Dynamic graphical index of website content

• US 20020194151A1
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thai, Holly, Mannarino, Michael F., Shmelev, Alex, Manaster, Jacob S., Byer, John Jeffrey, Newby, Rodney C., Schneider, Andrew, Dayley, Marlowe J., Fenton, Nicholas W., Springer, Wendy
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A dynamically updateable graphical index for rapidly scanning through content available on a website. The index comprises user-selectable levels within branches of a hierarchical tree structure representing various categories and sub-categories of content available on the website. All content on the website is associated with meta-data. The categories and sub-categories correspond to this meta-data. As content is added to the website, the content'"'"'s associated meta-data is dynamically incorporated into the index and is searchable within the hierarchical tree structure displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A computer system for generating and dynamically updating a graphical index of a plurality of categories and sub-categories of content, each of the plurality of categories and sub-categories being associated with at least one of a plurality of content items, the computer system comprising:

a storage device;

a display device; and

a processor programmed to;

store a plurality of content items on the storage device;

associate each of the plurality of content items with at least one of a plurality of categories and sub-categories;

generate on the display device a graphical index of representations of each of the plurality of categories and sub-categories, each representation being selectable for displaying on the display device the content items associated with the selected category;

add content items to and delete content items from the storage device after generation of the graphical index;

modify content items stored on the storage device after generation of the graphical index; and

update dynamically the display of associated content items after a content item is added, deleted, or modified.

2. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

sort the plurality of categories and sub-categories into at least one hierarchy; and

display on the display device a graphical index of the at least one hierarchy, the graphical index comprising at least one category, the at least one category being selectable for displaying at least one sub-category;

wherein selecting the at least one category further displays on the display device content items associated with the at least one category and wherein further selecting the at least one sub-category displays on the display device content items associated with both the at least one category and the at least one sub-category.

3. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical index is implemented in Flash.

4. The computer system recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one server network device, the at least one server network device communicating with the processor and being programmed to provide a user interface on the display device;

and

at least one user network device communicatively coupled to the at least one server network device via a network, the at least one user network device being programmed to access the user interface.

5. The computer system recited in claim 4, wherein the display device is connected locally to the at least one user network device.

6. The computer system recited in claim 4, wherein the network comprises the Internet and the user interface comprises a website.

7. The computer system recited in claim 6, wherein the graphical index is displayed within a Web page on the website.

8. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of content items comprise at least one of a media file, a show, a Web page, and an asset pack.

9. The computer system recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of categories and sub-categories correspond to meta-data.

10. The computer system recited in claim 9, wherein each meta-data category comprises information about at least one of the plurality of content items.

11. The computer system recited in claim 10, wherein the information comprises at least one of a name, a title, an artist'"'"'s name, an author'"'"'s name, credits, keywords, a description, a file type, copyright information, and a summary.

13. The process recited in claim 12, further comprising:

sorting the plurality of categories and sub-categories into at least one hierarchy; and

displaying on the display device a graphical index of the at least one hierarchy, the graphical index comprising at least one category, the at least one category being selectable for displaying at least one sub-category;

wherein selecting the at least one category further displays on the display device content items associated with the at least one category and wherein further selecting the at least one sub-category displays on the display device content items associated with both the at least one category and the at least one sub-category.

15. The system recited in claim 14, wherein the second file is larger than the first file.

16. The system recited in claim 14, wherein the second file is smaller than the first file.

17. The system recited in claim 14, wherein the parameters comprise the streaming video bit rate.

19. The process recited in claim 18, wherein setting parameters on the at least one user network device to match the determined bandwidth capacity further comprises setting a streaming video bit rate on the at least one user network device.

12. A process for generating and dynamically updating a graphical index of a plurality of categories and sub-categories of content, each of the plurality of categories and sub-categories being associated with at least one of a plurality of content items, the process comprising:

storing a plurality of content items on a storage device;

associating each of the plurality of content items with at least one of a plurality of categories and sub-categories;

generating on a display device a graphical index of representations of each of the plurality of categories and sub-categories, each representation being selectable for displaying on the display device the content items associated with the selected category;

adding content items to and deleting content items from the storage device after generation of the graphical index;

modifying content items stored on the storage device after generation of the graphical index; and

updating dynamically the display of associated content items for a selected category based on the added, deleted, or modified content items.

14. In a communications network, a system for determining and setting the bandwidth capacity of at least one user network device, the system comprising:

a processor communicating with the user network device via the network and programmed to;

download to the at least one user network device a first file;

determine a download time for the first file;

download to the at least one user network device a second file, the size of the second file being different from the size of the first file;

determine a download time for the second file;

compare the download time of the first file to the download time of the second file;

determine the bandwidth capacity of the at least one user network device from the comparison; and

set parameters on the at least one user network device to match the determined bandwidth capacity.

18. In a communications network comprising a server network device programmed to deliver content to at least one user network device, a process for determining and setting the bandwidth capacity of the at least one user network device, the process comprising:

downloading from the server network device to the at least one user network device a first file;

determining the download time of the first file;

downloading from the server network device to the at least one user network device a second file, the size of the second file being different from the size of the first file;

determining the download time of the second file;

comparing the download time of the first file to the download time of the second file;

determining the bandwidth capacity of the at least one user network device from the comparison; and

setting parameters on the at least one user network device to match the determined bandwidth capacity.

20. A computer system for generating a graphical user interface comprising a graphical advertising unit for display of advertisements to a user, the computer system comprising:

a display device; and

a processor programmed to;

generate a first set of data representing the graphical user interface as a first window on the display device;

generate a second set of data representing the graphical advertising unit as a second window which slides back and forth over a portion of the first window;

provide within the second window at least one advertisement display window, wherein the at least one advertisement display window provides an area for displaying an advertisement; and

display to the user within the at least one advertisement display window at least one advertisement.

21. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the graphical advertising unit is implemented in Flash.

22. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to periodically slide forth the second window over the portion of the first window for a pre-determined interval and then slide back the second window from the portion of the first window.

23. The computer system recited in claim 22, wherein the period is every twenty seconds.

24. The computer system recited in claim 22, wherein the pre-determined interval is five seconds.

25. The computer system recited in claim 20, the wherein the processor is further programmed to display within the at least one advertisement display window a series of advertisements.

26. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to display within the at least one advertisement display window a streaming media advertisement.

27. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide within the second window a visual display of time measurement.

28. The computer system recited in claim 27, wherein the visual display of time measurement is a representation of a counter which counts from a first number to a second number.

29. The computer system recited in claim 28, wherein the counter displays to the user a time remaining before the second window slides back from the portion of the first window.

30. The computer system recited in claim 28, wherein the processor is further programmed to suspend the counter while the user rolls over the second window.

31. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide within the second window at least one user-selectable operator for controllably sliding the second window back and forth over the portion of the first window.

32. The computer system recited in claim 31, wherein the at least one user-selectable operator remains visible within the first window after the second window slides back from the first window.

33. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide within the second window at least one user-selectable operator for selecting an advertisement for display in the at least one advertisement display window.

34. The computer system recited in claim 33, wherein the user-selectable operator is represented by a tab, the tab comprising indicia representative of the advertisement.

35. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one advertisement display window comprises a user-selectable operator selectable for launching a third window, the third window being associated with the at least one advertisement.

36. The computer system recited in claim 35, wherein the third window is a browser window displaying an advertiser'"'"'s website.

37. The computer system recited in claim 35, wherein the third window is a browser window displaying a streaming media advertisement.

38. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to mask the first and second windows with an opaque layer when the third window is launched.

39. The computer system recited in claim 20, wherein the processor is further programmed to suspend all functionality within the first and second windows when the third window is launched.

40. A process for generating a graphical user interface comprising a graphical advertising unit for display of advertisements to a user, the process comprising:

generating on a display device a first set of data representing the graphical user interface as a first window;

generating a second set of data representing the graphical advertising unit as a second window which slides back and forth over a portion of the first window;

providing within the second window at least one advertisement display window, wherein the at least one advertisement display window provides an area for displaying an advertisement; and

displaying to the user within the at least one advertisement display window at least one advertisement.

41. The process recited in claim 40, further comprising periodically sliding forth the second window over the portion of the first window for a pre-determined interval and then sliding back the second window from the portion of the first window.

42. The process recited in claim 40, further comprising providing within the second window at least one user-selectable operator for controllably sliding the second window back and forth over the portion of the first window.

43. A user interface for use with a broadband creativity platform, comprising:

at least one advertisement creating and editing tool, the at least one advertisement creating and editing tool being accessible to a user;

a timeline, the timeline comprising a plurality of media content containers;

a plurality of media content segments, the plurality of media content segments being accessible to a user for incorporation into the timeline so as to create a personalized advertisement;

a storage area for storing the personalized advertisement; and

a display area for displaying the personalized advertisement in a user-perceptible form;

wherein a first user personalizes, stores and displays the personalized advertisement and a second user is enabled to play the personalized advertisement in a user-perceptible form.

44. The user interface recited in claim 43, further comprising:

at least one server network device, the at least one server network device being programmed to provide the user interface; and

at least one user network device communicatively coupled to the server network device via a network, the at least one user network device being programmed to access the user interface.

45. The user interface recited in claim 44, wherein the network comprises the Internet and the user interface comprises a website.

46. The user interface recited in claim 43, wherein the plurality of media content segments comprise at least one of video, audio, and animation.

47. The user interface recited in claim 43, wherein the at least one advertisement creating and editing tool comprises on-line advertisement creating and editing software.

48. The user interface recited in claim 43, wherein the display area comprises a user interface website showcase page.

50. The process recited in claim 49, further comprising providing at least one user-selectable operator associated with the advertisement, the at least one user-selectable operator being selectable for launching a browser window associated with the advertisement.

51. The process recited in claim 50, wherein launching a browser window comprises launching a browser window which displays a website.

52. The process recited in claim 50, wherein launching a browser window comprises launching a browser window which displays a streaming media advertisement.

53. The process recited in claim 49, further comprising:

providing tools which allow the user to create personalized advertisements;

enabling the user to place the personalized advertisements on the user'"'"'s showcase page; and

sponsoring the placement of the personalized advertisements on the user'"'"'s showcase page.

54. The process recited in claim 53, wherein sponsoring the placement of the personalized advertisements on the user'"'"'s showcase page further comprises providing remuneration to the user.

49. A process for advertising a product or service on a broadband creativity platform, the broadband creativity platform comprising a plurality of user showcase pages accessible to other users, the user showcase pages displaying personalized content items playable by the other users in a user-perceptible form, the process comprising:

selecting particular user showcase pages from the plurality of user showcase pages; and

displaying on the selected user showcase pages advertisements.