Non-linear navigation in discussion forums

• US 20080229236A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mor, David, Carrer, Marco, Arun, Gopalan
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with providing non-linear navigation in a discussion forum are described. One method embodiment includes maintaining a location data that identifies a thread or message to which a user has navigated. The method also includes manipulating a navigation control in a graphical user interface based on actions taken by the user and/or other users of the system. The navigation control facilitates a user moving to points not traditionally reachable in a single vertical navigation step in a discussion forum interface.

Claims

1. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-executable instructions that if executed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

maintaining in a tangible medium a location data to identify a first logical point in a discussion forum (DF) hierarchy to which a first user has navigated; and

selectively manipulating a navigation control on a graphical user interface (GUI) based, at least in part, on the location data,

the navigation control to provide access to a second logical point in the DF hierarchy that is not reachable from the first logical point in a single vertical navigation step.

2. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the navigation control; and

based on the signal, selectively relocating the first user to a second logical point in the DF hierarchy by manipulating the location data.

3. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a user-centric element on the GUI.

4. The machine-readable medium of claim 3, where the contents of the user-centric element depend, at least in part, on an action taken by the first user, the action taken by the first user comprising one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, replying to a message in the DF, establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and establishing a link to a message in the DF.

5. The machine-readable medium of claim 4, where the action taken by the first user is taken at a point in time that occurs inside a pre-determined period of time.

6. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a system-centric element on the GUI.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, where the contents of the system-centric element depend, at least in part, on an action taken by a user other than the first user, the action taken by the user other than the first user comprising one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, replying to a message in the DF, establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and establishing a link to a message in the DF.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a user-system interaction element on the GUI.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, where the contents of the user-system interaction element depend, at least in part, on a computer-generated suggestion for a message for the first user to view.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, where the computer-generated suggestion depends on a relation between an action of the first user and an action of a user other than the first user.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 8, where the contents of the user-system interaction element depend, at least in part, on a user-generated recommendation for a message for the first user to view.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, where the user-generated recommendation is based on a relation between an action of the first user and an action of a user other than the first user.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a rankings element on the GUI.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, where manipulating the rankings element depends on one or more of, a set of message rankings produced by the first user, and a set of message rankings produced by a user other than the first user.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, where the contents of the rankings element include a pre-determined, configurable number of messages.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a related message element on the GUI.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 16, where manipulating the related message element depends on a relation between a first data associated with the first user and a second data associated with a user other than the first user.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, the first data comprising data concerning the first user viewing a message in the DF, the first user posting a message to the DF, the first user replying to a message in the DF, the first user establishing a link to a message in the DF, and the first user establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and the second data comprising data concerning a second user viewing a message in the DF, a second user posting a message to the DF, a second user replying to a message in the DF, a second user establishing a link to a message in the DF, and a second user establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, where manipulating the electronic navigation control includes manipulating a sponsor link navigation element on the GUI.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the navigation control; and

based on the signal, selectively relocating the first user to a second logical point in the DF hierarchy by manipulating the location data;

where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a user-centric element on the GUI, where the contents of the user-centric element depend, at least in part, on an action taken by the first user, the action taken by the first user comprising one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, replying to a message in the DF, establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and establishing a link to a message in the DF, and where the action taken by the first user is taken at a point in time that occurs inside a pre-determined period of time;

where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a system-centric element on the GUI, and where the contents of the system-centric element depend, at least in part, on an action taken by a user other than the first user, the action taken by the user other than the first user comprising one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, replying to a message in the DF, establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and establishing a link to a message in the DF;

where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a user-system interaction element on the GUI, where the contents of the user-system interaction element depend, at least in part, on one or more of, a computer-generated suggestion for a message for the first user to view, and a user-generated recommendation for a message for the first user to view, where the computer-generated suggestion depends on a relation between an action of the first user and an action of a user other than the first user, and where the user-generated recommendation is based on a relation between an action of the first user and an action of a user other than the first user;

where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a rankings element on the GUI, where manipulating the rankings element depends on one or more of, a set of message rankings produced by the first user, and a set of message rankings produced by a user other than the first user, the contents of the rankings element comprising a pre-determined, configurable number of messages; and

where manipulating the navigation control includes manipulating a related message element on the GUI, where manipulating the related message element depends on a relation between a first data associated with the first user and a second data associated with a user other than the first user, the first data comprising data concerning the first user viewing a message in the DF, the first user posting a message to the DF, the first user replying to a message in the DF, the first user establishing a link to a message in the DF, and the first user establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, the second data comprising data concerning a second user viewing a message in the DF, a second user posting a message to the DF, a second user replying to a message in the DF, a second user establishing a link to a message in the DF, and a second user establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF.

21. A non-linear navigation system for a discussion forum (DF), comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) element to display a set of non-linear navigation options to a DF user and to receive a non-linear navigation signal;

a location logic to determine a location to which a first user has navigated in a DF, the location being one of, a thread, and a message;

a user input logic to receive a signal from the first user through the GUI element;

a user action logic to identify a DF action taken by the first user; and

a customization logic to selectively customize the GUI element based, at least in part, on one or more of, the non-linear navigation signal, the signal received from the user input logic, and the DF action identified by the user action logic.

22. The system of claim 21, the signal received from the first user being related to one or more of, providing a ranking for a message, establishing a bookmark associated with a message, and establishing a link to a message.

23. The system of claim 22, the DF action taken by the first user including one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, and replying to a message in the DF.

24. The system of claim 23, including:

a system action logic to identify an action taken by a system user other than the first user; and

a response logic to identify a response of a second user to a message posted by the first user,

the customization logic to selectively customize the GUI element based, at least in part, on one or more of, the action identified by the system action logic, and the response identified by the response logic.

25. The system of claim 24, the action taken by the system user including one or more of, viewing a message in the DF, posting a message to the DF, replying to a message in the DF, establishing a bookmark to a message in the DF, and establishing a link to a message in the DF.

26. The system of claim 25, including:

a suggestions logic to identify a suggested message to present to the first user via the GUI element, where the suggested message is automatically identified based on a set of first user actions; and

a recommendations logic to identify a recommended message to present to the first user via the GUI element, where the recommended message is provided by a user other than the first user.

27. The system of claim 26, including:

a related message logic to identify a related message to present to the first user via the GUI element, where the related message is automatically identified based on a relationship between the set of first user actions and a set of actions taken by other users; and

a ranking logic to identify an ordered set of messages to present to the first user via the GUI element, where the ordered set of messages is selected based on a set of rankings provided by the first user.

28. The system of claim 27, where the set of actions taken by other users is to be tracked over a period of time and is to be analyzed with respect to one or more of, message viewing frequency, message viewing count, topic viewing frequency, topic viewing count, thread posting frequency, thread posting count, thread referencing frequency, thread referencing count, message referencing frequency, and message referencing count.

29. The system of claim 28, where the set of first user actions are to be tracked over a period of time and are to be analyzed with respect to one or more of, message viewing frequency, message viewing count, topic viewing frequency, topic viewing count, thread posting frequency, thread posting count, thread referencing frequency, thread referencing count, thread reply frequency, thread reply count, message reply frequency, message reply count, message referencing frequency, and message referencing count.

30. A system, comprising:

means for determining a current user state associated with a discussion forum session, the current user state depending on a set of actions taken during the discussion forum session;

means for establishing a relationship between the current user state and a second user state associated with a set of actions taken during a second discussion forum session; and

means for providing a non-linear navigation choice to the current DF user based on the relationship.

31. In a computer system having a graphical user interface comprising a display and a selection device, a method of providing and selecting from a set of data entries on the display, the method comprising:

retrieving a set of data entries, where a data entry represents a non-linear navigation choice for a discussion forum;

displaying the set of data entries on the display;

receiving a data entry selection signal indicative of the selection device selecting a selected data entry;

in response to the data entry selection signal, initiating an operation associated with the selected data entry; and

in response to the operation associated with the selected data entry, selectively updating the set of data entries.