Methods and systems for displaying information on a graphical user interface

• US 7,730,424 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gloto Corp.
• Original Assignee: Gloto Corp.
• Inventors: Conn, Eric, Citrin, Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Takele; Meseker
• Application Number:
  US11/312,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 715/828, 715/830, 715/864, 705/26, 707/7
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating communications and commerce between remote device users and merchants or sponsors, particularly adapted for small-screen portable devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants. The invention enables sponsors to quickly and easily, without the requirement for specialized or expensive equipment, establish Web sites to advertise their products and services. The invention provides unique, intuitive graphical interfaces enabling users to find Web sites of interest easily and quickly amongst many sites. In addition to real-time, direct sponsor-user communications, the system further includes features such as response time prioritization, which enable users to quickly determine the relevance of a sponsor response.

Claims

1. A method operable on a mobile device for selecting information of interest to a user, comprising:

a) receiving product and service information from a plurality of participating product and service providers;

b) enabling the user to electronically display at least three virtual graphical wheels, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions and a third virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and the topics;

c) enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least three virtual graphical wheels to;

i) allow the user to select from the first virtual graphical wheel, an action identifying activities of interest to the user from among the plurality of indicators identifying actions,

ii) allow the user to select from the second virtual graphical wheel, a topic from among the plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the previously selected action, and

iii) allow the user to select from the third virtual graphical wheel, a narrowing criteria from among the plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria,

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user by particularizing the object of the action identifying said selected activity of interest and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the topic,

d) based on the selected activity interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria, identifying, in real-time, at least one participating product or service provider from among said plurality of product and service providers that satisfy the criteria defined by the user selected action, topic and narrowing criteria, wherein the selected narrowing criteria is based on additional filtering criteria specified by the user, the criteria being and specific to the user including one or more personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters; and

wherein the plurality of indicators identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with said current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of displaying the identified at least one product or service provider to the user.

3. A system for selecting information of interest to a user, comprising:

a memory storing control instructions; and

a processor connected to the memory and operative to perform the steps of;

receiving product and service information from a plurality of participating product and service providers;

enabling the user to electronically display at least three virtual graphical wheels, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions identifying activities of interest to a user, and the third virtual graphical wheel, comprising a plurality of narrowing criteria,

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic,

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user; and

enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria;

wherein the narrowing criteria selected by the user is based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters;

based on the selected activity of interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria, identifying at least one product or service provider from among said plurality of participating product and service providers.

4. A system for selecting information of interest to a user, comprising:

a) means for receiving product and service information from a plurality of participating product and service providers;

b) means for enabling the user to electronically display at least three virtual graphical wheels;

the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user,

the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions, and

the third virtual graphical wheel, comprising a plurality of narrowing criteria,

c) means for enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria; and

d) means for identifying at least one product or service provider from among said plurality of participating product and service providers, based on the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria,

wherein the narrowing criteria selected by the user is based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters;

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic; and

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and sub-topics are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with said current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

5. Computer storage media storing a program product containing control instructions operable on a mobile device for selecting information of interest to a user, comprising:

the control instructions operable on the mobile device to perform the steps of;

receiving product and service information from a plurality of participating product and service providers;

enabling the user to electronically display at least three virtual graphical wheels, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to the user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions, and a third virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and the topics;

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic,

wherein the plurality of indicators identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with said current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user;

wherein the narrowing criteria selected by the user is based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters; and

enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least three graphical wheels to identify a selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a selected topic and a selected narrowing criteria; and

based on the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria, identifying at least one product or service provider from among said plurality of product and service providers.

6. A method operable on a mobile device for facilitating communications between a user and participating product and service providers, comprising:

a) receiving product and service information from the participating plurality of product and service providers;

b) creating a matrix including a first column and at least a second and third column each of said columns including a plurality of rows containing displayable indicators;

the displayable indicators in the first column indicating a plurality of actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the displayable indicators in the second column identifying topics associated with the actions, the displayable indicators in the third column identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and topics;

c) enabling the user to display the matrix graphically, the first column comprising a first virtual graphical wheel and the at least one additional column comprising at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel;

d) enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria;

f) based on the selected activity of interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria, identifying at least one product or service provider from among said plurality of participating product and service providers, and

g) transmitting the at least one product or service provider identity to the user

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic,

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

7. The method of claim 6 and further including the steps of:

creating a second matrix including at least a first column containing displayable indicators each identifying a narrowing criteria for the subset of product and service providers;

enabling a user to display the second matrix graphically, the at least first column comprising a third virtual graphical wheel;

enabling the user to rotate the third virtual graphical wheel to identify a narrowing criteria associated with the subset of product and service providers; and

using the narrowing criteria to limit the number of product and service providers wherein the narrowing criteria further defines the selected topic, and

wherein the narrowing criteria selected by the user is based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters.

8. The method of claim 7 and further including the steps of:

determining the size of a display; and

adjusting the size of the first and the at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel so as to fit within the display.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein each indicator is selected from the group comprising a graphic, text and a combination of a graphic and text.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the product and service information includes:

an electronically stored page of information relating to the product or service; and

an identifier of the product or service provider.

11. The method of claim 10 and further including the steps of:

receiving from the user an indication of a single product or service provider from the selected product and service providers; and

providing to the user the page of information associated with the single product or service provider.

12. The method of claim 11 and further including the step of providing to the user an identifier of the product provider.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the steps of enabling a user to electronically rotate the first virtual graphical wheel and the at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel each includes the step of providing to the user at least one operable control button.

14. The method of claim 6 and further including the steps of:

enabling the user to identify at least one favorite product or service provider from among the selected product and service providers; and

automatically providing update information on the favorite unit of product or service provider to the user.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of adjusting the size includes at least one of the group comprising adjusting the number of indicators displayed, adjusting the size of the indicators displayed and adjusting the number of the at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheels displayed.

16. A system for facilitating communications between a user and a sponsor, comprising:

a memory storing control instructions; and

a processor connected to the memory and operative with the control instructions to perform the steps of;

receiving product and service information from a plurality of participating product and service providers;

creating a matrix including at least a first, second and third column each column including a plurality of rows containing displayable indicators;

the displayable indicators in the first column indicating a plurality of actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the displayable indicators in the second column indicating a plurality of topics associated with the actions identifying activities of interest to the user, the displayable indicators in the third column indicating a plurality of narrowing criteria;

enabling the user to display the matrix graphically, the first column comprising a first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user; and

the second column comprising a second graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the identifying activities of interest to the user, and the third column comprising a third graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria particularizing the actions and topics;

enabling the user to electronically rotate the first virtual graphical wheel to identify a selected action;

enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel to identify a selected topic associated with the selected action, wherein the selected topic further defines the selected action, wherein the selected topic enables the user to identify narrowing criteria based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters;

identifying, based upon the selected action and the selected topic, a plurality of selected product and service providers from among the plurality of participating product and service providers; and

transmitting the plurality of selected product and service providers to the user

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user; and

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

17. A system for facilitating communications between a user and a sponsor, comprising:

a) means for receiving product and service information from a plurality of product and service providers;

b) means for creating a matrix including at least a first, second and third column each column including a plurality of rows containing displayable indicators;

the displayable indicators in the first column indicating a plurality of actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the displayable indicators in the second column indicating a plurality of topics associated with the actions identifying activities of interest to the user, the displayable indicators in the third column indicating a plurality of narrowing criteria

c) means for displaying the displayable indicators in the first column indicating a plurality of actions identifying activities of interest to a user

d) means for displaying the displayable indicators in the second column indicating a plurality of topics associated with the identifying activities of interest to the user;

e) means for displaying the displayable indicators in the third column indicating narrowing criteria further defining the displayed actions and topics

f) means for enabling a user to display the matrix graphically, the first column comprising a first virtual graphical wheel and the at least one additional column comprising at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel;

g) means for enabling the user to electronically rotate the first virtual graphical wheel to identify a selected action identifying a particular activity of interest to the user;

h) means for enabling the user to electronically rotate the at least one adjoining virtual graphical wheel to identify a selected topic associated with the selected action, wherein the selected topic enables the user to identify narrowing criteria based on additional filtering criteria pertinent to the user including user selected personalized current or targeted geographical and temporal filters;

i) means for identifying, based on the selected activity of interest to the user, selected topic and selected narrowing criteria, at least one product or service provider from among said plurality of participating product and service providers,

j) means for transmitting the at least one identified product or service provider to the user

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic, and

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

18. A method of operating an electronic display to identify a provider of products and services, comprising:

a) electronically displaying at least three virtual graphical wheels to a user, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions and a third virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and the topics;

b) electronically rotating the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria;

c) identifying by the system, based on the transmitted action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria at least one product or service provider from among a plurality of product and service providers;

d) receiving information from the system pertaining to the identified at least one product or service provider from the system based on the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic, and

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

electronically displaying a third virtual graphical wheel containing indicators of narrowing criteria for the information;

electronically rotating the third virtual graphical wheel to select an indicator of narrowing criteria, wherein the narrowing criteria further defines the selected topic;

transmitting an indication of the selected indicator of narrowing criteria to the system; and

receiving from the system narrowed information based on the selected indicator of narrowing criteria.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the steps of displaying the first, second and third virtual graphical wheels include displaying the first, second and third virtual graphical wheels on a mobile communications device.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the narrowed information relates to products and further including the step transmitting to the system authorization to transmit an identifier of the user to at least one provider of products.

22. The method of claim 21 and further including the steps of:

identifying at least one favorite product; and

automatically receiving update information relating to the at least one favorite product.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of electronically rotating includes operating a button associated with the display.

24. A system for operating an electronic display to identify a provider of products and services, comprising:

a memory storing control instructions; and

a processor connected to the memory and operative with the control instructions to perform the steps of;

a) electronically displaying at least three virtual graphical wheels to a user, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions and a third virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and the topics;

b) electronically rotating the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria;

c) transmitting the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria to a system;

d) identifying by the system, based on the transmitted action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria at least one product or service provider from among a plurality of product and service providers;

e) receiving information from the system pertaining to the identified at least one product or service provider from the system based on the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic, and

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.

25. A system for operating an electronic display to identify a provider of products and services, comprising:

a) means for electronically displaying at least three virtual graphical wheels to a user, the first virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying actions identifying activities of interest to a user, the second virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying topics associated with the actions and a third virtual graphical wheel comprising a plurality of indicators identifying narrowing criteria associated with the actions and the topics;

b) means for electronically rotating the at least three graphical wheels to identify an action identifying an activity of interest to the user, a topic and a narrowing criteria;

c) means for transmitting the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria to a system;

d) means for identifying by the system, based on the transmitted action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria at least one product or service provider from among a plurality of product and service providers;

e) means for receiving information from the system pertaining to the identified at least one product or service provider from the system based on the selected action identifying an activity of interest to the user, topic and narrowing criteria

wherein the selected action, topic and narrowing criteria are linked in an implied hierarchical order in that the selected topic further defines the previously selected action by particularizing the object of the selected activity of interest to the user and the selected narrowing criteria further defines the previously selected topic by particularizing the previously selected topic, and

wherein the plurality of identifiers identifying actions, topics and narrowing criteria are dynamically updated in real-time on said at least three virtual graphical wheels in accordance with current or targeted personalized geographical and/or temporal filters specific to the user.