Document navigation method

• US 8,209,607 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Scientific Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Freedom Scientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Gallo, Robert, Gordon, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Application Number:
  US12/759,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 715/704, 715/745, 715/760
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A document navigation tool that automatically navigates a document based on previous input from the user. The document navigation tool is utilized each time a page loads. The method recognizes user behavior on pages using patterns, which are based on four criterion: location, frequency, consistency, and scope. If the user has visited the page previously and has established a pattern, the method automatically focuses on the portion of the page indicated by the pattern, e.g. the location on a web page of the link clicked by the user in the user'"'"'s last three visits to the page. If the user has not visited the page previously, the method logs the events that occur during this visit to the page.

Claims

1. A computer program product for enabling a computer to automatically navigate a page in a document, the product comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium bearing instructions for causing the computer to perform:

determining if a saved path has been set on the page, wherein the saved path indicates an area of interest on the page;

focusing on an area of interest indicated by the saved path responsive to a determination that the saved path was present on the page;

receiving input of a memorable event;

comparing the location of the memorable event to the area of interest;

maintaining the saved path responsive to the memorable event occurring in the area of interest;

determining if a new path has been established using the memorable event and at least one memorable event saved in a memorable event log, responsive to the memorable event occurring outside the area of interest;

determining if a new path has been established using the memorable event and the at least one memorable event saved in a memorable event log, responsive to a determination that no saved path is present on the page;

setting a new path in an area corresponding to the memorable event, responsive to a determination that the new path has been established;

determining the consistency of the memorable event based on the memorable events saved in the memorable events log;

comparing the consistency to a predetermined criterion;

maintaining the saved path responsive to a determination that the consistency is less than the predetermined criterion;

comparing the location of the memorable event to the saved path;

abandoning the saved path responsive to a determination that the consistency is greater than the predetermined criterion and the location of the memorable event does not match the saved path; and

maintaining the saved path responsive to a determination that the consistency is greater than the predetermined criterion and the location of the memorable event matches the saved path;

wherein the computer navigates the page of the document to the area of interest for output to an end user.

2. A computer system adapted to navigate a page in a document, comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory storage including software instructions that cause the computer system to perform:

determining if a saved path has been set on the page, wherein the saved path indicates an area of interest on the page,

focusing on the area of interest indicated by the saved path, responsive to a determination that the saved path was present on the page,

receiving input of a memorable event,

comparing the location of the memorable event to the area of interest,

maintaining the saved path, responsive to the memorable event occurring in the area of interest,

determining if a new path has been established using the memorable event and at least one memorable event saved in a memorable event log, responsive to the memorable event occurring outside the area of interest,

determining if a new path has been established using the memorable event and the at least one memorable event saved in a memorable event log, responsive to a determination that no saved path is present on the page,

setting a new path in an area corresponding to the memorable event, responsive to a determination that the new path has been established;

determining the consistency of the memorable event based on the memorable events saved in the memorable events log;

comparing the consistency to a predetermined criterion;

maintaining the saved path, responsive to a determination that the consistency is less than the predetermined criterion;

comparing the location of the memorable event to the saved path;

abandoning the saved path, responsive to a determination that the consistency is greater than the predetermined criterion and the location of the memorable event does not match the saved path; and

maintaining the saved path, responsive to a determination that the consistency is greater than the predetermined criterion and the location of the memorable event matches the saved path, wherein the computer system navigates the page of the document to the area of interest for output to the end user.