Relevance-enhanced scrolling

• US 6,339,437 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Jakob
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/941,014
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 345/341, 345/973, 345/978, 345/339, 345/123, 345/124, 345/125, 345/348, 345/700, 345/727, 345/764, 345/765, 345/784-787, 345/830, 345/835, 345/839, 345/968, 707/3-7, 707/501, 707/513
• US Class Current: 715/787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A graphical user interface enhances user information when scrolling through a document by determining the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location and changing one or more user perceptible system attributes such as color, sound or object displayed to reflect the amount of relevant information. In one approach, a <RELEVANT> tag or marker indicates relevance. Alternatively, adding an attribute to an existing HTML tag such as <STRONG> can indicate relevance. If information received from a search in response to a query contains no relevance indications, relevance markers are added locally.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a. a processor; and

b. a graphical user interface, running on said processor, said graphical user interface providing a visual indication of the amount of relevant information at different scrolling locations in a document, wherein a plurality of objects are selectively displayed, each representing different amounts of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

2. The computer of claim 1 in which the color of an object changes to reflect the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

3. The computer of claim 1 in which an audible sound is produced which changes to reflect the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

4. A computer, comprising:

a. a memory; and

b. a processor configured to submit an information retrieval query, store the terms of that query in said memory and add one or more relevance markers to information retrieved in response to that query.

5. The computer of claim 4 in which the information retrieval query is sent over a network.

6. The computer of claim 4 in which said one or more relevance markers is an extension to a set of HTML tags.

7. The computer of claim 6 in which a relevance marker is an attribute extending an existing HTML tag.

8. A computer implemented method of displaying information retrieved in response to a query, comprising the steps of:

a. determining the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location; and

b. displaying a plurality of objects to indicate said amount of relevant information, wherein each object represents different amounts of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

9. The method of claim 8 in which color of an object changes to reflect the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

10. The method of claim 8 in which sound produced by said system is said system attribute.

11. A computer implemented method of retrieving information, comprising the steps of:

a. submitting a query to a search engine;

b. storing the terms of that search;

c. retrieving information from said search engine in response to said query; and

d. if information retrieved from said search engine contains no relevance markers, adding relevance markers to the information retrieved.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

modifying an attribute of the system to indicate the amount of relevant information at a particular cursor location.

13. A method of identifying relevant information retrieved in response to a query, comprising the steps of:

a. identifying query terms in the information retrieved using stored query terms; and

b. inserting a relevance marker adjacent each query term identified.

14. A method of identifying the amount of relevant information which is or would be visible at a particular scrolling location, comprising the steps of:

a. counting a number of relevance markers contained in the information that is displayed or that would be displayed at that location; and

b. altering a system attribute to reflect said number.

15. A system for retrieving information, comprising:

a. a network;

b. at least one server connected to said network;

c. at least one user computer connected to said network; and

d. at least one user computer configured to retrieve information from a server and to display an indication of how much relevant information is at a particular scrolling location.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a. a memory medium;

b. a computer program, stored on said memory medium, said computer program containing instructions for displaying a plurality of objects with each object representing different amounts of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 in which color of an object changes to reflect the amount of relevant information at a particular scrolling location.