AUTOMATICALLY ARRANGING OF ICONS ON A USER INTERFACE

• US 20130132874A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: LIU, Peng, HE, Li
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

Automatically arranging icons on a user interface is provided. A plurality of icons associated with items are received and displayed on the user interface. An importance score for each icon of the plurality of icons and a similarity score between two or more of the plurality of icons are determined. Further, a user interface coordinate is assigned to at least a portion of the plurality of icons based on the importance and similarity scores. The user interface is then displayed with the at least a portion of the plurality of icons according to the user interface coordinate.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically arranging icons on a user interface, comprising:

receiving a plurality of icons associated with items and displayed on the user interface;

determining an importance score for each icon of the plurality of icons and a similarity score between two or more of the plurality of icons;

assigning a user interface coordinate to at least a portion of the plurality of icons based on the importance and similarity scores; and

displaying the user interface with the at least a portion of the plurality of icons according to the user interface coordinate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the importance score comprises:

receiving information concerning user interactions with the plurality of icons.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the importance score comprises:

determining a frequency that an item associated with an icon is accessed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the similarity score comprises:

receiving properties associated with the plurality of cons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the similarity score comprises:

performing a semantic analysis on an item associated with an icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a hierarchical user interface in which a top level icon represents multiple lower level icons.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically updating the display of the user interface responsive to an updated importance score or an updated similarity score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of icons are associated with at least one or an application, a mobile application, a file, a shortcut, a hyperlink, a URL, and a widget.

9. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed by a processor, performs a method for automatically arranging icons on a user interface, comprising:

receiving a plurality of icons associated with items and displayed on the user interface;

determining an importance score for each icon of the plurality of icons and a similarity score between two or more of the plurality of icons;

assigning a user interface coordinate to at least a portion of the plurality of icons based on the importance and similarity scores; and

displaying the user interface with the at least a portion of the plurality of icons according to the user interface coordinate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the importance score comprises:

receiving information concerning user interactions with the plurality of icons.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the importance score comprises:

determining a frequency that an item associated with an icon is accessed.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the similarity score comprises:

receiving properties associated with the plurality of icons.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the similarity score comprises:

performing a semantic analysis on an item associated with an icon.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises a hierarchical user interface in which a top level icon represents multiple lower level icons.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

automatically updating the display of the user interface responsive to an updated importance score or an updated similarity score.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of icons are associated with at least one or an application, a mobile application, a file, a shortcut, a hyperlink, a URL, and a widget.

17. A device for automatically arranging icons on a user interface, comprising:

a receiving module to receive a plurality of icons associated with items and displayed on the user interface;

an icon analyzer to determine an importance score for each icon of the plurality of icons and a similarity score between two or more of the plurality of icons;

a mapping module to assign a user interface coordinate to at least a portion of the plurality of icons based on the importance and similarity scores; and

an output module to display the user interface with the at least a portion of the plurality of icons according to the user interface coordinate.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein determining the importance score comprises:

receiving information concerning user interactions with the plurality of icons.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein determining the similarity score comprises:

receiving properties associated with the plurality of cons.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the user interface comprises a hierarchical user interface in which a top level icon represents multiple lower level icons.