Optimizing a user interface for a computing device

• US 10,235,006 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Christopher J., Diluoffo, Vincenzo V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Kevin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stitt, Erik V
• Application Number:
  US14/520,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20150040046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In general, embodiments of the invention provide an approach to organize a user interface, such as a computer desktop, based on the role or activity of the current user. Specifically, a display area configuration of a user device is defined by selecting resources from a plurality of available resources to include in a display area configuration, building a profile from the selected resources to preserve the display area configuration, and saving the profile. The display area is then built on a user device when the profile is selected from the user device.

Claims

1. A method for defining display area configurations of a user device, comprising:

assigning a user a plurality of roles, wherein the user is able to access only one of the plurality of roles at a time;

providing a user interface, on a user device, listing a plurality of resources grouped into categories, wherein one of the categories includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receiving, from the user, a selection of the category that includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receiving, from the user, a selection of a first set of resources from the resources which are currently open on the user device, to include in a display area configuration;

tracking files accessed by the user in a first role of the assigned plurality of roles;

assigning a weighted value to a resource, of the first set of resources, that is accessed directly by the user;

if the resource that is accessed directly is a file in a folder, assigning to other files in the folder a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

if the resource that is accessed directly is an application in a suite of applications, assigning to other items in the suite of applications a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

building a first profile from the first set of resources;

saving the first profile;

building the display area, in accordance with the display area configuration, on a user device when the first profile is selected using the user device;

optimizing the display area based on weighted values of resources, wherein the optimizing comprises;

graying out on, or removing from, the display area any resources having a minimum threshold value; and

adding, to the display area, any resources reaching a weighted value threshold;

flagging a resource not currently included in the display area configuration;

logging a number of times the user accesses the flagged resource;

adding the flagged resource to the display area when the number of user accesses reaches a predefined threshold;

detecting a click of a control key and a function key of a keyboard; and

switching, from the first profile, to a second profile in response to the detection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display area is a computer desktop.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging a period of time the user does not access a particular resource currently included in the display area configuration; and

removing the particular resource in the display area configuration when the period of time reaches a predefined threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user can only be associated with one role at a time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a service solution provider provides a computer infrastructure that performs the method for one or more consumers.

6. A system for defining a display area configuration of a user device, comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus; and

a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to;

assign a user a plurality of roles, wherein the user is able to access only one of the plurality of roles at a time;

provide a user interface, on a user device, listing a plurality of resources grouped into categories, wherein one of the categories includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receive, from the user, a selection of the category that includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receive, from the user, a selection of a first set of resources from the resources which are currently open on the user device, to include in a display area configuration;

track files accessed by the user in a first role of the assigned plurality of roles;

assign a weighted value to a resource, of the first set of resources, that is accessed directly by the user;

if the resource that is accessed directly is a file in a folder, assign to other files in the folder a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

if the resource that is accessed directly is an application in a suite of applications, assign to other items in the suite of applications a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

build a first profile from the first set of resources;

saving the first profile;

build the display area, in accordance with the display area configuration, on a user device when the first profile is selected using the user device;

optimize the display area based on weighted values of resources, wherein the optimizing comprises;

graying out on, or removing from, the display area any resources having a minimum threshold value; and

adding, to the display area, any resources reaching a weighted value threshold;

flag a resource not currently included in the display area configuration;

log a number of times the user accesses the flagged resource;

add the flagged resource to the display area when the number of user accesses reaches a predefined threshold;

detect a click of a control key and a function key of a keyboard; and

switch, from the first profile, to a second profile in response to the detection.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the display area is a computer desktop.

8. The system of claim 6, the memory medium further comprising instructions to:

log a period of time the user does not access a particular resource currently included in the display area configuration; and

remove the particular resource in the display area configuration when the period of time reaches a predefined threshold.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the user can only be associated with one role at a time.

10. A computer program product for defining a display area configuration of a user device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium, to:

assign a user a plurality of roles, wherein the user is able to access only one of the plurality of roles at a time;

provide a user interface, on a user device, listing a plurality of resources grouped into categories, wherein one of the categories includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receive, from the user, a selection of the category that includes resources which are currently open on the user device;

receive, from the user, a selection of a first set of resources from the resources which are currently open on the user device, to include in a display area configuration;

track files accessed by the user in a first role of the assigned plurality of roles;

assign a weighted value to a resource, of the first set of resources, that is accessed directly by the user;

if the resource that is accessed directly is a file in a folder, assign to other files in the folder a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

if the resource that is accessed directly is an application in a suite of applications, assign to other items in the suite of applications a lower weighted value relative to the weighted value for the resource that is accessed directly;

build a first profile from the first set of resources;

save the first profile;

build the display area, in accordance with the display area configuration, on a user device when the first profile is selected using the user device;

optimize the display area based on weighted values of resources, wherein the optimizing comprises;

graying out on, or removing from, the display area any resources having a minimum threshold value; and

adding, to the display area, any resources reaching a weighted value threshold;

flag a resource not currently included in the display area configuration;

log a number of times the user accesses the flagged resource;

add the flagged resource to the display area when the number of user accesses reaches a predefined threshold;

detect a click of a control key and a function key of a keyboard; and

switch, from the first profile, to a second profile in response to the detection.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the display area is a computer desktop.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable hardware storage device to:

logging a period of time the user does not access a particular resource currently included in the display area configuration.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising program instructions stored on the computer readable hardware storage device to:

remove the particular resource in the display area configuration when the period of time reaches a predefined threshold.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the user can only be associated with one role at a time.