Method and apparatus for simultaneously indicating rating value for the first document and display of second document in response to the selection

• US 6,362,837 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Ginn
• Original Assignee: Michael Ginn
• Inventors: Ginn, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/072,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-206, 707/501.1, 707/512-513, 707/526, 707/531, 707/104.1, 707/102, 707/5, 705/10, 705/26-27, 705/51, 706/45-52, 395/200.34, 395/200.32, 395/200.47, 395/200.49, 345/764, 345/835, 345/839, 345/840, 345/751, 345/759, 345/781, 345/738, 345/745, 345/744
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method for navigating within a message thread on a computer system having a memory and a display, includes the steps of displaying a message on the display, displaying an icon on the display, the icon including a first portion and a second portion, receiving a selection signal of the icon at the first portion of the icon or the second portion of the icon, performing a navigation function within the message thread when the icon is selected, and performing a rating function of the message when the first portion of the icon is selected.

Claims

1. A method for displaying documents on a display, comprising:

displaying a first document on the display;

displaying a first selectable region on the display;

displaying a second selectable region on the display;

detecting a selection of the first selectable region or the second selectable region on the display; and

simultaneously indicating a rating value for the first document and requesting display of a second document on the display in response to the selection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein indicating the rating comprises:

indicating a first user rating value for the first document when the selection is the first selectable region.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein indicating the rating further comprises:

indicating a second user rating value for the first document when the selection is the second selectable region.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein indicating the rating further comprises:

indicating the rating value in response to the first user rating value and sending the rating value to a host computer system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first document is a first message and the second document is a message thread.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selection of the first selectable region or the second selectable region on the display comprises detection of a single user action.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the single user action comprises clicking upon the first selectable region of the second selectable region on the display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first document is a web page.

9. A method for displaying messages on a computer system having a memory and a display, comprising:

displaying a first message on the display;

providing a first user-selectable region on the display;

providing a second user-selectable region on the display;

selecting the first selectable region on the display; and

simultaneously indicating a first rating value for the first message and requesting display of a second message on the display in response to selection of the first selectable region.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining a navigation direction for messages, the navigation direction for the first message leading to the second message.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first rating value is associated with the first message in the memory.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising having a host computer system determine an average rating value for the first message in response to the first rating value.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising having a host computer system distribute the first message to another user when the average rating value for the first message exceeds a threshold value.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising having a host computer system associate the first rating value with an author of the first message in response to selection of the first selectable region.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising having a host computer system associate the first rating value with a user that selects the first selectable region.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising having the host computer system determine a voting weight of the user in response to the first rating value.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein a rating value of the second message has a value at least equal to a threshold value.

18. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting the second selectable region on the display; and

simultaneously indicating a second rating value for the first message and requesting display of a second message on the display in response to selection of the second selectable region;

wherein the first rating value for the first message is different from the second rating value for the first message.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the selection of the first selectable region and the second selectable region on the display comprises a single user action.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the single user action comprises clicking upon the first selectable region of the second selectable region on the display.

21. A computer system for providing document navigation for a user computer system, comprising:

means for providing a first document to the user computer system;

means for providing an icon for display on the user computer system, the icon including a first portion and a second portion;

means for receiving a selection signal of the icon at the first portion of the icon or the second portion of the icon from the user computer system;

means for providing a second document to the user computer system when the icon is selected; and

means for performing a rating function on the first document when the first portion of the icon is selected.

22. A method for navigating within a message thread on a computer system having a memory and a display, comprising:

displaying a message on the display;

displaying an icon on the display, the icon including a first portion and a second portion;

receiving a selection signal of the icon at the first portion of the icon or the second portion of the icon;

performing a navigation function within the message thread when the icon is selected; and

performing a rating function of the message when the first portion of the icon is selected.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein performing the navigation function comprises displaying another message on the display within the message thread.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein performing the navigation function comprises exiting from the message thread.

25. The method of claim 22,

wherein the first portion of the icon comprises a first rating portion of the icon and a second rating portion of the icon,

wherein receiving a selection signal comprises receiving a selection signal of the icon at the first rating portion of the icon, the second rating portion of the icon, or the second portion of the icon; and

wherein performing the rating function comprises;

assigning a first rating to the message when the first rating portion is selected; and

assigning a second rating to the message when the second rating portion is selected.

26. A computer program product for a computer system for displaying messages on a user computer system including a processor and a display, comprising:

a computer-readable media comprising;

code that directs the processor to provide a first message to the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to provide a first user-selectable to a display on the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to provide a second user-selectable to a display on the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to determine a selection of the first selectable region on the display of the user computer system; and

code that directs the processor to determining a rating value for the first message and to provide a second message to the user computer system, in response to the selection of the first selectable region.

27. A computer system including a processor and a display for displaying messages on a user computer system, the computer system comprising:

a computer-readable media comprising;

code that directs the processor to provide a first message for display onto a display of the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to provide the user computer system with a first user-selectable region on the display of the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to provide the user computer system with a second user-selectable region on the display of the user computer system;

code that directs the processor to determine a selection of the first selectable region on the display of the user computer system; and

code that directs the processor to determining a rating value for the first message and to provide a second message for display onto the display of the user computer system, in response to the selection of the first selectable region.