Information retrieval system using an internet multiplexer to focus user selection
First Claim
1. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for presenting information to a recipient, said method including:
- associating items received from said at least one information source with a determination whether said items are interesting to said recipient; and
maintaining an active mode and an inactive mode, wherein in said active mode said foreground element presents said items to said recipient, and wherein in said inactive mode said foreground element does not present said items to said recipient; and
switching between said active mode and said inactive mode in response to said determination.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method and system for receiving incoming information from multiple information sources, both interactive and passive, and for engagingly presenting that information to a recipient on a presentation interface. The system includes a “background” element, which interacts with interactive information sources and receives from passive information sources, and determines whether information from those sources is likely to be interesting to the recipient, possibly using one information source to determine priority for another. The system also includes a “foreground” element, which presents information to the recipient when active, but not when inactive. The background is operative even when the foreground element is inactive, and when the background detects new information of interest to the recipient (for example, exceeding a selected threshold of interest or satisfying a selected criterion for interest), it causes the foreground to become active and engage the recipient to select and view that new information. The threshold or criterion may be adaptively responsive to recipient preferences, whether explicitly expressed or implied, but may also be relatively fixed, such as a scheduled time of day.
80 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for presenting information to a recipient, said method including:
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associating items received from said at least one information source with a determination whether said items are interesting to said recipient; and maintaining an active mode and an inactive mode, wherein in said active mode said foreground element presents said items to said recipient, and wherein in said inactive mode said foreground element does not present said items to said recipient; and switching between said active mode and said inactive mode in response to said determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method for presenting information to a recipient, said method including:
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coupling a receiver to a background element; coupling a receiver to at least one information source; associating items received from said information source with a determination whether said items are interesting to said receiver, associating each said item with an identifier for presentation to said recipient, associating each said identifier with a focus in a linear sequential order, receiving a selection by a recipient of said selected item only when said selected item is associated with said focus; and presenting said item to said recipient only when selected. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus, comprising:
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means for associating items received from said at least one information source with a determination whether said items are interesting to said recipient; and means for maintaining an active mode and an inactive mode, wherein in said active mode said foreground element presents said items to said recipient, and wherein in said inactive mode said foreground element does not present said items to said recipient; and means for switching between said active mode and said inactive mode in response to said determination.
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Specification