Displaying items of information

• US 20030200128A1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Doherty, Sean Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/523,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A method of scheduling items of information is disclosed, where each item of information has an associated priority that is a function of time. The method comprises scheduling (240, 250, 260) items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities, and activating (200) a user interrupt in response to user input. The method then schedules (280, 240, 250, 260) items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a time after termination of the user interrupt.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling items of information, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

(b) activating a user interrupt in response to user input; and

(c) scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a time after termination of the user interrupt.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activating step (b) comprises the sub-step of:

(b)(i) estimating a time the user input will terminate; and

said scheduling step (c) comprises the sub-step of;

(c)(i) scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at said estimated time.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein if said user is still interacting at the end of the said estimated time, said method repeats said estimating (b)(i) and said scheduling step (c)(i) for a further estimated time.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more said priorities are dependent upon one or more parameters as a function of time.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the location or distance from a given location.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the frequency the associated item of information is displayed.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the time since the associated item of information was last displayed.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the number of times the associated item of information has been displayed.

9. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon on the cost of the associated item of information.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the following steps:

monitoring the user input; and

generating a user profile based upon said monitoring.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the user profile.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scheduling step (a) comprises:

(a)(i) determining the maximum priority of all the priorities of the items of information at the next available time for display;

(a)(ii) scheduling the item of information associated with said determined maximum priority as the item of information to be displayed at the next available time; and

(a)(iii) repeating steps (a)(i) and (a)(ii) for the next available time.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scheduling step (c)(i) comprises:

(c)(i)(1) determining the maximum priority of all the priorities of the items of information at the next available time for display;

(c)(i)(2) scheduling the item of information associated with said determined maximum priority as the item of information to be displayed at the next available time; and

(c)(i)(3) repeating steps (c)(i)(1) and (c)(i)(2) for the next available time.

14. A method of displaying items of information on a display apparatus comprising a display unit and an user interface, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

(b) generating a user interrupt in response to a user interacting with the user interface;

(c) clearing said scheduled items of information in response to the user interrupt;

(d) estimating a time the user will finish interacting with the user interface;

(e) scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a said estimated time;

(f) repeating steps (d) to (e), if the user is still interacting with user interface at the estimated time;

otherwise

(g) displaying said scheduled information according to their priority.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein one or more said priorities are dependent upon one or more parameters as a function of time.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the location or distance from a given location.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the frequency the associated item of information is displayed.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the time since the associated item of information was last displayed.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the number of times the associated item of information has been displayed.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon on the cost of the associated item of information.

21. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said method further comprises the following steps:

monitoring the user interaction with the user interface; and

generating a user profile based upon said monitoring.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein one of said priorities is dependent upon the user profile.

23. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said scheduling step (a) comprises:

(a)(i) determining the maximum priority of all the priorities of the items of information at the next available time for display;

(a)(ii) scheduling the item of information associated with said determined maximum priority as the item of information to be displayed at the next available time; and

(a)(iii) repeating steps (a)(i) and (a)(ii) for the next available time.

25. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said scheduling step (e) comprises:

(e)(i) determining the maximum priority of all the priorities of the items of information at the next available time for display;

(e)(ii) scheduling the item of information associated with said determined maximum priority as the item of information to be displayed at the next available time; and

(e)(iii) repeating steps (e)(i) and (e)(ii) for the next available time.

26. Apparatus for scheduling items of information, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the apparatus comprising:

means for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

means for activating a user interrupt in response to user input; and

means for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a time after termination of the user interrupt.

27. Apparatus for displaying items of information on a display apparatus comprising a display unit and an user interface, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the apparatus comprising:

first scheduler means for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

generator means for generating a user interrupt in response to a user interacting with the user interface;

clearance means for clearing said scheduled items of information in response to the user interrupt;

estimation means for estimating a time the user will finish interacting with the user interface;

second scheduler means for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a said estimated time;

repetition means for repeating the operations of the estimation means, and second scheduler means, if the user is still interacting with user interface at the estimated time; and

display means for displaying said scheduled information according to their priority, if the user is not interacting with user interface at the estimated time.

28. A computer readable medium comprising a computer program for scheduling items of information, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the computer program comprising:

code for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

code for activating a user interrupt in response to user input; and

code for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a time after termination of the user interrupt.

29. A computer readable medium comprising a computer program for displaying items of information on a display apparatus comprising a display unit and an user interface, wherein each item of information has an associated priority which is a function of time, the computer program comprising:

first scheduler code for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities;

generator code for generating a user interrupt in response to a user interacting with the user interface;

clearance code for clearing said scheduled items of information in response to the user interrupt;

estimation code for estimating a time the user will finish interacting with the user interface;

second scheduler code for scheduling items of information in accordance with the values of said priorities at a said estimated time;

repetition code for repeating the operations of the estimation code, and second scheduler code, if the user is still interacting with user interface at the estimated time; and

display code for displaying said scheduled information according to their priority, if the user is not interacting with user interface at the estimated time.