect when two objects, like a finger and a screen, touch by looking for a specific temperature change at their contact point.
1 citation
Using Transcendental Math to Generate Better Random Numbers
A method for creating high-quality random numbers by using complex transcendental math equations to process raw data.
How Devices Train Shared AI Models While Keeping Your Data Private
This patent describes a method for training a machine learning model across many devices, where each device keeps some parts of the model and its data private, only sharing updates for the common, global parts of the model.
How Apple's Emoji Search Interface Automatically Adjusts and Filters Results
A method for managing a dynamic emoji search interface that swaps keyboards and filters emoji variations based on specific user criteria.
Training AI Models Together with Unlabeled Data Using a Teacher
This patent describes a way for multiple AI systems to learn together from data that hasn't been manually labeled, using a 'teacher' AI to create temporary labels for a 'student' AI.
37 citations
How a Chip Uses Memory to Speed Up AI Calculations
This patent describes a specialized computer chip that uses non-volatile memory and analog signals to quickly perform calculations for artificial intelligence, especially for neural networks that need to remember past information.
Making Neural Networks Faster by Skipping Unnecessary Calculations
A method to speed up AI training by keeping data sparse, meaning it ignores zeros to save memory and processing power during both forward and backward passes.
1 citation
How Smartphones Automatically Adjust Camera Settings in Low Light
A system that automatically shows or hides camera exposure controls based on whether the device detects low-light conditions.
4 citations
How Apps Use Timed Content to Enforce Health Behavior Changes
A system for health apps that locks users out of missed daily lessons and forces them to move forward to the next scheduled module instead of catching up.
1 citation
Tracking Shoppers and Store Items for Better Recommendations
This patent describes a system that tracks the location of physical customers, virtual customers, and store items using beacons to generate a combined visual report and recommend actions for merchants.
How Snap's AR Tech Measures Distance for Virtual Button Presses
A method for mobile devices to calculate exactly when a user's finger or controller touches a virtual object in augmented reality by measuring precise distances from the camera.
2 citations
Automated AI for Adapting to New Data Without Retraining
This patent describes an automated system that builds artificial intelligence models capable of adapting to new, different data without needing full retraining, by learning to ignore irrelevant changes.
46 citations
How Computers Use Brain Maps to Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease
A method for classifying stages of Alzheimer's disease by turning brain scan data into mathematical graphs and using machine learning to identify patterns.
How Multiple AI Models Detect Unusual Behavior on Computer Networks
This patent describes a computer system that uses several artificial intelligence models working together to spot unusual and potentially dangerous activity from users or devices on a computer network.
How Digital Wallets Pull Data From Multiple Sources for Payments
A system that lets a digital wallet gather and combine account information from different companies to help a user complete a payment transaction.
How Folders With Multiple Pages Work on Touchscreens
Apple's patent describes how to organize apps into multi-page folders and move icons between those pages by dragging them to specific screen edges.
3 citations
How Computers Rank Financial News for Analysts
This patent describes a computer system that automatically collects financial news, groups similar stories, and ranks them for financial analysts using advanced text analysis and machine learning.
How Software Automatically Filters Employee Survey Results Based on Management Roles
A system that automatically restricts who can see specific employee survey results by mapping organizational reporting lines through a digital object graph.
Adapting AI Models to Fit Device Resources
This patent describes how a computer system can automatically shrink a large artificial intelligence model, specifically a "transformer" type, to fit the available computing power of a phone or other device.
6 citations
How AI Learns to Fix IT Problems by Asking for Feedback
This patent describes an AI system that continuously learns to identify and prevent IT issues by building a map of cause-and-effect relationships, getting human feedback, and automatically updating its understanding.
How Smartphones Manage Multiple Notifications on a Locked Screen
A patent describing how a locked smartphone displays multiple notifications from different apps and allows users to interact with them individually without unlocking the phone.
1 citation
AI for Spotting Dam Problems in Inspection Reports
This patent describes an AI method using a "dual attention mechanism" to automatically find and organize information about dam emergencies from inspection reports, improving accuracy and reducing manual effort.
1 citation
How Computers Automatically Spot Disaster Damage Using Different Types of Images
A method for comparing two different types of images—like satellite photos and drone footage—to automatically identify areas damaged by natural disasters.
Industrial Equipment Data Organized into Smart Knowledge Graphs
Honeywell's patent describes a system that collects data from industrial equipment, makes sense of it using rules, and organizes it into a smart graph for better control and actions.
1 citation
How to Map Physical Locations to Human-Friendly Web Addresses
A system that assigns easy-to-read web domain names to specific geographic areas on a map, making it easier to search, own, and trade location-based digital data.
Matching People to Opportunities Using Personality and Body Data
This patent describes a system that infers your personality from your answers and body signals, then matches you with suitable learning or job opportunities.
1 citation
How Apps Can Help You Tweak Your Custom Makeup Colors
A system that uses smartphone camera calibration and color-mapping software to let users adjust the formula of their custom cosmetic products.
Training AI on Private Data Without Seeing It
This patent describes a way to train artificial intelligence models using private data stored on many separate computers, by generating fake data that mimics the real data's patterns, so the private data itself never leaves its original location.
How to Train AI Models with Fake Data Using Generative Networks
This patent describes a method for training artificial intelligence models using specially generated fake, or 'synthetic,' data created by a generative adversarial network, ensuring the synthetic data is high-quality and safe for training.
How to Monitor Secure Government Computer Networks Automatically
A system that automatically collects, organizes, and displays security data from highly secure government networks to help administrators spot potential threats or performance issues.
How Music Apps Learn What You Don't Want in Playlists
This patent describes how a music streaming service learns what kinds of songs or artists a user dislikes for their playlists by tracking what they repeatedly ignore, then uses that information to avoid recommending similar things in the future.
How One Phone Can Remotely Control Another When Nearby
A system where one smartphone automatically connects to and controls another nearby phone, acting as a remote screen and input device when the second phone is not being used.
How to Safely Shut Down Microservices Without Breaking Apps
A method for shutting down parts of a software system one by one by mapping active requests to specific services, ensuring no tasks are interrupted during updates.
How AI Checks Documents for Policy Rules and Compliance
This patent describes a system where an AI model helps evaluate parts of a document against specific rules or policies given in plain language, then identifies problems or suggests fixes to ensure compliance.
How AI Explains Cyberattacks for Security Training
This patent describes a cybersecurity training tool that uses a large language model to explain why machine learning identified a cyber threat, based on both fake and real attacks, for security teams and regular users.
13 citations
How an AI System Answers Financial Questions Using Specialized Bots
This patent describes an AI system where a large language model (LLM) directs specialized machine learning agents to answer natural language questions about financial data, then refines the answers using an adversarial AI.
Using Non-AI Systems to Improve AI Text Generation
This patent describes a method where a traditional, rule-based computer system helps a Large Language Model (LLM) generate more accurate and reliable text by providing it with better context and fact-checking.
Making AI Smarter by Focusing on Unsure 'Nodes'
This 2025 patent from D5AI LLC describes a way to train AI models more effectively by boosting the learning signal for 'nodes' that aren't making clear decisions on data.
1 citation
How to Update AI on Small Devices with Slow Internet
This patent describes a method for efficiently updating artificial intelligence models on small, internet-connected devices, like smart cameras, by sending only the changes, or 'patches,' instead of the entire updated model, which saves bandwidth.
AI System for Analyzing Medical Images Using Magnification-Aligned Transformers
This 2025 patent describes an AI system that analyzes medical images, like those from pathology slides, by using a special 'Transformer' model that understands how image details change with magnification.