Displaying related content in a content stream

• US 9,152,312 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Terleski, Jonathan W., Adams, Cameron Knox, Modi, Shaun Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUN, LI P
• Application Number:
  US13/359,431
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784, 715/719, 715/273
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method includes displaying a scrollable sequence of content items, the content items having a plurality of sources and a plurality of content types; in response to user commands, scrolling the scrollable sequence of content items in a direction parallel to a first axis; visually indicating a first focus item in the scrollable sequence and displaying in the current focus item an affordance including a related-content affordance; and responding to user selection of the related-content affordance in the current focus item by scrolling the current focus item in a direction parallel to a second axis that is distinct from the first axis and displaying a second focus item in place of the first focus item, the second focus item including a content item of one or more content items related to the first focus item in accordance with predefined criteria.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a system having one or more processors, a display, and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, comprising:

at the system;

displaying respective portions of a scrollable sequence of content items, the content items having a plurality of sources and a plurality of content types;

in response to user commands, scrolling the scrollable sequence of content items, including a first focus item and a plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence, in a direction parallel to a first axis;

in response to a first user selection of the first focus item, while concurrently displaying the first focus item and the plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at distinct positions along the first axis, visually indicating the first focus item in the scrollable sequence, wherein the displayed first focus item includes an affordance comprising a related-content affordance;

responding to a second user selection of the related-content affordance by;

displaying within the first focus item a related content listing and a scrolling affordance, the related content listing and the scrolling affordance replacing the related-content affordance, the related content listing including a list of information identifiers of respective content items associated with content of the first focus item; and

after receiving a third user selection of the scrolling affordance, responding to the third user selection by;

scrolling the first focus item in a direction parallel to a second axis that is distinct from the first axis;

displaying a second focus item in place of the first focus item, wherein the second focus item corresponds to an information identifier in the related content listing; and

continuing to display said plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at said distinct positions along the first axis while scrolling the first focus item in the direction parallel to the second axis and displaying the second focus item in place of the first focus item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a content type of the second focus item be the same as a content type of the first focus item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion with respect to similarity scores that correspond to similarity of the first focus item to respective content items that include the second focus item.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

concurrently displaying, along with the second focus item, a list of one or more of the respective content items.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include distinct criteria for each of a plurality of content types, the predefined criteria including:

for a first content type, a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item; and

for a second content type, a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

concurrently displaying, along with the second focus item, a list of additional content items related to the first focus item.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an affordance enabling the user to share the second focus item with one or more social groups specified by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an affordance enabling the user to attach a comment to the first focus item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an affordance enabling the user to attach a comment to the second focus item.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, concurrently with displaying the first focus item, information indicating a visibility status of the first focus item.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

concurrently displaying the first focus item and at least one neighboring item in the scrollable sequence of content items.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first focus item and the at least one neighboring item are concurrently displayed in an ordering within the scrollable sequence of content items, the method further comprising:

concurrently displaying the second focus item and the at least one neighboring item in the scrollable sequence of content items, wherein the second focus item is displayed at the same position with respect to the at least one neighboring item within the scrollable sequence of content items as the first focus item is displayed with respect to the at least one neighboring item.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective portions of the scrollable sequence of content items are concurrently displayed in accordance with a first ordering at a plurality of distinct positions along the direction parallel to the first axis, and the first and second focus items are scrolled in the direction parallel to the second axis, in accordance with a second ordering of content items, wherein the second ordering is distinct from the first ordering, and wherein the first and second focus items are scrolled in the direction parallel to the second axis while concurrently continuing to display said other items in the scrollable sequence at other positions along the first axis.

16. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying respective portions of a scrollable sequence of content items, the content items having a plurality of sources and a plurality of content types;

in response to user commands, scrolling the scrollable sequence of content items, including a first focus item and a plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence, in a direction parallel to a first axis;

in response to a first user selection of the first focus item, while concurrently displaying the first focus item and the plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at distinct positions along the first axis, visually indicating the first focus item in the scrollable sequence, wherein the displayed first focus item includes an affordance comprising a related-content affordance;

responding to a second user selection of the related-content affordance by;

displaying within the first focus item a related content listing and a scrolling affordance, the related content listing and the scrolling affordance replacing the related-content affordance, the related content listing including a list of information identifiers of respective content items associated with content of the first focus item; and

after receiving a third user selection of the scrolling affordance, responding to the third user selection by;

scrolling the first focus item in a direction parallel to a second axis that is distinct from the first axis;

displaying a second focus item in place of the first focus item, wherein the second focus item corresponds to an information identifier in the related content listing; and

continuing to display said plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at said distinct positions along the first axis while scrolling the first focus item in the direction parallel to the second axis and displaying the second focus item in place of the first focus item.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a content type of the second focus item be the same as a content type of the first focus item.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include distinct criteria for each of a plurality of content types, the predefined criteria including:

for a first content type, a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item; and

for a second content type, a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to concurrently display respective portions of the scrollable sequence of content items in accordance with a first ordering at a plurality of distinct positions along the direction parallel to the first axis, and to scroll the first and second focus items in the direction parallel to the second axis, in accordance with a second ordering of content items, wherein the second ordering is distinct from the first ordering, and wherein the first and second focus items are scrolled in the direction parallel to the second axis while concurrently continuing to display said other items in the scrollable sequence at other positions along the first axis.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a system having one or more processors, cause the system to:

display respective portions of a scrollable sequence of content items, the content items having a plurality of sources and a plurality of content types;

in response to user commands, scroll the scrollable sequence of content items, including a first focus item and a plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence, in a direction parallel to a first axis;

in response to a first user selection of the first focus item, while concurrently displaying the first focus item and the plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at distinct positions along the first axis, visually indicating the first focus item in the scrollable sequence, wherein the displayed first focus item includes an affordance comprising a related-content affordance;

responding to a second user selection of the related-content affordance by;

displaying within the first focus item a related content listing and a scrolling affordance, the related content listing and the scrolling affordance replacing the related-content affordance, the related content listing including a list of information identifiers of respective content items associated with content of the first focus item; and

after receiving a third user selection of the scrolling affordance, responding to the third user selection by;

scrolling the first focus item in a direction parallel to a second axis that is distinct from the first axis;

displaying a second focus item in place of the first focus item, wherein the second focus item corresponds to an information identifier in the related content listing; and

continuing to display said plurality of other content items in the scrollable sequence at said distinct positions along the first axis while scrolling the first focus item in the direction parallel to the second axis and displaying the second focus item in place of the first focus item.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that a content type of the second focus item be the same as a content type of the first focus item.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the second focus item is selected in accordance with predefined criteria, and the predefined criteria include distinct criteria for each of a plurality of content types, the predefined criteria including:

for a first content type, a criterion that a source of the second focus item be the same as a source of the first focus item; and

for a second content type, a criterion that the second focus item is determined to be similar to the first focus item in accordance with predefined similarity criteria.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the system having one or more processors, cause the system to concurrently display respective portions of the scrollable sequence of content items in accordance with a first ordering at a plurality of distinct positions along the direction parallel to the first axis, and to scroll the first and second focus items in the direction parallel to the second axis, in accordance with a second ordering of content items, wherein the second ordering is distinct from the first ordering, and wherein the first and second focus items are scrolled in the direction parallel to the second axis while concurrently continuing to display said other items in the scrollable sequence at other positions along the first axis.