CUSTOMIZING USER INTERFACES

• US 20130097536A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kimball, Jeffrey David, Wassom, John Thurston Jr., Dolan, Christina Ann Rank
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,816 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A user interface including one or more references to content is customized. Several user profiles are provided from which a user may be associated. Each user profile includes user profile information. The user profile associated with a user to whom a user interface will be provided is accessed. A user interface is configured for the user, based at least in part upon the user profile accessed as being associated with the user. Access to content is enabled based on user manipulation of the configured user interface.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. A method comprising:

identifying a grouping associated with a user to whom a user interface will be provided;

customizing, using at least one processor, the user interface to include first content if the identified grouping is a first grouping; and

customizing, using the at least one processor, the user interface to exclude the first content if the identified grouping is a second grouping.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first content comprises one or more links to content.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first content comprises one or more toolbar controls.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a control providing access to the Internet.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a control for accessing email.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a control for accessing one or more websites.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a button.

11. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a menu option.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprises a pull down menu.

13. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first content comprises one or more pictures.

14. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

the first grouping comprises users having a predetermined characteristic; and

the second grouping comprises users that do not have the predetermined characteristic.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an age or maturity of the user.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an interest category.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the first content relates to the interest category.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising automatically detecting if the predetermined characteristic applies to the user.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising checking a user profile associated with the user to determine if the predetermined characteristic applies to the user.

20. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising sending the user interface for presentation to the user.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

identifying a grouping associated with a user to whom a user interface will be provided;

customizing the user interface to include first content if the identified grouping is a first grouping; and

customizing the user interface to exclude the first content if the identified grouping is a second grouping.

22. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 21, wherein:

the first grouping comprises users having a predetermined characteristic; and

the second grouping comprises users that do not have the predetermined characteristic.

23. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an age or maturity of the user.

24. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 22, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to automatically detect if the predetermined characteristic applies to the user.

25. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to check a user profile associated with the user to determine if the predetermined characteristic applies to the user.

26. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an interest category.

27. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 26, wherein the first content relates to the interest category.

28. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, wherein the first content comprises one or more links to content.

29. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 28, wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

30. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the first content comprises one or more toolbar controls.

31. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the one or more toolbar controls comprise a control providing access to the Internet.

32. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, wherein the first content comprises one or more pictures.

33. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, further comprising sending the user interface for presentation to the user.

34. A method comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of a user to whom a user interface will be provided;

customizing, using at least one processor, the user interface to include content in a first location in the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a first characteristic; and

customizing, using the at least one processor, the user interface to include the content in a second location in the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a second characteristic.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the first and second characteristics are mutually exclusive.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising checking a user profile associated with the user to determine the one or more characteristics of the user.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is an age or maturity of the user.

38. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is a category of interest.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the content relates to the category of interest.

40. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising monitoring one or more actions of the user to detect the one or more characteristics of the user.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the one or more actions comprise opening of an application.

42. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the first location is visible when the user interface is in a default configuration.

43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the second location is not visible when the user interface is in the default configuration.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the second location is in a drop down menu.

45. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the first location is on a toolbar of the user interface.

46. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the content comprises one or more links to content.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

48. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the content comprises one or more toolbar controls.

49. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the first content comprises one or more pictures.

50. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

identifying one or more characteristics of a user to whom a user interface will be provided;

customizing the user interface to include content in a first location in the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a first characteristic; and

customizing the user interface to include the content in a second location in the user interface if the one or more characteristics includes a second characteristic.

51. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 50, wherein the first location is visible when the user interface is in a default configuration.

52. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 51, wherein the second location is not visible when the user interface is in the default configuration.

53. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, wherein the second location is in a drop down menu.

54. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, wherein the first location is on a toolbar of the user interface.

55. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to check a user profile associated with the user to determine the one or more characteristics of the user.

56. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 55, wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is an age or maturity of the user.

57. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 55, wherein the one or more characteristics of the user is a category of interest.

58. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 57, wherein the content relates to the category of interest.

59. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 58, wherein the content comprises one or more links to content.

60. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 59, wherein the one or more links to content provide access to one or more websites.

61. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to monitor one or more actions of the user to detect the one or more characteristics of the user.

62. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 61, wherein the one or more actions comprise opening of an application.

63. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, wherein the content comprises one or more toolbar controls.

64. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 52, wherein the first content comprises one or more pictures.