Systems and methods for enhanced information visualization

• US 8,224,713 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visible World Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Haberman, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US11/881,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14, 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.61, 705/26.62, 705/26.63, 705/26.64, 707/3, 707/10, 707/201, 707/706, 707/707, 707/709
• US Class Current: 705/26.62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/953 Querying, e.g. by the use of web search engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, an information management application that provides users with the ability to create and customize matrix displays of information relating to a particular product or service for navigation by other users is provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating interaction between users, the method comprising:

receiving over a network to a server a first query for information from a user, the information relating to at least one of a product and a service;

transmitting from the server the first query to a plurality of information sources;

receiving at the server the information from the plurality of information sources in response to the first query;

parsing the information into a plurality of topics, each of the topics representing a category of metadata relating to the information;

generating a matrix display that organizes the received information into the plurality of topics;

allowing a plurality of users to access the matrix display generated for the user;

determining by the server whether updated information is available by transmitting a second query to the plurality of information sources;

receiving at the server the updated information from at least one of the plurality of information sources in response to the second query;

receiving hyperlinks to the information relating to the at least one of the product and the service from at least one of the plurality of users;

updating the matrix display to include the updated information from at least one of the plurality of information sources;

updating the matrix display to include the received hyperlinks; and

displaying an indicator that the updated information has been received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a purchasing decision from at least one of the plurality of users that has accessed the matrix display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising compiling a purchasing order from the user and at least one of the plurality of users.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the compiled purchasing order from the user and the at least one of the plurality of users provides a discount; and

transmitting a notification to the user and the at least one of the plurality of users regarding the discount.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising allowing the user and at least one of the plurality of users to leverage the compiled purchasing order to obtain a discounted purchase.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one preference from at least one of the plurality of users;

reformatting the matrix display in accordance with the received preference; and

storing a version of the matrix display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix display is generated using at least one organization template.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the topics in the matrix display by retrieving metadata from the received information.