Toolbar tracking

• US 6,704,031 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Larry L., Thistlethwaite, David A, Prendergast, Mark S., Kimball, Jeffrey, Robins, Joan
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/603,586
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/733, 345/736, 345/738, 345/744, 345/745, 345/764, 345/765, 345/779, 345/810, 345/811, 345/825, 345/826, 345/835, 345/840, 345/841, 345/843, 345/854, 345/866, 709/201, 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 707/1, 707/10
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and techniques for tracking a graphical user interface toolbar by establishing a connection to a client; receiving a token including a unique tracking number corresponding to a toolbar item function from the client; and registering use of the toolbar item function.

Claims

1. A method for tracking use of a graphical user interface toolbar, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to a client;

receiving from the client over the established connection a unique tracking number corresponding to a toolbar item function that has been manipulated; and

registering use of the toolbar item function based on the unique tracking number corresponding to the toolbar item function that has been manipulated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering a time stamp corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising registering elapsed time between successive selections of different toolbar item functions by way of successive time stamps.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering a user account corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating toolbar utilization data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising modifying the graphical user interface toolbar based on an aggregation of the toolbar utilization data.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes frequency at which a particular toolbar item function was selected during a period of time.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes percentage of users utilizing a particular toolbar item function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface toolbar comprises any combination of menu bars, icon bars, and navigation bars.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one menu bar comprises multiple menu item buttons, each menu item button associated with a corresponding pull-down menu.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one icon bar includes multiple icons, each icon configured to initiate a particular function associated with the icon.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the function associated with the icon is one of a direct action and a call to invoke a drop-down menu.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one navigation bar comprises one or more of a navigation button, an input box, and an action button.

14. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, for tracking use of a graphical user interface toolbar, the computer program comprising instructions for:

establishing a connection to a client;

receiving from the client over the established connection a unique tracking number corresponding to a toolbar item function that has been manipulated; and

registering use of the toolbar item function based on the unique tracking number corresponding to the toolbar item function that has been manipulated.

15. The computer program of claim 14, the computer readable medium comprising a disc.

16. The computer program of claim 14, the computer readable medium comprising a client device.

17. The computer program of claim 14, the computer readable medium comprising a host device.

24. The computer program of claim 14, further comprising instructions for registering a user account corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

25. The computer program of claim 14, further comprising instructions for generating toolbar utilization data.

26. The computer program of claim 25, further comprising instructions for modifying the graphical user interface toolbar based on an aggregation of the toolbar utilization data.

27. The computer program of claim 25, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a frequency at which a particular toolbar item function was selected during a period of time.

28. The computer program of claim 25, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a percentage of users utilizing a particular toolbar item function.

18. A toolbar tracking apparatus, comprising a host configured to:

establish a connection to a client;

receive from the client over the established connection a token including a unique tracking number corresponding to a toolbar item function that has been manipulated; and

register use of the toolbar item function based on the unique tracking number corresponding to the toolbar item function that has been manipulated.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a host configured to register a user account corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a host configured to generate toolbar utilization data.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a host configured to modify the graphical user interface toolbar based on an aggregation of the toolbar utilization data.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a frequency at which a particular toolbar item function was selected during a period of time.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a percentage of users utilizing a particular toolbar item function.

19. A method for tracking use of graphical user interface toolbar, comprising:

presenting the graphical user interface toolbar on a client device of a user;

establishing a connection between the client device and a host;

receiving a command, at the client device, to initiate a toolbar item function;

initiating the toolbar item function responsive to the command; and

sending a unique tracking number corresponding to the initiated toolbar item function to the host over the established connection.

34. The method of claim 19, further comprising registering a user account corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

35. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating toolbar utilization data.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising modifying the graphical user interface toolbar based on an aggregation of the toolbar utilization data.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a frequency at which a particular toolbar item function was selected during a period of time.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a percentage of users utilizing a particular toolbar item function.

20. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, for tracking use of a graphical user interface toolbar, the computer program comprising instructions for:

presenting the graphical user interface toolbar on a client device of a user;

establishing a connection between the client device and a host;

receiving a command, at the client device, to initiate a toolbar item function;

initiating the toolbar item function responsive to the command; and

sending a unique tracking number corresponding to the initiated toolbar item function to the host over the established connection.

21. The computer program of claim 20, the computer readable medium comprising a disc.

22. The computer program of claim 20, the computer readable medium comprising a client device.

23. The computer program of claim 20, the computer readable medium comprising a host device.

39. The computer program of claim 20, further comprising instructions for registering a user account corresponding to selection of the toolbar item function.

40. The computer program of claim 20, further comprising instructions for generating toolbar utilization data.

41. The computer program of claim 40, further comprising instructions for modifying the graphical user interface toolbar based on an aggregation of the toolbar utilization data.

42. The computer program of claim 40, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a frequency at which a particular toolbar item function was selected during a period of time.

43. The computer program of claim 40, wherein the toolbar utilization data includes a percentage of users utilizing a particular toolbar item function.