User-centric widgets and dashboards

• US 20090024944A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5033 considering data affinity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

User-centric widgets and dashboards are automatically modified to reflect a user'"'"'s goals and needs.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface;

presenting a widget on the user interface;

receiving input;

updating a user model based on the input; and

updating the widget based on the user model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the widget further comprises:

updating the presentation of the widget.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the widget further comprises:

updating a state of the widget.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the widget further comprises:

updating functionality of the widget.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the user model on a network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the widget further comprises:

establishing a relationship between the widget and at least one other widget.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the widget further comprises:

updating the widget based on a geographic location of a device hosting the widget.

8. The method of claim 1, where updating the widget further comprises:

updating a default presentation of the widget based on the user model or a geographic location of a device hosting the widget.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the widget based on user preferences associated with an operating system or non-widget application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the widget is presented on a device and further comprising:

updating the widget based on a profile of a user of the device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the widget is presented on a device and further comprising:

updating the widget based on a context in which a user of the device is working.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein updating further comprises:

updating the presentation of the widget to include an advertisement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the advertisement is targeted to the user model.

14. A method comprising:

collecting user data;

updating a user model with the user data; and

updating a dashboard or widget based on the user model.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

identifying a second widget based on the user model; and

presenting the second widget on a device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying a second widget further comprises:

searching for a second widget based on the user model;

receiving a list of candidate widgets; and

selecting a candidate widget to be the second widget.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

collecting sensor data; and

modifying the dashboard or widget based on the user model and the sensor data;

18. A system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the processor;

a data collection engine stored on the computer-readable medium and configurable by the processor for collecting user data from the system;

a user model engine stored on the computer-readable medium and operatively coupled to the data collection engine, the user model engine configurable by the processor for receiving user data from the data collection engine and updating a user model using the user data; and

an update engine stored on the computer-readable medium and operatively coupled to the user model engine, the update engine configurable for updating a dashboard or widget based on the user model.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is a device from a group of devices consisting of a computer, an electronic device, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a table, a media player/recorder, a set-top box, a game console, a wearable device, a television, a radio and any combination of the devices.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a widget is updated and the widget is from a group of widgets consisting of a sports widget, a phone book widget, a travel guide widget, a maps widget, a music widget, a movie widget, a weather widget, a world clock widget, a stocks widget, a photo widget, a search engine widget and a currency converter widget.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the user data is collected automatically by the data collection engine.