CN1585943A - Methods and apparatuses for presenting ordered heterogeneous information - Google Patents

Abstract

Dynamic ordering of a plurality of heterogeneous information for presentation to a user. A first data set and a second data set are prioritized relative to each other according to their relevance to the user's status. The first data set includes one data type, and the second data set includes a different data type. The first and second data sets are presented to the user according to their prioritized order.

Description

Be used to present the method and apparatus of orderly variety classes information

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to more specifically say, relate to the information that presents dynamic order to human user to the human user presentation information.

Background technology

User interface is often given user's presentation information with certain type order.For example, the About You of user on the website can show different kinds of information (variety classes information), such as stock quotation, headline and motion score, they by the user for presenting selection.The information sorting of this selection on user's About You is static, and promptly the information of particular type always shows at the webpage same position.For example, stock quotation may be positioned at the left side of webpage, and the motion score may be positioned at the centre of webpage, and headline may be positioned at the right side of webpage.For revising the sequence of information that is presented, the user must specify a new order by hand.This may be pretty troublesome concerning the user of certain relevant information is seen in hope, and described relevant information for example has stock price sharply to change or the score of the team liked, in case after upgrading different kinds of information.The user can not predict that the information of which catalogue will have maximally related information, so the manual ability of different order of specifying can not provide feasible solution.

Some user interfaces can show the information (same category information) of same type in the logical order mode.For example, the website of airline can be listed in all available flights between user's the takeoff point and the point of arrival with time sequencing.Alternatives is, if this option of price can be used for the user, then can list available flight according to price.Another example with category information is the Email that sorts according to the date in order.Ordering allows the user that homogeneous data is determined priority with category information, but it can not solve the problem that presents certain relevant information from different information types.

When the user uses mini-plant as PDA(Personal Digital Assistant) or cell phone, present relevant information even bigger meaning is arranged to the user, because once can only show very limited amount information for the display screen of this equipment.A few screen information of rolling obtain maximally related information may be dull and depressing.The interface of voice operation is same to occur similar problem easily, because user or must wait for and say the information of hope, or be recycled to the information of hope.

Description of drawings

With reference to following description of drawings various embodiment of the present invention.The present invention illustrates by way of example, and is not restricted to accompanying drawing.

Figure 1A is the block diagram that is applicable to an embodiment who realizes running environment of the present invention.

Figure 1B is the block diagram of an embodiment of computer system that is applicable to the running environment of Figure 1A.

Fig. 2 A represents to show according to instruction of the present invention the example of variety classes information list.

Fig. 2 B represents according to instruction of the present invention, the variety classes information of representing among Fig. 2 A be updated, sort by priority and present after example.

Fig. 3 is a process flow diagram, the example of a method in accordance with the teachings of the present invention of expression.

Embodiment

Following explanation provides one embodiment of the present of invention.Yet, should be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention can be conspicuous for the those skilled in the art that studied this instructions.Therefore, this explanation and accompanying drawing are illustrative purposes only, and are not limited to the present invention.

Explanation to Figure 1A provides the general introduction that is applicable to realization computer hardware of the present invention and other operation parts below, but should be appreciated that those that applicable environment is not limited to represent in Figure 1A.Figure 1A represents several by be coupled to computer system 101 together such as LAN (LAN (Local Area Network)) or internet network 103.Terminology used here " the Internet " refers to one or more networks, and they use certain agreement, such as ICP/IP protocol and may other agreement, such as the HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) (BTTP) of the HTML(Hypertext Markup Language) file that is used to constitute WWW.Those skilled in the art extremely understand physical coupling and the Internet protocols and the signal procedure of the Internet.To the visit of the Internet 103 usually by providing with 105 and 107 ISP that represent among the figure.User on the client is such as subscriber's computer system 121,125,135 and 137, by ISP105 and 107 visits that obtain the Internet 103.The visit of the Internet 103 is allowed user's exchange message of subscriber's computer system 121,125,135 and 137, receive and send Email and watch the file of for example preparing with html format.These files are usually provided by Web server, and for example as Web server 109, it is considered to " open " on the Internet 103.As known in the art, though can set up a computer system, and it is coupled on the Internet, and not needing this system as ISP, these Web servers are usually provided by ISP.

Web server 109 be at least usually one as the server computer system operation and be configured to the world wide web protocols operation and be coupled to computer system on the Internet 103.Alternatively, Web server 109 can be the part that the ISP that the Internet 103 is visited is provided for client.Shown in Web server 109 be coupled on the server computer system 111, the latter self is coupled on the web content 113, web content 113 can be considered to have the form of media database.Should be appreciated that, though in Figure 1A, express two computer systems 109 and 111, but Web server 109 and server computer system 111 can be computer systems with different software parts, the server capability that described software part provides the Web server function and provided by server computer system 111, this further specifies below.

Use suitable Web browsing software, subscriber's computer system 121,125,135 and 137 each the html page that provides by Web server 109 can now be provided.ISP105 maybe can be considered to the network interface 123 of the part of subscriber's computer system 121 and provide the Internet to connect for subscriber's computer system 121 by modulator-demodular unit.Subscriber's computer system 121 can be personal computer system, personal digital assistant, network computer, Web television system, internet radio receiver or other computer system.Similarly, ISP107 is provided as the Internet coupling of subscriber's computer system 125,135 and 137, though shown in Figure 1A, be the coupling of these 3 computer systems and inequality.Subscriber's computer system 125 is by 127 couplings of a modem interface, and subscriber's computer system 135 and 137 is parts of LAN.Though Figure 1A represents interface 123 and 127 as " modulator-demodular unit ", but should be appreciated that each these interface can be analog modem, isdn modem, cable modem, satellite transmits interface (for example " directly PC ") or a computer system other interface to other computer system that is used to be coupled.Subscriber's computer system 135 and 137 is coupled to LAN bus 133 by network interface 139 and 141, and these interfaces can be Ethernet or other network interface.LAN bus 133 also is coupled to a gateway computer system 131, and the latter can provide fire wall and other service relevant with the Internet to LAN.Gateway computer system 131 is coupled to ISP107, so that be connected for subscriber's computer system 135 and 137 provides the Internet.Gateway computer system 131 can be the General Server computer system.In addition, Web server 109 can be the General Server computer system.

Figure 1B represents the example of a conventional computer system, and it can be used as subscriber's computer system, server computer system or web server system.Should be appreciated that, can use such computer system to carry out the multiple function of ISP.Computer system 142 arrives external system by modulator-demodular unit or network interface 143 interfaces.Should be appreciated that modulator-demodular unit or network interface 143 can be considered to the part of computer system 142.Interface 143 can be analog modem, isdn modem, cable modem, token ring interface, satellite transmits interface (for example " directly PC ") or a computer system other interface to other computer system that is used to be coupled.Computer system 142 comprises a processor 145, and it can be a custom microprocessor, such as intel pentium microprocessor or the Power PC of Motorola microprocessor.Storer 149 is coupled to processor 145 by bus 147.Storer 149 can be dynamic RAM (DRAM) and can comprise static RAM (SRAM).Bus 147 is coupled to storer 149 and mass storage 155 and display controller 151 and I/O (I/O) controller 157 with processor 145.Display controller 151 is controlled the demonstration on the display device 153 in a usual manner, and display device 153 can be cathode ray tube (CRT) or LCD (LCD).Input-output apparatus 159 can comprise keyboard, disc driver, printer, scanner, mouse or other cursor control device and other input and output device.Display controller 151 and I/O controller 157 can be realized with conventional technique known.Digital Image Input Device 161 can be a digital camera, and it is coupled to I/O controller 157 to allow being input to computer system 142 from the image that digital camera comes.Mass storage 155 is hard disc, CD or be other form of storage mass data normally.Some such data usually in computer system 142 during the executive software by direct memory access (DMA) process write store 149.

Should be appreciated that computer system 142 is examples that have in the many possible computer system of different structure.For example, usually have a plurality of buses based on the personal computer of Intel microprocessors, one of them can be considered to peripheral bus.Network computer is the computer system that can be applied to another type of the present invention.Network computer does not comprise hard disk or other mass storage usually, and executable program downloads to storer 149 from the network connection, is used for being carried out by processor 145.Web television well known in the art system also is considered to according to computer system of the present invention, but it may lack some feature of representing in Figure 1B, input or output equipment such as some.A typical computer will comprise at least one processor, storer and the coupled memory bus to processor usually.

Be also to be understood that computer system 142 by operating system software control, operating system software comprises file management system, such as disc operating system (DOS).An example with operating system software of its related file management system is to be called the operating system of Windows98 and its related file management system, comprise Windows Explorer, it is provided by the Microsoft that is positioned at washingtonian Lei Mengde (Redmond).File management system is stored in the mass storage 155 usually, and it carries out by the needed various operations of operating system processor 145, is used for the input and output data and stores data at storer, is included in storage file on the mass storage 155.

In addition, term used herein " machine readable medium " comprises with the form storage that can be read by machine (for example computing machine) or any mechanism of transmission information.For example, machine readable medium comprises ROM (read-only memory) (ROM); Random-access memory (ram); Magnetic disk storage medium; Optical storage media; Flash memory device; The transmitting signal of electricity, light, sound or other form (for example carrier wave, infrared signal, digital signal etc.).

The hardware and the operating environment that can realize embodiments of the invention have been described.Should be appreciated that, can use other computer system configurations to realize the present invention, these other computer system configurations comprise handheld device, multicomputer system, based on microprocessor or programmable consumer electronics device, network PC, small-size computer, mainframe computer or the like.The present invention can realize that also task is by carrying out by the teleprocessing equipment of communication network link in this environment with the distributed information processing environment.

Fig. 2 A and Fig. 2 B represent a ground instance of the present invention, and it is applied to have a plurality of variety classes information of 3 different data sets 202,204,206.Data set 202,204,206 is such as being to show on desk-top computer, portable computer, PDA or the cellular display screen 200.For further expression is provided,data set 202 can be considered to be made up of stock quotation (A), anddata set 204 can be considered to be made up of headline (B), anddata set 206 can be considered to be made up of motion score (C).In Fig. 2 A, represent data set 202,204,206 with initial order, they also can be default orders or by user's named order.Data set 202,204,206 can be upgraded periodically, or how to receive information according to custom system and be continuously updated.After once upgrading, some data set can comprise the special information of interest of user.For example, the team liked of the user B shareB that may win bout and this user may significantly rise in value.

Shown in Fig. 2 B, data set 202,204,206 can be write down and present in update data set 202,204,206 back existence of certain relevant information in this data set 202,204,206 by basis.Like this, if one or more team that the user likes has won the match of that day/that night, then at first present the motion score emphasized by maximally related match (for example, relating to the match of one or more teams that the user likes) (C! ).In addition, if one or more user's stock appreciations, then second present the stock quotation emphasized by maximally related a kind of (multiple) stock (for example user's stock) (A! ).If be not used in the renewal of the record ofdata set 204, then remaining data set 204 presents at last.Though Fig. 2 A and 2B represent is from top to bottom linear ordering, should be appreciated that, can use different linear precedences.For example, can be from left to right or sorting data collection from right to left.In addition, can be with the nonlinear way ground locator data collection that is relative to each other.For example, the data of limit priority can be placed on the central authorities of display screen, and other data set can be placed on the edge near display screen.Should be appreciated that various other location also are possible.

For the how reference of determination data collection ordering is provided, the user can specify the priority of some or all different pieces of information collection.For example, when the match of team that the user likes, the user can the designated movement score have limit priority.In addition, when the value of user's a B shareB changed some, the user can give the deputy priority of stock quotation.If the user does not think the significant words of other data set, then he can abandon to other data set additional priority, so these other data are handled by neutral zone.

In one embodiment of the invention, the user can not need manual priority of specifying any different pieces of information collection in the variety classes message block.But, use system of the present invention need not to receive under the situation of specific instruction from the user, determine priority for automatically different data sets.For example, use system of the present invention can according to the user in advance and mutual (for example, the information of what type is visited more frequently by the user) of system present different data sets sequentially.In addition, use system of the present invention to present different data sets sequentially with the correlativity of User Status or environment according to them.The information of state of user or environment is a specific user's knowing of system information, such as user's identity, and the position that the user is current, the task that the user is current, user's schedule and arrangement of time etc.

For example, if the user is just using PDA to arrange and write down travelling on the horizon, then system visits travel information, such as flight number, flight time and destination.If the user just specifies before the departure time him can be where, then system can determine a suitable path on airport.Should be appreciated that multiple different types of information can be relevant with a user's itinerary.Particularly, the user is interested in Flight Information, transport information and Weather information probably.The PDA that supposes the user can receive updated information by the Internet, then can upgrade Flight Information, transport information and Weather information regularly.If unwritten renewal, then user's Flight Information, transport information and Weather information can show with default order, perhaps show " OK " state for each category information.

If the renewal of a record is arranged, then systematic comparison updated information and state of user/environment have bigger interest with the decision user for which information.For example, if user's flight is cancelled, then Flight Information will obtain limit priority, and be shown to the user before what its category information in office, even the renewal of transport information indication is very crowded in user expectation traffic to the road on airport.The data set of limit priority can with visual cues (symbol for example! ) or auditory cues (for example beep sound) present together.Can also use the change of vision or auditory cues notice type of user information order.If user's flight is punctual and traffic is not crowded unusually, unusual weather condition (for example heavy rain, high temperature etc.) is still arranged in the destination of user's flight, then weather information will obtain limit priority, and in officely what present to the user before its type information.Possible in addition situation is, but user's flight deferrable and may be crowded unusually to the traffic on the road on airport in user expectation.In this occasion, system is the Flight Information and the transport information of explicit user one by one, or shows together, and which kind of information is not given the highest priority yet.Yet user's location status may change, and in this occasion, transport information can be no longer relevant.For example, the user can import a different current location, or user's PDA can equip GPS (GPS), and it can determine user's current location automatically.If user's current location is related with the different paths to the airport, then previous transport information is no longer relevant, and can show or not show with lower order.

When user's Flight Information, transport information and Weather information cycle upgrade, then can determine priority for them again according to any change of these renewals and User Status/environment aspect, on user's PDA, show again then, so that the data of suitable ordering are provided for the user.Like this, by the interest of prospective users to various information, system can provide more relevant information for the user.In addition, because the different types of information type of dynamic order, so the user can see current the time it being the information of being correlated with, and need not search in insignificant relatively information.Therefore, the present invention is particularly useful to personal digital assistant system (for example PDA, cell phone etc.), because this system has the display screen that once can only show limited quantity information usually.

For guaranteeing the presenting of the maximally related information of user, the user can specify the threshold level that it must satisfy before each type information obtains any priority.For example, before the priority that obtains to be enhanced at Flight Information, the user can specify flight to be postponed 30 minutes at least.In addition, before the priority that obtains to be enhanced at Weather information, the temperature that the user also can specify in the city, destination must be higher or lower than certain temperature.Also can specify the highest/greatest priority and information type preference, comprise " line interruption device (tiebreaker) " in the information type.Like this, if other information type of Flight Information and at least one comprises the information with same-priority, then the user can compare with transport information with Weather information in appointment, and he watches Flight Information at preference.Optionally scheme is to determine the priority that certain condition is relevant with them in addition.For example, the flight of having cancelled can always obtain limit priority, and this Flight Information can be presented to the user before what its type information in office.

Though last example concentrates in user's the itinerary with explanation the present invention, is appreciated that the present invention can be applied to relate to the various occasions that present variety classes information.For example, can use the present invention to come the relevant information of the multiple different types of non-travelling of dynamic order on the webpage of user personalization (for example stock quotation, motion score, Email).The present invention also can be used for for example according to most of visitors the interest of the various information type expectations of the addressable webpage of this public being come the multiple variety classes information of dynamic order on the addressable webpage of the public.

Fig. 3 is the process flow diagram of an example of the method according to this invention.In operation 302, relative to each other determine priority for first data set and second data set.First data set comprises a kind of data type, and second data set comprises a kind of different data type.First and second data sets are determined priority according to user-defined criterion or by the default criterion of the default of realizing method shown in Figure 3.In operation 304, according to first and second data sets of determining to present to the user in the priority of operation 302 execution.In one embodiment, on the display screen of user's digital processing system (for example desk-top computer, laptop computer, PDA, cell phone etc.), carry out and present.In operation 306, upgrade first and second data sets.For example, if user's digital processing system is coupled to the Internet, then can receive renewal periodically or continuously by the Internet.In operation 308, redefine first and second data sets priority relative to each other according to renewal in operation 306.During redefining priority, also can consider the change of User Status/environment.In operation 310, present first and second data sets that upgraded to the user according to the priority that redefines.

Like this, can use the present invention to be convenient to have and sequentially present relevant information to the user, even when these information have different information types.Thisly present in order that the message pick-up experience that can make the user is more effective, impression is more deep and more pleasant.

In above-mentioned detailed explanation, apparatus and method of the present invention have been described with reference to certain embodiments.Yet obviously, broad range of the present invention can not left and spirit is carried out various modifications and change.Therefore, this instructions and accompanying drawing should be counted as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (18)

1. method that is used for information is presented to the user, this method comprises:

Determine first data set and second data set priority relative to each other, wherein, described first and second data sets comprise different types of data;

Present described first and second data sets according to described Determination of priority.

2. method according to claim 1 also comprises:

Upgrade described first and second data sets;

Redefine described first and second data sets priority relative to each other according to described more newly arriving;

Present described first and second data sets according to redefining of described priority.

3. method according to claim 1 wherein, is carried out described Determination of priority according to described first and second data sets to the correlativity of state of user.

4. method according to claim 1, wherein, described Determination of priority provides an order for first and second data sets, and described order prospective users is to described first and second data sets interest relative to each other.

5. method according to claim 1 wherein, is carried out described Determination of priority according to the criterion that the user determines.

6. method according to claim 1 wherein, is carried out described Determination of priority according to default criterion.

7. method according to claim 1, wherein, described presenting visually carried out.

8. method according to claim 7, wherein, described presenting carried out on the display of personal digital assistant system.

9. machine readable medium that stores instruction on it, described instruction make the action of described one group of processor below carrying out when being carried out by one group of processor:

According to the user interest of described a plurality of variety classes information expections is come the described a plurality of variety classes information of dynamic order;

Present described a plurality of variety classes information for described user according to described ordering.

10. machine readable medium according to claim 9 also comprises and notifies described user the change of described ordering.

11. machine readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, described notice is used visual cues and carries out.

12. machine readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, described notice is used auditory cues and carries out.

13. machine readable medium according to claim 9 also comprises the described a plurality of variety classes information of upgrading, and wherein, responds described more newly arriving and carries out described ordering.

14. machine readable medium according to claim 9, wherein, described user can be by described user definition to the interest of the described expection of described a plurality of variety classes information.

15. machine readable medium according to claim 9, wherein, described user to the interest of the described expection of described a plurality of variety classes information based on described state of user.

16. a system comprises:

A kind of device of definite priority is used to determine comprise the priority of a plurality of variety classes information of first information type, second information type and the 3rd information type;

Present device, be used for to present described a plurality of variety classes information for the user according to described Determination of priority.

17. system according to claim 16 also comprises:

Updating device is used to upgrade described a plurality of variety classes information;

Redefine the device of priority, be used for redefining the priority of described a plurality of variety classes information according to described more newly arriving;

Wherein, describedly present device redefining for described user and present described a plurality of variety classes information according to described priority.

18. system according to claim 16, wherein, the device of described definite priority comprises analytical equipment, be used for analyzing described first, second and the 3rd information type, be presented to user's associated order so that determine described first, second and the 3rd information type with respect to described user's a state.

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