Innovation Timeline
Telecommunications
Cellular networks, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, SSL/TLS — the IP stack underlying every connected device, from Bell Labs to 5G.
Landmark patents
253
Total citations
28,139
Span
1840 – 2025
Milestones
51
1890s
How Almon Strowger Invented the Automatic Telephone Switch
An 1891 patent for an automatic telephone exchange that allowed callers to connect to each other without needing a human operator.
70 citations
How Marconi Patented Early Wireless Telegraphy Signals
Guglielmo Marconi's 1897 patent for sending electrical signals through the air to enable early wireless communication.
4 citations
Nikola Tesla's Remote Control System for Boats
Nikola Tesla's 1898 patent for controlling a boat's movement and steering from a distance using radio waves and electrical signals.
15 citations
1940s
Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil's Frequency Hopping Secret Communication System
A 1942 patent for a radio-controlled torpedo guidance system that used synchronized player piano rolls to hop between frequencies, preventing enemies from jamming the signal.
82 citations
How the Geiger Counter Detects Invisible Radiation
A 1947 patent for a radiation detection device that uses a gas-filled tube to identify and count high-energy particles.
6 citations
The Invention of the Transistor
Bell Labs' 1950 patent for the point-contact transistor, the fundamental electronic component that makes all modern computing possible.
130 citations
The Invention of the Junction Transistor
William Shockley's 1951 patent for the junction transistor, the fundamental building block of all modern digital electronics.
145 citations
How Wang An Invented the Magnetic Pulse Memory Core
A 1949 invention by An Wang that used magnetic cores to store and transfer binary data, forming the backbone of early computer memory.
74 citations
1950s
How Ampex Invented Modern Video Recording on Magnetic Tape
This 1955 invention enabled the recording of high-frequency television signals onto magnetic tape, replacing the expensive and low-quality film recording methods of the era.
11 citations
How the First Laser Was Invented
The foundational 1960 patent by Schawlow and Townes that describes how to amplify light waves to create a laser, moving beyond microwave technology.
145 citations
1960s
How the First Infrared LED Was Invented
Texas Instruments' 1962 patent for the first practical semiconductor diode that emits infrared light when electricity passes through it.
54 citations
How James Russell Invented the Digital Optical Disc
A 1966 invention that replaced physical needles on vinyl records with a laser beam reading digital data from a spinning disc.
52 citations
1970s
How Corning Invented Modern Fiber Optic Cables
A 1970 method for creating glass fibers that carry light over long distances by layering glass inside a tube and drawing it into a thin, solid strand.
86 citations
How Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags Were Invented
A 1970 patent describing a remote tag that powers itself using incoming radio signals to read and write data, forming the foundation of modern RFID technology.
185 citations
How Passive Satellite Navigation Works Without Sending Signals
A 1970s system for finding your location on Earth by listening to satellite signals without ever having to transmit a signal yourself.
31 citations
How Early Television Systems Isolated Specific Colors for Special Effects
A 1971 circuit design that allowed television equipment to detect a specific color in a video signal, enabling the green-screen effects we see in modern weather forecasts and movies.
17 citations
How to Calculate Distance to a Radio Signal Using Two Antennas
A 1970s Navy system that calculates the distance to a radio-emitting target by measuring the tiny time and phase differences between signals arriving at two separate antennas.
16 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 Organic Diodes Make Light Using Special Molecules
Eastman Kodak's 1982 patent on creating light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using organic materials, specifically a layer of porphyrinic compounds to help inject electrical charges.
1,031 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 Self-Healing Data Loops Automatically Elect a New Master Controller
A communication system where multiple nodes in a loop can automatically take over as the master controller if the current one fails, ensuring the network stays synchronized.
83 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 Modems Use Guard Time to Switch Between Data and Commands
This patent describes a method for modems to safely switch from sending data to accepting commands without accidentally triggering that switch while transmitting normal files.
42 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
1990s
How Digital Media Purchases and Downloads Work
A 1990 patent describing the basic process of paying for digital audio or video content over a phone line and downloading it to a personal device.
260 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 IBM's Storage Controllers Keep Data Backups in the Right Order
A method for storage controllers to track and sequence data updates in a specific order, ensuring that remote backups remain consistent with the original data during a system failure.
145 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 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 Phones Automatically Find and Update Network Lists Using CDPD
A 1995 system for helping mobile phones automatically update their preferred network lists and find the best service provider using a data-only channel.
179 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
Tiny Capsules for Electronic Paper Displays
MIT's 1999 patent on a special ink made of tiny capsules that can change color when an electric field is applied, forming the basis for early e-readers.
508 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 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 Early Video Games Synchronized Gameplay Over Modems
A 1998 patent describing a method to keep two remote video games in sync by exchanging command signals and timing codes over a modem connection.
16 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 GPS Receivers See Weak Signals by Combining Data
A method for improving GPS sensitivity by mathematically combining multiple, weak signal samples to extract navigation data that would otherwise be lost in noise.
76 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 Cable Modems Fix Signal Distortions Before Sending Data
A method for cable modems to pre-filter data so it arrives clearly at the central office, preventing signal errors caused by the messy physical wires between them.
188 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 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
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
2000s
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 Silicon Microphones Use Layers to Shrink Sound Sensors
A design for a tiny, silicon-based microphone that stacks a sound-sensing chip and an electronic processor chip together with an intermediate layer to save space.
4 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 Send Cable Internet Signals Over Wireless Links
A system that lets cable companies extend their internet service to remote homes using wireless radio signals instead of digging new underground cables.
2 citations
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 Wireless Routers Manage Traffic Between Old and New Devices
A method for wireless access points to prevent older, slower Wi-Fi devices from clogging the network connection for newer, faster devices.
1 citation
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 Caterpillar Compresses Heavy Machinery Data Using Neural Networks
A method for shrinking massive amounts of sensor data from construction equipment into small, efficient packets for cheaper wireless transmission by using neural network training.
Using Heat to Move Tiny Mirrors for Controlling Light Beams
A system that uses tiny, heat-powered mechanical arms to move mirrors into the path of light beams, effectively acting as a switch for fiber optic networks.
1 citation
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 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
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
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.
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 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
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 Touchscreens Save Battery by Sleeping Between Touches
A power-saving method for touchscreens that puts the main processor to sleep when not in use and wakes it up only when a touch is detected.
21 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 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
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.
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 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 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 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 Nanoparticles Form Adaptive Neural Network Connections
This patent describes how to build and strengthen a physical neural network using tiny nanoparticles suspended in a liquid, where electric fields make the connections learn and adapt.
12 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 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 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 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 to Measure Stability in Complex Power Grids Using D-Q Impedance
A method for testing how electrical components in a power grid react to disturbances to ensure the grid remains stable and doesn't crash.
7 citations
How Remote Devices Prove They Have Not Been Tampered With
A system for a remote device to prove to a central server that its internal security processes are running correctly without exposing sensitive raw data.
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
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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 Smartphones Calibrate Their Radio Power Across Different Temperatures
A method for testing and calibrating a phone's wireless radio performance in a temperature-controlled chamber to ensure it stays accurate as the device heats up or cools down.
47 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 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 to Split Computer Tasks Between Different Types of Processors
A system that uses a physical backplane to connect two different types of computer processors—one for general tasks and one for real-time tasks—to improve efficiency.
11 citations
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 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 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 a Single Card Can Pay for Transit Using Loyalty Points
A system that lets one payment card handle both retail shopping and transit fares, automatically converting loyalty points between different geographic regions to cover travel costs.
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 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 TV Receivers Remind You to Return from Commercial Breaks
A system for television receivers that detects when you change channels during a commercial break and automatically prompts you to return to your original show before the ads end.
7 citations
How Wearable Devices Act as Secure Bridges for Transactions
A system where a wearable device acts as a secure middleman between your phone and a payment terminal or electronic lock to verify your identity and complete transactions.
2 citations
How Nielsen Tracks What You Listen to in Your Car
A system for recording audio in a car and transferring that data to a portable device, like a key fob, which then uploads the information to a central server.
1 citation
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 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 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 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 Visa Processes Targeted Discounts on Specific Items During Checkout
A system for payment networks to automatically apply discounts to specific categories of items within a single transaction while correctly calculating taxes.
1 citation
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
Managing External Network Hardware as if It Were Inside the Switch
A method for managing external network service hardware by treating it as part of the main switch's internal system using a virtual connection.
1 citation
How Satellites Use Thrusters to Balance Solar Panels
A design for a satellite that uses strategically placed thrusters to counteract the physical twisting force caused by sunlight hitting its solar panels.
1 citation
How to Make AI Run Faster on Smaller Computer Chips
A method to shrink complex AI models by converting their high-precision math into simpler, faster formats that run efficiently on mobile devices.
17 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 Manages Data Connections for Self-Driving Car Fleets
A system that splits network traffic for autonomous vehicles by sending heavy data over cheap channels while reserving a highly reliable channel specifically for delivery confirmations.
36 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
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 Amazon Tracks Warehouse Workers' Hands Using Radio Waves
A system that uses radio frequency signals to track the exact 3D position of a warehouse worker's hand to ensure they pick or place items in the correct bins.
7 citations
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 to Launch Spacecraft Using Giant Cannons Instead of Rockets
A method for launching space vehicles into orbit using high-speed impulsive forces like cannons, precisely timed to rendezvous with existing satellites.
2 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 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 Wireless Earbuds Detect Hand Gestures Using Invisible Light or Sound
A system for wireless earbuds that uses pulses of infrared light or ultrasound to detect hand movements near the ear, allowing users to control devices without touching them.
1 citation
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 Sony's Smart Glasses Share Content During Voice Calls
A patent for wearable smart glasses that let you see digital information overlaid on the real world and share that content with someone else during a phone call.
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 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
How to Fix Faulty Memory Cells in AI Chips
This patent describes a system that tests individual memory cells in AI chips for uneven behavior and then permanently disables the faulty ones before the chip starts learning, making AI training more efficient.
3 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 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 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 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 Smart Light Networks Coordinate Without a Central Controller
A system where individual smart lights talk to each other to make lighting decisions based on sensors, rather than relying on a single master computer.
Using Cordless Phones to Send Voice Commands to Smart Home Devices
A method for letting a cordless phone handset send voice commands to smart home appliances over the same signal path used for regular phone calls.
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 to Trick Your Phone Into Muting Its Own Microphone
A hardware device that plugs into a phone's microphone jack to fool the system into thinking an external mic is attached, effectively silencing the internal microphone.
2 citations
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 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 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
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.
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
How Mobile Devices Automatically Manage Data Retransmission Errors
A method for mobile devices to efficiently track and fix data transmission errors by mathematically assigning ID tags to recurring data packets.
How to Stop Transistors from Wearing Out in Radio Frequency Chips
A method for extending the lifespan of silicon-on-insulator transistors by using a special sink to drain away charge that causes gate oxide breakdown.
2020s
How Space Taxis and Locomotives Move Satellites Between Orbits
A modular system using a small 'rendezvous' vehicle to collect satellites and a larger 'locomotive' vehicle to haul them to their final destination in space.
2 citations
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 Autonomous Air Taxis Use Hand Gestures and 3D Mapping
A system for operating air taxis that uses hand gestures for control and crowd-sourced 3D mapping to navigate urban environments.
1 citation
How 5G Networks Coordinate AI Models Across Different Devices
A method for 5G networks to translate AI requirements into network performance settings so that AI models can run efficiently across cloud, edge, and local devices.
17 citations
How Spacecraft Servicing Pods Maneuver and Refuel Other Satellites
A specialized robotic pod designed to dock with aging satellites and use a flexible, multi-jointed boom arm to adjust their orbit or velocity.
2 citations
How to Make Reusable Plastic SIM Card Holders
A design for a plastic card that allows users to pop out and snap back in different sizes of SIM cards without them falling out.
How AI Predicts Who Will Speak Next in a Conversation
IBM's patent describes a system that uses neural networks to analyze speech patterns and intentions to predict which person will talk next in a conversation.
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 Satellite Swarms Keep Their Solar Panels and Antennas Pointed Correctly
A system for managing large satellite arrays in orbit that balances the need to point solar panels at the sun and antennas at the Earth while keeping the structure stable.
1 citation
How to Embed Tiny Optical Components Directly into Circuit Boards
A design for embedding light-emitting components and light-guiding paths directly into the layers of a circuit board to make devices smaller and more efficient.
Removing Radio Interference from Portable MRI Scans
A method to clean up MRI images by using external sensors to detect and subtract outside radio interference, allowing portable scanners to work outside shielded rooms.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 Vehicle Radar Systems Correct Phase Errors for Better Object Detection
A radar system for cars that switches between two modes with different pulse speeds to fix phase errors, helping the vehicle more accurately track the direction and speed of objects.
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 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 TSMC Makes Advanced Silicon-Based Light Sensors
A manufacturing process for high-performance light sensors that use alternating doped regions within a silicon-on-insulator structure to improve detection efficiency.
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 Wireless Radios Automatically Adjust to Avoid Signal Overload
A method for wireless devices to automatically rearrange their internal signal-processing components when incoming radio signals are too strong and threaten to overwhelm the hardware.
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 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.
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 Medium Voltage Power Switches Safely Direct Electricity
A mechanical system for medium voltage power grids that uses a rotating contact and a series of levers to safely switch electricity between lines and ground.
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 Satellites Sync Timing for Faster 5G Internet Connections
A method for terminal devices to calculate precise timing offsets when connecting to 5G satellite networks, reducing the need for constant data updates from base stations.
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 Oil Wells Send Acoustic Signals Using Mechanical Hammers
A device that uses pressure differences to slam a piston against a metal surface, creating a specific sound vibration that acts as a signal for deep-well operations.
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 to Save Memory Power by Grouping Error-Correction Data
A method for memory controllers to reduce power consumption by fetching multiple sets of error-checking data in a single memory row access instead of one-by-one.
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.
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.