Method and system for organizing electronic messages using eye-gaze technology
First Claim
1. A method for organizing messages received and transmitted between at least two computer systems over a network, the method comprising:
- tracking where a user of a first computer system is gazing as the user is composing an outgoing message;
determining during a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas, wherein each gaze area is associated with one of a plurality of messages displayed by the first computer system, the plurality of displayed messages each having been previously composed by the user or by another user exchanging messages with the user, and wherein the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message;
identifying, based on the relevance rating of each of the plurality of gaze areas, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message; and
associating with the outgoing message an identifier for each displayed message that is related to the outgoing message,wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for organizing messages received and transmitted between at least two computer systems over a network and a system configured to implement the method are described. In one aspect, the method includes tracking where a user is gazing as the user is composing an outgoing message on a first computer system. During a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message, a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas is determined. Each gaze area is associated with one of a plurality of messages displayed by the first computer system, and the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message. The method further includes identifying at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message based on the relevance ratings of each gaze area, and associating an identifier for each related message with the outgoing message.
28 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for organizing messages received and transmitted between at least two computer systems over a network, the method comprising:
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tracking where a user of a first computer system is gazing as the user is composing an outgoing message; determining during a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas, wherein each gaze area is associated with one of a plurality of messages displayed by the first computer system, the plurality of displayed messages each having been previously composed by the user or by another user exchanging messages with the user, and wherein the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message; identifying, based on the relevance rating of each of the plurality of gaze areas, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message; and associating with the outgoing message an identifier for each displayed message that is related to the outgoing message, wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a messaging module for transmitting and receiving messages to and from other computer systems of a network; a display device coupled to the messaging module for displaying a plurality of messages that have been previously received and transmitted and for displaying an outgoing message; a user input device coupled to the messaging module for allowing the user to compose the outgoing message; and an eye-tracking system coupled to the messaging module and to the display device for tracking where the user is gazing as the user composes the outgoing message, wherein the messaging module determines, during a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message, a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas, wherein each gaze area is associated with one of the plurality of displayed messages, the plurality of displayed messages each having been previously composed by the user or by another user exchanging messages with the user, and wherein the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message, identifies, based on the relevance rating of each of the plurality of gaze areas, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message, and associates with the outgoing message an identifier for each identified related displayed message. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a computer program for organizing messages received and transmitted between at least two computer systems over a network, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:
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tracking where a user of a first computer system is gazing as the user is composing an outgoing message; determining during a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas, wherein each gaze area is associated with one of a plurality of messages displayed by the first computer system, the plurality of displayed messages each having been previously composed by the user or by another user exchanging messages with the user, and wherein the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message; identifying, based on the relevance rating of each of the plurality of gaze areas, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message; and associating with the outgoing message an identifier for each identified displayed message that is related to the outgoing message. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system comprising:
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means for transmitting and receiving messages to and from other computer systems of a network; means for displaying a plurality of messages that have been previously received and transmitted and for displaying an outgoing message; means for allowing the user to compose the outgoing message; and means for tracking where the user is gazing as the user composes the outgoing message, wherein the means for transmitting and receiving messages further determines, during a composition time period in which the user is composing the outgoing message, a relevance rating for each of a plurality of gaze areas, wherein each gaze area is associated with one of the plurality of displayed messages, the plurality of displayed messages each having been previously composed by the user or by another user exchanging messages with the user, and wherein the relevance rating of a gaze area is based on a number of times the user'"'"'s gaze dwells on the displayed message associated with the gaze area after the user'"'"'s gaze is directed away from the displayed message, identifies, based on the relevance rating of each of the plurality of gaze areas, at least one displayed message that is related to the outgoing message, and associates with the outgoing message an identifier for each identified displayed message that is related to the outgoing message.
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Specification