Patent Application
20060259867
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The invention relates to the field of computerized information retrieval, and more particularly to a system and method which automatically senses Web sites or other sources of potentially recurring interest to the user, and generates additions or modifications to the user's browser favorites based on that detection logic.
Internet browsing continues to be a significant component of many user's computer usage and experience. Users who frequently return to a Web site or other source, who wish to explore a site at a later time, or otherwise wish to bookmark or store a Web site or other location often record that site in their “favorites” folder, which in many browsers consists of a list or directory of Web sites, URLs (universal resource indicators) and other information related to locations of interest. The user may then simply invoke a drop-down or other menu of those favorites to quickly navigate back to those sites at later times.
However, in the course of searching or browsing activity many users may pursue one link or location after another when investigating information of interest, and not be able to readily recall a site they had visited which might be of interest later. Other users may not realize that a Web site or other location they had visited might turn out to be useful at a later time. Still other users may believe they can recall important URLs or other addresses, or not wish to interrupt their browsing workflow to manually enter a site into the favorites list, only to forget those sources later. Other problems in site management and browsing technology exist.
The invention overcoming these and other problems in the art relates in one regard to a system and method for automatic generation of browsing favorites, in which a user's Web or other navigation activity may be monitored by an implicit favorites logic module configured with rule sets designed to infer or detect Web sites or other locations or content which may form likely candidates to be added to the user's “favorites” folder or store. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the implicit favorites logic may capture user behavior such as frequency or length of visits to Web sites or other locations, detection of repeated click-throughs from search results, type or amount of data entered into a Web site or other location, or other data or parameters which may suggest that a user finds a site to be of potentially recurring interest. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the user may be queried to add the candidate Web or other site or content, or in other embodiments may configure the favorites to automatically enter candidate sites into their set of favorites, in a temporary or permanent place. Because users are automatically prompted or given Web sites for addition to stored favorites without having to back track or recall navigation activity, users may in many cases capture a richer or more complete set of favorites for future use.
According to embodiments of the invention in a further regard, client 102 and/or applications residing thereon may host implicit favorites logic 114, for detecting and managing potential Web sites or other locations, sites or content to add to the user's favorites 108. Implicit favorites logic 114 may as illustrated communicate with navigation history 110, which may contain a data store of the user's browsing and navigation history, for example to record addresses of current or past Web sites or other locations navigated or visited, times or frequencies of those visits, or other browsing, searching or other activity or behavior for purposes of identifying potential additions or modifications to favorites 108.
In general, according to embodiments of the invention and as illustrated in
According to embodiments of the invention in another aspect, and as for example illustrated in
In step 412, the user may be notified or queried to add the candidate Web site or other location or source to favorites 108, for instance by dialog box or other query exchange. In step 414, the candidate Web site or other source or content may be added to favorites 108, as selected by the user. In step 416, implicit favorites logic 114 may periodically or when manually activated examine or analyze the set of favorites 108, to automatically update the set of sites, locations or content in that set. For example, Web sites which have not been visited in 90 days or other time period may be automatically removed or prompted for removal. Other editing or processing of favorites 108 is possible.
In step 418, the implicit favorites logic 114 may accept user configuration inputs for automatic favorites options or selections, for instance to turn automatic favorites on or off on a per-session, per-site, permanent or other basis. In step 420, processing may repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point or end.
The foregoing description of the invention is illustrative, and modifications in configuration and implementation will occur to persons skilled in the art. For instance, while the invention has generally been described in terms of a user accessing one search service 112 or accessing other single Web locations, in embodiments potential favorites may be accessed from multiple Web sites, more than one search engine or service, or other content or locations, including for example local area networks or other public or private, local or remote resources.
Similarly, while the invention has in embodiments been described as involving analysis of navigation history 110 tied to a single user, in embodiments aggregate usages patterns may also be used to configure rules or thresholds for implicit favorites logic 114 and candidate favorites. Other hardware, software or other resources described as singular may in embodiments be distributed, and similarly in embodiments resources described as distributed may be combined. The scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims.
