Personalized interface browser and its browsing method

• US 6,483,523 B1
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transpacific IP Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
• Inventors: Feng, Ming-Whei
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/306,719
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 345/745, 345/747, 345/744, 345/762, 345/765, 345/811, 345/760, 345/968, 707/501.1, 707/10, 709/203, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A personalized interface browser for browsing information of a data bank, which includes browser display means for displaying a browser interface for enabling the user to browse the information of the data bank, a set of browser interface models corresponding to predetermined types of users for defining the appearance and function of the browser interface displayed on the display means, and a personal profile for recording the type of user corresponding to the user who currently uses the personalized interface browser, wherein when the current user starting the browser display means to display the browser interface, a corresponding browser interface model is picked up from the predetermined browser interface models subject to the personal profile of the current user, for adjusting the appearance and function of the browser interface.

Claims

1. A personalized interface browser system for browsing information in a data bank, comprising:

a) a user control unit in communication with the data bank;

b) a browser display device in communication with the control unit for displaying a browser interface enabling a user to browse the information in the data bank;

c) a browser interface model data bank in communication with the user control unit and storing a plurality of browser interface models each defining appearance and functions of a browser interface displayed on the browser display device; and

d) a personal profile data bank storing a plurality of personal profiles of users, the personal profiles including user'"'"'s operational habits and user'"'"'s characteristics, whereby the user control unit selects one of the plurality of browser interface models from the browser interface model data bank to be synthesized, and automatically adjusts the appearance, functions before displaying on the browser display device based on a comparison of a personal profile of a user with the plurality of personal profiles in the personal profile data bank.

2. The personalized interface browser of claim 1 wherein said personal profile data bank stores data relating to personal operational habits of a user operating said browser display device to select a corresponding browser interface model from said browser model data bank for personalizing appearance and function of said browser interface.

3. A method of providing a personalized interface browser for browsing information in a data bank, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a user control unit in communication with the data bank;

b) providing a browser display device for displaying a browser interface enabling a user to browse the information in the data bank;

c) proving a browser interface model data bank in communication with the user control unit and storing a plurality of browser interface models in a browser interface model data bank, each defining appearance and functions of a browser interface displayed on the browser display device;

d) storing a plurality of personal profiles of users in a personal profile data, the personal profiles including user'"'"'s operational habits and user'"'"'s characteristics, whereby the user control unit selects one of the plurality of browser interface models from the browser interface model data bank to be synthesized, and automatically adjusts the appearance, functions before displaying on the browser display device based on a comparison of a personal profile of a user with the plurality of personal profiles in the personal profile data bank.

4. The method of providing a personalized interface browser of claim 3 further comprising the step of recording a current user'"'"'s personal data in the personal profile data bank for use in selecting a browser interface model for the current user.

5. method of providing a personalized interface browser of claim 3 further comprising the step of recording in the personal profile data bank operational habits of a current user in operating the browser display device for use in selecting a browser interface model for the current user.