SHUFFLE ALGORITHM AND NAVIGATION

• US 20140270571A1
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Dwan, Michael, Ren, Jinpeng
• Granted Patent: US 9,525,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/276
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for randomly and pseudo-randomly presenting images to a user. An exemplary method includes receiving a first set of images from a user, receiving a second set of conditions that an image must satisfy, creating a subset of the first set of images that satisfies the second set of conditions, selecting a random element of said subset, and displaying said random element to a user. The conditions define the breadth or narrowness of the subset of images from which a random element is chosen. The conditions may be system set, user configured, or any combination, and a user may repeat the process, or may choose to view a new image that has one or more affinities to the last randomly chosen image presented. Affinities function in similar manner to the conditions of a pseudo-random selection, but generally serve to narrow the available set of photos to a greater extent. Conditions or affinities may be, for example, time based, location based, event based, based on a relationship of the user to a person appearing in the last displayed photo, or based upon various other defined connections or commonalities.

Claims

1. A method for randomly presenting images to a user, comprising:

receiving a first set of images from a user;

receiving a second set of conditions that an image must satisfy;

creating a subset of the first set of images that satisfies the second set of conditions;

selecting a random element of said subset; and

displaying said random element to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if shared images are allowed to be displayed to the user in a random presentation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a second set of conditions, creating a subset, selecting and displaying are repeated upon receipt of a signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said signal is received from at least one of a user and an internal process.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving a third set of images, said receiving a second set of conditions, said creating a subset, said selecting and said displaying are repeated upon receipt of a signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said signal is received from at least one of a user and an internal process.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second set of conditions includes at least one of time based conditions, location based conditions, relationship based conditions, and event based conditions.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising first displaying an image to the user, wherein the second set of conditions define a relationship to said first displayed image.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a first set of images from a user;

receive a second set of conditions that an image must satisfy;

create a subset of the first set of images that satisfies the second set of conditions;

select a random element of said subset; and

display said random element to a user.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, said instructions further causing the computing device to:

determine if shared images are allowed to be displayed to the user in a random presentation.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, said instructions further causing the computing device to:

receive a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, said instructions further causing the computing device to:

receive a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said receiving a second set of conditions, creating a subset, selecting and displaying are repeated upon receipt of a signal.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said signal is received from at least one of a user and an internal process.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein said receiving a third set of images, said receiving a second set of conditions, said creating a subset, said selecting and said displaying are repeated upon receipt of a signal.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said signal is received from at least one of a user and an internal process.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second set of conditions includes at least one of time based conditions, location based conditions, relationship based conditions, and event based conditions.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, said instructions further cause said processor to first display an image to the user, wherein the second set of conditions define a relationship to said first displayed image.

19. A system for randomly presenting images to a user, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to;

receive a first set of images from a user;

receive a second set of conditions that an image must satisfy;

create a subset of the first set of images that satisfies the second set of conditions;

select a random element of said subset; and

display said random element to a user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said instructions further cause said processor to determine if shared images are allowed to be displayed to the user in a random presentation.

21. The system of claim 20, said instructions further causing the computing device to:

receive a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

22. The system of claim 19, said instructions further causing the computing device to:

receive a third set of images designated as shared with the user,

wherein said subset of images that satisfies the second set of conditions is created form both the first set of images and the third set of images.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said instructions further cause said processor to first display an image to the user, wherein the second set of conditions define a relationship to said first displayed image.