System and method for personalized fast navigation

• US 10,162,477 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noel J. Guillama, Quantum Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Noel J. Guillama, Quantum Group Inc.
• Inventors: Guillama, Noel J., Heath, Chester, Guillama, Jahziel, Sanchez, Pedro Alejandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Application Number:
  US14/313,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A system for personalized navigation of computer screens. The system can comprise electronic data processors. The system can also include a module configured to execute on the electronic data processors, where the module can be configured to display a plurality of icons retained in a file associated with a particular user on a computer screen. The icons can comprise one or more assigned icons from an assigned icons list and candidate icons from a candidate icons list, where both the assigned and candidate icons are derived from a pool of icons. Also, the module can be configured to assign an icon to a currently displayed screen by utilizing a selection tool and placing the icon in the assigned icons list, where the icon is selected from the candidate icons list. The module can be further configured to return to the assigned screen when the assigned icon is selected.

Claims

1. A computer-based method, the method comprising:

initiating, at a computer system associated with one of a plurality of users, a session for accessing a plurality of computer screens via a display device of the computer system, at least one of the plurality of computer screens being obscured at any one time during the session and at least one of the plurality of computer screens being presented at the display device at the one time during the session to yield a currently presented screen;

during the session and concurrently with the currently presented screen, persistently displaying a plurality of icons on the display device without obscuring a content of the currently presented screen to yield displayed icons, the displayed icons selected from a pool of icons associated with the plurality of users and comprising a grouping of one or more assigned icons and a grouping of one or more candidate icons;

configuring the display device to cause the currently presented screen to be a one of the plurality of computer screens not associated with any of the assigned icons to yield an unassigned computer screen, wherein the computer system prompts the selection of the candidate icons when the unassigned computer screen had been accessed a set threshold number of times, and wherein the prompting occurs by altering a visual display of the candidate icons;

determining during display of the unassigned computer screen, that one of the candidate icons has been selected during the session to yield a selected icon, wherein the selected icon is selected to have a first functionality to a first user in the plurality of users and selected to have a second functionality particular to a second user in the plurality of users; and

in response to determining that one of the candidate icons has been selected during display of the unassigned computer screen, transferring the selected icon from the grouping of candidate icons to the grouping of assigned icons, associating the selected icon with the unassigned computer screen to yield an assigned screen, and configuring the selected icon to cause the assigned screen to be the currently presented screen during the session and any other session associated with the plurality of users in response to selection of the selected icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have functionality for one or more particular users from the plurality of users, and wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have functionality for all of the plurality of users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning for only a limited period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying a functionality for a selected icon, the modifying comprising configuring the selected icon to change in appearance when a change occurs on the assigned screen.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the change in appearance can be configured to have meaning for one or more particular users from the plurality of users.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of one or more assigned icons and the grouping of one or more candidate icons further comprises:

each one of the assigned icons associated with different ones of the plurality of computer screens and configured to cause an associated one of the plurality of computer screens to be the currently presented screen in response to selection of the one of the assigned icons and the one or more candidate icons configured to cause no change at the display device in response to selection of any of the candidate icons.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein altering a visual display of the candidate icons includes at least one of providing a notification on the icon, providing an alert on the icon, providing a warning on the icon, configuring the icon to blink, configuring the icon to change color.

6. A computer-based system for personalized navigation of computer screens, the system comprising:

at least one electronic data processor; and

a memory storing a computer program configured to execute on the at least one electronic data processor, wherein the computer program is configured to cause at least one electronic processor to;

initiate, at a computer system associated with one of a plurality of users, a session for accessing a plurality of computer screens via a display device of the computer system, at least one of the plurality of computer screens being obscured at any one time during the session and at least one of the plurality of computer screens being presented at the display device at the one time during the session to yield a currently presented screen;

during the session and concurrently with the currently presented screen, persistently displaying a plurality of icons on the display device without obscuring a content of the currently presented screen to yield displayed icons, the displayed icons selected from a pool of icons associated with the plurality of users and comprising a grouping of one or more assigned icons and a grouping of one or more candidate icons;

configuring the display device to cause the currently presented screen to be a one of the plurality of computer screens not associated with any of the assigned icons to yield an unassigned computer screen, wherein the computer system prompts the selection of the candidate icons when the unassigned computer screen has been accessed a set threshold number of times, and wherein the prompting occurs by altering a visual display of the candidate icons;

determining during display of the unassigned computer screen, that one of the candidate icons has been selected during the session to yield a selected icon, wherein the selected icon is selected to have a first functionality to a first user in the plurality of users and selected to have a second functionality particular to a second user in the plurality of users; and

in response to determining that one of the candidate icons has been selected during display of the unassigned computer screen, transferring the selected icon from the grouping of candidate icons to the grouping of assigned icons, associating the selected icon with the unassigned computer screen to yield an assigned screen, and configuring the selected icon to cause the assigned screen to be the currently presented screen during the session and any other session associated with the plurality of users in response to selection of the selected icon.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning to one or more particular users from the plurality of users.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning for all of the plurality of users.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning for only a limited period of time.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer program is further configured to cause at least one electronic processor to modify a functionality for a selected icon, the modifying comprising configuring the selected icon to change in appearance when a change occurs on the assigned screen.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the change in appearance can be configured to have meaning for one or more particular users from the plurality of users.

18. The system of claim 6, wherein the grouping of one or more assigned icons and the grouping of one or more candidate icons further comprises:

each one of the assigned icons associated with different ones of the plurality of computer screens and configured to cause an associated one of the plurality of computer screens to be the currently presented screen in response to selection of the one of the assigned icons and the one or more candidate icons configured to cause no change at the display device in response to selection of any of the candidate icons.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer-readable instructions, which, when loaded in and executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:

initiating, at a computer system associated with one of a plurality of users, a session for accessing a plurality of computer screens via a display device of the computer system, at least one of the plurality of computer screens being obscured at any one time during the session and at least one of the plurality of computer screens being presented at the display device at the one time during the session to yield a currently presented screen;

during the session and concurrently with the currently presented screen, persistently displaying a plurality of icons on the display device without obscuring a content of the currently presented screen to yield displayed icons, the displayed icons selected from a pool of icons associated with the plurality of users and comprising a grouping of one or more assigned icons and a grouping of one or more candidate icons;

configuring the display device to cause the currently presented screen to be a one of the plurality of computer screens not associated with any of the assigned icons to yield an unassigned computer screen, wherein the computer system prompts the selection of the candidate icons when the unassigned computer screen has been accessed a set threshold number of times, and wherein the prompting occurs by altering a visual display of the candidate icons;

determining during display of the unassigned computer screen, that one of the candidate icons has been selected during the session to yield a selected icon, wherein the selected icon is selected to have a first functionality to a first user in the plurality of users and selected to have a second functionality particular to a second user in the plurality of users; and

in response to determining that one of the candidate icons has been selected during display of the unassigned computer screen, transferring the selected icon from the grouping of candidate icons to the grouping of assigned icons, associating the selected icon with the unassigned computer screen to yield an assigned screen, and configuring the selected icon to cause the assigned screen to be the currently presented screen during the session and any other session associated with the plurality of users in response to selection of the selected icon.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning to one or more particular users from the plurality of users.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning for all of the plurality of users.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least one icon in the pool of icons is selected to have meaning for only a limited period of time.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising modifying a functionality for a selected icon, the modifying comprising configuring the selected icon to change in appearance when a change occurs on the assigned screen.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the grouping of one or more assigned icons and the grouping of one or more candidate icons further comprises:

each one of the assigned icons associated with different ones of the plurality of computer screens and configured to cause an associated one of the plurality of computer screens to be the currently presented screen in response to selection of the one of the assigned icons and the one or more candidate icons configured to cause no change at the display device in response to selection of any of the candidate icons.