Abstract: An electronic device which displays a function setting menu for managing plural items by a hierarchical structure on a display and sets setting contents of various functions based on the function setting menu displayed on the display, comprising: a display control unit which displays each item in the function setting menu having the hierarchical structure on the display based on the hierarchical structure in accordance with an operation by a user; a function selection unit which selects and displays on the display the content of a desired function based on the items of the function setting menu displayed by the display control unit; and a hierarchical structure changing unit which changes the hierarchical structure of the function setting menu so to have the item, which is selected by the function selection unit and displayed on the display, positioned at the top of the hierarchical structure.

Abstract: An exploration system is described for assisting the user in navigating within a virtual space that can be represented using a tiled multi-resolution image. The exploration system receives various selection factors that have a bearing on the selection of suggested items from a collection of candidate items. The selection factors can include focus-of-interest information that pertains to a user's presumed current focus of interest within the virtual space, semantic association information that describes semantic relationships among different features pertaining to the virtual space, and history information which describes prior expressed interest in items, e.g., as manifested in prior selections of items. The exploration system uses these selection factors to determine a set of suggested items. The suggested items provide recommendations to the user regarding items that may be germane to the user's current interests in his or her navigation within the virtual space.

Abstract: A multidirectional expansion cursor and method of implementing the same are provided. The multidirectional expansion cursor displayed on a display screen and moved under input control of a user includes selection keys, wherein the selection keys are displayed on the display screen such that the selection keys correspond to one or more object selectable on the display screen, and, when an intended object among the one or more objects is selected by input control of a user, the intended object is executed. The method includes generating an expansion cursor displayed on a display screen to be moved under input control of a user, and partitioned by selection keys, making one or more objects selectable on the display screen correspond to the selection keys and displaying them on the display screen, selecting the selection key corresponding to an intended object to execute the intended object among the one or more objects.

Abstract: A toolbar in a client application such as a web browser may be miniaturized. The miniature toolbar annexes itself to a part of the chrome region of the client application, modifying the functionality of the annexed part. The annexed part may be a search box. At least a subset of the features of the toolbar is accessible from the miniature toolbar, but some toolbar features may not be accessible from the miniature toolbar. Some features of the miniature toolbar may replace some features of the annexed search box.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically, programmatically generating media item recommendations on a graphical user interface (GUI) based on a friend media item recommendation selected by a user. In the preferred embodiment, a selected media item recommendation is displayed in the GUI. Received friend media item recommendations are displayed in a list in relevance order adjacent to the selected media item. A programmatically-generated media item recommendation list is automatically generated based on relevance to the selected media item and displayed in another adjacent area to the selected media item recommendation. In this manner, a user can easily play the selected media item recommendation, and then browse the friend media item recommendations and the automatically updated programmatically-generated media item recommendations, which are both provided in their own respective adjacent areas, in order of closest relationship to the selected media item recommendation, at anytime.

Abstract: A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function.

Abstract: A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons on a touch-sensitive display. The plurality of icons includes a folder icon that corresponds to a folder that contains a plurality of items. The folder icon includes respective selectable item indicators for at least some of the items in the folder. The device detects a finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at a location that corresponds to the folder icon. In response to detecting the finger gesture on the touch-sensitive display at the location that corresponds to the folder icon, the device determines a respective item in the plurality of items in the folder that corresponds to the detected finger gesture and activates the respective item.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display and a controller. The controller displays a plurality of menus in a hierarchy order on the display. One of the menus contains a plurality of selectable items. When one of the plurality of selectable items is selected more than a predetermined number of times, the controller displays said one of the plurality of selectable items in a menu on a higher hierarchy.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for visualizing information, e.g., information regarding a sporting event. The method may comprise identifying an event type and generating a plurality of buttons, the plurality of buttons arranged in a button hierarchy. A first level of the button hierarchy comprising one or more first level buttons is displayed with a lens further displayed on a given one of the one or more first level buttons, the lens operative to present first level data for the given first level button.

Abstract: Extracting data from web pages. User input is received defining a tabular form. User input is received correlating portions of the form with user selected data items contained in one or more first web pages. The user input is correlated to create an ontology defining relationships between the user selected data items based on the definition of the tabular form. One or more other web pages are accessed, and based on a context of the one or more data items in the first web page being similar to a context of the selected data items in the one or more first web pages, one or more similar data items are extracted from the one or more other web pages. The extracted data items are correlated to each other in accordance with the ontology defining relationships between the user selected data items and are output as a user searchable data structure.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer storage media for generating a virtual workspace that references online media content of interest, facilitates re-visitation of encountered instances of content, and shares those instances with other software applications are provided. Upon receiving an indication that an online media content item has been selected, at least a reference thereto is copied to a virtual workspace where it may be accessed at a later time. The virtual workspace may be organized into content collections via the use of reference groupings, folders, categories, tags, labels, and the like and may be accessible in the context of a plurality of applications. In embodiments, the virtual workspace is associated with a display area that is presented concurrently with an application being utilized so that the virtual workspace may be accessed and utilized without leaving the context of an active application.

Abstract: A method for visual representation of time based events in a target system comprises analyzing content related to occurrence of one or more events in a target system, wherein the content comprises information from which type of an event and time of occurrence of the event may be determined; grouping the events into one or more classes according to one or more predefined attributes; and generating a visual presentation of events occurring in a first time range, wherein the time range is selectable by an independent entity.

Abstract: A device for and a method of refreshing presentation of icons for objects processed on an electronic device are provided.

Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method for configuring a screen of the mobile terminal are discussed. According to an embodiment, the method includes collecting status information and usage information of the mobile terminal while menus displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal are used, forming a menu usage pattern based on at least one of the status information and the usage information, and selectively changing, based on at least the menu usage pattern, at least one display configuration of menus to be displayed on the screen when the screen is idle.

Abstract: A system facilitates traversing digital records with dimensional attributes. The system stores a number of digital records. The system further associates a respective digital record with a number of attributes, wherein a respective attribute can be specified in a number of levels of abstraction. The system allows a user to control a presentation of the stored digital records based on their attributes. The user can set one or more criteria for the attributes of the digital records to be presented by: specifying the value of at least one fixed attribute of the digital records to be presented, changing at least one non-fixed attribute of the digital records to be presented, and/or specifying a level of abstraction for the fixed and/or non-fixed attribute of the digital records to be presented. The system then presents a set of digital records to the user based on the attribute criteria set by the user.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for managing a menu item in a portable terminal are provided. In the method, at least one item is selected from items displayed on a screen according to a user control. An attribute of selected at least one item is determined. A new item is generated by one of dividing and merging the at least one item depending on the determined attribute.

Abstract: A system for indicating a default value for a property of a selected object to a user within a graphical user interface (GUI) of a program module is provided. The property has a value and a state that can be set. The state of the property is one of a default state and a user-set state. The value of the property is assigned the default value when the state is the default state. The system comprises a GUI control having first, second, and third interface elements. The first interface element is configured to indicate the value of the property to the user. The second interface element is configured to indicate the state of the property to the user. The third interface element is configured to indicate the default value for the property to the user when the state of the property is the user-set state.

Abstract: A home system for supporting a life behavior, in which a user can effectively select a function or content quickly according to attributes and states of display devices arranged in respective locations and the user behavior. A storage unit holds location attribute information on the devices, time band dependent use frequency for each user, and location dependence of each. A user identifier input unit identifies a user using a function or content. When displaying a menu for the user to select a content and a function, a calculation unit references each database of the storage unit in accordance with the menu display state and generates menu content information correlated to the content and the function. A display unit displays such a menu that the user can easily select a content and a function with higher priority rank according to the menu content information.

Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a method for interfacing an access control system and an input device, comprising the steps of displaying, on the input device, a set of choices from a plurality of choices, receiving one choice, and modifying the displayed set of choices based on the one choice, wherein modifying is performed by a heuristic method and/or a usage-based method. The heuristic method determines if one choice is a request for additional information, and, if it is, modifies the choices to include the additional information, and to exclude advanced and typical choices; and, if not, modifies the choices to include the advanced and typical choices. The usage-based method comprises incrementing a choice counter, if the counter is greater than multiple choices, modifying the choices to extra emphasize the choice, and if not, modifying the to emphasize the choice.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for performing actions associated with a portal. These mechanisms and methods for performing actions associated with a portal can enable an improved user experience, increased efficiency, optimized productivity, etc.

Abstract: An electronic messager with a predictive text editor, including a storage unit for storing a data structure associating, for each one of a plurality of a user's contacts, usage data for the user's history of usage of words in communications with the user contact, a data manager coupled with the storage unit for generating the data structure in the storage unit, and for updating the data structure as additional communications with each user contact are performed and additional usage data is obtained therefrom, and a text predictor coupled with the storage unit, for receiving as input a character string and a designated user contact, and for generating as output an ordered list of predicted words, based on usage data in the data structure associated with the designated user contact. A method is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A store server provides an online site for introducing content. The store server displays, on a user terminal, a screen on a hierarchical level that is lower than that of a currently-shown screen when a predetermined entry button is operated by a user and displays, on the user terminal, a screen on a hierarchical level that is higher than that of currently-shown screen when a predetermined cancel button is operated by the user, among screens where a front-page screen displaying a plurality of categories is set to be on a higher hierarchical level, a category screen in which information of a plurality of pieces of content belonging to a same category is aggregated is set to be on a middle hierarchical level, and a detail screen of a piece of content is set to be on a lower hierarchical level.

Abstract: Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant.

Abstract: A weighted list may be visually shown on a website, e.g., as a tag cloud, object cloud, etc. The font size of each item in the weighted list indicates its strength relative to the other items in the same. The strength of a weighted list item is determined based at least on individual weights associated with the users who applied a given tag to an object. For example, the item in the weighted list may represent the given tag in a tag cloud, or the object in an object cloud. The respective weights associated with the users when applying the given tag to the object may be different from one another because of different qualities of the users. For example, the weight associated with a user varies with the number of times the given tag was applied to that user.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for dynamically providing a tool bar in a user interface is provided. The method includes determining at least one action that is commonly performed based on data displayed on a current page of a graphical user interface of a communications device, creating a tool bar comprising at least one icon representing the at least one action, associating the tool bar with the current page of the graphical user interface, and providing the tool bar to the communications device for display on the current page of the graphical user interface.

Abstract: As a user navigates through a sequence of screens by selecting certain “aid” keys, a graph will be built reflecting the navigation history of the user. When a user requests a certain screen by selecting a particular key, screen data is received from a host on a web server. The screen data for the requested screen is compared to the screen data for the screen(s) in the graph associated with the selected key. If a match is established, the user has visited this screen before and its data has already been converted (e.g., scraped). As such, the screen can be retrieved from storage and served to the user. If, however, a match cannot be established, the requested screen will be converted and stored, and the graph will be updated.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for modifying a data list by a user within a graphical user interface. A first control is provided that operates within the graphical user interface. The first control is manipulated in order to access a second control. The second control includes the data list and allows modification of the data list after the second control is accessed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling objects of a user interface (UI) are provided. The method and apparatus simultaneously hide and move a selected object to a bottom of a UI when the object is encrypted, thereby not visually exposing the encrypted object to a third person, displaying, through the UI the encrypted object on a predetermined screen, directory or folder, and rearranging unselected objects to fill a space created when the selected object is hidden and moved.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate text input. In addition to identifying and outputting representations of language objects that are stored in the memory and that correspond with a text input, the device is able to employ contextual data in certain circumstances to prioritize output.

Abstract: Information associated with an unavailable option is provided to a user upon detecting the user's interest in that option in a configuration environment or user interface control environment. The provided information may explain why the option is unavailable, what alternative options may be available, and which actions may be needed to render the option available. The user may be further enabled to unselect conflicting options or re-select among a subset of relevant options to render the unavailable option available without losing the context of the current selection screen.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system generates a customized interface based on viewed programming. The system stores a program that a user viewed through a media device; searches through a network for information related to the viewed program; and extracts data associated with the information related to the viewed program. A custom interface is generated based substantially on the data associated with the information related to the viewed program.

Abstract: A method of displaying items on a mobile terminal includes displaying a first icon group of a plurality of icons on a display of the mobile terminal, such that each icon of the first icon group is associated with an application that is executable on the mobile terminal. Also performed is detecting user contact at a first location of the display relative to a displayed location of a particular icon of the first icon group and detecting further user contact representing a dragging over a distance beginning from the first location, such that the dragging represents substantially continual user contact from the first location over the distance. Also, after the dragging occurs over a threshold distance, displaying a second group of icons in an icon display region, such that each icon of the second icon group is associated with an application that is executable on the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a size of an icon displayed by a navigation device is disclosed. The method includes the navigation device generating a setup value respectively for each icon by calculating a selected frequency of each icon or by setting an icon menu and the navigation device determining whether to zoom in the corresponding icon according to the setup value.

Abstract: A toolbar in a client application such as a web browser may be miniaturized. The miniature toolbar annexes itself to a part of the chrome region of the client application, modifying the functionality of the annexed part. The annexed part may be a search box. At least a subset of the features of the toolbar is accessible from the miniature toolbar, but some toolbar features may not be accessible from the miniature toolbar. Some features of the miniature toolbar may replace some features of the annexed search box.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes: a managing module configured to manage pieces of image information corresponding to types of applications; a determination module configured to determine whether a present time satisfies a preset temporal condition; an image selecting module configured to select first image information corresponding to a type of an activated application, and second image information corresponding to the type of the activated application when the present time satisfies the temporal condition; and a display module configured to generate a first image based on the first image information to be displayed on a display device when the image selecting module selects the first image information. The display module generates a second image based on the second image information to be displayed on the display device in place of the first image when the image selecting module selects the second image information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for interface presentation are described. A user interface for the user may be selected among a plurality of available user interfaces in accordance with the personal characteristic information. A user access profile level for the user may be selected among a plurality of available user access profile levels in accordance with the personal characteristic information. Product information may be selected in accordance with the age data.

Abstract: A device for and a method of dynamically refreshing presentation of icons for objects processed on an electronic device are provided. The method comprises: establishing a triggering event to initiate refreshment of a layout of the icons displayed on a display in the device; upon detection of the triggering event, creating a ranking of the objects processed by the device utilizing activity logs providing their recent levels of activity; identifying a most frequently processed object from the ranking; and automatically refreshing the layout of icons to highlight an icon associated with the most frequently processed object. The device incorporates modules to perform the method.

Abstract: A device including a display screen for displaying m-words of data, a text entry device for entering data, a processor receiving data from the text entry device and causing it to be displayed on the display screen. Upon activation the processor initializes a precursor to a predefined value. The device further includes a non-volatile memory storing a dictionary containing a plurality of entries, each entry including an index, a candidate word, and a score. The processor selects a list of n-number of candidate words from the dictionary whose index matches the precursor, and causes m-number of candidate words from the list of candidate words to be displayed on the display screen. The processor causes the display to prompt the user to select one of the displayed candidate words or enter a desired word using the text entry device.

Abstract: A method includes determining an initial experience-level of a user based on an initial usage of an application by the user, where the application includes a plurality of selectable features, selecting one or more first features from the selectable features to provide to the user, where the selected first features are based on the initial experience-level of the user, and providing a first user interface to the application to enable the user to utilize the first features. A subsequent experience-level of the user is determined based on the user's interactions with the one or more first features, one or more second features are selected from the selectable features to provide to the user, where the selected second features are based on the subsequent experience-level of the user, and a second user interface to the application is provided to enable the user to utilize the second features.

Abstract: A method including causing, at least in part, display of objects on a graphical user interface, where each of the objects corresponds to data or an application accessible via the graphical user interface. The method further includes causing, at least in part, display of the objects in motion on the graphical user interface based on user input and based on respective relative mass values associated with the objects.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. During selection of a variant, the variant is highlighted and is displayed in a text component location on a display.

Abstract: An information provision method and apparatus of a mobile terminal is provided for managing and providing information items associated with a plurality of communication accounts of a user in an integrated manner. An information provision method for a mobile terminal includes configuring a plurality of identity informations associated with communications of a specific contact item; detecting an input for selecting an integrated contact management menu; and displaying the identity informations or communication informations associated with individual identity informations in an integrated manner.

Abstract: A method for personalizing content such as user interface items provided to a user during a session of an interactive application is disclosed. One or more environmental context attribute values for the session are determined. Responsive to a request for content, for at least one item of the content, each of the environmental context attribute values ate mapped to respective values indicating a users level of interest in the item for the environmental context attribute values. Content is retrieved from a content database and the content is personalized as a function of the users level of interest in the item for the environmental context attribute values before being returned to the application.

Abstract: A computer connectable image display apparatus for presentation is provided. The image display apparatus has a candidate information obtaining unit, a selection screen display unit, a presentation execution instruction unit, and a drawing screen display unit. The candidate information obtaining unit obtains selection candidate information generated by the computer relating selection candidates for a presentation subject file. The selection screen display unit generates and displays a selection screen for selecting the presentation subject file based on the selection candidate information. The presentation execution instruction unit makes the computer to execute the selected presentation subject file by sending selection results with the selection screen. The drawing screen display unit captures and displays a computer drawing screen drawn by the computer.

Abstract: A radio station market analysis program displays a grid having radio station entries and associated attributes. A subset of the stations can be selected based on the attributes, and a map displays location markers corresponding to physical locations of stations in the subset. Attributes include multiple station ratings criteria such as Cume and AQHP. Entries may be sorted according to the attributes. A filter may be used to identify the subset based on a selected value for an attribute. Entries in the grid can be highlighted responsive to user selection of corresponding station location markers shown in the map. The user interface may further include a chart window which compares media stations according to a selected attribute, a trend window which shows attribute values for media stations over time, and a station information window for a selected media station.

Abstract: Inter-application navigation apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a computing system accessing a plurality of applications, generating an application access history specifying an order by which the applications are accessed by the computing system, and displaying an inter-application navigation user interface including a plurality of user-selectable graphical objects representing the plurality of applications accessed by the mobile phone device, the user-selectable graphical objects arranged in a slideable list within the inter-application navigation user interface based on the application access history. The plurality of applications represented by the plurality of user-selectable graphical objects in the inter-application navigation user interface includes an application being executed by the computing system and an application not being executed by the computing system when the inter-application navigation user interface is displayed.

Abstract: Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant.

Abstract: Techniques for quick selection from an ordered list include dividing all items in the ordered list into current groups. Each current group includes a different range of the items. A corresponding plurality of icons for the plurality of current groups is presented substantively simultaneously on a display screen. One corresponding icon for each current group indicates a range of items included in the current group. In response to receiving input that indicates a particular icon corresponding to a particular group of the plurality of current groups, all items included in the particular group are divided into a plurality of next current groups. Each next current group includes a different range of the items included in the particular group. The next current group replaces the previous current group; thus, a corresponding plurality of icons for the plurality of next current groups is presented substantively simultaneously on the display screen.

Abstract: Output useable to select a desired communication channel from among multiple communication channels in a plurality of channel categories is provided by way of a remote control device. A user accomplishes this by selecting, in place of a displayed icon that is to be “unselected,” another icon, representing the desired communication channel, within a selected category of icons displayed by the remote control device representing channels in a selected channel category. Upon selection of such an icon, icons within the selected category of icons and icon categories are both dynamically reconfigured, based on how recently the icons were selected, so as to minimize inputs necessary to alternate from the selected icon back to the unselected icon. A signal output from the remote control device is receivable by a communication device in order to effect a change over to the desired communication channel.

Abstract: The design of typable devices, in particular, touch-typable devices embodying ambiguous codes, presents numerous ergonomic problems. Solutions for these problems are herein disclosed. This invention teaches methods for the selection of ambiguous codes from the classes of strongly-touch-typable ambiguous codes and substantially optimal ambiguous codes for touch-typable devices such as computers, telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants, smart cards, television set-top devices and other information appliances, given design constraints such as the size, shape, and computational capacity of the device, the typical uses of the device, and conventional constraints such as respect of alphabetic ordering or Qwerty ordering.