Optimizing presentation of interactive graphical elements based on contextual relevance

• US 9,658,739 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Freund, Martin Brandt, Xie, Yuanying
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Hien
• Application Number:
  US14/060,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A method includes identifying a plurality of interactive graphical elements that are associated with a user account. Each interactive graphical element identifies a type of an application and provides access to the respective application. A history usage database is accessed for the user account. The history usage database includes access patterns for the plurality of interactive graphical elements at particular calendar times. A weighting value is assigned to one or more of the access patterns of the interactive graphical elements. A request to display the interactive graphical elements for the user account is received and in response, an ordering of the interactive graphical elements is produced. The ordering of the select ones of the interactive graphical elements is influenced, at least in part, based on the weighting value of the one or more access patterns and a current calendar time when the request is received.

Claims

1. A method, comprising,

identifying a plurality of interactive graphical elements that are associated with a user account of a user, each interactive graphical element identifies a type of an application and is selectable by the user to provide access to the respective application;

accessing a history usage database for the user account, the history usage database including access patterns of the user, an access pattern defining a selection sequence followed by the user for the interactive graphical elements at a particular calendar time within the user account;

assigning a weighting value to one or more of the access patterns of the user regarding the plurality of interactive graphical elements; and

receiving a request to display the interactive graphical elements for the user account, the request acting to produce an ordering of the interactive graphical elements, the ordering, at least in part, being influenced based on the weighting value of the one or more access patterns of the user regarding the plurality of interactive elements and a current calendar time at which the request is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive graphical elements are rendered as application icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the history usage database is a repository maintaining a plurality of access patterns of a plurality of users for a plurality of user accounts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the history usage database is a repository maintaining the access patterns for the user account of the user, each access pattern being associated with a particular calendar time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each access pattern of the user is correlated to a computing configuration type of a device of the user on which the access pattern was produced.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the computing configuration type includes one or more of type of computing device platform, type of operating system, type of browser, language setting type, or any combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access pattern of the user identifies usage correlation between two or more interactive graphical elements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein increased repeated access sub-patterns of the user between particular interactive graphical elements within the access patterns of the user produces an increase to the weighting value for the access patterns of the user that include the access sub-patterns of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering uses a prediction process, the prediction process combines past interactive data provided in the access patterns of the user within the history usage database and applies weighting values associated with the access patterns of the user to increase or decrease significance for the interactive graphical elements provided in response to the request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering defines a location on a display portion of a device that originated the request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering includes organizing the interactive graphical elements under user specified or context specific category types.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering includes user customization, the customization includes defining an ordering position for a select graphical element, when present, for the user account.

13. The method of claim 1, further includes,

receiving feedback on usage of the interactive graphical elements provided in the ordering, the feedback acting to reinforce or refine weighting values assigned to the respective access patterns of the user, the reinforcement or refinement of the weighting values influencing ordering of the interactive graphical elements provided for the user account.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the feedback identifies one or more new interactive graphical elements for inclusion in the ordering provided for the user account.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more new interactive graphical elements are identified for a particular category,

wherein the ordering adjusted to include the new interactive graphical element within the particular category for the user account.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more of the new interactive graphical elements are identified to replace the interactive graphical element within the ordering for the user account.

17. A method, comprising:

providing access to a user account of a user in response to a request, the user account associated with context;

identifying a plurality of interactive graphical elements for a current calendar time, based on the context of the user account, each interactive graphical element identifies a type of an application and is selectable by the user to provide a link to access the application;

identifying access patterns of the user regarding the identified plurality of interactive graphical elements associated with the user account, from a history usage database, the history usage database maintaining access patterns of the user, an access pattern defining a selection sequence followed by the user for the interactive graphical elements at a particular calendar time within the user account;

assigning a weighting value to one or more of the access patterns of the user regarding the interactive graphical elements; and

presenting an ordering of the plurality of interactive graphical elements identified for the user account for a current calendar time, in response to the request, the ordering being influenced by the weighting value of the one or more access patterns of the user, the current calendar time and any user customization defined for the one or more of the interactive graphical elements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein increased repeated access sub-patterns of the user between particular interactive graphical elements within the access patterns of the user produces an increase to the weighting value for the access patterns of the user that include the access sub-patterns of the user, the weighting value influencing the ordering of the graphical elements for the user account for the current calendar time.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having programming instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify a plurality of interactive graphical elements that are associated with a user account of a user, each interactive graphical element identifies a type of an application is selectable by the user to provide access to the respective application;

access a history usage database for the user account, the history usage database including access patterns of the user, an access pattern defining a selection sequence followed by the user for the interactive graphical elements at a particular calendar time within the user account;

assign a weighting value to one or more of the access patterns of the user regarding the interactive graphical elements; and

receive a request to display the interactive graphical elements for the user account, the request acting to produce an ordering of the interactive graphical elements, the ordering at least in part being influenced based on the weighting value of the one or more access patterns of the user regarding the plurality of interactive elements and a current calendar time at which the request is received.