Method for dynamically adapting user interfaces with changing user attributes

• US 8,918,411 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Myetwin Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Earthnettv, Inc.
• Inventors: Latif, Farrukh Amjad, Nesin, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US13/961,179
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 707/687, 707/705, 707/790, 707/813, 707/821, 707/758
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1042 using topology management mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

A method of displaying information of interest to a user as stored in an attribute database. The attribute database is a database of parent and linked child objects that has data about a user'"'"'s characteristics and interests (content, commercial products, services, etc.) learned over time. A presentation database of parent and child objects is created from the objects in the attribute database using presentation templates to identify which of the attribute objects to use to create the presentation objects. The attribute child objects are sorted based on at least one trait in the attribute child objects and the presentation objects are linked together in the same order as the sorted attribute objects. The ordered presentation child objects are then linked to the corresponding presentation parent object and the selected presentation parent object and linked presentation child objects are displayed on a display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a) selecting a presentation parent object in a presentation object database having a plurality of presentation parent objects therein;

b) identifying a presentation template corresponding to the selected presentation parent object, the identified presentation template having keywords therein and having one or more corresponding lower level presentation templates;

c) searching an attribute object database to identify an attribute parent object therein that matches one or more of the keywords from the identified presentation template, each attribute parent object linked to one or more attribute child objects;

d) searching the one or more attribute child objects linked to the attribute parent object identified in step c) to identify one or more of the attribute child objects that matches one or more keywords in the one or more lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template;

e) sorting the one or more attribute child objects identified in step d) based on at least one trait associated with each of the attribute child objects;

f) creating one or more presentation child objects from the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

g) linking together the one or more presentation child objects created in step f) in the same order as the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

h) linking together the one or more presentation child objects linked together in step g) with the selected presentation parent object; and

i) displaying on a display at least the selected presentation parent object.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein steps a)-i) are repeated for each presentation parent object located in the presentation object database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein in step f) the one or more presentation child objects are created in accordance with a corresponding one of the one or more lower level presentation templates.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are also displayed in step i).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the keywords include phrases.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the searching of the attribute child objects in step d) uses keywords from all of the lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more presentation child objects created in step f) are stored in the presentation object database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more attribute child objects are stored in the attribute object database.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the searching of attribute child, objects in step d) uses keywords from a specified number of the one or more lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template, the specified number being stored in the identified presentation template.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the presentation template is identified in step b) by the step of:

searching a plurality of presentation templates to identify the presentation template that matches one or more keywords in the selected presentation parent object.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one trait is related to a number of links each attribute child object has to other attribute parent or child objects.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

displaying content on the display;

wherein the selected presentation parent object overlays the displayed content on the display.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein in step i) selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are displayed on the display, the presentation parent and child objects are displayed as individual buttons on the display, and the presentation parent and child objects specifying functionality of the corresponding button when the button is selected by a user.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein in step f) one presentation child object is created for each attribute child object sorted in step e).

36. The method of claim 6 wherein all of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are also displayed in step i).

37. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the presentation templates includes display property information, and the step of displaying the presentation parent and child objects is made in accordance with the display property information in the identified presentation template and corresponding lower level presentation templates, respectively.

38. The method of claim 15 wherein when a button is selected by the user, at least one of a plurality of functions associated with the selected button is performed depending on how the button is selected by the user.

39. The method of claim 15 wherein in step g) the one or more of the presentation child objects are linked sequentially by level, and when a button corresponding to a presentation child object is selected by a user, a button corresponding to a presentation child object having a level lower than the presentation child object corresponding to the selected button is displayed on the display.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the functions associated with the selected button are 1) displaying other presentation child objects linked to the presentation parent or child object corresponding to the selected button, 2) causing content specified by the presentation parent or child object corresponding to the button to appear on the display, and 3) performing an action in accordance with the corresponding presentation template.

2. A method comprising:

a) selecting a presentation parent object in a presentation object database having a plurality of presentation parent objects therein;

b) searching a plurality of presentation templates to identify a presentation template that matches one or more keywords in the selected presentation parent object, the identified presentation template having keywords therein and having one or more corresponding lower level presentation templates;

c) searching an attribute object database to identify an attribute parent object therein that matches one or more of the keywords from the identified presentation parent template, each attribute parent object linked to one or more attribute child objects;

d) searching the one or more attribute child objects linked to the attribute parent object identified in step c) to identify one or more of the attribute child objects that matches one or more keywords in the one or more lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template;

e) sorting the one or more attribute child objects identified in step d) based on at least one trait associated with each of the attribute child objects;

f) creating one or more presentation child objects from the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

g) linking together the one or more presentation child objects created in step f) in the same order as the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

h) linking together the one or more presentation child objects linked together in step g) with the selected presentation parent object; and

i) displaying on a display the selected presentation parent object and selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object;

wherein the presentation parent and child objects are displayed as individual buttons on the display, and the presentation parent and child objects specifying functionality of the corresponding button when the button is selected by a user.

17. The method of claim 2 wherein steps a)-i) are repeated for each presentation parent object located in the presentation object database.

18. The method of claim 2 wherein in step f) the one or more presentation child objects are created in accordance with a corresponding one of the one or more lower level presentation templates.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein all of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are also displayed in step i).

20. The method of claim 2 wherein the keywords include phrases.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein the searching of attribute child objects in step d) uses keywords from all of the lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template.

22. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more presentation child objects created in step f) are stored in the presentation object database.

23. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more attribute child objects are stored in the attribute object database.

24. The method of claim 2 wherein the searching of attribute child objects in step d) uses keywords from a specified number of the one or more lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template, the specified number being stored in the identified presentation template.

25. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one trait is related to a number of links each attribute child object has to other attribute parent or child objects.

26. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

displaying content on the display;

wherein the selected presentation parent object overlays the displayed content on the display.

27. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the presentation templates include display property information, and the step of displaying the presentation parent and child objects is made in accordance with the display property information in the identified presentation template and corresponding lower level presentation templates, respectively.

28. The method of claim 2 wherein when an button is selected by the user, at least one of a plurality of functions associated with the selected button is performed depending on how the button is selected by the user.

29. The method of claim 2 wherein in step f) one presentation child object is created for each attribute child object sorted in step e).

30. The method of claim 2 wherein in step g) the one or more of the presentation child objects are linked sequentially by level and when a button corresponding to a presentation child object is selected by a user, a button corresponding to a presentation child object having a level lower than the presentation child object corresponding to the selected button is displayed on the display.

40. The method of claim 28 wherein the functions associated with the selected button are 1) displaying other presentation child objects linked to the presentation parent or child object corresponding to the selected button, 2) causing content specified by the presentation parent or child object corresponding to the button to appear on the display, and 3) performing an action in accordance with the corresponding presentation template.

3. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having encoded thereon program code, wherein, when the program code is executed by a machine, the machine implements a process comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a presentation parent object in a presentation object database having a plurality of presentation parent objects therein;

b) identifying a presentation template corresponding to the selected presentation parent object, the identified presentation template having keywords therein and having one or more corresponding lower level presentation templates;

c) searching an attribute object database to identify an attribute parent object therein that matches one or more of the keywords from the identified presentation template, each attribute parent object linked to one or more attribute child objects;

d) searching the one or more attribute child objects linked to the attribute parent object identified in step c) to identify one or more of the attribute child objects that matches one or more keywords in the one or more lower level presentation templates corresponding to the identified presentation template;

e) sorting the one or more attribute child objects identified in step d) based on at least one trait associated with each of the attribute child objects;

f) creating one or more presentation child objects from the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

g) linking together the one or more presentation child objects created in step f) in the same order as the one or more attribute child objects sorted in step e);

h) linking together the one or more presentation child objects linked together in step g) with the selected presentation parent object; and

i) displaying on a display coupled to the machine at least the selected presentation parent object.

31. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 3 wherein steps a)-i) are repeated for each presentation parent object located in the presentation object database.

32. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 3 wherein in step f) the one or more presentation child objects are created in accordance with a corresponding one of the one or more lower level presentation templates.

33. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 3 wherein selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are also displayed in step i).

34. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 3 wherein selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are also displayed in step i).

35. The method of claim 3 wherein in step i) selected ones of the presentation child objects linked to the selected presentation parent object are displayed on a display, the presentation parent and child objects are displayed as individual buttons on the display, and the presentation parent and child objects specifying functionality of the corresponding button when the button is selected by a user.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein in step g) the one or more of the presentation child objects are linked sequentially by level and when a button corresponding to a presentation child object is selected by a user, a button corresponding to a presentation child object having a level lower than the presentation child object corresponding to the selected button is displayed on the display.