Methods and systems for recording user actions in computer programs

• US 20040261026A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Corson, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method for recording a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code is provided. In this method, a selection of a level of detail to record when user actions enable interfacing with the objects associated with the executable code is enabled. Subsequently, the sequence of user actions is recorded. The recorded sequence of user actions is defined by the selected level of detail. Thereafter, the recorded sequence of user actions is parsed by applying rules that enable the generation of a defined number of data types. The data types are capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.

Claims

1. A method for recording a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code, comprising:

enabling selection of a level of detail to record when user actions enable interfacing with the objects associated with the executable code;

recording the sequence of user actions, the recorded sequence of user actions being defined by the selected level of detail; and

parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types, the data types capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the objects associated with the executable code, the recorded objects being defined by the selected level of detail; and

parsing the recorded objects by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the data types to a search engine, the search engine retrieving information that is related to one or more of the data types; and

displaying the information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the search engine searches for the information over a network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information that is related to one or more of the data types is generated without requiring detection of user initiated input.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the recorded sequence of user actions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method operation of filtering the recorded sequence of user actions includes,

removing the recorded sequence of user actions that is redundant.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

filtering the objects associated with the executable code.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method operation of filtering the objects associated with the executable code includes,

removing the objects that are redundant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the objects associated with the executable code is defined by one of a command, an instruction, a hypertext link, a data, a data traversing network connections, an icon, a file, a picture file, a sound file, a movie file, a menu, and a text.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the user actions is defined by one of a keyboard input, a mouse movement, a mouse input, a light pen input, a selection of a choice from a menu, a selection of an object, a joystick input, and a selection of a command.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined number of data types is defined by one or more of a program name, an inputted data, an icon name, a file name, a command name, a hypertext link name, a picture name, a Web address, an email text, a message text, and a sound name.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable code is defined by one or more of an operating system, a video game, a Web browser, an applet, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a search engine, a dictionary application, an encyclopedia application, and an email program.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is defined by one or more of a search engine, an Internet music and movie shopping service, an encyclopedia application, and a dictionary application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the rules is defined by one of a user search request, a frequently repeated object, a frequently repeated user action, and a specified length of time spent on the objects.

16. A computer readable medium having program instructions for retrieving related information based a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code, comprising:

program instructions for generating a defined number of data types, the defined number of data types being derived from the sequence of user actions;

program instructions for providing the defined number of data types to a search engine, the search engine retrieving the related information; and

program instructions for displaying the related information.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions for generating the defined number of data types includes,

program instructions for recording the sequence of user actions;

and

program instructions for parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of the defined number of data types.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein each of the rules is defined by one of a user search request, a frequently repeated object, a frequently repeated user action, and a specified length of time spent on an object.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the search engine searches for the related information over a network.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the related information is retrieved without requiring detection of user initiated input.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein each of the objects associated with the executable code is defined by one of a command, an instruction, a hypertext link, a data, a data traversing network connections, an icon, a file, a picture file, a sound file, a movie file, a menu, and a text.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein each of the user actions is defined by one of a keyboard input, a mouse movement, a mouse input, a light pen input, a selection of a choice from a menu, a selection of an object, a joystick input, and a selection of a command.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the defined number of data types is defined by one or more of a program name, an inputted data, an icon name, a file name, a command name, a hypertext link name, a picture name, a Web address, an email text, a message text, and a sound name.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the executable code is defined by one or more of an operating system, a video game, a Web browser, an applet, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a search engine, an Internet music and movie shopping service, a dictionary application, an encyclopedia application, and an email program.

25. A system for recording a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code, comprising:

a memory for storing an automatic information retrieval module; and

a central processing unit for executing the automatic information retrieval module stored in the memory,

the automatic information retrieval module including,

logic for enabling selection of a level of detail to record when user actions enable interfacing with the objects associated with the executable code;

logic for recording the sequence of user actions, the recorded sequence of user actions being defined by the selected level of detail; and

logic for parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types, the data types capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

circuitry including,

logic for enabling selection of a level of detail to record when user actions enable interfacing with the objects associated with the executable code;

logic for recording the sequence of user actions, the recorded sequence of user actions being defined by the selected level of detail; and

logic for parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types, the data types capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the information that is related to one or more of the data types is generated without requiring detection of user initiated input.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the objects associated with the executable code is defined by one of a command, an instruction, a hypertext link, a data, a data traversing network connections, an icon, a file, a picture file, a sound file, a movie file, a menu, and a text.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein each of the user actions is defined by one of a keyboard input, a mouse movement, a mouse input, a light pen input, a selection of a choice from a menu, a selection of an object, a joystick input, and a selection of a command.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the defined number of data types is defined by one or more of a program name, an inputted data, an icon name, a file name, a command name, a hypertext link name, a picture name, a Web address, an email text, a message text, and a sound name.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the executable code is defined by one or more of an operating system, a video game, a Web browser, an applet, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a search engine, a dictionary application, an encyclopedia application, and an email program.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the application is defined by one or more of a search engine, an Internet music and movie shopping service, an encyclopedia application, and a dictionary application.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the rules is defined by one of a user search request, a frequently repeated object, a frequently repeated user action, and a specified length of time spent on an object.

34. A system for recording a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code, comprising:

recording means for recording the sequence of user actions in a memory; and

parsing means for parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types, the data types capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the information that is related to one or more of the data types is generated without requiring detection of user initiated input.

36. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

filtering means for removing the recorded sequence of user actions that is redundant.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein each of the objects associated with the executable code is defined by one of a command, an instruction, a hypertext link, a data, a data traversing network connections, an icon, a file, a picture file, a sound file, a movie file, a menu, and a text.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein each of the user actions is defined by one of a keyboard input, a mouse movement, a mouse input, a light pen input, a selection of a choice from a menu, a selection of an object, a joystick input, and a selection of a command.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the defined number of data types is defined by one or more of a program name, an inputted data, an icon name, a file name, a command name, a hypertext link name, a picture name, a Web address, an email text, a message text, and a sound name.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the executable code is defined by one or more of an operating system, a video game, a Web browser, an applet, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a search engine, a dictionary application, an encyclopedia application, and an email program.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the application is defined by one or more of a search engine, an Internet music and movie shopping service, an encyclopedia application, and a dictionary application.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein each of the rules is defined by one of a user search request, a frequently repeated object, a frequently repeated user action, and a specified length of time spent on an object.

43. A method for recording a sequence of user actions made when interfacing with objects associated with an executable code, comprising:

recording the sequence of user actions; and

parsing the recorded sequence of user actions by applying rules that enable generation of a defined number of data types, the data types capable of being utilized by an application that is designed to generate information that is related to one or more of the data types.