User interface methods and systems for selecting and presenting content based on user relationships

• US 8,423,583 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veveo, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Veveo, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Aravamudan, Murali, Ramakrishnan, Kajamalai G., Barve, Rakesh, Venkataraman, Sashikumar, Rajasekharan, Ajit
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US13/479,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 707/802, 707/805, 707/791, 707/787, 707/786, 707/783, 707/781, 707/769, 707/706
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user'"'"'s navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups.

Claims

1. A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items, the method comprising:

providing access to a set of content items;

determining an organizational or social relationship of the user to at least one other person and inferring a likelihood of the user wanting to contact the other person based on the organizational or social relationship;

determining a relevance of at least one content item of the set of content items to the other person;

associating a relevance weight with the at least one content item, wherein the associated relevance weight is based in part on the likelihood of the user wanting to contact the other person;

receiving input entered by the user for identifying desired content items;

in response to the input entered by the user, selecting and presenting a subset of content items to the user as a hierarchy of content items browsable by the user, wherein the content items are ordered at least in part by the initial associated relevance weights of the content items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one content item of the set of content items includes contact information associated with the other person.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the relevance of at least one content item to the other person includes determining content items of the set consumed by the other person and the associating the relevance weight with the at least one content item is further based on whether the at least one content item was consumed by the other person.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is entered by the user on an input constrained device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input constrained device has a plurality of overloaded keys, each of the overloaded keys representing two or more characters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is entered by the user on at least one of a telephone, a PDA, a computer, and a remote control.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the subset of content items on a display constrained device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the display constrained device is at least one of a telephone, a PDA, and a remote control.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted associated relevance weights.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the organizational relationship is a hierarchy containing superiors, peers, and subordinates.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the organizational relationship is a set of non-hierarchical groups.

12. A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items, the method comprising:

providing access to a set of content items;

determining an organizational or social relationship of the user to at least one other person;

determining content items of the set consumed by the at least one other person;

associating a relevance weight with at least one of the content items of the set, wherein the associated relevance weight is based in part on the organizational or social relationship of the user to the other person and whether the at least one content item of the set was consumed by the other person;

subsequent to associating the relevance weight with the at least one of the content items of the set, selecting and presenting a subset of content items to the user as a hierarchy of content items browsable by the user, wherein the content items are ordered at least in part by the initial associated relevance weights of the content items.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving input entered by the user for browsing through the presented subset of content items for identifying and selecting desired content items; and

in response to a selection by the user of a content item, presenting said content item to the user and adjusting the associated relevance weight of the content item.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising decaying the adjusted associated relevance weights as time passes from the act of adjusting the associated relevance weights.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising decaying the adjusted associated relevance weights based upon the number of user selections occurring after the act of adjusting the associated relevance weights.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a context in which the user performs the selection of the content item, the context including at least one of geographic location of the user, day, date, and time;

associating the context of the user selection with the adjusted relevance weighting of the selected content item;

receiving subsequent input entered by the user for identifying desired content items;

in response to the subsequent input entered by the user, selecting and presenting a subsequent subset of content items to the user as a hierarchy of content items browsable by the user, wherein only the adjusted relevance weightings associated with the context in which the user enters the subsequent input are used in the selecting and presenting of the subsequent subset of content items.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the input and the subsequent input are entered by the user on an input constrained device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the input constrained device has a plurality of overloaded keys, each of the overloaded keys representing two or more characters.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the input and the subsequent input are entered by the user on at least one of a telephone, a PDA, a computer, and a remote control.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting the subset of content items on a display constrained device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the display constrained device is at least one of a telephone, a PDA, and a remote control.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the organizational relationship is a hierarchy containing superiors, peers, and subordinates.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the organizational relationship is a set of non-hierarchical groups.