Systems and methods for promoting related lists

• US 9,395,882 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Berger, Marni A., Arora, Pratima, Agarwal, Anshu
• Primary Examiner(s): Weng, Peiyong
• Application Number:
  US13/594,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20130227461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 715/777, 715/853
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A tab bar for a selected record includes a first tab and a second tab. The first tab links to a first category. The second tab links to a listing of other categories including a second category. Usage of the first and second categories is monitored and analyzed. If usage of the second category is greater than usage of the first category, the first tab is replaced with a third tab that links to the second category, thereby allowing direct access to what may be the more relevant second category.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a tab bar for a selected record of a stored data object comprising a plurality of records, the selected record being related to a plurality of categories, the tab bar comprising a tab, and a plurality of dynamic tabs, wherein the tab links to a list of demoted categories of the plurality of categories related to the selected record, each demoted category including second records belonging to the demoted category, and each dynamic tab links to a promoted category of the plurality of categories;

monitoring usage of a demoted category, the usage of the demoted category comprising a first timestamp indicating when the demoted category was last accessed;

monitoring usage of each of the promoted categories, the usage of the promoted category comprising a second timestamp indicating when the promoted category was last accessed; and

when the usage of the monitored demoted category is greater than the usage of any of the promoted categories;

replacing the dynamic tab in the tab bar linking to the promoted category having a less usage than the monitored demoted category with another dynamic tab linking to the monitored demoted category, the monitored demoted category thereby being promoted to the tab bar; and

replacing the monitored demoted category, on the list of demoted categories related to the selected record, with the promoted category having less usage than the monitored demoted category.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the usage of the demoted category further comprises a number of times the demoted category was accessed during a rolling time period, and the usage of the promoted category comprises a number of times the promoted category was accessed during the rolling time period.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying the tab bar comprises displaying the tab bar on an electronic touchscreen of a portable electronic device.

4. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein to be executed by one or more processors, the program code including instructions to:

display a tab bar for a selected record of a stored data object comprising a plurality of records, the selected record being related to a plurality of categories, the tab bar comprising a tab, and a plurality of dynamic tabs, wherein the tab links to a list of demoted categories of the plurality of categories related to the selected record, each demoted category including second records belonging to the demoted category, and each dynamic tab links to a promoted category of the plurality of categories;

monitor usage of a demoted category, the usage of the demoted category comprising a first timestamp indicating when the demoted category was last accessed;

monitor usage of each of the promoted categories, the usage of the promoted category comprising a second timestamp indicating when the promoted category was last accessed; and

when the usage of the monitored demoted category is greater than the usage of the any of the promoted categories;

replace the dynamic tab in the tab bar linking to the promoted category having a less usage than the monitored demoted category with another dynamic tab linking to the monitored demoted category, the monitored demoted category thereby being promoted to the tab bar; and

replace the monitored demoted category, on the list of demoted categories related to the selected record, with the promoted category having less usage than the monitored demoted category.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the usage of the demoted category further comprises a first value indicating a number of times the demoted category was accessed during a rolling time period, and

the usage of the promoted category further comprises a second value indicating a number of times the promoted category was accessed during the rolling time period.

6. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the displaying the tab bar comprises displaying the tab bar on an electronic touchscreen of a portable electronic device.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

store a primary record of a stored data object comprising a plurality of records;

store a plurality of secondary records that are organized into a plurality of categories, each of the plurality of categories being associated with the primary record;

collect first usage data of a first category that is linked to a first graphical interface;

collect second usage data of a second category that is linked to a second graphical interface, the first graphical interface and the second graphical interface each being a portion of a third graphical interface;

compare the first and second usage data by obtaining a first timestamp indicating when the first category was last accessed and obtaining a second timestamp indicating when the second category was last accessed; and

when the comparison indicates the first category has a higher calculated relevance than the second category, swap the first category with the second category so that after the swap the second category is linked to the first graphical interface and the first category is linked to the second graphical interface, wherein the second graphical interface is at a level in a hierarchy that is below a level of the first graphical interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein before the swapping, a number of user actions to access the second category is greater than a number of user actions to access the first category, and after the swapping, the number of user actions to access the second category is less than the number of user actions to access the first category.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein comparing the first usage information and the second usage information further comprises:

comparing a first value indicating a number of times the first category was accessed during a rolling time period with a second value indicating a number of times the second category was accessed during the rolling time period, wherein the first timestamp being more recent than the second timestamp indicates the first category is more relevant than the second category,

the second timestamp being more recent than the first timestamp indicates the second category is more relevant than the first category, the first value being greater than the second value indicates the first category is more relevant than the second category, and the second value being greater than the first value indicates the second category is more relevant than the first category.

10. A method for transmitting code comprising:

transmitting, by a processor, code to display a tab bar for a selected record of a stored data object comprising a plurality of records, the selected record being related to a plurality of categories, the tab bar comprising a tab, and a plurality of dynamic tabs, wherein the tab links to a list of demoted categories of the plurality of categories related to the selected record, each demoted category including second records belonging to the demoted category, and each dynamic tab links to a promoted category of the plurality of categories;

transmitting, by a processor, code to monitor usage of a demoted category, the usage of the demoted category comprising a first timestamp indicating when the demoted category was last accessed;

transmitting, by a processor, code to monitor usage of a each of the promoted categories, the usage of the promoted category comprising a second timestamp indicating when the promoted category was last accessed; and

transmitting, by a processor, code to if the usage of the demoted monitored demoted category is greater than the usage of any of the promoted categories;

replace the dynamic tab in the tab bar linking to the promoted category having a less usage than the monitored demoted category with another dynamic tab linking to the monitored demoted category, the monitored demoted category thereby being promoted to the tab bar; and

replace the monitored demoted category, on the list of demoted categories related to the selected record, with the promoted category having less usage than the monitored demoted category.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the usage of the demoted category comprises a first value indicating a number of times the demoted category was accessed during a rolling time period, and the usage of the promoted category comprises a second value indicating a number of times the promoted category was accessed during the rolling time period.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the usage of the demoted category further comprises a first value indicating a number of times the demoted category was accessed during a rolling time period, and the usage of the promoted category further comprises a second value indicating a number of times the promoted category was accessed during the rolling time period.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the transmitting code to display a tab bar comprises transmitting, by a processor, code to display the tab bar on an electronic touchscreen of a portable electronic device.