Dynamic visualization of search results on a user interface

• US 20050171940A1
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brian J. Fogg
• Original Assignee: Brian J. Fogg
• Inventors: Mann, Jonathan L., Fogg, Brian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/773,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171940A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

The dynamic visualization of search results on a user interface is described. According to one aspect of the invention, a user interface includes a parametric control region and a display region. The parametric control region enables a user to set attributes of information of interest to a party. The display region enables a user to dynamically visualize the likelihood of specific information being of interest to the party.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a user interface comprising;

a control region, the control region to include one or more controls to set an attribute of information; and

a display region, the display region including an icon and a focal point, wherein the icon to represent the information and the icon is displayed relative to the focal point based on a ranking of the information.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the information includes at least one of a good and a service.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the information includes personal information of a potential mate.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the information include information of an organization.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the control region enables a user to set search criteria for a search engine.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the control region includes a slider control.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the control region includes a keyword text box.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the icon is positioned in the display region close to the focal point when the ranking indicates the related information is likely to be of importance to a party.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the party is a user of the device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the party is the recipient of the information.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the icon dynamically re-positions in the display region upon modification of a control in the control region.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a description region to provide a description of the information.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the ranking includes weighing the one or more controls to position the icon relative to the focal point in the display region.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the icon includes a label area.

15. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

positioning one or more icons in a display region on a user interface based on settings of one or more controls in a control region of the user interface, wherein the one or more icons represent a search result; and

re-positioning the one or more icons in the display region when the one or more controls are modified.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving search criteria based on the settings of the one or more controls; and

ranking the search result based on the settings of the one or more controls, wherein the re-positioning of the one or more icons in the display region is based on the ranking of the search result.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the positioning of the one or more icons in the display region further includes positioning a first icon of the one or more icons closer relative to a focal point in the display region when the first icon is more likely to be of importance to a party, the first icon to represent at least one of a good or a service.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

configuring a weight of the settings of one or more controls, wherein the weight of the settings of the one or more controls are used to rank the search result.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting a second icon of the one or more icons; and

displaying a description of the second icon in a description region.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

automatically re-positioning the settings of the one or more controls in the display region upon receiving an indication that the user is re-positioning one of the one or more icons in the display region, wherein the one or more icons are re-positioned in the display region.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying information in a label area attached to each of the one or more icons;

receiving an indication to modify the information in the label area for each of the one or more icons; and

modifying the information in the label area for each of the one or more icons.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

reconfiguring a slider type of one of the one or more controls based on a slider type selection made by a user.

23. A device comprising:

a user interface comprising;

a means for setting an attribute of at least one of a good and a service; and

a means for representing the at least one good and service in a display region on the user interface, wherein the means for representing the at least one of the good and the service is positioned relative to a focal point on the display region based on a ranking of the at least one good and service.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the ranking of the at least one good and service includes weighing the means for setting an attribute.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising:

a means for displaying a description of the at least one good and service.

26. A device comprising:

a user interface comprising;

a control region, the control region to include one or more controls to set an attribute of information;

a display region, the display region including an icon, an x-axis, and an y-axis, wherein the icon to represent the information and the icon is displayed relative to the x-axis and the y-axis based on a ranking of the information.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the icon dynamically re-positions in the display region upon modification of a control in the control region.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the x-axis to represent a price of an item.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the y-axis to represent a relevance of a combination of the information.