Context management super tools and filter/sort model for aggregated display webpages

• US 7,552,136 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, John Falk, Yuen, Jason Thomas, Heck, Michael P., Garay, Matthew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y T
• Application Number:
  US10/001,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,792 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/102, 707/10, 345/716, 345/854, 345/738, 345/739, 715/738
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An information aggregation and management system and method having selective “drill-down” capabilities and employing an Object-Action Navigation methodology. A user first selects an object of interest, and then selects one or more actions to perform on said selected object. An informational object may be selected from a Context Pane, and then an available action for that object may be selected from execution. A Content Pane displays the results of the actions on the object or objects. The user may rearrange, summarize, maximize, filter and sort information for display to effectively manage display area and minimize operations necessary to obtain information and analysis of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for searching interest objects, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of controls and displays in a single web page, the controls and displays being interrelated by an Object-Action Navigation model which a user obtains desired information by first addressing user'"'"'s attention to one or more displayed objects of interest, the user subsequently specifying one or more search aggregation actions that is performed on addressed objects, the Object-Action Navigation model being opposite in operational flow of an Action-Object model which a user initially navigates to a web page, wherein the interest objects comprises a company name, a product name, a tradable security identifier or a person'"'"'s name;

displaying, by using a computer, to the user a plurality of user-selectable interest objects in a prominently viewable Context Pane portion of the single web page according to a user interest profile;

firstly selecting an interest object of the plurality of user-selectable interest objects which the user wishes a desired action to be performed;

responsive to the user the selecting the interest object in the prominently viewable Context Pane portion, filtering aggregated information from various sources, generating a set of results, wherein the set of results is aggregated from a plurality of semi-independent heterogeneous information modules, and displaying a plurality of available aggregation actions for performance on the selected interest object, the plurality of available aggregation actions being defined and limited by a user entitlement registry, wherein the plurality of available aggregation actions comprises retrieving a real-time market trade quote for the selected interest object;

responsive to the user secondly selecting the available aggregation actions, automatically sending the selected interest object and the selected available aggregation actions to a gateway server;

loading and executing one or more action modules by the gateway server to perform the selected available aggregation actions on the selected interest object;

displaying results from the execution of the selected available aggregation actions in a prominently displayed Content Portion of the single web page, wherein reloading and blanking the single web page in a web browser are avoided by updating only affected tool frames in the single web page;

automatically executing a broader search using keywords related to the displayed objects of interest, the broader search being executed periodically to produce broad search results;

responsive to a user command, sorting the broad search results according to user'"'"'s interest as indicated by a most recent selection;

displaying the broader search results to the user in display less prominent than the display of the viewable Context Pane portion and the Content Portion, the less prominent display being selected from a group consisting of a minimized workspace, a minimized frame, and an expandable pop-up box; and

providing to the user a plurality of options to review the sorted broad search results.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of available aggregation actions comprises a performing a search for news on a selected interest object.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of available aggregation actions comprises retrieving an analyst report regarding said selected interest object.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of available aggregation actions comprises retrieving a historical market trade report regarding said selected interest object.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of available aggregation actions comprises retrieving a quarterly company report for said selected interest object.

6. The method as set forth claim 1 wherein said plurality of available aggregation actions comprises retrieving an annual company report for said selected interest object.