Active context information for an object and contextually associated objects

• US 9,798,825 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Inventors: Goldman, Peninah R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US10/360,259
• Time in Patent Office: 5,374 Days
• Field of Search: 715705, 715708, 715714, 715804, 715825, 715826, 715808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/909 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location spatiotemporally dependent retrieval from the web G06F16/9537
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations

Abstract

An information system using active context technology allows a user to view and interact with a large amount of data disposed within multiple objects with relative ease, minimal time, and minimal interaction. An active context object allows an active context window to display labels, identifiers, and links for objects that are actively (e.g. presently) contextually associated with each other. Contextual association of objects can be determined by a user, inferred by the nature of each object, or automatically determined by an information system. In another embodiment, an active context window is persistently displayed to a user to allow the user to easily obtain information about contextually associated objects and easily allow the user to navigate among contextually associated objects. In one embodiment, the active context object can be transmitted to other users to allow each user to access contextually related objects and, thus, contextually related information.

Claims

1. A method of using a first computer system to provide context information associated with multiple objects available for display by the information system, the method comprising:

performing by a processor executing code in the first computer system to configure the first computer system into a machine;

accessing a software application executing on the first computer system, wherein the application includes processor executable instructions for displaying multiple objects that are displayable through user interaction with the application;

receiving a selection of a first object of the multiple objects;

receiving selections of subsequent objects of the multiple objects;

displaying entry points to contextually associated and selected objects with the first computer system;

displaying an active context window in a display of the first computer system that includes an active context list, wherein the active context list includes predetermined labels to identify the contextually associated and selected objects as being contextually associated with one or more other objects, the predetermined labels are initially not associated with any object identifier and not associated with any active link to an object prior to receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects, and the labels include content-derived specific names;

receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects with the first computer system;

after receiving the selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects;

recording in the active context list in the display of the first computer system identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects (i) whose entry points were selected and (ii) that are identified by the labels so as to be identified as being contextually associated with each other, wherein recording in the active context list includes using filters to automatically record at least a subset of the identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected by correlating the labels in the active context list with name data in at least a subset of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected; and

automatically associating and displaying the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected with the labels; and

transmitting an active context object from the first computer system to a second computer system that allows the second computer system to display the active context window including the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interacting with the active context list to navigate among the objects whose entry points have been selected by a user and identified as being contextually associated with each other.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the active context list in a persistent window.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each entry point is a link to one of the objects, the method further comprising:

monitoring user interaction; and

opening windows to display the objects after receiving the selections of entry points to the objects.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring user interaction with the application;

receiving a selection from the active context list of one of the objects having a recorded identifier and active links in the active context list; and

displaying the selection of the object corresponding to the selection from the active context list.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving selection of entry points to the objects comprises receiving selection of entry points from a first user, the method further comprising:

transmitting a note to a second user that includes computer readable data for displaying the active context list; and

displaying the active context list in a display viewable to the second user, the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the objects that have been selected by the first user and identified as being contextually associated with each other.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein objects are identified as being contextually associated with each other pursuant to a predetermined list of objects.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information associated with one or more of the objects identified as being contextually associated with each other; and

displaying the active context list upon receipt of the information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information is caller-ID information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each object is selected from the group comprising:

a web page, a file, and a graphic image.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rolling-over a recorded identifier of one of the objects to obtain information associated with the object.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the software application resides on a server computer of the information system, and the display is coupled to a client computer system having electronic access to the server computer.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each object, processing rules stored in the electronic information system to determine whether to identify the object as contextually associated with the other objects.

14. An information system comprising:

processor;

memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions and data that program the processor to configure the information system into a machine to;

display objects of a software application,

receive a selection of a first object of multiple objects,

receive selections of subsequent objects of the multiple objects,

receive selections of entry points to the selected objects,

display an active context window including an active context list, wherein the active context list includes predetermined labels to identify the selected objects whose entry points were selected as being contextually associated with one or more other objects, and

automatically populate the active context list with identifiers and active links to the contextually associated objects after receiving the selections of entry points to the selected objects, wherein to automatically populate the active context list includes using filters to automatically record at least a subset of the identifiers a nd active links by correlating labels in the active context list with name data in at least a subset of the selected objects whose entry points were selected;

a display, coupled to the processor, for displaying a user interface, wherein the user interface includes the active context window and the entry points, wherein the active context list includes the predetermined labels, the predetermined labels are initially not associated with any object identifier and not associated with any active link to an object prior to receiving selections of the entry points to the selected objects, and the labels include content-derived specific names;

wherein (i) the contextually associated objects are associated with the entry points in the user interface, (ii) the identifiers and active links to the contextually associated and selected objects are recorded in the active context window after selection of the entry points and after the objects are identified as being contextually associated, (iii) each identifier and active link are associated with one of the predetermined labels, and (iv) the recorded identifiers and active links within the active context window allow a user to navigate to contextually associated and selected objects through interaction with the active context window; and

the memory further includes processor executable instructions to allow a user to transmit an active context object to a computer system that allows the computer system to display the active context window including the populated active context list.

15. The information system of claim 14 wherein the user interface further comprises:

multiple windows with each window displaying a separate one of the objects.

16. The information system of claim 15 wherein the active context window is displayed separately from the multiple windows displaying the objects.

17. The information system of claim 14 wherein the user interface further comprises:

a pop-up window.

18. A computer system comprising:

means for accessing a software application executing on a processor of an information system, wherein the application includes processor executable instructions for displaying multiple objects that are displayable through user interaction with the application;

means for receiving a selection of a first object of the multiple objects;

means for receiving selections of subsequent objects of the multiple objects;

means for displaying entry points to contextually associated and selected objects with the computer system;

means for displaying an active context window in a display of the computer system that includes an active context list, wherein the active context list includes predetermined labels to identify the contextually associated and selected objects as being contextually associated with one or more other objects, the predetermined labels are initially not associated with any object identifier and not associated with any active link to an object prior to receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects, and the labels include content-derived specific names;

means for receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects with the computer system;

means for recording in the active context list, after receiving the selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects, identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects (i) whose entry points were selected and (ii) that are identified by the labels so as to be identified as being contextually associated with each other, wherein the means for recording in the active context list includes using filters to automatically record at least a subset of the identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected by correlating the labels in the active context list with name data in at least a subset of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected;

means for, after receiving the selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects, automatically associating and displaying the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected with the labels;

means for displaying the active context window; and

means for transmitting an active context object to a second computer system that allows the second computer system to display the active context window including the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects.

19. A method of using a computer system to provide context information associated with multiple objects available for display, the method comprising:

performing by a processor executing code in the computer system to configure the computer system into a machine;

providing information to a client computer system to allow the client computer system to display multiple objects and entry points to contextually associated objects of a software application;

providing information to the client computer system to allow the client computer system to display an active context window in a display that includes an active context list, wherein the active context list includes predetermined labels to identify contextually associated objects as being contextually associated with one or more other objects, the predetermined labels are initially not associated with any object identifier and not associated with any active link to an object prior to receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated objects, and the labels include content-derived specific names;

receiving a selection of a first object of the multiple objects;

receiving selections of subsequent objects of the multiple objects;

receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects;

after receiving the selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects;

recording, into the active context list, identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects (i) whose entry points were selected and (ii) that are identified by the labels so as to be identified as being contextually associated with each other, wherein recording in the active context list includes using filters to automatically record at least a subset of the identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected by correlating the labels in the active context list with name data in at least a subset of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected; and

automatically associating and displaying the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected with the labels;

providing information to the client computer system to allow the client computer system to display the active context window that includes the active context list; and

transmitting an active context object to a second client computer system that allows the second computer system to display the active context window including the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects.

20. A non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising code encoded thereon and executable by a processor to configure a computer system into a machine for:

accessing a software application executing on the computer system, wherein the application includes processor executable instructions for displaying multiple objects that are displayable through user interaction with the application;

receiving a selection of a first object of the multiple objects;

receiving selections of subsequent objects of the multiple objects;

displaying entry points to contextually associated and selected objects with the computer system;

displaying an active context window in a display of the computer system that includes an active context list, wherein the active context list includes predetermined labels to identify the contextually associated and selected objects, the predetermined labels are initially not associated with any object identifier and not associated with any active link to an object prior to receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects, and the labels include content-derived specific names;

receiving selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects with the computer system;

after receiving the selections of the entry points to the contextually associated and selected objects;

recording in the active context list in the display of the computer system identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects (i) whose entry points were selected and (ii) that are identified by the labels so as to be identified as being contextually associated with each other, wherein recording in the active context list includes using filters to automatically record at least a subset of the identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected by correlating the labels in the active context list with name data in at least a subset of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected; and

automatically associating and displaying the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects whose entry points were selected with the labels; and

transmitting an active context object from the computer system to a second computer system that allows the second computer system to display the active context window including the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the contextually associated and selected objects.

21. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

interacting with the active context list to navigate among the objects whose entry points have been selected by a user and identified as being contextually associated with each other.

22. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

displaying the active context list in a persistent window.

23. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

monitoring user interaction; and

opening windows to display the objects after receiving the selections of entry points to the objects.

24. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

monitoring user interaction with the application;

receiving a selection from the active context list of one of the objects having a recorded identifier and liking data in the active context list; and

displaying the selection of the object corresponding to the selection from the active context list.

25. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

receiving selection of entry points from a first user, the method further comprising;

transmitting a note to a second user that includes computer readable data for displaying the active context list; and

displaying the active context list in a display viewable to the second user, the active context list having the recorded identifiers and active links of the objects that have been selected by the first user and identified as being contextually associated with each other.

26. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein objects are identified as being contextually associated with each other pursuant to a predetermined list of objects.

27. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

receiving information associated with one or more of the objects identified as being contextually associated with each other; and

displaying the active context list upon receipt of the information.

28. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 27 wherein the information is caller-ID information.

29. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein each object is selected from the group comprising:

a web page, a file, and a graphic image.

30. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the code is further executable by the processor for:

rolling-over a recorded identifier of one of the objects to obtain information associated with the object.