METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING PRESCRIBED ASPECT(S) OF FEEDBACK OBJECT SELECT OPERATION TO INDICATE USER FEEDBACK OF HYPERMEDIA CONTENT UNIT

• US 20090249230A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Minds, Inc.
• Inventors: ABRUTYN, Daniel, HILLIS, W. Daniel, FERREN, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

A computer implemented method for gathering user feedback of one or more units of hypermedia content. Notice is made available to a user explaining a preestablished mapping between (1) at least one prescribed aspect of an operation of performing a predefined SELECT function to feedback objects and (2) user-indicated opinion of content units. Feedback objects comprise predetermined types of display objects provided to depart content units for different content units. Responsive to a user positioning a cursor upon a feedback object of a current content unit and performing the SELECT function, user-indicated opinion of the current content unit is ascertained by applying the preestablished mapping to the prescribed aspect of how the SELECT function was performed. Storage is initiated for a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for a user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system to gather the user'"'"'s feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system to the user, comprising operations of:

configuring the hypermedia browsing system to recognize a preestablished mapping correlating different user actions performed with a user input device with different respective user-indicated opinions of hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

where the different user actions correlated by the mapping include any of;

(1) pressing of different buttons of the user input device, (2) different durations of pressing of one or more buttons of the user input device;

responsive to a user operating the user input device to perform a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selected hypermedia navigation object, the user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system performing operations comprising;

identifying which of the different user actions was invoked to execute the SELECT function;

conducting hypermedia navigation operations to carry out the SELECT function;

withholding the identified user action from hypermedia sites presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

applying the preestablished mapping to the identified user action to determine user-indicated opinion of certain hypermedia content;

initiating storage of a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

2. The method of claim 1, where according to the mapping, a first duration of pressing one or more buttons indicates greater user opinion of hypermedia content and a second duration of pressing one or more buttons indicates lesser user opinion of hypermedia content, and where the first and second duration of button presses equivalently perform the predetermined SELECT function to conduct the same hypermedia navigation operation regardless of the duration of pressing the buttons.

3. The method of claim 1, where according to the mapping, pressing of a first user input device button indicates positive user feedback, and pressing of a second user input device button indicates positive user feedback, and where the first and second user input buttons equivalently perform the predetermined SELECT function to conduct the same hypermedia navigation operation regardless of which user input button was pressed.

4. The method of claim 1, where the user-indicated opinion comprises user-indicated curiosity as to hypermedia content linked by the selected hypermedia navigation object.

5. The method of claim 1, the operation of applying the preestablished mapping to the identified user action to determine user-indicated opinion includes correlating the user-indicated opinion with one or more of the following:

a page of hypermedia content;

a hypermedia document containing multiple hypermedia pages;

an Internet Web site; and

a subset of an Internet Web page including multiple Web pages.

6. The method of claim 1, the user-selected hypermedia navigation object comprising any of the following:

a web browser “

back”

button;

a web browser “

forward”

button;

a prescribed pull-down menu entries;

a radio button;

a check box;

a hyperlinked image; and

hyperlinked text.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing notice available to a user explaining the preestablished mapping, by performing one or more of the following:

providing an explanation in a browser help file;

providing an on-demand help window;

displaying the notice in any of the following;

a toolbar and a status bar;

posting an advisory upon browser startup.

8. The method of claim 1, the operation of initiating storage comprising any of the following:

storing the record locally upon the user'"'"'s computer; and

transmitting the record to a remote computer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising operations of:

receiving user input defining or enhancing the preestablished mapping.

10. The method of claim 1,

where the configuring operation is limited to user actions performed upon predetermined types of hypermedia navigation objects, and the operations further include receiving user input defining or enhancing definition of the predetermined types of hypermedia navigation objects.

11. The method of claim 1, where the hypermedia browsing system acts to universally recognize said preestablished mapping across different sources of hypermedia content independent of hypermedia content and other information received from sources of said hypermedia content.

19. At least one computer readable storage medium containing at least one program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processing apparatus to perform operations according to any of claims 1, 12, 14, 15, and 17.

12. A computer implemented method for a user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system to gather the user'"'"'s feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system to the user, comprising the steps of:

a step for configuring the hypermedia browsing system to recognize a preestablished mapping correlating different user actions performed with a user input device with different respective user-indicated opinions of hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

where the different user actions correlated by the mapping include any of;

(1) pressing of different buttons of the user input device, (2) different durations of pressing of one or more buttons of the user input device;

a step for responsive to a user operating the user input device to perform a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selected hypermedia navigation object, the user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system performing steps comprising;

a step for identifying which of the different user actions was invoked to execute the SELECT function;

a step for conducting hypermedia navigation operations to carry out the SELECT function;

a step for withholding the identified user action from hypermedia sites presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

a step for applying the preestablished mapping to the identified user action to determine user-indicated opinion of certain hypermedia content;

a step for initiating storage of a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

13. A computer apparatus, comprising:

digital data storage; and

coupled to the digital data storage, a digital data processor programmed to implement a hypermedia browsing system;

where the hypermedia browsing system is configured to gather the user'"'"'s feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system to the user by performing operations comprising;

configuring the hypermedia browsing system to recognize a preestablished mapping correlating different user actions performed with a user input device with different respective user-indicated opinions of hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

where the different user actions correlated by the mapping include any of;

(1) pressing of different buttons of the user input device, (2) different durations of pressing of one or more buttons of the user input device;

responsive to a user operating the user input device to perform a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selected hypermedia navigation object, the user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system performing operations comprising;

identifying which of the different user actions was invoked to execute the SELECT function;

conducting hypermedia navigation operations to carry out the SELECT function;

withholding the identified user action from hypermedia sites presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

applying the preestablished mapping to the identified user action to determine user-indicated opinion of certain hypermedia content;

initiating storage of a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

14. A computer-implemented method for modifying a user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system to gather the user'"'"'s feedback as to hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system to the user, the method comprising:

modifying the hypermedia browsing system by adding program modules configured to perform operations comprising;

configuring the hypermedia browsing system to recognize a preestablished mapping correlating different user actions performed with a user input device with different respective user-indicated opinions of hypermedia content presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

where the different user actions correlated by the mapping include any of;

(1) pressing of different buttons of the user input device, (2) different durations of pressing of one or more buttons of the user input device;

responsive to a user operating the user input device to perform a predetermined SELECT function as to a user-selected hypermedia navigation object, the user'"'"'s hypermedia browsing system performing operations comprising;

identifying which of the different user actions was invoked to execute the SELECT function;

conducting hypermedia navigation operations to carry out the SELECT function;

withholding the identified user action from hypermedia sites presented by the hypermedia browsing system;

applying the preestablished mapping to the identified user action to determine user-indicated opinion of certain hypermedia content;

initiating storage of a machine-readable record of the ascertained user-indicated opinion.

15. A computer-implemented method of operating a client computer including a browser to view hypermedia content, the method comprising the following operations:

the browser displaying content from a hypermedia site, the content including one or more hypermedia navigation items each having a corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site;

independent of the navigation functions prescribed by the hypermedia site, the client computer designating different actions of a user input device to activate the hypermedia navigation items and invoke the corresponding navigation functions;

where the different actions include any of;

(1) different buttons of the user input device being pressed in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items, (2) different durations being used to press different buttons of the user input device in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items;

the client computer monitoring which one of said actions a user employs to activate hypermedia navigation items, and for each activated hypermedia navigation item, performing acts including

(1) independent of which of said actions was employed to activate the hypermedia navigation item, invoking the corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site for the activated hypermedia navigation item; and

(2) applying a predetermined mapping to determine user opinion as to hypermedia content according to which action was employed to activate the activated hypermedia navigation item;

the client computer withholding the determined user opinion from the hypermedia site being whose content is being displayed; and

the client computer causing storage of a machine-readable record of the user opinion at one or more of the following;

locally at the client computer, or remotely at a computer separate from the client computer.

16. The method of claim 15, where the pressing of buttons in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation item includes any of the following:

clicking on a web browser “

back”

button;

clicking on a web browser “

forward”

button;

operating one or more prescribed pull-down menu entries;

operating a radio button;

operating a check box;

clicking on a hyperlinked image; and

clicking on hyperlinked text.

17. A computer-implemented method of operating a browser to view hypermedia content, the method comprising the following steps:

a step for the browser displaying content from a hypermedia site, the content including one or more hypermedia navigation items each having a corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site;

a step for independent of the navigation functions prescribed by the hypermedia site, the client computer designating different actions of a user input device to activate the hypermedia navigation items and invoke the corresponding navigation functions;

where the different actions include any of;

(1) different buttons of the user input device being pressed in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items, (2) different durations being used to press different buttons of the user input device in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items;

a step for the client computer monitoring which one of said actions a user employs to activate hypermedia navigation items, and for each activated hypermedia navigation item, performing steps including;

(1) a step for, independent of which of said actions was employed to activate the hypermedia navigation item, invoking the corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site for the activated hypermedia navigation item; and

(2) a step for applying a predetermined mapping to determine user opinion as to hypermedia content according to which action was employed to activate the activated hypermedia navigation item;

a step for the client computer withholding the determined user opinion from the hypermedia site being whose content is being displayed; and

a step for the client computer causing storage of a machine-readable record of the user opinion at one or more of the following;

locally at the client computer, or remotely at a computer separate from the client computer.

18. A computer apparatus, comprising:

digital data storage; and

coupled to the digital data storage, a digital data processor programmed to operate a browser to view hypermedia content according to the following operations;

the browser displaying content from a hypermedia site, the content including one or more hypermedia navigation items each having a corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site;

independent of the navigation functions prescribed by the hypermedia site, the client computer designating different actions of a user input device to activate the hypermedia navigation items and invoke the corresponding navigation functions;

where the different actions include any of;

(1) different buttons of the user input device being pressed in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items, (2) different durations being used to press different buttons of the user input device in conjunction with the hypermedia navigation items;

the client computer monitoring which one of said actions a user employs to activate hypermedia navigation items, and for each activated hypermedia navigation item, performing acts including

(1) independent of which of said actions was employed to activate the hypermedia navigation item, invoking the corresponding navigation function prescribed by the hypermedia site for the activated hypermedia navigation item; and

(2) applying a predetermined mapping to determine user opinion as to hypermedia content according to which action was employed to activate the activated hypermedia navigation item;

the client computer withholding the determined user opinion from the hypermedia site being whose content is being displayed; and

the client computer causing storage of a machine-readable record of the user opinion at one or more of the following;

locally at the client computer, or remotely at a computer separate from the client computer.