INTEGRATED GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND SYSTEM WITH FOCUSING

• US 20090158200A1
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bonev
• Original Assignee: Smooth Productions Inc.
• Inventors: BONEV, Robert, PALAHNUK, Samuel Louis
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

An integrated web-based communications/calendar/organizational/entertainment system provides a user interface to provide the most pertinent data to a user at any time by organizing the data into strips of content organized according to four broad contexts of who, what, when, and where. The user interface focuses information displayed by the interface by automatically adjusting the content displayed by each strip based on a user selection in any one strip.

Claims

1. A method of providing a graphical user interface generated by a service provider system for display by a user client device, the method comprising:

storing contact information associated with a user;

storing calendar information associated with the user;

storing message information associated with the user;

generating a dynamic webpage providing content automatically customized for the user by dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas based on the contact information, calendar information, and message information, each area providing content and inputs based on the distinct theme;

receiving a user input in response to user interaction with the interface; and

dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes dividing content into strips, each strip displaying the content and inputs associated with the theme.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes dividing content into strips includes including displaying a WHO strip for displaying user contact content.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein displaying a WHO strip includes displaying contact information, the contact information separating contacts into people and groups.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas and dividing content into strips includes displaying a WHAT strip for displaying user message content.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein displaying a WHAT strip includes displaying indicators of received messages.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes dividing content into strips includes displaying a WHEN strip for displaying user calendar content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein displaying a WHEN strip includes displaying calendar and event information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes dividing content into strips includes displaying a WHERE strip 735 for displaying location content.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying a WHERE strip includes displaying location information for contacts and events.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes displaying a WHAT strip for displaying user message content.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes displaying a WHEN strip for displaying user calendar content.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein dividing the interface into a number of distinct thematically organized areas includes displaying a WHERE strip for displaying location content.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input generated by a user input device in one of the strips and dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input includes focusing content displayed by each strip in response to the received user input.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein receiving a user input includes receiving an input generated by a user input device in one of the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE strips and dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input includes focusing content displayed by each the other ones of the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE strip not generating the user input.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying location content includes displaying a map, and receiving a user input includes receiving an indication of an area within the displayed map, and dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input includes dynamically adjusting the map to display indicators of locations of contacts located within the indicated area.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying location content includes displaying a map and receiving a user input include receiving an indication of an area with the displayed map and dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input includes dynamically adjusting the map to display indicators of locations of events located within the indicated area.

18. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a user input include receiving an indication of content from one strip has be dragged to another strip and dynamically adjusting the content provided by the webpage in response to the user input includes providing a system provider function.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the content being dragged is a contact name and the function provided is generating a message addressed to the contact.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the content being dragged is a contact name and the function provided is generating an event.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the content being dragged is a group name and the function provided is generating a message addressed to the group.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the content being dragged is a group name and the function provided is generating an event for the group.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the content being dragged are multiple items from one or more strips to a different strip.

24. A graphical user interface for a user organizer provided to a client device from a server system including a database for storing user information, the graphic interface comprising four contextual areas to organize and present the user information stored in the database in the four contextual areas, the areas dividing the information into the contexts WHO, WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 24 wherein each area includes one or more dynamic lozenges to further organize information presented within an area.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein the WHO area includes a people lozenge and a groups lozenge for contact organization.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein the WHAT area includes an activities lozenge, shopping lozenge, a read lozenge, and a send lozenge to organize user daily communications and activities.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein the WHERE area includes a locations lozenge and maps lozenge to organize user geographical information.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein the WHEN area includes a calendar lozenge to organize user events.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein an item may be selected and dragged from one lozenge to another lozenge to automatically invoke a service of the server system.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 25 wherein selecting an item in one lozenge automatically focuses content provided by one or more other lozenges.