Method, system, and graphical user interface for personalized online sports team charts

• US 8,484,564 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Buyukkokten, Orkut, Shah, Divya, Marti, Sergio, Kappiah, Nandini, Engelberg, Richard, Stollak, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US11/683,374
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 715/733, 715/753, 463/42, 463/40
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method, system, and graphical user interface for personalized online sports team charts are disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof, and a plurality of player positions on the athletic field. At least some of the player positions contain thumbnail images selected by a first user. The thumbnail images provide links to corresponding profiles in an online social network.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface on a computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate the graphical user interface on a display device of the computer, the graphical user interface comprising:

a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof, and

a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field,

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user, and

wherein the thumbnail images provide links which, when selected by a user, provide access to corresponding profiles in an online social network, and

wherein the athletic playing field graphic and the plurality of player positions containing thumbnail images selected by the first user are viewable by a second user who accesses a page corresponding to the first user, and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the athletic playing field is a soccer field, a baseball field, a football field, a basketball court, or a hockey rink.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the thumbnail images include thumbnail images of individuals.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the thumbnail images include images selected from the group consisting of images of individuals, team logos, and graphic art images.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein locations of the plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field can be modified by the first user.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the profiles are of friends of the first user or users in the social network identified as players.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a bench area adjacent to the playing field that contains a plurality of bench positions.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a region, apart from the athletic playing field graphic, that contains a plurality of thumbnail images that may be selected by the first user for inclusion in the plurality of the player positions on the athletic playing field.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 8, wherein a thumbnail image in the plurality of thumbnail images that may be selected by the first user for inclusion in the plurality of the player positions on the athletic playing field is selected by dragging and dropping the thumbnail image in a player position in the plurality of player positions.

10. A method implemented on a computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate information for a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

at a server computer,

sending information corresponding to a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof;

sending information corresponding to a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field;

wherein the information corresponding to at least some of the player positions includes thumbnail images selected by a first user, and wherein the thumbnail images, when displayed in the graphical user interface, are superimposed upon player positions; and

in response to selection of one of the thumbnail images by a second user at a client computer, sending to the client computer information that corresponds to a page in an online social network associated with the selected thumbnail image; and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the athletic playing field is a soccer field, a baseball field, a football field, a basketball court, or a hockey rink.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the thumbnail images include thumbnail images of individuals.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the thumbnail images include images selected from the group consisting of images of individuals, team logos, and graphic art images.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein locations of the plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field can be modified by the first user.

11. A method implemented on a computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate a graphical user interface on a display device of the computer, the method comprising:

at a client computer,

displaying a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof;

displaying a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field,

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user; and

in response to selection of one of the thumbnail images by a second user at the client computer, displaying a page in an online social network that corresponds to the selected thumbnail image;

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the displayed page is a profile of a person who is a member of the online social network.

13. A system comprising at least one server having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate information for a graphical user interface, wherein the at least one server is configured to:

send information corresponding to a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof;

send information corresponding to a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field;

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user; and

in response to selection of one of the thumbnail images by a second user at a client computer, send to the client computer information that corresponds to a page in an online social network associated with the selected thumbnail image; and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the athletic playing field is a soccer field, a baseball field, a football field, a basketball court, or a hockey rink.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the thumbnail images include thumbnail images of individuals.

26. The system of claim 13, wherein the thumbnail images include images selected from the group consisting of images of individuals, team logos, and graphic art images.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein locations of the plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field can be modified by the first user.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions for sending information corresponding to a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof;

instructions for sending information corresponding to a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field;

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user; and

instructions for responding to selection of one of the thumbnail images by a second user at a client computer, by sending to the client computer information that corresponds to a page in an online social network associated with the selected thumbnail image; and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the athletic playing field is a soccer field, a baseball field, a football field, a basketball court, or a hockey rink.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the thumbnail images include thumbnail images of individuals.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the thumbnail images include images selected from the group consisting of images of individuals, team logos, and graphic art images.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein locations of the plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field can be modified by the first user.

15. A server computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate information for a graphical user interface, the server computer comprising:

means for sending information corresponding to a graphic of an athletic playing field or a portion thereof;

means for sending information corresponding to a plurality of player positions on the athletic playing field;

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user; and

means for sending additional information to a client computer in response to selection of one of the thumbnail images by a second user at the client computer, the additional sent information corresponding to a page in an online social network associated with the selected thumbnail image; and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.

28. A graphical user interface on a computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors generate the graphical user interface on a display device of the computer, the graphical user interface comprising:

a graphic of a personal team area, and

a plurality of player positions in the personal team area,

wherein at least some of the player positions have superimposed thereon thumbnail images selected by a first user, and

wherein the thumbnail images provide links which, when selected by a user, provide access to corresponding profiles in an online social network, and

wherein the graphic of the personal team area and the plurality of player positions containing thumbnail images selected by the first user are viewable by a second user who accesses a page corresponding to the first user, and

wherein the first user and second user are both members of a same online social network.