System and method for personalized fast navigation

• US 8,762,884 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noel J. Guillama
• Original Assignee: Quantum Group Inc.
• Inventors: Heath, Chester, Martinez, Pedro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayeni, Abimbola
• Application Number:
  US12/506,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 715/750, 715/811
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A system for personalized navigation of computer screens. The system can comprise one or more electronic data processors. The system can also include a module configured to execute on the more or more electronic data processors, where the module can be configured to display a plurality of icons retained in a file associated with a particular user on a computer screen. The icons can comprise one or more assigned icons from an assigned icons list and candidate icons from a candidate icons list, where both the assigned and candidate icons are derived from a pool of icons. Also, the module can be configured to assign an icon to a currently displayed screen by utilizing a selection tool and placing the icon in the assigned icons list, where the icon is selected from the candidate icons list. The module can be further configured to return to the assigned screen when the assigned icon is selected.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for personalized navigation of a plurality of computer screens within a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of computer screens;

responsive to the selection, singly presenting the at least one of the plurality of computer screens on a display device of the computer system;

throughout the presenting of any of the plurality of computer screens, concurrently and persistently displaying a plurality of icons on the display device to yield displayed icons, retained in a file associated with a particular user, wherein the displayed icons comprise at least one assigned icon defining an assigned icons list and at least one candidate icon defining a candidate icons list, wherein both the at least one assigned icon and the at least one candidate icon are derived from a pool of icons, wherein each one of the at least one assigned icon is associated with a different one of the plurality of computer screens and is operable to cause the computer system to present, on the display device, one of the plurality of computer screens associated with the one of the at least one assigned icon when the one of the at least one assigned icon is selected, and wherein each one of the at least one candidate icon is operatively associated with none of the plurality of computer screens and causes no action to be performed when selected; and

assigning a selected icon from the candidate icons list to the one of the plurality of screens currently displayed on the display device utilizing a selection tool to yield an assigned screen for the selected icon,

wherein the assigning causes the selected icon to be transferred to the assigned icons list, and wherein the assigning associates the selected icon with the assigned screen and makes the selected icon operable to cause the computer system to present the assigned screen on the display device when the selected icon is subsequently selected from the assigned icons list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning an icon to a log on or sign on process for a particular user of the system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each particular screen of the plurality of screens has a counter which is incremented each time a user visits the particular screen and which can be reset by the user, and wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to the counter for a particular screen from the plurality of screens reaching a counter threshold, notifying the user of reaching the counter threshold by altering an appearance of the at least one candidate icon when the particular screen is visited by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying functions of a particular icon when the icon is selected, wherein the functions are selected from at least one among returning a displayed icon to the pool of icons, replacing the displayed icon with a new icon, elevating or reducing the functionality of an icon, or including the icon in a defined sequence of functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed icons further comprise a super icon, wherein a selection of the super icon causes a new set of preferred icons to be displayed in the assigned icons list.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed icons further comprise a next icon, wherein a selection of the next icon causes the computer system to step sequentially through the plurality of screens.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein the altering comprises causing the at least one candidate icon to blink or to change color.

7. A computer-based system for personalized navigation of computer screens, the system comprising:

at least one electronic data processor; and

a module configured to execute on the at least one electronic data processor, wherein the module is configured to;

receive a selection of at least one of the plurality of computer screens;

singly present at least one of the plurality of computer screens on a display device of the computer system;

throughout the presenting of any of the plurality of computer screens, concurrently and persistently display a plurality of icons to yield displayed icons, retained in a file associated with a particular user, on a computer screen, wherein the displayed icons comprise at least one assigned icon defining an assigned icons list and at least one candidate icon defining a candidate icons list, wherein both the at least one assigned icon and the at least one candidate icon are derived from a pool of icons, wherein each one of the at least one assigned icon is operatively associated to a different one of the plurality of computer screens and is operable to cause the computer system to present, on the display device, one of the plurality of computer screens associated with the

one of the at least one assigned icon when the one of the at least one assigned icon is selected, and wherein the at least one candidate icon is operatively associated with none of the plurality of computer screens and causes no action to be performed when selected; and

assign a selected icon from the candidate icons list to the one of the plurality of screens currently displayed on the display device utilizing a selection tool to yield an assigned screen for the selected icon,

wherein the assigning causes the selected icon to be transferred to the assigned icon in the assigned icons list, and wherein the assigning of the selected icon associates the selected icon with the assigned screen and makes the selected icon operable to cause the computer system to present the assigned screen when the selected icon is subsequently selected from the assigned icons list.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the module is configured to assign an icon to a log on or sign on process for a particular user of the system.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein each particular screen of the plurality of screens has a counter which is incremented each time a user visits the particular screen and which can be reset by the user, and wherein the module is further configured to:

responsive to the counter for a particular screen from the plurality of screens reaching a counter threshold, notifying the user of reaching the counter threshold by altering an appearance of the at least one candidate icon when the particular screen is visited by the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the module is configured to modify functions of a particular icon when the icon is selected, wherein the functions are selected from at least one among returning a displayed icon to the pool of icons, replacing the displayed icon with a new icon, elevating or reducing the functionality of an icon, or including the icon in a defined sequence of functions.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the module is configured to display a super icon, wherein a user selection of the super icon causes a new set of preferred icons to be displayed in the assigned icons list.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the module is configured to display a next icon, wherein a user selection of the next icon causes the computer system to step through sequential screens.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the altering comprises causing the at least one candidate icon to blink or to change color.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer-readable instructions, which, when loaded in and executed by a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of computer screens;

singly presenting at least one of the plurality of computer screens on a display device of the computer system;

throughout the presenting of any of the plurality of computer screens, concurrently and persistently displaying a plurality of icons on the display device to yield displayed icons, retained in a file associated with a particular user, wherein the displayed icons comprise at least one assigned icon defining an assigned icons list and at least one candidate icon defining a candidate icons list, wherein both the at least one assigned icon and the at least one candidate icon are derived from a pool of icons, wherein each one of the at least one assigned icon is associated with a different one of the plurality of computer screens and is operable to cause the computer system to present, on the display device, one of the plurality computer screens associated with the one of the at least one assigned icon when the one of the at least one assigned icon is selected, and wherein each one of the at least one candidate icon is operatively associated with none of the plurality of computer screens and causes no action to be performed when selected; and

assigning a selected icon from the candidate icons list to the one of the plurality of screens currently displayed on the display device utilizing a selection tool to yield an assigned screen for the selected icon,

wherein the assigning causes the selected icon to be transferred to the assigned icons list, and wherein the assigning associates the selected icon with the assigned screen and makes the selected icon operable to cause the computer system to present the assigned screen on the display device when the selected icon is subsequently selected from the assigned icons list.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the assigning step comprises assigning an icon to a log on or sign on process for a particular user of the system.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein each particular screen of the plurality of screens has a counter which is incremented every time a user visits the particular screen and which can be reset by the user, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to:

responsive to the counter for a particular screen from the plurality of screens reaching a counter threshold, notifying the user of reaching the counter threshold by altering an appearance of the at least one candidate icon when the particular screen is visited by the user.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to modify functions of a particular icon when the icon is selected, wherein the functions are selected from at least one among returning a displayed icon to the pool of icons, replacing the displayed icon with a new icon, elevating or reducing the functionality of an icon, or including the icon in a defined sequence of functions.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to display a super icon, wherein a user selection of the super icon causes a new set of preferred icons to be displayed in the assigned icons list.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable code for causing the computer to display a next icon, wherein a user selection of the next icon causes the computer system to step sequentially through the plurality of screens.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the altering comprises causing the at least one candidate icon to blink or to change color.