The present disclosure generally relates to displaying of content.
Display devices (e.g., touchscreen displays) provide users with the ability to view content, such as text and other images. However, it is difficult to aggregate content for display in a display device that is easily accessible to a user while, at the same time, permitting the user to filter the content based on personal preferences.
Content delivery systems with prioritized content and related methods are provided. Briefly described, one embodiment, among others, is a content delivery system comprising: a content hosting system having a wireless communication interface for communicating with mobile devices, the content hosting system being operative to: receive information corresponding to a first content item via the wireless communication interface; associate a first time indicator with the first content item; and provide the first content item to a display device such that multiple content items are displayed in a time-prioritized configuration.
Another embodiment is a method for displaying prioritized content comprising: receiving, via a wireless communication interface, information corresponding to multiple content items from at least a first mobile device; and displaying, via a display device, the multiple content items in a time-prioritized configuration, in which a first of the content items is displayed in front of at least a portion of a second of the content items, the first of the content items having been received more recently than the second of the content items.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or may become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Having summarized various aspects of the present disclosure, reference will now be made in detail to that which is illustrated in the drawings. While the disclosure will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the scope of legal protection to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. Rather, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
In this regard, content delivery systems with prioritized content and related methods are provided, some embodiments of which involve the use of interactive display devices for displaying multiple content items simultaneously to multiple users. In particular, the content items (i.e., displayable information), which may contain metadata to facilitate searching, are displayed in a time-prioritized configuration on a display device. For instance, more recently received content items may be presented, at least partially, in front of previously received content items. Clearly, the arrangement of content items for viewing on a display may be accomplished in numerous manners based, at least in part, on one or more of numerous considerations. In some embodiments, the time-prioritized configuration of content items involves removing content items from the display responsive to evaluation of a time indicator. By way of example, a time indicator may correspond to an expiration date for removal of a content item; whereas a time indicator of another content item may be used to determine that a predetermined display duration has elapsed.
In some embodiments, expiration may be based upon level of activity. For example, a content item may not be able to be “covered” by another content item until a certain number of new postings has been exceeded. For instance, a content item associated with a band concert may not be covered up until after a preset number of other concert postings has been exceeded (i.e., the system prevents a content item from covering the content item associated with the concert for until the count indicator enables that function).
In operation, the display device displays content items that are provided to content hosting system 102 by a content positing system, such as content posting system 108. For instance, information corresponding to content item 116 is communicated from mobile device 112 to content hosting system 102. Responsive to receiving the information, the content hosting system formats the information for display, such as by configuring the information for placement within the display area of the display device.
In the embodiment of
In other embodiments, the displaying of content items may be performed in a manner that is directed by the user who is posting the content item. By way of example, in some embodiments, a user may direct where on the display that a content item is to be displayed. For instance, in some embodiments, the system may choose an initial location for the content item to be displayed and, thereafter, the content item may be highlighted to indicate that it can be moved, and then the user may direct where the content item is to be placed (such as by dragging the content item across the display). Additionally or alternatively, the system may keep track of what items are placed where, what items have “expired” and thus have opened up display space, and/or what items are oldest and may be “pasted” over with newer content items.
Content hosting system 102 may also remove content items from display responsive to evaluation of a time indicator (not shown and which may be stored in a database, for example) that is associated with the content item. In some embodiments, the content hosting system may associate a time indicator with a content item. For instance, when the time indicator is to function as a form of expiration date after which the content item is no longer to be displayed, the content hosting system may associate a time indicator that incorporates the expiration date with the content item. Additionally, or alternatively, when the time indicator is to function as a form of display duration counter, the content hosting system may associate a time indicator that incorporates a predetermined display duration with the content item. Regardless of the manner in which a time is determined for discontinuing display of a content item, responsive to such a determination, the content hosting system ensures that the content item is no longer displayed. Notably, the use of this temporal form of expiration may be useful with various content items, such as those associated with events or travel dates, for example.
Other forms of expiration of content items also may be used. As an example, expiration of a content item may occur responsive to the content item being copied a predetermined number of times. It should be noted that the term “expired” may correspond to a range of settings. For instance, an expired content item may be one that has been entirely deleted from the system (i.e., unretrievable), while another may be removed from display (yet may still be searchable), while yet another may be displayed and somehow annotated as “expired”.
The processing device 142 may include any custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU) or an auxiliary processor among several processors, a semiconductor based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip), a macroprocessor, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a plurality of suitably configured digital logic gates, and other electrical configurations comprising discrete elements both individually and in various combinations to coordinate the overall operation of the system.
The memory 150 can include any one of a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random-access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, and SRAM, etc.)) and nonvolatile memory elements. The memory typically comprises native operating system 152, one or more native applications, emulation systems, or emulated applications for any of a variety of operating systems and/or emulated hardware platforms, emulated operating systems, etc. For example, the applications may include application specific software which may comprise some or all the components of the system. In accordance with such embodiments, the components are stored in memory and executed by the processing device. Note that although depicted as being resident in memory 150, content hosting system 160 may be stored separately.
Touchscreen interface 148 is configured to detect contact within the display area of the display 146 and provides such functionality as on-screen buttons, menus, keyboards, etc. that allows users to navigate user interfaces by touch. Notably, navigating via the touchscreen interface may facilitate various functions associated with displayed content items such as searching and downloading.
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the memory may, and typically will, comprise other components which have been omitted for purposes of brevity. Note that in the context of this disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium stores one or more programs for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
With further reference to
In block 176, searching of information corresponding to the displayed content items is facilitated. Searching might occur via type or via searched metadata. It should be noted that a search feature may be part of an associated application resident on a wireless device that is used for interacting with the display device.
Downloading of information corresponding to the displayed content items is facilitated in block 178. In some embodiments, a user may “step through” highlighted items. That is, an indication may be made to the system corresponding to a desire to download a content item. Responsive thereto, the system may highlight content items as the user “moves through” and selects designated ones for download. Alternatively, content items may be identified, such as via use of a numeric or other identifier, that the user may enter to initiate download.
In block 180, time indicators associated with the displayed content items are evaluated. Thereafter, such as depicted in block 182, display of the content items may be discontinued based, at least in part, on the evaluation of the time indicators.
If embodied in software, it should be noted that each block depicted in the flowchart of
In order to facilitate the aforementioned functionality, the content posting system provides a user interface 198. A user of the mobile device interacts with the user interface by inputting information in various fields. In this embodiment, a Type field 200, an ID field 201, an Expiration Date field 202 and a Details field 204 are provided. Clearly, various other configurations may be used, such as those involving different fields or those that do not involve fields at all.
In this embodiment, the Type field is used to provide information for categorizing content items for display. For instance, three categories of content items are depicted in the display area of the display device; specifically, a For Sale category 206, a Tutoring category 208 and a Shows category 210. In some embodiments, categories are predetermined and stored in the content posting system, as well as in the content hosting system, for use. It should also be noted that in contrast to the category placement depicted in
The ID field is used to identify a specific posting. The ID field may also be used, for example, to identify an item to be downloaded.
The Expiration Date field is used to provide information corresponding to a time that the user indicates is suitable for removing the content item from the display. In some embodiments, the information in the Expiration Date field may be used as the time indicator previously described. However, in some embodiments, a time indicator that does not correspond to the information provided in the Expiration Date field may be used. For instance, if the user enters a date that is beyond the predetermined display duration, information corresponding to the display duration may be used as the time indicator.
The Details field is used to provide information that is primarily used in formatting the associated content item. Options include templates in the application, templates on the posting display (that may be selected by user) and an “image” of what is on the posting display device, among others.
As shown in
Camera 262 acquires image data in a vicinity of the display area of the display device for facilitating a determination of the number of users interacting with the display device. This image data may be used as a primary or supplemental source of information for making such a determination.
In some embodiments, a contact zone may be provided as the starting point for new initiating users. Referring once again to
In some embodiments, a user may be able to designate or “claim” an area of the display device for use. For instance, a user may identify a section of the display screen (such as by touching the area) and that section may then be designated temporarily for use by that user. Then, the user may perform various functions, such as posting, searching, and/or downloading of content items. In some embodiments, highlighting may be used to differentiate various features. For example, different user sections and/or notes from different users may be highlighted differently.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely examples of possible implementations. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. By way of example, the systems described may be implemented in hardware, software or combinations thereof. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.