Integrated graphical user interface and system with focusing

• US 8,161,419 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bonev
• Original Assignee: Smooth Productions Inc.
• Inventors: Palahnuk, Samuel Louis, Bonev, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ke, Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US12/141,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 715/963, 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/963
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

An integrated web-based communications/calendar/organizational/entertainment system provides a user interface to provide the most pertinent data to a user at any time by organizing the data into strips of content organized according to four broad contexts of who, what, when, and where. The user interface focuses information displayed by the interface by automatically adjusting the content displayed by each strip based on a user selection in any one strip.

Claims

1. A method of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) generated by a service provider system for display by a user client device, the method comprising:

storing contact information of contacts associated with a user;

storing calendar information including event information associated with the user;

storing message information of communications associated with the user between the user and one or more of the contacts associated with the user;

generating a dynamic webpage providing the GUI automatically customized for the user including;

dividing the GUI into four distinct thematically organized areas arranged as strips presenting one or more lozenges, each lozenge configured to present a number of data items according to a size of the lozenge, the four strips including a WHO strip including a lozenge presenting data items based on the contact information, a WHAT strip including a lozenge presenting data items based on daily activities and the message information of the user, a WHERE strip including a lozenge presenting data items based on locations, and a WHEN strip including a lozenge presenting data items including a calendar and events based on the calendar information;

receiving a first user input indicating user interaction with one of the lozenges of one of the strips of the GUI; and

dynamically adjusting the size of the one of the lozenges in response to the received first user input and automatically and reciprocally adjusting the size of the other lozenges within a strip and the other strips within the GUI to always present within the GUI each of the four strips, at least one lozenge within each strip, and some of the data items associated with the at least one lozenge presented in each strip;

receiving a second user input indicating user interaction with one of the data items of one of the lozenges of one of the strips of the GUI; and

dynamically adjusting the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the received second user input to focus the data items presented by the at least one lozenge of each strip to present data items that are more likely of interest to a user based on the received second user input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the WHO strip includes a people and a groups lozenge, data items of the people lozenge including identifiers of contacts associated with the user and data items of the groups lozenge including identifiers of groups to which the user belongs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the WHAT includes an activities lozenge and a read lozenge and a send lozenge, data items of the activities lozenge including activities performed by the user, data items of the read lozenge including messages of the user, and the send lozenge including a send message data item.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the WHEN strip includes a calendar lozenge and data items of the calendar lozenge include dates and events.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the WHERE strip includes a locations lozenge and a map lozenge, and data items of the locations lozenge include locations a user visits and a data item of the map lozenge is a map.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input indicating selecting of an identifier of a contact presented by the WHO strip and dynamically adjusting the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input includes presenting activities the user engages in with the selected contact in the WHAT strip, presenting events including the selected contact in the WHEN strip, and presenting locations where the selected contact and the user have engaged in activities in the WHERE strip.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating a data item from one strip has been dragged to another strip and providing a GUI function in response to the user input.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the data item being dragged is a contact name, the one strip is the WHO strip, and the another strip is the WHAT strip, and providing the function includes generating a message addressed to the contact.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the data item being dragged is a contact name, the one strip is the WHO strip, and the another strip is the WHEN strip, and providing the function includes generating an event.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the data item being dragged is a group name, the one strip is the WHO strip, and the another strip is the WHAT strip, and providing the function includes generating a message addressed to each contact associated with the group.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the data item being dragged is a group name, the one strip is the WHO strip, and the another strip is the WHEN strip, and providing the function includes-generating an event for the group.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input indicating multiple items from one or more strips has been simultaneously dragged to a different strip and providing a GUI function using the multiple data items in response to the user input.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input indicating selecting of an activity data item presented by the WHAT strip and dynamically adjusting the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input includes presenting identifiers of contacts the user has engaged in the selected activity with in the WHO strip, presenting events including the selected activity in the WHEN strip, and presenting locations where the selected activity may be performed or has previously been performed in the WHERE strip.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input indicating selecting of an event presented by the WHEN strip and dynamically adjusting the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input includes presenting contacts participating in the selected event in the WHO strip, presenting an activity of the selected event in the WHAT strip, and presenting a location of the selected event in the WHERE strip.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input indicating selecting of an location presented by the WHERE strip and dynamically adjusting the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input includes presenting identifiers of contact associated with the selected location in the WHO strip, presenting activities associated with the selected location in the WHAT strip, and presenting events including the selected location in the WHEN strip.

13. A service provider system configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for a user organizer provided to a client device from the service provider system, the service provider system comprising:

one or more storage devices configured to store;

contact information of contacts associated with a user;

calendar information including event information associated with the user;

message information of communications associated with the user between the user and one or more of the contacts associated with the user;

one or more processing devices configured to;

generate a dynamic webpage providing the GUI automatically customized for the user divided into four contextual areas arranged as strips to organize and present one or more lozenges, each lozenge configured to present a number of data items according to a size of the lozenge, the four strips including a WHO strip including a lozenge configured to present data items based on the contact information, a WHAT strip including a lozenge configured to present data items based on daily activities and the message information of the user, a WHERE strip including a lozenge configured to present data items based on locations, and a WHEN strip including a lozenge configured to present data items including a calendar and events based on the calendar information;

receive a first user input indicating user interaction with one of the lozenges of one of the strips of the GUI;

dynamically adjust the size of the one of the lozenges in response to the received first user input and to automatically and reciprocally adjust the size of the other lozenges within a strip and the other strips within the GUI to always present within the GUI each of the four strips, at least one lozenge within each strip, and some of the data items associated with the at least one lozenge presented in each strip

to receive a second user input indicating user interaction with one of the data items of one of the lozenges of one of the strips of the GUI; and

to dynamically adjust the data items presented by the lozenges in response the second user input to focus the data items presented by the at least one lozenge of each strip to present data items that are more likely of interest to a user based on the received second user input.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the WHO strip includes a people lozenge and a groups lozenge, data items of the people lozenge including identifiers of contacts associated with the user and data items of the groups lozenge including identifiers of groups to which the user belongs.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the WHAT strip includes an activities lozenge, data items of the activities lozenge including activities performed by the user, data items of the read lozenge including messages of the user, and the send lozenge including a send message data item a read lozenge, and a send lozenge.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the WHERE strip includes a locations lozenge and maps lozenge, and data items of the locations lozenge include locations a user visits and a data item of the map lozenge is a map.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the WHEN strip includes a calendar lozenge and data items of the calendar lozenge include dates and events.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to receive an input indicating a data item has been selected and dragged from one lozenge to another lozenge and to automatically invoke a service of the service provider system in response.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to receive a user input indicating selecting of an identifier of a contact presented by the WHO strip and to dynamically adjust the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input to present activities the user engages in with the selected contact in the WHAT strip, present events including the selected contact in the WHEN strip, and present locations where the selected contact and the user have engaged in activities in the WHERE strip.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to receive a user input indicating selecting of an activity data item presented by the WHAT strip and to dynamically adjust the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input to present identifiers of contacts the user has engaged in the selected activity with in the WHO strip, present events including the selected activity in the WHEN strip, and present a location where the selected activity may be performed or has previously been performed in the WHERE strip.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to receive a user input indicating selecting of an event presented by the WHEN strip and to dynamically adjust the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input to present contacts participating in the selected event in the WHO strip, present an activity of the selected event in the WHAT strip, and present locations of the selected event in the WHERE strip.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to receive a user input indicating selecting of an location presented by the WHERE strip and to dynamically adjust the data items presented by the lozenges in response to the user input to present identifiers of contact associated with the selected location in the WHO strip, present activities associated with the selected location in the WHAT strip, and present events including the selected location in the WHEN strip.