Communications system and method for serving electronic content

A method and system for serving electronic content for placement in a user interface provided by an online service provider system is described. The system stores user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface and stores filters associated with the electronic content. The user data is compared to the filters associated with the electronic content and it is determined if the user data matches conditions of the filters. If a match is determined the electronic content is provided for presentation by the user interface.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following description relates generally to an integrated web-based communications service and in particular to a PIM communications system serving electronic content.

BACKGROUND

A recent poll reveals the average computer user has four different email addresses—which is just one indication that users have too many sources of incoming communications to competently maintain. In addition, conventional systems place the burden of electronic communications squarely on the shoulders of the user. Users also are presented with many different types of communications devices. Many users are simply overwhelmed by the numbers and choices of functions of these devices and software they use such that many functions go unused. And to make matters worse, communications and conversation topics often jump between a variety of mediums including voice mails, text messages, faxes, and conversations. In addition, consumers using online organizers and websites are continually bombarded with advertisements, very few of which, if any, are directed to items of interest. The approaches currently used for providing these advertisements are only slightly better than using a “shotgun”, hoping that one user out of millions actually notices the ad. In fact, most users find these ads intrusive and bothersome and some go to great lengths to block them. Therefore, an improved organizational system is needed to simplify, aid, and organize presentation of information.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, method of serving electronic content for placement in a user interface provided by an online service provider system includes storing user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface; storing filters associated with the electronic content; comparing the user data to the filters associated with the electronic content; determining the user data matches a condition of the filters; and serving the electronic content for presentation by the user interface.

Comparing the user data to the filters may include comparing user data to filters indicating conditions for one of who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs. Comparing the user data to the filters also may include comparing user data to filters indicating conditions for who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs. Who the user is may include relationships of the user to other people. Where the user is may include one of a mobile location, a destination, and a home location of the user. Where the user is also may include an indication of weather conditions at a location associated with the user. What the person is going to do may include an indication of a user activity, a user event, a category of product or service, a brand, a product or service name, and a stock keeping unit. When a time occurs may include an indication of one of a current time and a scheduled time.

Comparing the user data to the filters may include comparing an event stored in association with one of a user calendar, a user to-do list, a user shopping list.

Determining the user data matches a condition of the filters may include determining the user data matches a condition of each filter where if a condition associated with a filter is left unspecified it is determined the user data satisfies the unspecified condition.

Serving the electronic content may include providing a graphical advertisement (Glad) for presentation by the user interface. The graphical advertisement may provide information indicating one of an incentive, a coupon, a value, a price, a discount, an offer, and a rebate associated with a product or a service.

The method also may include monitoring indications of an interaction of a user with the Glad and storing data about the interaction.

In another general aspect, system to serve electronic content for placement in an online user interface includes a database storing user data in a user database based on user interaction with the user interface; a database storing filters associated with the electronic content; and a processing device to compare the user data to the filters associated with the electronic content; determine the user data matches a condition of the filters; and to transmit the electronic content to the user interface for presentation to the user.

The processing device may be configured to compare the user data to filters indicating conditions for one of who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs. The processing device also may be configured to compare the user data to filters indicating conditions for who the user is, what the user is going to do, where the user is, and when a time occurs. Who the user is may include relationships of the user to other people. Where the user is may include one of a mobile location, a destination, and a home location of the user. Where the user is also may include an indication of weather conditions at a location associated with the user. What the person is going to do may include an indication of a user activity, a user event, a category of product or service, a brand, a product or service name, and a stock keeping unit. When a time occurs may include an indication of one of a current time and a scheduled time.

The processing device may be configured to determine the user data matches a condition of each filter where the user data is determined to satisfy any filter condition that is left unspecified.

The electronic content may be a graphical advertisement (Glad) for presentation by the user interface. The graphical advertisement may provide information indicating one of an incentive, a coupon, a value, a price, a discount, an offer, and a rebate associated with a product or a service.

The processing device may be configured to monitor indications of an interaction of a user with the Glad and store data about the interaction in a database.

Other features will be apparent from the detailed description, drawings, and claims.

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, like reference numerals refer to the like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following describes a system and methods that provide integrated web-based graphic user interface to manage communications for a variety of WEB-accessible mobile devices, computers, and other consumer electronic devices. The user interface provided in conjunction with a server architecture simplifies all of a user's daily communications and information. The system logic is based on utilizing networked, online, or web-based processing devices, such as servers, as the central processing and database engine for content management and communications. As the system is device and source agnostic, the system is designed to work with any web-accessible device. As a result, the user devices may provide a communications portal to collect information from and present content to the user.

The system also facilitates communication between system users and system business and/or branding partners by serving content (e.g., products and services related information) to those system users who are most likely to be interested in the content. In addition to providing the content to the most interested users, the system also may provide the content in a strategic manner (e.g., at a time and/or place when a user is more likely to be interested in the content). The user interfaces, website, system, and various processes are described in further detail below.

System Architecture

FIG. 1shows one block diagram of an exemplary communications system100. The communications system100includes one or more user devices101, a service provider system110, other Internet Service Providers and websites120, system partners125, and various communication paths130. As the communications system100is device and source agnostic, the communications system100is designed to work with any web-accessible user device, as explained in further detail below.

The user device101may be any type of electronic device that presents content received from the service provider system to the user. For example, the user device101may be a consumer electronics device, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal data assistant, a digital tablet/pad computer, a hand held/mobile computer, a personal computer, a notebook computer, a work station, a vehicle computer, a game system, a set-top-box, or any other device that can implement a user interface and/or browser to communicate with and present content from the service provider system110.

The user device101may include a processing device, one or more storage devices, and one or more communications interfaces. A user device101also may include additional elements, such as, for example, one or more displays or screens, one or more speakers, one or more user input devices, and a microphone. A user device101also may include one or more associated peripheral devices, such as, for example, a display, a memory, a printer, an input device, an output device, and speakers.

The processing device may be implemented using any general-purpose or special purpose computer, such as, for example, a processor, a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable array, a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor or any other device capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. The processing device may run one or more software applications that communicate with the service provider system110and present content received from the server provider system110to the user. The processing device also may access, store, manipulate, process, and create data in response to the applications. The software applications may include a computer program, a piece of code, an instruction, or some combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructing the processing device to operate as desired. Examples of software applications include: a browser, a mini browser, or other programs that interact with a front end interface application (FEIA) provided by the service provider system110to provide content, a login/signup, a user interface, and email among other features. Other examples of applications, include a mobile front end interface applications (e.g., for a cell or a smart phone) that allow the user device to communicate with the system service provider110.

The applications, content, and data may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, storage medium or device, or propagated signal wave capable of providing instructions or data to or being interpreted by the processing device. In particular, the applications or data may be stored by a storage medium or a memory including volatile and non-volatile memories that store digital data (e.g., a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a compact disk, a tape, a DROM, a flip-flop, a register, a buffer, an SRAM, DRAM, PROM, EPROM, OPTROM, EEPROM, NOVRAM, or RAMBUS), such that if the memory is read or accessed by the processing device, the specified steps, processes, and/or instructions are performed and/or data is accessed, processed, or stored. The memory may include an I/O interface, such that data and applications may be loaded and stored in the memory allowing the applications, programming, and data to be updated, deleted, changed, or augmented. The memory may be removable, such as, for example, a card, a stick, or a disk that is inserted in or removed from the unit.

The communications interface may exchange data and content with the service provider system110using various communications paths130. The interface allows the processing device to send and receive information using the communications paths130. The communications interface may be implemented as part of the processing device or separately to allow the processing device to communicate using the communications paths130. The interface may include two or more types of interfaces, including interfaces for different types of hardware and/or software to interact with different types of communications media and protocols and to translate information/data into a format that may be used by the processing device. Similarly, the interface may translate information/data received from the processing device to a format that may be transmitted to the service provider system110via a communications path130.

The communications paths130may be configured to send and receive signals (e.g., electrical, electromagnetic, or optical) that convey or carry data streams representing various types of analog and/or digital data including content for presentation to a user. For example, the communications paths130may be implemented using various communications media and one or more networks comprising one or more network devices (e.g., network interface cards, servers, routers, switches, hubs, bridges, repeaters, blades, processors, and storage devices). The one or more networks may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a global area network (GAN), a plain old telephone service (POTS) network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, an integrated services digital network (ISDN), a synchronous optical network (SONNET), Passive and Active Optical Networks (PON or AON), or a combination of two or more of these networks. In addition, the communications paths130may include one or more wireless links (e.g., microwave, radio, and satellite) that transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, such as, for example, radio frequency, infrared, and microwave signals, to convey information/data signal. In one example, a communications path130may include the Internet or World Wide Web.

The service provider system110facilitates communication by, organization of, and presentation of content to users. The service provider system110also stores and manages user associated information in a centralized location. In particular, the service provider system110implements a user interface to aggregate, consolidate, organize, and simplify a user's daily communications, such as email and instant messaging into a central point for one-stop organization, data, and content management.

The service provider system110includes one or more communications devices, processors, memories/storage devices, communications interfaces, network devices, and communications paths to store, process, manipulate, organize, consolidate, maintain, and present content and data for a user. In the example shown inFIG. 1, the service provider system110may include a one or more security devices141(e.g., firewalls), web servers142, an application server144, an SQL server145and a mirror SQL server148, and associated memory150and backup memory devices152. It is understood, however, that the example given inFIG. 1is for illustrative purposes only, and that different configurations, combinations of devices, and numbers of devices may be provided for any particular service provider system110. For example, the system service provider may include multiple banks of servers as need to supply adequate bandwidth for the number of users supported by the system. In addition, the system110may be geographically distributed.

In one example, the web server143may be implemented using a Dell PowerEdge 1900 2-Socket, Quad-Core Tower Server with a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 operating system using an apache HTTP server programming language to provide JavaServer Pages (JSP). The web server143may run a FEIA to aid in login, signup, and creation of a user account, and receive information from the first time wizard. The application server144may be implemented using a Dell PowerEdge 1900 2-Socket, Quad-Core Tower Server with a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 operating system using programming languages YoLinux Java, Eclipse C/C++ IDE. The application server144The application server may run system applications, such as, for example, the contact importer, harvester, and maintainer, calendar maintainer and syncer, mail fetcher/sender, threader, glad logic, glad placement applications, route mapper, item finder, client communicator, and user interface. The SQL Server145may be implemented using a Dell PowerEdge 1900 2-Socket, Quad-Core Tower Server with a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 operating system using an Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition for Linux (or equivalent) to maintain various databases, such as, for example, a contact database (DB). The mirror SQL148server mirrors the SQL Server145. to maintain a user DB and a glad, advertisement, or customer incentive database, a store DB, a item DB, a contact DB, a message DB, among other described herein. The user database may include a user profile, user events, shopping lists, to-do lists, user groups and contact DB, and user locations DB. The mirror SQL server mirrors the SQL Server. The term database DB includes not only the data but may include the programming of the database application for maintaining the data.

In order to interact with the service provider system110, a user needs to establish an account. The user must activate the account from a user device101running an application allowing the user device101to communicate with the service provider system110, such as a browser. A browser may include any application that communicates with a web server primarily using hypertext transfer protocols HTTP (e.g., HTTP/1.1) to fetch content or provide a portal to service provided by the service provider system110. HTTP allows the browser to submit information to servers in addition to fetching content from them. Content may be located by the browser using a uniform resource locator (URL) as an address. Many browsers also support a variety of other URL types and their corresponding protocols, such as Gopher (a hierarchical hyperlinking protocol), file transfer protocol (FTP), real-time streaming protocol (RTSP), and an SSL encrypted version of HTTP (HTTPS). Content may be provided in a hyper-text markup language (HTML) that is identified using a MIME content type. Most browsers natively support a variety of formats in addition to HTML, such as the JPEG, PNG, and GIF image formats, and can be extended to support more through the use of plugins and/or scripts. The combination of HTTP content type and URL protocol specification allows images, animations, video, sound, and streaming media to be embedded in the content.

The browser may include coding that interacts with the FEIA. The initial code that is run in the browser may be downloaded from the service provider system110(e.g., with purchase of an account) or retrieved from a storage medium (e.g., a CD promotional gift). The browser running on the client device101connects with the FEIA application run by the service provider system110web server143to initiate login, account activation, and provide a first-time questionnaire. During the initial account setup, the user may create a password and/or user identification (ID). In addition, the service provider system110may configure settings and data on the user device101(e.g., set cookies). The service provider system110also provides the user with a user profile questionnaire.

FIG. 2illustrates an example200of how the service provider system110conducts the initial user profile questionnaire. As shown inFIG. 2, when the user login is first initiated201, the service provider system110asks the user several questions to help tailor the content and services that are delivered to the user. After the initial questionnaire is completed, an edit function provided by the user interface allows the user to update their profile information at any time. After the user completes their initial registration, the user then responds to the questionnaire provided by the user interface, which may be updated or changed at any time. The questionnaire may be provided in any number of formats that allow a user to provide information to the service provider system110. For example, the questionnaire may be a webpage that includes content, such as a series, list, or groups of questions for the user to answer. Various windows, fields, boxes, lists, or drop down menus may be provided to solicit and receive information from a user. Some examples of questions asked or information requested may include personal information205, personal reminders210, email contacts220, and business information225.

Examples of the personal information205may include: a user name, a zip code, a name of spouse, and the names of children. The user also may provide their address/contact data or the system can automatically provide address data.

The service provider system110also collects information about personal reminders210so the service provider system110may remind the user of important dates, such as, anniversaries; birthdays (e.g., spouse, kids, relatives, and friends); an unlimited number of special dates and names of those events; and reminders (e.g., such as vacation, appointments, activities, or retirement). The personal reminders may be used as a source of greeting events, as explained in further detail below.

The user also is prompted to input email addresses220(e.g., family, friends, business contact, and relatives, among other important contacts). The user is asked to input their user names/aliases/IDs/account numbers and passwords for any online accounts, such as Yahoo!, Google, MySpace, kut, Hi5, Facebook, Friendster, Linked In, XING and Twitter. The user also is asked for any other important contact information, such as phone numbers (e.g., work, cell, and home).

Business Information225also may be collected by the service provider system110, such as business zip, business email account(s), business cell phone (if different), business log-in (user name and password) for contacts and calendar.

Once this information is collected, the information is stored in the user profile database270.

As shown inFIG. 3, the service provider system110works to collect, harvest, organize, and maintain contact information through the use of a contact aggregator system300. The contact aggregator system includes a content aggregator301. The content aggregator includes a suite of software/applications including a contact importer310, a contact harvester320, and contact maintainer325run by one or more servers330of the service provider system110that runs applications in conjunction with maintaining the client contact DB and a one or more storage devices340. In one example, the server330may be implemented using the applications server144and associated hard disk150and shadow storage152. The server330communicates with the rest of the service provider system110through communications path350(e.g., a communications path130secure link to the web server143and the SQL server145).

The contact importer310imports contacts from various user client devices101and any other accounts, software, and systems associated with the user that store user contact information. The contact importer310also uses various user accounts information, such as the user names, the IDs, the aliases, and the passwords gathered during the initial account set up to masquerade as the user and download the user's contact information associated with or stored by any portal and/or social networking websites that user might belong to.

Using the passwords provided by the user during account setup, the contact maintainer310implements an automated process to login as the user on all supported address book/contact storage accounts, such as Yahoo!, Google mail, and Outlook. Any contacts that are identified from these accounts are imported into a temporary database. All imported contacts are compared against each other, and, if possible, the data is merged, the duplicates are deleted, and a final list of contacts and their associated information is created and placed in the user contact DB, which stores all of the user contacts.

For each contact associated with a user's account stored in contact DB, the contact DB may include a number of data-fields to store information regarding the contact. For example, the data fields may include a contact name, one or more email addresses, a fax number, one or more mobile phone numbers, a voice phone number, a business phone number, a home number, a home address, a business address, and various IM IDs. The contact importer310also captures any user avatar images when available. During the automated import process, the contact importer310merges the data collected from various sources and eliminates any duplicate information. For each contact the importer finds in one the user's existing contact formats, the contact importer attempts to populate as many the fields provided by the contact DB as possible with the information available from the importation process. Any contacts that are missing information may be provided to the contact harvester320in an attempt to retrieve the missing information. The contact importer then writes this information stored in a temporary database to the Contact DB.

The contact harvester320is an application that is used to retrieve, supplement, and/or update contact information that may be incomplete, out of date, or in error. The service provider system110examines the contact DB after initial setup and periodically thereafter. As part of the examination, the service provider system110provides the contact harvester320with contacts that have information fields that are missing information, are incomplete, or may be suspected of being incorrect or out of date. The contact harvester320spawns a web page for such contacts to solicit missing or information in need of updating. The web page may be hosted by the web server143. The web page may be populated with all or a portion of the existing information for the contact stored in the contact DB. In addition, information associated with one or more fields that are blank, incomplete, or missing may be requested or solicited. The web page may include window, boxes, fields, menus that may be used by a contact to provide the missing information in conjunction with a browser. The contact harvester320generates an email that is sent to the contact at one or more of the email addresses stored for the contact in the contact DB. The email contains a link to this spawned webpage which may then be filled out by the user. To assure the contact being solicited of the authenticity of the web page and the email with the link to the webpage, a personal message from the user may be included or other information known to the contact may be provided. For example, a photo or avatar of the user and/or a portion of the user's personal information may be included with the message and/or website.

The contact harvester320also may interface with a telephony based, or web-telephony based device with voice prompts and voice recognition capability. As a result, the contact harvester320may get in touch with a contact at a provided phone number and use automated voice recognition technology and/or automated menus to request the missing contact information directly from the contact. This is especially helpful for tracking down contact information for contacts without valid email addresses. The automated voice system translates answers from the contact into digital data that is stored in the contact DB. The contact harvester320may then provide a spawned website and email to the contact to verify the information received by the automated voice system. The contact harvester320provides a report to the user if the contact harvester320is unable to contact a user and/or determine missing information.

When the service provider system110spawns a custom website for a contact to fill out their contact information, all known contact information may be filled out in the spawned form. The contact is then asked to fill in any missing info or update and change information that may be incorrect. Certain items or fields having missing or incomplete information that can be looked up with high accuracy may are filled in automatically by contact harvester320. For example, if the contact information contains an address with the word “Calgary” in the city field, the contact harvester safely fills in the State/Province field with “Alberta” and the country field with “Canada.” If the contact includes an address field of “503 Aniston Place, Apt43,” a city field of “Salisbury,” and a State/Province field of “WI,” the contact harvester safely fills in the Zip Code/Postal Code field with 91234 and the country field with “USA.” A sample spawned webpage which may be used by a contact to fill in missing information is shown inFIG. 4.

As shown inFIG. 4, the webpage400may include a personal greeting401and a listing of the contact data stored in the contact DB for the contact. Missing elements may include an entry field410for the contact to supply the missing information through use of a user input device. Check box420may be provided to toggle features on and off. In addition, there may be a solicitation for additional information430which can spawn additional web pages to supply the requested information. In addition, the webpage may include a verification440for the existing information. No response or a yes indication does not trigger any change; however a negative indication may spawn an additional webpage to correct and/or supplement the contact information displayed. Alternatively, the user may be able to change the information directly in the webpage by using a user input device and selecting the user information to change and change the information.

The contact maintainer325is an application that helps to maintain the integrity of contact information stored in the contact DB. For example, the contact maintainer324keeps track of failed email deliveries associated with the user account. If the contact maintainer325suspects that a contact has changed their email address (thereby accounting for the failed email deliveries), the contact maintainer325provides the information contact to the contact harvester320. The contact harvester320may then generate a spawned webpage and/or use the automated phone system to determine correct contact information and/or update the contact information in the contact DB.

The contact maintainer325also scans or reviews user emails to detect key words and/or phrases, such as “my new phone number is,” “we're moving,” and “my new address is.” If such key words, phrases, or combinations of key words are detected, the contact maintainer325parses the text to determine if the email is a change of address/email/phone message or is otherwise updating/change information associated with contact. If the contact maintainer325determines with a predetermined level of confidence that the email does contain such information, the contact maintainer prompts the user with a message, for example, like this:

“Hi, we think that Cynthia Alvarez might be changing her phone number from 310.234.1234 to 818.334.4456. Select here to make this change, or select here to read the email.”

The user may then select to update the user information or make further inspection of the information to determine if the contact information should be updated. The message may be provided in any number of formats including email, instant messages, or directly through a user interface of the user device101.

As described above, the service provider system110also gathers personal reminder information for users, such as contact birthdays. The contact maintainer324uses the personal reminder information as greeting events to automatically send greetings to contacts. Examples of greeting events include birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays, among others. The contact maintainer325uses the greeting event as an opportunity to periodically contact all members of the contact list. When the contact maintainer325determines the occurrence of a greeting event, the contact maintainer325sends a greeting to one or more contacts, such as “Happy New Year!” The greeting may be an email or instant message. The greeting may include a question for the contact, such as “Do you have new contact info?” If the user responds in the affirmative, the contact harvester320may spawn a webpage for the contact to review their stored contact information and update/change information as necessary. As a result, the greeting provides an opportunity to the contact to update their contact information and for the service provider system110to spread this information. More importantly, the contact maintenance is done without any additional effort or input required by the user.

The contact aggregator is described in further detail in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/141,097, titled “Contact Aggregator” filed Jun. 18, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

As shown inFIG. 5, the service provider system110works to collect, harvest, organize, and maintain a user's calendar information through the use of a calendar aggregator system500. The calendar aggregator system500includes a calendar aggregator501. The calendar aggregator includes a suite501of software/applications including a calendar importer510, a calendar harvester520, and calendar maintainer525run by one or more servers530of the service provider system110that runs applications in conjunction with maintaining the client calendar DB and a one or more storage devices540. In one example, the server530may be implemented using the applications server144and associated hard disk150and shadow storage152. The server530communicates with the rest of the service provider system110through communications path550(e.g., a communications path130secure link to the web server143and the SQL server145).

The calendar importer510imports calendar data from various user client devices101and any other accounts, software, and systems associated with the user that store user calendar data and information. The calendar importer510also uses various user accounts information, such as the user names, the IDs, the aliases, and the passwords gathered during the initial account set up to masquerade as the user and download the user's calendar information associated with or stored by any portal and/or social networking websites that the user might belong to.

Using the passwords provided by the user during account setup, the calendar importer510implements an automated process to login as the user on all supported calendar storage accounts, such as Yahoo!, Google calendar, and Outlook. Any calendar items or data that are identified from these accounts are imported into a temporary database. All imported calendar items are compared against each other, and, if possible, the data is merged, the duplicates are deleted, and a final set of calendar data calendar is created and placed in the user calendar DB, which stores all of the user calendar information. The calendar importer510and its processes may be run in conjunction with the contact importer510.

The calendar DB may include a number of data-fields to store information regarding the user's calendar. For example, the data fields may include a years, months, weeks, days, a timeline of hours and minutes during a day, and events, reminders, meetings, tasks, to-do items, shopping items, and there associated data and information. During the automated import process, the calendar importer510merges the data collected from various sources and eliminates any duplicate information. For each calendar the importer finds in one the user's existing calendar formats, the calendar importer510attempts to populate as many the fields provided by the contact DB as possible with the information available from the importation process. The calendar importer510then writes this information stored in a temporary database to the calendar DB.

The calendar harvester520is an application that is used to retrieve, supplement, and/or update calendar information by periodically logging into the users various calendar accounts to retrieve information and update the user's calendar information. The calendar harvester520is an application that is used to retrieve, supplement, and/or update calendar information by periodically checking these other calendar account databases either by accessing their data APIs, or by logging into these accounts utilizing user log on information (user name and password) provided by the user during setup. The calendar harvester has the ability to masquerade as the user, log onto their other calendar accounts, and harvest the data.

Depending on the type of access (API or masquerade) the frequency of the checking varies. With an API checking can happen very often, whereas masquerading may happen only a few times a day.

The calendar harvester reads the information from the user's other accounts, interprets that data thus converting it to a compatible format with the system, and then installs that data into the user's calendar.

The calendar manager525receives user input provided through the user interface to manage the user's calendar. The calendar manager provides calendar information and data to the user interface and receives use input to setup, schedule, and maintain user events. The calendar manager also has access to all system user calendars which allow to instantly providing information about a user's other contacts maintained by the system service provider.

In addition, to maintaining a user's contacts and calendar information, the system also manages a user's various dialogs with other users. For example, emails sent to a user account are stored by the service provider system110in an archive database that is associated with a user account. The archive database stores the communications in their original form (e.g., STMP). The archive database also store threads of previous user communications. The threads are chronically arranged communications between two or more individuals that have a common subject. The threads contain the actual body copy of the communication with other non-essential information removed, such as, for example, headers, signatures, boiler plate or legal disclaimers, text history, wallpaper, animations, avatars, demarcations, line or extraneous characters.

FIG. 6shows one example600the service provider system110processing of emails. As emails are received by the system service provider110(605), the emails are stored in the archive database (610). The address of the email sender is compared to the recipient's contact data to match the identification or name of the contact sending the email with information in the contact DB (620). For example, the server compares the text string in the FROM or SENDER fields with all of the contacts stored in the contact DB that are associated with a user. The system service provider determines if the user is in the contact DB630. The service provider system110scans the archive DB of all current and previous communications sent or received by the user. The service provider system110identifies those communications between the user and the identified contact. By examining the text history in the email (i.e., the content displayed at the bottom of emails preceded by the “>” characters) and by examining the subject line, the service provider system110determines whether or not the email is a response to a previous communication stored in the archive DB640.

If the email is a response, the service provider system determines a probability of which communication it is a response to645. The service provider system110examines the subject, text history, and key words in the list of current conversation threads database, to determine which conversational thread the communication belongs to650. Once a thread is determined, the system service provider110strips all data from the email except the actual body copy that was last typed by the contact sending the email655. When stripping the email, the system removes all header information, all text history, signature boxes, wallpaper, avatars, animations, legal boilerplate, demarcations, lines, and extraneous characters to leave only the body copy or new communications characters sent by the contact. The body copy is then placed as a last entry to the communications thread. The updated thread is stored and an indication is provided by the user interface, as explained in further detail below660.

If the communications is not determined to a response a new thread is created665. When creating the new thread, the system includes only the actual body copy of the communication stripping all other data, as explained above. The new communication thread is stored in and an indication is provided by the user interface660.

User Interface

As the number of technological advances in daily communications grows, many users find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and content available to them. In addition, many of the user devices providing this information and content have a substantial number of functions associated with them to view and manipulate this content. As the amount of content and number of functions have grown, a typical user does not use many of the functions provided because it is difficult to access or utilize the information or the functions provided are only useful to a relatively small number of users. Therefore, a new user interface is provided to facilitate user access and manipulation of content and services provided by the service provider system110.

The user interface provides a primary point of interaction between the user and service provider system110. The web server143provides content and services to the user through a browser operating on the user device101. The user device101establishes a connection to a web server143of the service provider system110using a communications path130. After the connection is established, the primary interface is presented as screen rendered by a browser on a display of the user device101. The screen may be a dynamic webpage provided by the web server143that is supplemented by additional programs, applications, and plugins operating on the user device.

The user interface provides electronic content generated by the applications, servers, and databases of the system service provider110. The once the use device establishes a link with the service provider system110, the user device and system exchange data. Data is transmitted from the system110to the browser in a markup language used by a client application or browser resident on the user device101and its operating system to render the page and present the user interface screen. Data also is transmitted from the user device101to the system110to provide indications of user interaction with the user interface. The data sent to the user device may be in any markup language that may be interpreted by the client application or browser running on the user devices that is presenting the system webpage. In one application, Flash technologies may be used and AJAX technologies may be used to provide the webpage of the user interface using the hypertext markup language (HTML), the JavaScript programming language, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and/or the eXtensible Markup Language (XML).

In one example, data may be transferred between the service and the user device using an HTML and/or XML format to render the page. Within the data of the markup language for the page, an instant messaging protocol application may be provided. The markup language is interpreted by the browser to run/assemble the instant messaging protocol application. Once operating in the browser, the instant messaging application may be used to establish an instant message link between the client application or browser and the system server. This may be done by providing the system server with connection information (e.g., an IP address and number of the port assigned to the client user device). In addition, the client device also is provided with the connection information (e.g., an IP address and number of a port on the system server). Because the client device and server both have the IP address and port number of the other, the two devices may be considered “linked.” As a result, certain user interactions with the browser while manipulating the user interface are sent directly to, and received directly from the server in real time. The direct “link” may be used to provide certain information directly to and from the server and client. For example, any information for calendar events may be provided directly without, for example, the need for any page refresh between the browser and the server in order to display the associated information. In addition, all online system users have this link established. As a result, when one person updates their calendar to add an event, the calendar of another system user may appear to be updated almost instantly or in real time. Similarly other items inputted by on the interface, such as tick boxes may be updated in this manner.

The user interface may include one or more areas, portions, boxes, windows, scroll/slider bars, tools, menus, buttons, and tabs; however, the numbers and arrangement of these items is selected so as to not overwhelm a user with functionality. The functionality of the user interface may be accessed or activated through use of one or more user inputs of the user device101. For example, items and content on the screen may be selected and manipulated using one or more screen position indicators or visual effects (e.g., a pointer, a cursor, a highlighting, a transparency, a color, an animation, or an effect) controlled by one or more user input devices (e.g., a key, a keyboard/pad, a touch screen/pad, a mouse, a joystick, a track ball, and a stylus) as is common in graphical user interfaces (e.g., a pointer controlled by a mouse to click and double-click to activate, select, and drag items within a window, browser, or desktop environment).

In most cases, items in lists can be: selected, clicked, or tapped to designate, activate, or expand the item; double-selected, clicked, or tapped to edit an item; dragged within a list to reprioritize the item; dragged from a window, a list, a tab, or a button and dropped to another to convert an item to another type of item or to activate a function; and a special selection process, such as holding down a specific key (e.g., the Ctrl key or shift key) to allow multiple items on a list to be selected and/or dragged.

Characters and text may be entered in specific locations (e.g., a text box or entry field) using a keyboard, a keypad, a number pad, or a virtual keyboard/keypad (e.g., provided through a touch screen).

As the user interacts with items, functions, and content presented by the user interface, the items, functions, and content may be focused based on their interaction. Further examples of the user interface and its functionality are given in greater detail below.

As pointed out above, many users find the number, type, and functionality of the many different user interfaces to be overwhelming or at a minimum burdensome. Accordingly, the user interface described herein presents content in manageable portions for a user. Each portion includes items, data, functions, and content concerning an area of interest to the user. In particular, the data and content of most interest to a user may be distilled into four basic areas of interest which govern their daily communications: who, what, when, and where. In addition, the user interface automatically focuses information provided within these areas to the information that is most likely desired by the user at any given moment. To aid the user and avoid confusion, all contacts, messages, and appointments may be color coded or otherwise visually distinguished to indicate which category they belong to (e.g., Red=Personal, Green=Family, Purple=Friends, and Blue=Business). As a result, items belonging to these groups may be shown in, bordered, highlighted or otherwise visually distinguished with these colors. Finally, because the user interface data, items, content, and functionality are provided by the service provider system110, they may be accessed by the user using any web accessible device with a browser. As a result, the user has access to their information from virtually anywhere and because the information is presented consistently, the user does not need to re-familiarize themselves with different operations and functionality even when accessing the information from different user devices. Nor does the user have to worry about a lost or stolen device resulting in lost information or having it compromised.

FIG. 7shows a screen map700or layout of a user interface window701. The screen map700of the user interface is implemented by the service provider system110in conjunction with a browser and other applications and plugins of the user device101. Screen resolutions may be dimensions that are proportional to screen width and resolution used depending on type of display associated with the client device110. The display also may be fully scaleable. As such, the screen dimensions and resolution shown in the figures is merely for illustration purposes only.

The user interface window701is divided into three primary areas: an information bar705, a graphic bar707, and a user organizer709. As shown inFIG. 7, the first portion includes an information bar705that may be used to present various information pertaining to a particular user, such as, for example, a user avatar710, a user name712, any high-level alerts714(e.g., tips or message “3 new events”), and a system logo717. In addition, a custom web search input field719may be provided to allow a user into input information (e.g., key words) through use of an associated user input device. The input information is supplied to a search engine to perform a query and present a response in a separate browser window. Searches of the web may be performed using Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, or any other web-based search engine. However, the service provider system110may automatically narrow or focus the search based on the user's personal profile stored in the user DB. In addition, the system service provider110may use its own propriety search engine to perform a search. Two buttons are provided, an Internet search button721and a system search button722, to select where the search is to be performed. The search features are described in further detail below.

A second area707includes a graphic bar that provides a space or window724for a user photo gallery to display user photos (e.g., stored in the user database). The graphic bar also may include a products and services branding area726to display advertising (i.e., Glads) and logos for business clients120(e.g. a system sponsor). This area707also may be customized or used to promote a business for a sponsored user interface. The area may include identification of the business, such as a name, symbol, or logo. Selecting the business logo causes the user interface to open an additional browser to present the user with a website or other online content associated with the business. This area707of the user interface also may provide advertising content including coupons. The advertising display and Glads are described in further detail below.

A third portion709of the user interface provides a user organizer that organizes a user's daily communications, contacts, appointments, content and other information in several key contexts to facilitate the user's access to and manipulation of the information. As shown inFIG. 7, the user organizer is divided into four general themes, contexts, or strips: a WHO strip731, a WHAT strip733, a WHERE strip735, and a WHEN strip737. Each strip provides data, content, and functionality to a user in manageable portions based on a general aspect, context, or theme. The WHO strip731provides content and functionality regarding a user's contacts including people and groups of people. The WHAT strip733provides content and functionality regarding a user's daily activities, communications, shopping, and to-do items, and other events of a user's daily life. The WHERE strip735provides information about locations and points of interest to a user, such as addresses, points of interest, information related to points of interest, and maps associated with those locations. The WHEN strip737provides access to scheduled activities, events, appointments, and any other time sensitive data associated with the user. Each of the strips also dynamically focuses content and information based on user interaction with the strips. The strips also are automated such that simple manipulation of item between and within the strips causes the system to provide certain functions and service automatically. Each of the strips, their functionality, and focusing are described in further detail below.

The information and functionality provided by each strip are accessed through manipulation of one or more lozenges provided in each of the strips.FIG. 8shows an example800of a lozenge. The lozenge800is an interactive, dynamic window that provides content and functionality to a user. Each lozenge allows a user to quickly arrange and display information and functionality within the theme or context of the strip. The lozenge may include one or more of the following: a title bar801including an expand icon810and a contract812icon, a information/item area819, navigation aids (e.g., a scroll or slider bar)820and a search/add field830. The area or window occupied by the lozenge800within a strip expands and/or contracts based on a user request or via automatic processes. Generally the lozenges may be presented as: small, medium, large, and extra large. In addition, the size of one lozenge may automatically and reciprocally affect the size of the one or more other lozenges within a strip based on user interaction with the strips.

A small lozenge generally occupies a minimal area of a strip, for example, less than 15% of the area of a strip and provides minimal information and functionality. For example, a small lozenge may include a title bar and some additional information, such as a minimal alert or counters. A medium lozenge provides a portion of the overall content associated with a lozenge focused generally, for example, on the most used or most needed content or functionality associated with the lozenge, such as alerts and/or counters. In one example, a medium lozenge occupies approximately up to half of a strip. A large lozenge may be considered full size providing multiple ways to view data while providing all the functionality associated with the lozenge. In one example, a large lozenge occupies a majority of the strip. Finally, an extra large lozenge provides additional space with an emphasis on editing data, adding/reordering items, and viewing of additional information provided by the lozenge. In one example, the extra large lozenge occupies a space larger than a strip, for example, the space of up to three large lozenges or additional strips. The individual lozenges are described below within the context of their strips.

At the bottom of a lozenge a data search/add field820(e.g., a text box) may be provided in which a user enters characters using user input device. As a user enters characters into the field, the system performs a character-by-character analysis to determined items featuring the letters the user is typing. The system displays in or next to the field any items that correspond with the characters. At any time the user may select one of the displayed items. If the user types in a character string that is not present in the database, and selects the items using a user input device (e.g., pressing ENTER), then the item is added to the database. The field may be used, for example, to add an item to the list or perform a search within the context of the lozenge.

The WHO strip731includes two lozenges: people740and groups742. The WHAT strip733includes six lozenges: activities744, to-do748, shopping750, buy (not shown), read752, and send753. The WHERE strip735includes two lozenges: locations760and maps762. The WHEN strip737includes one lozenge: dynamic calendar770. Expanding a lozenge causes a corresponding reduction in the size of one or more other lozenges within a strip, as explained in further detail below. Similarly, expanding a strip to accommodate an extra large lozenge, causes a correspond reduction in the size of one or more other strips. Any strips or lozenges that are shrunk may be done so in order of the oldest to the most recently used.

FIG. 9shows examples of the WHO strip731of the user interface which is used to create, maintain, and access a user's contact information. InFIG. 9the reciprocal relationship between a small, a medium, and a large people and a small, a medium, and a large groups lozenge is shown.

The small people lozenge901includes a title bar “People.”

The medium people lozenge905includes a list907of a subset of a user contacts. In one example, the medium lozenge includes a list of the most popular and/or the contacts most recently communicated with. The list of contacts may include a visual indicator and label, such as stars and the word popular (not shown). The list907may include up to ten contacts; however, other numbers of contacts may be provided. While connected to the service provider system110, the web server143in conjunction with the applications server144monitors the user's interaction with the user interface to populate the list with the most relevant contacts of interest to user. The medium people lozenge905also includes a search/add data entry field820. The search/add field820may be used to search for a contact within the user's contact database. As a user enters characters within the field, the system automatically provide a list of contacts (not shown) matching those letters typed by the user. The user may select any contact from the list at any time or continue adding characters. If a contact entered in the field is not in the database, the system asks the user if they wish to add the contact to the database.

The large people lozenge910includes a configurable list912of a user's contacts. A navigation aid830(e.g., a scroll bar or slider) may be provided for use in conjunction with a user input device to configure, manipulate, and/or sort the contacts displayed by the list912. For example, the configurable contact list912may be sorted by: recently accessed contacts, a first name, a last name, those contacts with whom a user is currently communicating, those contacts with whom a user has planned events, appointments or activities on the calendar, those contacts for whom a user has extended an invitation, those contacts with whom a user owes a response to a message, a specific letter in a contact name, and those contacts in order of proximity to a location selected on or inputted to the “Where” strip. The desired sort option may be selected from a menu or corresponding input (e.g., a button or check box). If there are more names in a list than may be displayed within the area provided by the people lozenge, a navigation aid (e.g., a scroll bar, a slider bar, direction arrow keys, grab and move pointer, or a pointing device) may be used to navigate through or see the remaining portion of the list. Items within the list also may be rearranged by a user selecting a name with a user input device and dragging the name within the list. The large people lozenge910also includes a search/add field820.

The extra large people lozenge915includes a full list920of all user contacts with a navigation aid830(e.g., scroll or slider bar) that may be sorted by: a contact first name and a contact last name. In addition, inputs (not shown) may be provided to jump to a specific letter of a contact's name in the list. A number of fields of data for each contact are also displayed. For example, fields for a contact address921, a contact phone number, and a contact email address may be provided for each contact. Information in the displayed fields also may be edited. The extra large people lozenge915occupies roughly three times the size of a normal strip.

Four additional inputs (not shown) are provided to interact with the displayed lists of the extra large people lozenge915: select, edit, add, and aggro. Using the “select” input or directly selecting a name from a list using a user input device (e.g., using a mouse to single click on any contact name) causes the name to be visually indicated (e.g., highlighted, bolded, outlined, etc.). In addition, selecting a name causes the other strips to focus on or present content associated with the selected contact, as explained in further detail below. Selecting the “edit” input or a name directly from a list using a user input device (e.g., by double-clicking on the name) allows the user to update the contact information. Selecting edit provides a pop-up area (not shown) with information fields populated with a selected contact's information that is stored in the contact DB. The user may edit any of the fields and save the edited contact information. Selecting the “add” input creates a pop-area including a number of blank data fields which may be populated with a new contact's information. Selecting the “aggro” input causes the contact aggregator to verify the contact information stored for the selected contact in the contact DB.

A number of symbols and indicators (not shown) may be used in association with the names listed in the people lozenge to provide additional information to a user. For example, a tiny email envelope next to a contact name may be used to indicate, at a glance, that a new message has been received from the contact. A tiny calendar/clock icon next to a contact name may be used to indicate a new calendar event has been established for the contact. A tiny clock next to a contact name may be used to indicate that the contact aggregator is in the process of aggregating this contact's information. Colors (e.g., red, blue, purple, or green) may be used to display the contact name of the list to indicate the type of contact if the contact has been indicated to be one of personal, work, friend, or family contact.

FIG. 9also shows examples of a small, a medium, a large, and an extra large “groups” lozenge of the WHO strip731. The groups lozenge allows the user to define and select groups in order to organize their communications with multiple contacts. A color (e.g., red, blue, or green) may be associated with each group name to indicate the type of group based on the types of contacts the group is composed of, such as, for example, personal, work, or family. A group name listed in black indicates a group of contacts from multiple groups. If there are more group names than space in the tab a scroll bar or slider may be provided to navigate the list.

The small groups lozenge930includes a title bar “Groups.”

The medium lozenge935includes a list937of a subset of a user groups contacts. In one example, the medium groups lozenge935includes a list of the most popular and/or the groups most recently communicated with. The list937may include the names of the top ten groups; however, other numbers of groups may be provided. While connected to the service provider system110, the web server143in conjunction with the applications server144monitors the user's interaction with the user interface to populate the list with the most relevant group names of interest to user. The medium groups lozenge935also includes a search/add field820.

The large groups lozenge940includes a full list945with a navigation aid830(e.g., a scroll bar or slider) that may be sorted by: the most recently selected group, a group name, a groups with whom the user is currently communicating with, a group with items that are on the calendar, a group that has been invited to an event, a group size (e.g., number of members), a group's creation date, and an RSVP or a not RSVP group. Any person, group, or activity may be tagged by the user as an RSVP. This means that any activity that includes the RSVP person or RSVP group must have all contacts or groups of contacts tagged as RSVP agree to attend the activity before the service provider system110identifies the activity as booked. If a person, a group, or an activity is not so tagged, then the activity may be booked regardless of how many invitees agree to attend. The large groups lozenge940also includes a search/add field820.

The extra large groups lozenge950includes a full list of all groups names955associated with the user and a navigation aid830. For each group a list of contacts957in the group is provided. In addition, a number of fields associated with each group may be presented, such as, for example, a first name, a last name, an email address, an address (e.g., house number and street name)958, a city, a state/province, a zip code/postal code, a country, a home land line phone number, a mobile phone number, a work land line phone number, a relationship to the user (e.g., friend, family, or business), and a RSVP flag (either yes or no). All fields may be selected and edited by the user. Five additional inputs (not shown) are provided on extra large groups lozenge950: select, edit, create a group, add a person, and aggro. Using the “select” input or directly selecting a group name from the list using a user input device (e.g., using a mouse to single click on any group name) displays the names of all contacts within the group (e.g., highlighted, bolded, outlined, etc.). In addition, selecting a group name causes the other strips to focus on or present content associated with the selected group. Focusing is described in further detail below. Selecting the “edit” input or a group name directly from the list using a user input device (e.g., by double-clicking on the name) allows the user to edit the contacts listed in the group. Selecting the “create a group” input allows a user to create or define a group. Selecting the input “add a person” allows the user to add a new contact to an existing group. Selecting the “agro” input causes the contact aggregator to verify the contact information of the contacts listed in the group.

A user also may create a group using the add/search field820. The user may type in a new group name in the field820using a user input device. The new group name is then displayed in the list of groups937or945. The user may then drag and drop one or more names of contacts from the people lozenge to the group name in the groups lozenge to automatically add those people to their groups. Similarly, a user may automatically add a new contact to any existing group by dragging a name of a contact from the people lozenge to the group name in the groups lozenge.

In addition, the size of the people and groups lozenges have a reciprocal relationship with each other. For example, when the people lozenge is small, the groups lozenge is large. When either the people or groups lozenges are medium the other lozenge also is medium. When the group lozenge is small, the people lozenge is large. When either the people or groups lozenges are extra large, the lozenge occupies the entire WHO strip731.

The WHAT strip733provides content and functionality regarding a user's daily communications and activities. The WHAT strip733helps the user manage and organize these communications and activities through use of five lozenges: activities, to-do, shopping, read, and send.

As shown inFIG. 10, the activities lozenge provides a list of activities that a user frequently engages in order to help a user plan events. The activities lozenge may be small or medium. The small activities lozenge1001just includes a title “Lozenge.” The medium activities lozenge1005includes a list of activities1007, for example, a top-ten list of activities. The top-ten list is automatically populated based on a combination of the most recently used user activities combined with activities that have been most frequently repeated. A search/add data820entry field also is provided. The data entry field820may be used to search through a list of a user's prior activities or add a new activity to the list. Adding a new activity causes a pop-up window to be shown with fields that the user may choose to fill to further define the activity.

In addition, the user interaction with the other lozenges affects the list of activities provided through focusing. For example, when a person or group's name is selected on the people or groups lozenge, the activities lozenge shows the top-ten activities that have been scheduled in the past with that person or group. When a location is selected from the locations lozenge, the activities lozenge is populated with up to ten activities that have most frequently occurred at or in the vicinity of the location. When a calendar date is selected, the activities lozenge is populated by the most common activities that occur on that date. For example, if a user selects Sunday morning, “Go to Church” might appear in the activities list. If the user selects the evening of February 14th, then “Valentines Day Dinner” may appear in activities list. If a user selects their own name from the people lozenge, then the activities lozenge is populated with the top ten activities attended by the user. A user may select an activity from the list1007with a user input device, and drag the activities onto the calendar lozenge to a particular day and/or time to create a calendar event for that activity, as explained in further detail below.

FIG. 10also shows an example of a small, a large, and an extra large a To-Do lozenge. The To-Do lozenge helps keep of list of items that a user wants to complete and keep track or be reminded of.

The small To-Do lozenge1010just includes the title “To-Do.” The medium To-Do lozenge1015includes a list of up to the ten oldest To-Do items1017. Each To-Do item on the list1017may include a user selectable input to indicate completion of the item, such as a check or tick box. Using a user input device the user may select the input to cause a visual mark to appear in the box (e.g., a check mark or x) to indicate that an item has been completed. In addition, the marked item may be visually distinguished (e.g., highlighted or low lighted or grayed out) moved to the end of the list and marked as “done.” A search/add data field820may be provided to search for a particular To-Do item from the list and to add a new item to the To-Do list.

The large To-Do lozenge1020includes a complete list1022of all a user's To-Do items. In addition, a navigation aid830is provided to navigate or scroll through the entire list if there are more items on the list than may be displayed in the space provided. A search/add data field820also is provided.

The To-Do items may have associated with them information fields about chores and/or tasks that a user wishes to remember and complete, such as a name field, a description field, a start date/and or time field, a reminder field, and an indication of completion of the item (e.g., “Done” or a completion date and/or time). When open to the large or extra large lozenge, To-Do items may be created by the user directly typing a new item in the list. The To-Do list items may be re-ordered, edited, checked off by the user. Items may be reordered simply by selecting an item and dragging it to another position on the list. Each item may include a user selectable input to indicate completion of the item, such as a check box. Using a user input device the user may select the input to cause an indication to appear in the box (e.g., a check mark or x) to indicate that an items has be completed. In addition, the checked item may be visually distinguished (e.g., highlighted or low lighted or grayed out), moved to the end of the list and marked as “done.”

The extra large To-Do lozenge1025also includes a complete list1026of all To-Do items and the various information fields, such as, a completion indicator1027, a date added1028, a date completed1029, and a reminder date (not shown). The items may be re-ordered, edited, checked off. The list may be sorted by: due date, reminder date, when added, letter or alphabetically, and done and/or completion date.

FIG. 10also shows examples of the shopping lozenge. The shopping lozenge may be used to keep track of all items to be purchased by a user.FIG. 10shows a small, a medium, a large, and an extra large shopping lozenge. The small shopping lozenge1030just includes the title “Shopping.” The medium shopping lozenge1032includes a list1034of up to ten oldest shopping or highest priority shopping items. Each shopping item on the list1034may include a user selectable input (e.g., a check or tick box) to indicate the item has been purchased. Using a user input device the user may select the input to cause a visual mark to appear in the box (e.g., a check mark or x) to indicate that an item has been purchased. In addition, the marked item may be visually distinguished (e.g., highlighted or low lighted or grayed out) moved to the end of the list and/or removed. A search/add data field820may be provided to search for a particular shopping item from the list and to add a new item to the list.

The large shopping lozenge1040includes a complete list1042of all a user's shopping items. The complete shopping list1042may be re-ordered, edited, checked off. Items may be reordered simply by selecting an item and dragging it to another position on the list. Each item may include a user selectable input to indicate purchase of an item, such as a check box. Using a user input device the user may select the input to cause an indication to appear in the box (e.g., a check mark or x) to indicate that an items has been purchased. Alternatively, purchased items may be removed from the list. In addition, a navigation aid830is provided to navigate or scroll through the entire list if there are more items on the list than may be displayed in the space provided. A search/add data field820also is provided to add items or items may be added by directly typing them in the list.

The extra large shopping lozenge1043also includes a complete list1045of all shopping items in addition to various information fields, such as, a user selectable input to indicate purchase of an item1046, a description1047, a date added, a date purchased, and an amount1049. Shopping items may be created and added to the shopping list by the user directly typing a new item in the list. The items may be re-ordered, edited, checked off. The list may be sorted by: description, date purchased, amount, date added, and by letter or alphabetically.

FIG. 10also shows an example of a small, a medium, a large, and an extra large read lozenge. The read lozenge also a user to receive and manipulate various communications directed to the user.

The small read lozenge1060just includes the title “Read.”

The medium read lozenge1062includes a list of identifiers1064for the most recent, unopened, new messages and/or threads that have been received by the service provider system110directed to the user. The list may include an indicator of the contact from whom the message was sent and a subject indication.

The large read lozenge1065includes a complete list1067of identifiers for all new messages and/or threads stored by the service provider system110which have not yet been responded to by the user. The identifiers may include a name of the contact sending the message and a topic of the thread. In addition, an indication (not shown) of the number of new messages associated with the thread or topic may be provided. If there are more message indicators than may be displayed in area of the lozenge a navigation aid830(e.g., a scroll bar, a slider bar, direction arrow keys, grab and move pointer, or a pointing device) may be used to navigate through or see the remaining portion of the list. In addition, search/add field820may be provided to search for a message.

FIG. 11shows and example of the extra large read lozenge1070. The extra large read lozenge1070includes a complete list1075of identifiers messages and/or threads stored by the service provider system110in addition to various information fields, such as, a contact sending the message1076, a topic of the message1077, a date the message was received1078, a number of entries in the message thread1079, and who is to respond to the message1080. Next to each identifier (not shown) an indication of how long (e.g., minutes, hours, days) the sender of a message has been waiting for a response. The user may select any identifier of any thread to read, edit responses, add responses, and perform other actions. Five input filtering options selections are provided for these threads: current subjects, by person, by date, by lateness, and archived. The current subjects input may be selected to display indicators of threads that are current. Current may be defined as a period of time set by the user's preferences and/or may include indicators of threads that have not been responded too. The by person input sorts the list of thread indicators alphabetically by contact name. The by date input sorts the list of threads indicators by date listing the newest threads first. The by lateness input sorts the list of thread indicators by respondent lateness. The archived input opens a complete list of indicators of archived threads that have previously been closed by the user.

As shown inFIG. 12, selecting any thread or message indicator from either the list with a user input device (e.g., using a cursor or pointer or highlighted area controlled by a mouse, keypad/board, pointing device, touch-screen/pad to select the thread indicator) opens the thread in a popup window1200for viewing by the user. The window1200may include an informational area1201and a message area1202. The informational area1201includes the type of message (e.g., personal, business, group) (not shown), the message thread identifier1205, a start time of the message thread (not shown), and a time of last response (not shown). The message area1202includes an area1210(e.g., a rounded box) at the top of the message thread1211where the user may enter or type their response to the latest received message1212. Below the box is the text of each piece of the message thread1211and an indicator1215of whom the piece text of the thread was generated by. A message type/link icon1220may be provided in the window next to each received text which notifies the user which account or media type (e.g., POP3 work, POP3 home, virtual fax, IM, SMS, site specific email, etc.) that was used to send the text associated with the message. Selecting the icon1220with a user input device opens another window (not shown) to display the original message in its full original format.

FIG. 10also shows an example of the send lozenge. The send lozenge is used to send messages to contacts. The send lozenge may be locked at the end of the WHAT strip733and is provided in only as a small send lozenge1080. In one example, the small send lozenge1080may be slightly larger than other small lozenges to accommodate one or more inputs1081. In one example, the inputs are share, chat, and organize (not shown).

To send a message the user simply selects a name of a contact from the people lozenge, or the name of a group from the group lozenge of the WHO strip731using a user input device. After selecting the name, the user drags the name from the list of the WHO strip731onto any one of the buttons: share, chat, and organize. Alternatively, the user may select one of the inputs1081with a user input device. Selecting one of the send inputs1081causes the service provider system110to create a pop-up window for display as a screen on the user device. The screen (not shown) includes the message “Who shall I send the message to?” The screen also includes a window in which the user may type the contact or group name or select a name from a drop down menu.

The share button may be used to share pictures, videos, web sites, computer documents (e.g., PDF, MS Word, etc.), FYI, change of address, newsletter, and a vacation notification) and other content with contacts and groups. The chat button may be used for personal talk, group talk, polls, and event creation. The organize button may be used to create an event (one-time or repeating), such as, an appointment, a meeting, a party/group event; an RSVP party (e.g., a wedding or a birthday), a potluck or any other gathering of contacts. Each input causes a popup window to request information typically specific to that type of communication. If the name of the group or contact is dragged to the button, the popup window is automatically populated with the contact information for the type of message. Once the user enters the requested information, the message is sent by the service provider system110using the selected format and/or protocol for the type of message. In addition, the threader adds the message to the message archive.

The WHAT strip733also may include a buy lozenge as shown inFIG. 13. The buy lozenge may be small, medium, large or extra large. The WHAT strip733also may include a buy lozenge.FIG. 13shows examples of the small, medium, large or extra large buy lozenge. The small buy lozenge1301just includes the title “buy.” The user can drag any item to the buy lozenge to instruct the service provider system110to purchase the item. The medium buy lozenge1310includes a list1315of the top five items that the system is currently trying to buy for a user. The large buy lozenge1320includes a complete list1325of all items being purchased by the system. The extra large buy lozenge1330provides a complete list1333of all items being purchased by the system. If there are more items that can be displayed, a navigation aid820is provided. A description area1335provides information1340about a selected item1345from the list. The information may include a name, delivery date, delivery location, total price, account payment was made by. In addition, a change buying preferences button1350is provided to access various fields that store user preferences allowing a user to specify price ranges for products, payment information, delivery addresses and other instructions pertinent to making a purchase.

The personal profile allows a user to specify specific items and types of items the system service provider110may automatically buy for the user. The user may specify what price ranges (e.g., a maximum, a minimum or both) that are okay for the system service provider to user in determining whether to make a purchase. The user profile buy information may include payment information, such as credit card, debit card, paypal, online banking information, a single purchase spending limit, a monthly purchase spending limit, and a card balance limit. The user also may specify shipping preferences, such as carrier preference (e.g., UPS, Fed-X, USPS, etc.), transit preference (e.g., overnight, 2 day, “slow and cheap”), shipping address, special shipping instructions (e.g., doorbell inoperative), and instant delivery preferences.

The buy lozenge may be withheld or not appear on the WHAT strip733until a user provides their user buy information. Once set up, the user can drag any item to the buy lozenge to instruct the system service provider to purchase item. For example, a user has a To-Do item that identifies “Replace flapper valve.” The user drags the item to the BUY button. The service provider system110determines the best price available online for a toilet flapper valve, orders it using the provided customer buy information, and places an item or event on the user's calendar with the expected arrival date.

In another example, the user has an item, or items on the shopping list that they are unable to find time to buy, or would prefer not go shopping for the item at this time. The user drags the entire shopping list, or individual items to the BUY button, and the service provider system then buys those items for the user. In another example, a user has a calendar appointment, such as BBQ. In this example the user drags that item to BUY causing the service provider system110to look up a user profile and determine a user's identified foods associated with an event, such as a BBQ. The service provider system110then purchases the user's identified BBQ foods. Similarly, a calendar appointment “ski trip” causes the service provider system110to book transportation (flight from local air port to destination), lodging (e.g., hotel for nights specified by trip event in calendar), and activities (e.g., advance purchase of lift tickets for closest ski resort). In yet another example, the user drags a contact name onto the BUY button. The service provider system110identifies any dates, events, or activities associated with the contact (e.g., birthday, Christmas, retirement party). The service provider system110may purchase a gift for the specified contact. If the contact is a user of the service provider system110, the system may use receiver's profile in determining a suitable gift.

The WHERE strip735provides information above a user's favorite places (e.g., restaurants), locations, destinations, addresses, and other information such as maps and navigation aids. The user may look at or create instant maps to link any locations together and/or receive point-to-point directions. The WHERE strip735includes two lozenges: maps and location.FIG. 14shows examples of small, medium, large and extra large maps and locations lozenges.

The locations lozenge includes locations of interest to a user. The small locations lozenge1401just includes a title “locations.” The medium locations lozenge1405includes a short locations list1410of up to ten locations that may be interest to a user at any particular moment. Examples of locations: may be restaurants, businesses the user frequents (stores, malls, markets), contact's address, institutions frequented by the user (schools, DMV, church, parks). In particular, the system service provider110focus the locations provided in the list1410based on the user's interaction with the other lozenges of the user interface. For example, when the user selects a contact from the people lozenge, the list1410is populated with the “Top Ten” locations associated with that person. When a user selects a group from the group lozenge, the list is populated with the “Top Ten” locations associated with that group. When an activity from the activities lozenge is selected, the list1410is populated with the “Top Ten” locations associated with that activity. When any time and date in the calendar is selected, the list1410is populated with the “Top Ten” locations associated with that day at that time. The medium locations lozenge1401also includes a search/add data entry field820. The search/add field820may be used to search for a location within the user's database of locations associated with the user. As a user enters characters within the field, the system automatically provide a list of locations (not shown) matching those letters typed by the user. The user may select any location from the list at any time or continue adding characters. If a location entered in the field820is not in the database, the service provider system110asks the user if they wish to add the location to the database. If so, the system saves the location in a database of locations associated with the user.

The large location lozenge1415includes a complete list of user locations1417. If there are more locations than may be displayed in area provided by the lozenge, a navigation aid830(e.g., a scroll bar, a slider bar, direction arrow keys, grab and move pointer, or a pointing device) may be used to navigate through or see the remaining portion of the list. In addition, search/add field820may be provided to search for or add a location.

FIG. 14also shows the maps lozenge. The maps lozenge provides an easy to use interface to allow a user to search for and find information about a location.

The small maps lozenge1425just includes a title “locations.” The medium maps lozenge1430includes small map window1435for a selected location. An address1437for the location also may be displayed along with several inputs (not shown), such as print directions, send to mobile device, and share location.

The large maps lozenge1440also includes a map window1435, a location address area1437, user inputs1439, and a custom finder1450. The extra large maps lozenge1455has the same functionality as the large map lozenge but includes a larger map window1435and a driving directions window.

The map window1435shows a map of a location. The maps lozenge location is focused based on a person selected from the people lozenge or an activity selected from the activities lozenge, or as a result of selection a location or using the input field820to look up an address on the locations lozenge. The map displayed by the map window1435may be scalable to zoom in and out from a birds-eye-view using a user input device. For example, user inputs (not shown) neighborhood, city, county, state, and region may be provided to adjust the area displayed by the map, a slider bar may be selected to zoom in and out, or buttons1460may be selected to increase or decrease the scale of the map. In addition, the user input device may be used to control the zoom feature (e.g., a scroll wheel provided on a mouse). The map may include an indicator of the location within the context of the map.

Using a screen position indicator (e.g., a cursor or a pointer) in conjunction with a user input device (e.g., a key pad/board/buttons or a mouse) or using input directly from a user input device (e.g., a stylus or finger touching a touch screen) the user may select a point on the map. Maintaining selection on the map, the user may manipulate the position indicator or stylus in along one or two axis to draw a box or rectangle on the map. After drawing the box, the system automatically populates the area outlined by the box with information and/or indicators of all contacts and/or events that have addresses stored by the system databases that correspond to the location on the map within the user drawn box. Position of a cursor or pointer on the indicators causes a pop address (not shown) to appear associated with the indicator.

The maps lozenge includes several user selectable inputs1537: directions to this location, find near this location, and transfer data to GPS/Smartphone. Selecting directions to this location provides directions to the selected location from a current location of the user (as determined from the user database or GPS data provided by the user device101). Additionally, the user may provide a start location to manually configure a desired route.

The find near this location inputs include a dynamic list of a number of inputs that are most likely to be desired by a user viewing the location information. The service provider system may determine the dynamic list based on data stored in the user profile (e.g., favorites and dislikes provided by the user) and/or empirical information of data found most useful by users. For example, the inputs fuel stations, restaurants, and WIFI hotspots may be selected. Selecting any one of the inputs causes a visual indicator to appear on the map of the locations associated with the selected input. Placing a cursor, a pointer, or other user controllable selection mark over the indicator causes a small popup to display in association with the indicator giving more details and a dynamic hyperlink to a webpage for the entity represented by the indicator. In addition, selecting the indicator allows the user to obtain directions to the address associated with the displayed entity.

The transfer data to GPS/SMART phone input allows a user to transfer information, such as directions or files stored by the system service provider110to a user's mobile device. As a result, the user may access the directions or files using the mobile device.

The custom map finder1450provides a window that includes a number of inputs1466that may be selected by the user to populate the map with information. The service provider system110automatically populates the list with inputs based on the user's profile and interaction with the system. The list shown in the example ofFIG. 14includes inputs for Mexican food, pizza, Ford parts, and Art Theatres. Selection of in input, for example, fuel stations, causes the map to display indicators for fuel stations within the displayed area of the map window. The list of inputs is dynamic and is automatically populated at any particular time by the system to display those inputs to be of most use to a user. For example, the system may use time of day (e.g., lunch time or diner time) to display inputs for food choices based on the user profile stored in the system DB. Other inputs may be chosen based on information provided by the user questionnaire and user profile stored in the database, for example, indicated interests and hobbies of the user. The system may also search a user's upcoming events to populate the list with inputs. For example, if a task on the To-Do list includes “Get oil changed for Car” the dynamic list may be populated with the input service stations. If the user has an event scheduled, the list may provide an input “hotels” to suggest places to stay based on the event location.

The search/add window820may be provided to allow a user to manually enter in a location, name, contact, or business using a user input device. The input is provided to the system (e.g., by selecting an enter button or selecting and icon such as a magnifying glass). The system performs a search based on the input information and displays a result. The user selects an item from the list. The address is then displayed as the location and the map is automatically adjusted to display the location based on the selection.

The WHEN strip737keeps track of time sensitive or related information for the user. The WHEN strip737includes a single lozenge: a calendar lozenge. The calendar lozenge displays information for a user including indicators, identifiers, and data for all activities, to-do items, appointments, and other data items having a time based element that the system110tracks for the user to allow a user to manage and organize their daily events. The size of the days and weeks dynamical adjust based on user interaction with the calendar lozenge, as explained in further detail below. The calendar lozenge may be large and extra large.FIG. 15shows an example of the large calendar lozenge1501. The large calendar lozenge1501provides an agenda area1510and a mini calendar1515. The agenda area1510shows a list of the user's next ten events. The mini calendar is a smaller calendar that shows busy and free times but no details. The large calendar is two columns wide.

FIG. 16shows the extra large calendar lozenge1601. The extra large calendar lozenge1501is approximately three columns wide. The extra large calendar lozenge1601includes a calendar indication days of the week (e.g., Sunday-Saturday) and days of the month (e.g., 1-28, 1-29, 1-30, and 1-31). The calendar also includes an information bar1615. The information bar1615includes an indicator of the month1617, the year1619, a today button1620, and inputs1625personal, family, friends, and business to control display of items within the calendar to present events associated with a selected input. The month indicator1617displays the month (e.g., May) currently displayed by the calendar. The month may be changed by selecting the arrow inputs1627to either side of the month indicator1617to move to the next or previous month from the month displayed. The year indicator may be selected to change the year displayed. Additional inputs week view1630may be used to adjust the size of any week displayed, as described below. One or more the inputs1625may be selected at anytime to toggle the display of events associated with the selected event category (e.g., personal, family, friends, and business). For example, selecting personal and family causes the calendar to display user events of type personal and family. Unselecting an input removes those corresponding events. In this example, unselecting family causes all events of family type to be removed leaving only personal events displayed.

Within each day displayed on the calendar are indicators for any calendar events stored by the system associated with that date for a user. As shown inFIG. 16, the calendar is focused on personal calendar events of the user. The calendar events may include To-do items or reminders (e.g., 7 am May 1st“walk the dog”), shopping items (not shown), activities (e.g., 8 pm May 16th“Bowling League” and “Ski Trip”), and appointments, seminars, engagement, and meetings (e.g., 4 PM may 3rd“BBQ” and “Management Retreat”), and coupons and/or advertisements from the glad bar (not shown).

The user may create an event by selecting an item from any lozenge with a user input device and dragging the item from the originating lozenge to a date and/or time within the calendar lozenge. For example, a user can drag a name from the people or the group lozenge, an activity from the activities lozenge, a to-do item form the to-do lozenge, an email from the read lozenge, a shopping item from the shopping lozenge, and address from the maps lozenge, a location from the locations lozenge, to a calendar date to create an event. For example, the user may select contacts “Bob”, “Cindy”, and “Jennifer” from the people lozenge, “Ski Trip” from the activities lozenge, and “Big Bear” from the locations lozenge, and drags them all to the Sunday May 4thto create a ski trip calendar event1635. A calendar event popup window with data fields is then presented to the user, as shown inFIG. 17.

FIG. 17shows a user interface with the event popup window1601. The window1601includes a number of data entry fields that are automatically populated with information corresponding to the items dragged onto the date (e.g., the people, the activity, and the location in this example). For example, the window1701may include the data entry fields nickname1710, location1720, description1730, attendees1733, start1735, end1737, and category1740(e.g., personal, family, friends, and business). Information missing from the data entry fields may then be supplied by the user. Once the information is supplied, the user may select the save button1745to stored information in the user database for the event and close the popup window. A cancel button1750may be used close the window and cancel the event. A calendar event also may be created by selecting a date and/or time directly from the calendar using a user input device causing the event popup window1701to be presented in which the user may enter information in any pertinent field and/or drag items from other lozenges onto the popup window.

A calendar event may be given a nickname (e.g., “Ski Trip) as the identifier displayed in the calendar for easy reading and/or identification by a user. The item name field may be used to automatically build a nickname. For example, if the nickname is left blank the system automatically picks the name of a lozenge item dragged to create the event. For example, if ski trip is dragged for the activity lozenge then the event nickname may default to ski trip. The nickname may be edited by the user to override any automatically generated nickname.

In another example, items directly dragged to a calendar date may automatically create an event. If a lozenge item is dragged to any date on the calendar in the month view, an event is automatically created at for noon on the that date with whatever content is associated with the lozenge. For example, if Bill is dragged to June 1, an event nickname Bill is provided for a 1 hour meeting with Bill at noon on June 1st. A message is sent to invite Bill. The user may select the item on the calendar to access the event and to edit or provide further details. If a lozenge item is dragged to the expanded week view or day view, then the event is scheduled for the hour time slot the item is dragged to on the calendar as a default. The hour slot is also visual highlighted or shaded to indicate the planed time of the meeting. The user may then adjust the timing of the event using a pointing user input device to select the a border or portion of the highlighted region to expand or contract the highlighted area to increase or decrease, respectively, the time scheduled for the event.

The service provider system stores the calendar event information in the user database. The database has a number of associated fields, such as a general type (e.g., appointment, activity, entertainment, travel, and meeting). In addition, the fields also provide for time and date, start and end, attendees, invitees, a location, items needed, event category type (e.g., personal, friends, family, and business), among others. Any information associated with a lozenge that is dragged to create the event is populated in the fields. This information may be changed, deleted or supplemented by the user. In addition, the fields also may be customized for information solicited based on the type of event (e.g., a particular activity, such as “BBQ” may include additional information like catering, potluck, bring an item). The information requested by the fields may be filled in by entering information in the field using a user input device. In addition, further items may be dragged from lozenges to the popup window to continue to fill out the event information. For example, additional names may be dragged from the people lozenge, a location from the location lozenge, a shopping list from the shopping lozenge. In addition to the nickname, a descriptor, a description/notes, and an advertisement or coupon from the graphic/advertising bar may be provided.

Once the information fields are filled in and provided to the system, an event may be automatically organized by the system as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/141,104, titled “COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM WITH DYNAMIC CALENDAR,” filed Jun. 18, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

All items shown in the calendar are color coded based on an event type, such as personal, family, business, and friends. In addition, inputs1625are provided to filter information displayed in the calendar. For example, inputs1625personal, business, family, friends may be provided to filter or overlay display of calendar items of the type selected or a combination thereof. One, several, or all of the inputs1625may be selected at any time. Color coded identifiers for each calendar event are shown on their respective days. If there are more identifiers than may be shown in the space provided, the identifiers shown may be filtered. For example, a priority (such as importance, time of day, next occurring, events requiring user action or providing updated information or alerts) or the types of events shown (e.g., family, friends, business, personal), or a combination thereof may be used to filter the information presented. In addition, if sufficient space is unavailable the events displayed may be periodically rotated.

The system service provider110maintains calendar data for each system user. As a result, the calendar may be used to show data from other calendars which may be useful in planning events, such as meetings. For example, selecting the identifier for a system user “Frank” from a user's people lozenge causes the calendar1601to change to the calendar shown inFIG. 18. As shown inFIG. 18, the calendar1801now includes indications1805of periods of occupied time for which Frank has events scheduled. This is very useful for user's trying to schedule meeting. For example, looking at the calendar1801, the user may determine the morning of May 17th, Frank is unavailable to have a meeting. Holding a cursor/pointer over the indications1705causes a popup indication of the exact time period when in the month view shown inFIG. 18.

In addition, event categories also may be used to filter/display information. For example,FIG. 19shows the user has selected the input1625family to display calendar1901. As shown, the events walk the dog, management retreat, and bowling league have been removed, family event “ski trip” is shown. In addition, family members' events for Jenifer1910and Carol1920are shown.

A unique feature of the calendar that it dynamically adjusts the space needed to display portions of the calendar while maintaining presentation of every day in the month displayed, as shown inFIGS. 20,21, and22.FIG. 20shows a calendar lozenge with the calendar in the month view1601. As shown, a week view input1530is provided for each week displayed in the month view1601.

Selecting the week view input1630for the week of May 5ththough the 11thexpands the area used to display the selected week on the screen while reducing the other weeks presented by a corresponding amount, in the expanded week view as shown inFIG. 21. In the expanded week view2101, more event identifiers may be displayed concurrently and other event details and information in addition to the event identifier (e.g., a time of event) may be presented. Additionally, segments for the hours during each expanded day or a timeline may be presented. At the same time, all other days outside the expanded week shrink to a smaller size. In this mode, the small days use color codes in combination with a number indicate events for that day. The color indicates the type of event that day and the number indicated the number of events of this type on that date.

Two additional inputs are also provided. An expand input2110is provided for each day in the expanded week and a month view input2120is provided for the expended week. Selection of the month view input2120causes the screen to return to the month view1601shown inFIG. 20.

Selection of the expand input2110for any day in the week causes the area for the selected day to expand with a corresponding reduction in the area of the remaining days in the expanded week as shown inFIG. 22. The expanded day view2201may include a time line, larger fonts, and addition information provided for each event (such as identifier, time, location, attendees, and notes). In addition, a today button1620is provided on all of the views (2001,2101, and2201) to automatically expand the calendar to the expanded day view2201open to the current date. The expanded day view2201also may include a week view input1630to return the week to the expanded week view2101, and a month view input2120also is provided to cause the screen to return to the month view1601shown inFIG. 20.

Item Dragging

Because the service provider system110dynamically maintains all system user data, any item from a lozenge may be selected by a user input device and moved to another lozenge (e.g., dragging a selected item in one lozenge to the area of the user interface defining or occupied by a second lozenge) to cause the system to automatically perform an actions and services. This allows a user to harness the information stored by and the automation provided by the system to perform tasks for the user in a straight forward and easy manner. For example, a user may select and drag a person or a group from the people or groups lozenge to: the calendar to create an appointment or to the send lozenge to send a message to the person or groupFIGS. 23-25show an example of adding a user to a group.FIG. 23shows the user has selected “me”2301from the people lozenge. The selection2301causes the groups lozenge to focus on groups the user belongs to.FIG. 24shows that Contact “Charles Miller”2401is selected from the people lozenge and dragged2402to the group “Biker Club”2410. In response, the service provider system110automatically accesses the user database and adds an indication for “Charles Miller” to group “Biker Club.”FIG. 25shows the “Biker Club”2510is selected causing the people, activities, read, and locations lozenges to focus on the biker club related items. For example, people is focused to contact in the Bike Club (e.g., Me, Charles Miller, Jeff White, and Donald Lewis), activities is focused to bike activities (e.g., biker night, charity run, poker run), the read lozenge includes message sent by Bike Club members (e.g., Next Ride, Good Mechanic, and My New Bike), and locations to bike related locations (e.g., Route 66, Piston Club, Harley Dealership, Bike world).

In another example, items directly dragged to a calendar date may automatically create an event. If a lozenge item is dragged to any date on the calendar in the month view, an event is automatically created for noon on that date with whatever content is associated with the lozenge. For example, if Bill is dragged to June 1, an event nickname Bill is provided for a 1 hour meeting with Bill at noon on June 1st. A message is sent to invite Bill. The user may select the item on the calendar to access the event and to edit or provide further details. If a lozenge item is dragged to the expanded week view or day view, then the event is scheduled for the hour time slot the item is dragged to on the calendar as a default. The hour slot is also visual highlighted or shaded to indicate the planed time of the meeting. The user may then adjust the timing of the event using a pointing user input device to select a border or portion of the highlighted region to expand or contract the highlighted area to increase or decrease, respectively, the time scheduled for the event.

Combinations of items also may be dragged and dropped as shown inFIGS. 26-30. For example,FIG. 26shows a contact “Sarah Baker”2601is selected from the people lozenge causing the other lozenges to focus based on Sarah Baker.FIG. 27shows the user has selected “dinner”2701from the activities lozenge causing the locations lozenge to focus on dinner locations.FIG. 28shows the selection of a location “Venti Bar”2801from the locations lozenge.FIG. 29show the user drags2901the selected items to Saturday May 10thon the calendar lozenge. The system then automatically creates an event in the calendar for dinner at the Venti Bar with Sarah on May 10thand displays a corresponding indicator3001as shown inFIG. 30. Of course, many other combinations are possible.

In another example shown inFIGS. 31-34a user creates an event using a location. As shown inFIG. 31, the user selects themselves3101in the people lozenge to focus on the user. As shown inFIG. 32the user then selects a location “McDonalds”3201from the locations lozenge causing the people lozenge to focus on people the user goes typically invites to McDonalds, groups which go to McDonalds, activities that take place at McDonalds, a map to a McDonalds.FIG. 33shows the user drags3301the location to a date on the calendar lozenge (e.g., May 22nd).FIG. 34shows the service provider system110then creates an event in the user's database for the user at McDonalds on the Thursday May 22, 2008 and displays an identifier3401for the event on the calendar.

Table 1 table gives some examples of other actions that may be performed by selecting items displayed in the lozenges and dragging them to other lozenges.

TABLE 1ActionLozengeLozengeActionHelpanyany item dragged to help? or ? dragged toany item opens context sensitive helpCombos (afterclick to highlightwho + whatwhencreates cal event with those item fields populatedwho + wherewhencreates cal event with those item fields populated -prompts for event namewho + what +whencreates cal event with those item fields populated -whereprompts for event namewhere + whatwhencreates cal event with those item fields populatedSingle ItemsPeopleGroupsadds person to groupPeopleBlank Groupadds person to group, prompts for new group namePeopleTo Docreates empty to do with text “with FN LN”PeopleShoppingcreates empty shopping item with text “for FN LN”PeopleReadSame as select/highlight - shows all messages from thedragged/selected person's namePeopleSend - ShareOpen a “new share” box, user may drag files (using thecomputer's OS) or select them with a BROWSE button, thenclick SHAREPeopleSend -Open a “new message” box, user may type a message thenDiscussclick SENDPeopleCalendarcreates event that includes that person(blank area)(prompts for event name, etc.)PeopleCalendaradds person to event attendee listAppointmentPeopleUser Pictureadds contact image to slideshowPeopleFamilychanges relationship of contact to familyPeopleBusinesschanges relationship of contact to businessPeopleFriendschanges relationship of contact to friendsPeopleA GladSends that Glad to that person via emailPeopleGroupsPeopleadds person to groupGroupsTo Docreates empty to do with text “with <group name>”GroupsShoppingcreates empty shopping item with text “for <group name>”GroupsReadSame as select/highlight - shows all messages from thedragged/selected group nameGroupsSend - ShareOpen a “new share” box, user may drag files (using thecomputer's OS) or select them with a BROWSE button, thenclick SHARE to share them with that entire groupGroupsSend -Open a “new message” box, user may type a message thenDiscussclick SEND to send that message to that entire groupGroupsCalendarcreates event that includes that group(blank area)(prompts for event name, etc.)GroupsCalendaradds group to event attendee listGroupsA GladSends that Glad to that group via emailActivitiesTo Docreates to do item with activity nameActivitiesReadSame as select/highlight - shows all messages associatedwith the dragged activityActivitiesSend -Opens a requester “Who would you like to discuss this activityDiscusswith?”ActivitiesCalendarcreates event (cal event name = activity)(blank area)ActivitiesCalendarchanges name of event to new activityAppointment(cal event name = activity)To DoPeopleappends to do item with text “with <FN LN>”To DoGroupsappends to do item with text “with <group name>”To DoShoppingTo-Do list is moved to Shopping ListTo DoSend -Opens a requester “Who would you like to discuss this To-DoDiscussList item with?”To DoCalendarcreates cal event (to do item = cal event name)(blank area)To DoCalendarchanges name of event to new activityAppointment(cal event name = to do item)To DoLocationsCreates to do item “go to <location name>”To DoShoppingPeopleOpens an email to that person, subject is “Shopping for<item>”, then the user may continue to type a message andclick the SEND button.ShoppingGroupsOpens an email to that group, subject is “Shopping for <item>”,then the user may continue to type a message and click theSEND button.ShoppingTo Docreates to do “go shopping for <shopping list item>”ShoppingSend -Opens a requester “Who would you like to discuss thisDiscussShopping List item with?”ShoppingCalendarcreate cal event “go shopping for <shopping list item>”(blank area)ShoppingCalendarChanges name of event toAppointment“go shopping for <shopping list item>”ReadPeopleOpen a “new message” box, user may type a message thenclick SEND to send that message to that personReadGroupsOpen a “new message” box, user may type a message thenclick SEND to send that message to that entire groupReadTo DoAdds message title to To-Do listReadShoppingAdds message title to Shopping listReadSend -ShareOpen a “new share” box, user may drag files (using thecomputer's OS) or select them with a BROWSE button, thenclick SHARE to share them with that the addressee list foundin that messageReadCalendarOpens an event with the activity set to the message title, with(blank area)the attendee list set to the addressee values. Missing will be alocation.ReadCalendarAdds message title to “comments” section of the existingAppointmentappointment
Focusing

The user interface also provides a unique feature called “focusing.” Focusing intuitively connects all of the interface's basic functionality and content to provide the features and the content that are generally the most useful to a user at any particular moment in time. For example, whenever a user selects an item provided by one of the four strips WHO731, WHAT733, WHERE735, and WHEN737, the other strips and lozenges automatically react by providing the user with the content and features within the context of each strip that the user may most likely desire based on the user's selection.

Whenever a user selects a contact name for a person or a group the other strips automatically adjust the information displayed based on the selection. For example, if the user selects “John Merk” in the People lozenge of the WHO strip731, then the Read lozenge of the WHAT strip733also displays all current message threads between the user and John Merk. Similarly, the Calendar lozenge of the WHEN strip737displays all upcoming appointments with John Merk and all events that the user is coordinating with him; and the maps lozenge of the WHERE strip735displays an address and associated map for John Merk.

Focusing may be initiated by selection of content, inputs, or features from any of the strips of the user interface. For example, if the user selects a new message “John Erikson about Fishing Trip,” the People lozenge displays a list of the contacts associated with the Fishing Trip, and the Calendar tab displays the event on the calendar which is being referred to, and the locations lozenge of the WHERE strip735displays the boat company chartered for the trip and a map of the area surrounding the boat launch. In another example, if the user selects an event “Weekend Away” from the activities lozenge, the conversational thread regarding this event opens automatically in the Read lozenge of the WHAT strip733, and the People lozenge opens to show Sharon's contact information.

FIG. 35shows an example of a process3500for focusing of the lozenges. The process starts3501when a user accesses the user interface. The server initially populates the people lozenge with “Me” which is automatically highlighted as default in the initial startup of the user interface3505.

The applications server determines up to ten contacts from the user contact database for the highlighted name in the peoples lozenge. The server selects the contacts based on the ten most frequently used contact, the ten most recently used contacts, or a combination of both. The server uses the determined contacts to fill the contact list of the people lozenge3510.

The applications server determines up to ten of the most used groups which include the name of the contact highlighted in the people lozenge (in the first instance it is the default “me”). The determined groups are then used to fill the group contact list of groups lozenge3515.

The applications server determines up to ten of the most frequently used activities scheduled with name highlighted in the people lozenge. During an initial period of use, or if there are few activities the user has actually participated in, the system may select activities from a default list of activities based on the user profile in conjunction with the time of day, the weather, any nearby holidays, the user's location, and the time of year. The server uses the determined activities to populate the list of activities display in the activities lozenge3517.

The applications server determines up to ten of the most used locations scheduled for the contact name highlighted in the people lozenge. The server uses the determined locations to populate the list of locations provided by the locations lozenge3520.

The applications server determines message threads involving the contact highlighted in the people lozenge. The server selects up to ten message threads and populates the read lozenge with the thread identifiers of the selected message threads3522. The server selects the newest threads over older or unanswered threads.

The applications server determines all events including the contact highlighted in the people lozenge. The server populates the calendar with the determined events including the highlighted contact and the user3525. If the highlighted contact is not the user (i.e., “me” is not highlighted) and the contact is a user of the service provider system110, the calendar displays any “busy time” from that person within the calendar lozenge (e.g., black areas labeled with that person's name).

The system monitors the user interaction with the user interface and determines whether any people are highlighted3528. If a user selects a new contact from the people lozenge, the previously selected contact is un-highlighted and the processes3510,3515,3517,3520, and3522are repeated for the newly highlighted contact. The system also monitors the user interaction with the user interface to determine whether a group is selected from the groups lozenge3535.

If a group is selected, any contact previously selected in the people lozenge is un-highlighted3537. The applications server determines up to ten contacts in the group. The determined contact then use to populate the contact list of people lozenge3539.

The applications server determines up to ten of the most frequently used activities scheduled with group highlighted in the group lozenge. The server uses the determined activities to populate the list of activities display in the activities lozenge3542.

The applications server determines message threads involving the contact highlighted in the people lozenge. The server selects up to ten message threads and populates the read lozenge with the thread identifiers of the selected message threads3543. The server selects the newest threads over older or unanswered threads.

The applications server also determines up to ten of the most used locations scheduled for the group name highlighted in the groups lozenge. The server uses the determined locations to populate the list of locations provided by the locations lozenge3544.

The applications server determines all events including the group highlighted in the groups lozenge. The server populates the calendar with any of the determined group events.3547

If no group is selected, the server monitors whether any activity is selected3550. If so, any previously selected activities are un-highlighted3552. The server also determines up to ten of the most used locations previously scheduled with the selected group or contact regarding the selected activity3554. In addition, the calendar is filled with all events featuring the activity named3596.

If no activity is selected, the server determines if a location is selected by the user3560. If so, any previous locations are un-highlighted3561. The server determines a map of the selected location, and the server populates the maps lozenge with the determined map3565. The server also determines options including driving directions and others appropriate for the location and provides them on the maps lozenge3565. In addition, all events featuring the location are highlighted on the calendar3570.

The server monitors to see if any people are selected3528. If a user selects a new contact from the people lozenge, the processes3530,3510,3515,3517,3520, and3522are repeated. If not, the server determines if any group is selected3535. If the user selects a new group from the groups lozenge, the processes3537,3539,3542,3543, and3544are repeated for the newly highlighted group. If not, the server determines if any activity is selected3550. If the user selects a new activity, the processes3552,3554, and3556are repeated for the newly highlighted activity. If not, the server determines if a location is selected3560. If so, the processes3561,3565, and3570are performed. The server continuously monitors the user's interaction (e.g., processes3528,3535,3550, and3560) to focus the lozenges accordingly.

Mobile User Interface

A modified user interface may be supplied for mobile platforms, such as mobile phones, smart phones, and PDA that have limited processing power and/or screens. For example, WAP cell phones may be provided with an “Agenda” that allows them to see the upcoming four hours of appointments as a default screen. The interface may be provided with a number of inputs that are most useful to a user in this environment. For example, for appointments in the agenda the user may select an appointment and be provided with user inputs for specific actions with regard to those appointment. For example, the user may selection the options: running late, can't make it, and cancel meeting (with verification). Selection of any of these options causes an automatic message to be sent all contacts associated with the appointment indicating the user is running late, can't make it, or needs to cancel. The automated message is created by the system service provider and sent to the contacts associated with the appointment. The message may be an instant message, email, automated phone message, or an alert or popup window of a system user's user interface. The user interface also may display the user's shopping list listing the user's items. A check box or other indicator may be provided to allow the user to check items off the list. In addition, the To-Do list may be provided allowing a user to see items on the list, add items to the list, and check items off the list. Conflict resolution “alerts” and resolution System wide—12 hr email and SMS notification on event change.

In addition to the features provided for WAP cell phones, smart phones may provide the additional functionality. For example, the user's agenda may also provide action notices. The smart phone also may allow a user to reorder their To-Do List. The smart phone PDA includes the dynamic calendar. The dynamic calendar also the user to filter information via persona/family/business categories. In addition, the user may be presented with day/week views. The user may add an appointment, delete Appointment, and re-order appointments in a list.

Search Tool

FIG. 36shows an example of an improved search tool for use with the system. The system service provider includes a lot of information that may be harnessed to facilitate user searches. As pointed out above, items within lozenges may be focused for users depending on the actions with the user interface. Similarly, user search of the web and system data may be focused. The user interface may provide a search tool. The search tool includes a word entry field719to enter key words. Two inputs are provided to search the key words on the Internet721and within the system722. In addition, any item may be dragged to the entry field719to create a search term.

The user enters a search term3601and selects the Internet input721to start a filtered Internet search. The service provider system accesses a common search term database3605to search3610for common search terms that may produce irrelevant or unwanted search results. The common term database3605includes a database of terms that may have common different meanings which may lead to ambiguity. For example, the term apple may be related to a fruit, a computer, a tree, bowling term, slang for drug, and a mollusk. The system determines whether the search term appears in the database3615. If the term does not appear, the system submits the term to a search engine in its original form3620. If the term is found in the common term database, the system searches the user profile3621and other db items3622associated with the user (e.g., the to-do list, shopping list, calendar) to see if user data provides additional information that indicates what context of the search the user actually intended3630.

The system determines whether the user data indicates a particular meaning from among the common terms determined3640. If the system determines a particular meaning, the system selects the modified search term3645and submits the modify search to the search engine3650. For example, if user profile indicates a user is 60 year woman, shopping list includes pie crust, and has visit from arborist, terms computer company, mollusk, slang and bowling may be eliminated and a refined search of apple fruit and apple tree is provided to the search engine. Regardless of which search is performed (i.e.,3620or3660), the search results are converted to a system packet that appears in the appropriate lozenge which may be dragged anywhere in the system3660.

The system service provider is able to promote marketing/advertising/sales of products and services through electronic delivery of digital media, information, and content including coupons, incentives, discounts, promotions, product information, product descriptions, product comparisons, and new product/service introductions. The marketing/advertising/sales of products and services is promoted based on user data, including user profile, history, and demographic information; timing, location, and/or activity (or any combination of these among others) about the user; and the association of the user with other system users, to provide the marketing/advertising/sales information to the user when the presentation of the digital media has a higher chance or probability of impacting a user's behavior. In addition, dynamic filters associated with the marketing/advertising/sales information may be specifically tailor by system partners to target a desired user with a degree of granularity never before possible with any online marketing system.

The digital media, information, and content used by the system service provider to promote goods and services are graphical “ads” or Glads. Glads are stored in a system Glad database and include Glad art, for presentation in the graphics bar of the user interface, and Glad filters for targeting specific users. The Glad art may include one or more of a message, an advertisement, a commercial, a description, a price, a discount, a coupon, a voucher, a ticket, a rebate, a redemption, a promotion, an offer, a slogan, a trademark, a service mark, a tag line, a company, business, or organization logo, brand, or other identification. Glad filters also include various parameters and conditions that filter the who, what, when, where of how to trigger the serving of the Glads for presentation in the products and services branding area726of the user interface. As a result, Glads are provided to the system users having the most likelihood of being interested in the Glad. Glads may be created by the system service provider110and by system partners125and stored in a Glad database.

FIG. 37illustrates an example of the information and data3700that may be stored in connection with a Glad in the Glad DB. Typically, a Glad many include Glad art3701, a file type3710, a system partner identifier3720, an identifier3730, a web address3740, filter conditions3760, display parameters3770, and historical data3780.

A Glad includes digital content or Glad art3701that is presented to users in the graphics bar707of the user interface. The digital content may include one or more of a graphic, an image, a picture, a video, and an audio component stored as a digital file. Some examples of the file types of digital formats that may be used include .gif, .jpeg, and .swf; however, any digital media that may be presented by a web browser and/or plugin may be used. The digital content also may include any number of characters, colors, shapes, logos, images, animations, visual and sound effects that covey a message to promote a product, a goods, and/or a service. In addition, a trademark, a service mark, a tag line, a company, business, or organization logo, and brand may be provided. It should be noted thatFIG. 37is representational and shows information associated with a Glad, but does not necessarily correspond with the actual database structure. For example, the same Glad art may be associated with multiple and different campaigns and filter conditions. As a result, instead of storing a separate copy of Glad art for each Glad, a reference or pointer to the file location of the Glad art may stored and used to access the Glad art associated with the Glad when serving the Glad art to the user interface.

An indicator3710of the file type (e.g., .gif, .jpeg, and .swf) may be stored in association with the Glad to direct the system to use appropriate applications to serve the Glad to the user interface. The system partner identification3720(e.g., a code, a name, a number) allows the system to identify any Glads with campaigns, monitor system partner operations, and to generate reports. The Glad identifier3730may be used by the system to identify a Glad. A web address3730may be used to provide a link to a specific a website or webpage associated with the Glad. For example, the web address may be used by the user's browser to display the website based on a certain user interaction with the Glad displayed in the user interface. For example, if a user selects the Glad art displayed (e.g., double selecting, such as double clicking on the Glad art3701on the user graphics bar), the web address may be used to navigate a popup browser to display a webpage or other online content associated with the Glad.

The description3750may include information about the Glad. The description3750may include information about a product or a service associated with the glad, such as a name, a category, a type, a SKU, and a brand. The description also may include the type of Glad, such as an advertisement, a commercial, a promotion, a coupon, a voucher, a ticket, a rebate, or an offer. The description3750may include an amount, a discount, or a value associated with the glad.

A number of filter conditions3760are associated with the Glad for use by the system logic to identify and/or trigger Glads that a user may interested in. The filters conditions include who, what, where, and when conditions and criteria that are used for comparison to user data stored in association with the WHO, the WHAT, the WHERE, and the WHEN strips of user interface and the user profile information in addition to other data associated with the user (e.g., the weather at a user's location). The who conditions filter for groups, family and friends, and the user. The most general filter is the group filter. The group filter targets contacts based on demographics of a user group. Family and friends is more specific filter targeting individuals based on demographic for individuals having a personal relation to the user, such as family members, friends, and business associates. The most specific filter is who which targets the individual user based on individual demographics, such as information stored in the user's personal profile. For example, user personal profile information that may be used to target individuals includes age, gender, income, hobbies/interests, previous shopping data, and other demographic information about individuals stored in the user profile.

The what conditions filter for a secondary activity/event, a primary activity/event, a category, a brand, a product name, and a SKU. The most general of the filters is the secondary activity/event in which a particular product/service type is specified based on the activity associated with a calendar event to which a user is invited to. The primary activity/event filter specifies a particular product type based on the activity found in a calendar event generated by the user. The category filter specifies a particular product/service category or type of product (e.g., food, grocery, meat, dairy, produce, office supply, furniture, sporting equipment, clothing, electronics, books) much like the areas in a department store that are found in association with a user's to-do or shopping list. The brand filter specifies a particular brand of product. The product name filter specifies a particular product name. The most specific filter is a SKU number or code that specifies a particular product Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) (e.g., found on a user's shopping list).

The where conditions filter for location, such as weather, a mobile location, a destination, and a home location. The most general filter is the weather in which an advertiser specifies a particular product/service type based on the weather conditions at the location of a user. The mobile location filter is used to specify a particular product/service type based on the GPS location of a user's mobile phone or web-enabled mobile phone. The destination filters are used to specify a particular product/service type based on the user's scheduled destination locations (e.g., a location of an event). The most specific where filter is the user's home location which specifies a particular product/service type based on the user's device's actual physical location.

The when conditions filter for a current time and a scheduled time. The current time filter allows a particular product/service type to be specified based on the current (e.g., post Glad between June 1stand June 16thfor a Father's Day sale). In addition, the current time may filter for days of the week (e.g., Mon-Sun) and time of day (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, late night). The scheduled time filter allows a particular product/service type to be specified based on the time of a future or past scheduled event in the user's calendar (e.g., post Glad between x days before a calendar event and y days before a calendar event or post Glad between x days after a calendar event and y days after a calendar event), such as, a discount for an airplane ticket provided two weeks before a user's scheduled trip indicated on their calendar.

One or more of the conditions filters3760may be specified for each Glad to tailor who the Glad is served to wherein the more filters specified the more specific the individual user targeted becomes.

Display parameters3770also may be provided for the Glad. For example, if there are more Glads than may be displayed in the products and services branding area726of the user interface, a rotation of Glads may begin so Glads are not excluded from presentation to the user. As a result, the a duration may be provided such as “present Glad for minimum of minimum x seconds or minutes per presentation.”. A system partner also may customize the presentation of Glads as part of an overall marketing campaign or to prevent saturation of presentation of a particular Glad. Therefore, the Glad may include additional criteria for Glad presentation and display, such as “do not rotate this Glad” and present this Glad for “x minutes/hours/days.” In addition, an parameter indicating the Glad may be automatically customize by including message that inserts the customer name may be provided.

Glad Placement Logic

The system service provider110uses a Glad placement application to match the appropriate Glad content with a user based on specific information stored about the user in the user database. The service provider system provides powerful Glad placement because of the detail of information that the system has available at any given time for any system user. In order to match content, the system searches the individual events, and the daily to-do and shopping lists stored in association with a user account to determine if any there are any Glads that match items a user may be looking for at that moment. While searching the system also looks at all user information and compares the information against the triggers or conditions in the Glad database to select and deliver specific advertising content/campaign to the user. At the very minimum, the Glad placement application posts targeted Glads to the user even if there are no daily events based on other conditions for the day, such as weather, seasonality, holidays, and other factors. In addition, the Glad placement application may verify that the campaign is appropriate for the demographics, date, day-of-week, and weather, of a user. If a Glad is determined to be a good match, then the Glad is presented to the user.

FIG. 38shows one example3800of the glad placement application process. The user database3801includes information on user events, shopping list, to-do list, groups, locations, and profile including a purchase history. The system also includes a database of advertisements3810, such as, for example, Glads. The Glad database3810includes Glad Filters3811and Glad Art3812. In addition, some of the Glads may be provided by a system partners125running Glad campaigns3813, as explained in further detail below. In addition, other information sources, such as a weather database3815or information outlet (e.g., national weather service) may provide information to the system about weather conditions for a user. The service provider system Glad placement application continuously monitors time sensitive items from the user database3820. In particular, the system may monitor those items of the user database having time elements, such as user calendar events, the to-do list, and the shopping list.

The Glad placement application constantly monitors the dynamic and ever changing user data stored in association with the user database to determine if any Glads are good candidates for presentation to a user3855. In order to determine if any Glads are appropriate, the system monitors the user database3801and compares items in the database for each user to the filters3811associated with the Glads to determine any user data items matching those conditions3855. The determination may include using a natural language interpretation (NLI) application and a search function (e.g., described above for focusing). In addition, information stored by the user database (e.g., the user profile) may be used to interpret what if any goods, products, or services are associated with an item on a shopping, to-do list, or calendar event. For example, since the system maintains a shopping/buy history database to store items purchased by the user, and since people often buy the same items over-and-over, the shopping history may be useful in aiding the system to interpret items entered on the shopping list. The determination also may include checking current or predicted weather from a weather database or nation weather service3815. When determining a match, the system Glad placement logic uses data in the condition filters to determine if the Glad truly is a good candidate or match for a particular user. For example, the system may determine if the Glad is for the right user demographic, the right day/day-of-week, that the Glad is active, the right temperature at a user location, and that the user has not already placed an order or bought the item.

If a match is determined3840, the Glad Art3812is served to the user interface for presentation in the graphic bar of the user interface3841. The system Glad placement application also determines if there is enough space in the graphic bar to present the Glad3843. If there is enough space, the Glad is presented3845. If the graphics bar is already full of Glads, the system rotates out the oldest glad after a predetermined minimum period for display for the oldest Glad is met3850, and then presents the new Glad in the vacated slot3845.

FIG. 39shows another example3900of the Glad placement logic for making a comparison between a user and the Glad logic filters. The Glad placement application selects a Glad from the Glad database3901, and selects a user from user database3910.

The application compares the who filter associated with the Glad to determine if the demographics of the conditions specified apply to the user3915. For example, for each who filter condition specified, the system determines if the condition is met for the user. In this case all condition specified must be met. Any unspecified condition is met. If no who conditions are specified, the who filter is automatically satisfied. Examples of the conditions include user demographics, family/friends demographics, and group demographics. In order to check these conditions the system checks the user profile3807and the user contacts/groups3805. If any condition is not met, then the application determines that filter is not satisfied, and the application determines if all users have been checked3920. If not, the application selects another user for processing for the selected Glad3910. If all users are checked, the application selects another Glad for processing3901.

The application also compares the what filter associated with the Glad to determine if the conditions specified apply to the user3925. For example, for each what filter condition specified, the system determines if any condition is met for the user. Any unspecified condition is met. If no What conditions are specified, the What filter is automatically satisfied. Examples of the conditions include a SKU, a Product Name, a Brand, a Category, an primary activity (a user's activity), a Secondary activity (one a user is invited to). In order to check these conditions the application determines if items in the users shopping list, to-do list, and calendar events meet the condition. To do this, a NLI may be used to determine if an item on the list corresponds to an item in the condition. In addition, the user profile and shopping history may be consulted to aid in the identification and/or provide disambiguation between multiple meanings for items. If any condition is met, then the application determines that filter is satisfied. If no what conditions are met, the application determines if all users have been checked3920. If not, the application selects another user for processing for the selected Glad3910. If all users are checked, the application selects another Glad for processing3901.

The application also compares the where filter associated with the Glad to determine if the conditions specified apply to location of the user3930. For example, for each filter condition specified, the system determines if the condition is met for the user. Any unspecified condition is met. If no where conditions are specified, the what filter is automatically satisfied. Examples of the conditions include a home location, a calendar event determined destination, a mobile (GPS) location, or weather at a user's location. If the where conditions are not met, then the application determines that filter is not satisfied, and the application determines if all users have been checked3920. If not, the application selects another user for processing for the selected Glad3910. If all users are checked, the application selects another Glad for processing3901.

The application compares the when filter associated with the Glad to determine if the timing conditions specified apply to the user3935. For example, for each filter condition specified the system determines if the condition of the timing of the Glad and the timing of the user is met. The timing conditions include a current time and a scheduled timing. The current time is a post/pull calendar dates. Unlike the other items, the post/pull dates filter condition may always be specified. In addition, day of the week and time of day (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, late night) may be specified for the current time. A second condition is between x days before/after a scheduled timed item and y days before/after a scheduled timed item or calendar event. In this case, if the condition satisfying that What condition was a timed event (e.g., a calendar event or a shopping list/to-do item with a time specified), then the second timed condition is applied. If any condition is not met, then the application determines that filter is not satisfied, and the application determines if all users have been checked3920. If not, the application selects another user for processing for the selected Glad3910. If all users are checked, the application selects another Glad for processing3901.

If all the Glad filter conditions are satisfied, the user is considered a match; the Glad is served to the user interface associated with the user3940. The application determines if all users have been checked3920. If not, the application selects another user for processing for the selected Glad3910. If all users are checked, the application selects another Glad for processing3901.

It should be noted that the matching of filters for who, what, where, and when, may be performed in any order; however, certain orders may provide faster processing speeds. Optimal orders of filters may be determined over time from empirical data and testing. In addition, parallel processing of the logic is possible. For example, multiple applications and processors may focus on a specific number, selection, or group of Glads and/or users from within the whole system.

The following example illustrates the Glad placement process.

A Glad #113includes a .jpg file of a coupon for $5 off “Spicy Good BBQ sauce” and includes a link to the website www.spicygoodbbq.com. The Glad filter conditions are specified as follows: WHO [user demographics=men and 18-50 years old, family/friends demographics unspecified, group demographics=unspecified]; WHAT [SKU=unspecified, product name barbecue sauce, brand=unspecified, category=condiments, activity=barbecue, picnic, BBQ secondary activity=unspecified]; WHERE [home=unspecified, calendar event determined destination=unspecified, mobile (GPS)=unspecified, weather=unspecified]; and WHEN [current time=between post/pull calendar dates 06-21-08 to 09-21-08, Day of week=unspecified, and Time of day=unspecified; and scheduled time=between “x days before the scheduled calendar event” and “y days before the calendar event” x,y=30, 0].

A system user Martha a 35 year old female living in Seattle Wash. has an appointment on her calendar for Sunday, July 13th titled “BBQ.” Martha's husband Bill, also a system user, is a 39 year male with the same appointment on his calendar. The Glad placement application selects Glad #113 for placement on Jun. 23, 2008. The placement application searches through system users' for placement of the Glad. Selecting Martha the application applies the Who filter. In this case, the application determines demographic filter is for men between 18-50 and compares it Martha's personal profile and determines she is female age 35. The condition is not met.

The placement application selects the next user Bill. The application applies the Who filter. In this case, the application determines the demographic filter is for men between 18-50 and compares it to Bill's personal profile and determines he is male age 39. The condition is met. The remaining who conditions are unspecified, and therefore are met.

The placement application applies the What filter. The placement application determines the Glad #113 what conditions are barbecue sauce on shopping list, any kind of condiments on shopping list, or any upcoming events on their calendars with the words barbecue, picnic, or BBQ. Comparing these to Bill the system finds BBQ in an event for Bill and the what condition is met.

The application applies the where filter. In this case, all where conditions are unspecified, so the where condition is automatically met.

The application applies the when filter. The placement application determines Glad #113 when conditions are that the Glad will run between 06-21-08 and 08-21-08” (summer) and that if it was a timed item or event that satisfied the What condition, the triggering timed or calendar event must be within the next month (30 days before to 0 days before). The current date at Bill's user device is Jun. 23, 2008 so the first condition is met. Day of week and time of Day are unspecified so they are met. In addition, the item triggering the what condition was a calendar event so the application determines the BBQ appointment is for July 13th and therefore is within the next 30 days or month so the second condition is met.

As all filters Who, What, Where, and When have been met, the application places an image on Bill's user interface of BBQ Ribs with the Text SPICY GOOD $5 dollars OFF a bottle with any purchase. Bill sees the Glad and clicks on it, and a window opens to window to the website www.spicygoodbbq.com with the offer and a description of the product. Enticed Bill drags the Glad to his shopping list. The coupon is then offered for printing when Bill downloads or prints his shopping list.

FIG. 40shows on example4000of a process for user interactions with Glads once the Glad is served to the graphics bar of the user interface. When user selects a glad4001, the system identifies the user input and performs the desired action4010. For example, if the user drags a glad to the calendar the system creates and event with the Glad. The system also determines if the user interaction is dragged the item to the buy lozenge to attempt to purchase the related item4020. If the user drags the Glad to buy lozenge, the buy lozenge is activated and the system attempts to purchase the related item4025using the instructions provided via the buy lozenge, and apply, present, redeem any incentive or discount provided by the Glad. The system informs the user of the results the user4030. If the system purchases the item and the Glad was triggered by an item on the user's shopping or to-do list, the system queries the user if it should tick of the item as completed. In addition, the system stores a summary of the interaction with the Glad for the campaign database4035.

If the user has not engaged the system in an automatic buying of a product, the system determines whether the user is going shopping4040. If user is not shopping, the system stores a summary of the interaction with the glad for the campaign database4035. If the user is going shopping, the system checks local store inventors for the item and any other items on the user's shopping list4045. If the a relationship with a local business is established to allow the system servers to access store specific information and inventory data, the system searches this information to determine if a store has existing inventory and where the items are located. The system provides the results of the inventory search to the user4050. The system also plans the shopping trip by selecting the best route or commute for the user4055. The system finds the best route using a mapping database to provide directions from store-to-store needed to purchase all items on the shopping list. The map, route, and direction may be presented on the Maps lozenge of the user interface. In addition, the system also may provide point-to-point driving directions and in-store maps to find the items on the list, an example of which is shown inFIG. 41. If the user is at home, a pop-up a box offering to print the Glad and or any incentives or coupons associated with the Glad is provide and a shopping agenda is provided to the user at the user's specified home device4060. The system also offers to download the information to the mobile device to store coupons, directions, and a shopping agenda. The user also is given the option to send an order to the store for any items on the shopping list, to preprocess the order and have the user's selection waiting for them for pickup and/or payment4065. In addition, the system stores a summary of the interaction with the Glad for the campaign database4035.

System Partners

A system partner125may be any type of individual, group, or entity that provides products, goods, or services. The system partner also may be a branding company that subsidizes or sponsors a user account on the service provider system. The sponsored accounts may be offered to a user as a branded gift, a customer promotion, or incentive. The graphical user interface, described above, providing access to the service provider system via one of the sponsored accounts may be branded with logos, art, images, and advertising, and other digital media and/or content to brand the user interface and promote the system partner. In particular, a branded user interface provides a year-round targeted marketing vehicle for the system partner's products, goods, and services. The service provider system also provides the system partner with a powerful marketing/advertising tool that is able to target individual users with increasing degrees of specificity to provide the right information or incentive, at the right time and location and therefore substantially increase the likelihood of the user interacting with or using the advertisement. The service provider system110allows system partners125to design ad campaigns that market directly to users based on their interaction with the service provider system110and the user information stored by the system databases.

Each system partner125is granted access to the service provider system110through a communication path130to create and design a glad campaign, to view the results of previous and existing campaigns, and to edit campaigns. In one example, a system partner125may be provided with a username, a password, and an address or a locator to provide a browser with access to a website provided for system partner125by the service provider system110. The system partner website provides a portal for the system partner125to access a glad placement application to manage a glad campaign. The glad creation application provides a system partner user interface that includes a Glad creation screen and a report screen. The Glad creation screen provides an interface to a system partner to upload information to create and edit Glads and determine how Glads are targeted to system users. The report screen provides the system partner with a tool to monitor glad placement and glad campaigns.

FIG. 42shows one example4200of a Glad creation screen used to create Glads. Creating a Glad includes uploading the digital media and description that is served up to the user, selecting filters used by the service provider system for Glad placement, and submitting the Glad. The creation screen includes a file entry field4210and browse button4215. The file entry field4210is used to enter a file location for the digital media that will be used to create the Glad. The browse button4215provides a convenient way to search for the file location of a glad by providing a drop down menu (not shown) of file locations and navigation buttons to help location a desired glad file. Once the file is located and/or selected the file path/location is displayed in the file entry field4215.

The creation screen also provides a visual representation of glad filters depicted as a series of pyramids. The pyramids include inputs to set filters for serving the Glads to system users. The pyramids include a WHO pyramid4221, a WHAT pyramid4223, a WHERE pyramid4225, and a WHEN pyramid4227. The filters are used for comparison to user data stored in association with the WHO, the WHAT, the WHERE, and the WHEN strips of user interface. The each pyramid includes two or more filters that range from general (bottom of the pyramid) to specific (top of the pyramid) that may be used by a system partner to tailor a Glad campaign and how any Glad is served to a system user.

The who pyramid includes filters for groups4231, family and friends4233, and the user4235. The most general filter is the group filter. The group filter targets contacts from a user group. Family and friends is more specific filter targeting individuals having a personal relation to the user, such as family members, business associates, and relationships (e.g., wife/husband, parent/child). The most specific filter is who which targets the individual user via information stored in the user's personal profile. For example, user personal profile information that may be used by the system partner to target individuals includes age, gender, income, hobbies/interests, and other demographic information about individuals stored in the user profile.

The what pyramid includes filters for a secondary activity/event4241, a primary activity/event4242, a category4243, a brand4244, a product name4245, and a SKU4246. The most general of the what filters is the secondary activity/event in which a particular product/service type is specified based on the activity associated with a calendar event to which a user is invited to. The primary activity/event filter specifies a particular product type based on the activity found in a calendar event generated by the user. The category filter specifies a particular product/service category or type of product (e.g., food, grocery, meat, dairy, produce, office supply, furniture, sporting equipment, clothing, electronics, books) much like the areas in a department store that are found in association with a user's to-do or shopping list. The brand filter specifies a particular brand of product. The product name filter specifies a particular product name. The most specific filter is a SKU number or code that specifies a particular product SKU (e.g., found on a user's shopping list).

The where pyramid includes filters based on location, such as weather4251, a mobile location4253, a destination4255, and a home location4257. The most general filter is the weather in which an advertiser specifies a particular product/service type based on the weather conditions at the location of a user. The mobile location filter is used to specify a particular product/service type based on the GPS location of a user's mobile device. The destination filters are used to specify a particular product/service type based on the user's scheduled destination locations (e.g., a location of an event). The most specific where filter is the user's home location which specifies a particular product/service type based on the user's device's actual physical location.

The when pyramid includes filters for a current time4261and a scheduled time4263. The current time filter allows a particular product/service type to be specified based on the specific time at the user location (e.g., a current time, a day, a day-of-week, and a time-of-day). The scheduled time filter allows a particular product/service type to be specified based on the time of a future scheduled event in the user's calendar.

The system partner selects a particular step of the pyramid to activate the particular filter. Multiple filters on each pyramid may be selected and filters on one of more different pyramids may be selected. A pop up window4271is presented to solicit additional information about specific condition within the filter if necessary. The popup window4271may include a list of items4273(e.g., hot, below zero, rain, snow), an input4275(e.g., a check box) to select the item, and an indication4277(e.g., a check mark) of selected items. Filters and conditions within filters may be left unspecified.

Examples of specific conditions that may be solicited by who pyramid are as follows. For example, the user filter a popup window may request “Provide information on the type of user you wish to target?” Options may include age range, income range, hobbies/interests, gender. For the family/friends filter the system may indicate “the item or service is not for the user, but for someone they know. What is their relationship to the user?” Options provided may include husband, wife, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandson, granddaughter, grandmother, grandfather, mother, father, friend, and business associate. The group popup window may solicit information based on the subjects derived from system data stored for groups allowing the advertiser to specify a general subject area for groups that the user might be involved in. Subjects may be determined or drawn from actual user data broken into groups, such as recreation, sports, scholastic, hobbies, activities, outdoor, nature, etc.).

The SKU filter popup window may solicit a specific product identifier, such as a UPC code(s) (e.g.: 792850110991 for Burt's bees beeswax lip balm). The product name popup window solicits a product name (e.g., lip balm). The brand popup solicits a brand name (e.g., Chap Stick). A category popup window solicits a product category which may be selected from a pre-made list or via a data entry field (e.g., personal care products). The primary activity/event window may solicit a particular product type based on a user created activity found on calendar event generated by the user (e.g., beach, skiing, boating) and activities drawn from actual user data, such as recreation, sports, scholastic, hobbies, activities, outdoor, etc. The secondary activity/event popup window solicits the same information as primary event except that it specifies activities that the user is invited to.

The weather popup window solicits information about weather at the user's location, such as hot (over 90°), warm (over 60°), cold (below 40°), freezing (below 0°), rain, and snow.

The scheduled time window solicits information about when to deliver the glad based a date range and on a future or past date. The window may provide a date entry field and/or mini calendar to enter a date range for the glad. The current time popup window provides inputs for specific times that may be provided specified to deliver the glad based on a current time, such as days of the week, time of day (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, late night).

Once the file location of the glad digital media has been specified and the filters have been determined, the system partner may select the submit button4281to upload the Glad digital medium to the glad database and save the select filters in association with the glad. The browser uploads the file using any of the available automated file transfer protocols. The glad digital and the proposed filter setting are stored in a database in a package called a Glad Pack. The system service provider may review the Glad Pack to assure that the content meets the minimum standards (e.g., file type, graphics, content, and decency) and the filter settings provided. Once approved the Glad Pack data is provided to the customer incentive database, or they contact the system partner to make changes or adjustments to the Glad Pack info.

In one example, a system partner Big Time Golf wants to create a glad for upcoming father's day sale of 20% Supreme golf clubs. Big Time golf uploads an image of a man receiving a card from his son with his wife looking on and a big bow around a set of new Supreme golf clubs including Big Time Golf logo and the indication 20% off all Supreme Clubs. Setting the filters, Big time golf specifies who (family and friends=father, son, daughter, wife, grandfather), what (product name=golf clubs; brand=supreme; category=sports primary activity=golf; secondary activity=golf), and when (scheduled time=June 1stthrough June 16th).

The service provider system continuously checks the glad database to determine if any Glads are presented via the user interface. The system searches through data stored for each user in association with the who, what, where, and when strips and the user profile. In particular, the system searches the items in the lozenges associated with each strip to compare the data stored for each user lozenge to the filters provided for the glad in the system partner campaign database. For example, the system searches items stored for the To-Do and Shopping lists, and interprets the items for comparison against the contents of the conditions in the glad database to trigger any specific glad for presentation to a user. When the system determines the user data meets the conditions stored in association with the glad, then the glad is presented via the user interface.

FIG. 43shows an example4300of the report screen. The report screen displays a summary of a Glad campaigns, detailed information, and reports for each Glad campaign that has been created by a system partner. The screen includes a summary window4310, a details window4320, and a report window4330. The summary provides an indication of how many Glads campaigns are active and inactive. In addition, the summary provides overall information of how many Glads have been presented, how many Glads have been selected or otherwise viewed, and how many Glads have been associated with product purchases by time periods, such as month, week, and day.

The detail window4320presents individual information for each Glad campaign. The window4320includes a system identifier of the Glad4321, a thumbnail representation/preview of the Glad4323, associated filter information (e.g., under which conditions it is shown)4324and specific information for how many times a Glad has been displayed, interacted with by a user (e.g., viewed, manipulated, selected, dragged, and/or clicked on), and how many times a Glad has been associated with or influenced a purchase. A navigation aid820is provided to navigate the list of Glads if there insufficient area within the detail window4320to display all Glads at any one time.

A reports window4330is provided to automatically compile and generate reports from system data regarding the Glads. The window4330provides various inputs4331that may be selected by the system partner to generate a desired report. The inputs4331specify a time period and types of Glads. The time periods that may be selected include: a daily report, a weekly report, a monthly report, and a year to date report. The types of Glads for which reports may be run include: by individual Glad, by all Glads, by active Glads, and by Historic Glads. Examples of other information an data which may be stored, tracked and presented include a campaign number, a campaign name (not shown), a campaign preview (e.g., a graphic), a number of views by users (not show), seconds on screen (not shown), number of “clicks” or “hits” (not shown). System partners also may review specific user's “clicks” in an archive history of user matches. Partners also may use the data to determine a level of interactivity, a level of user response to promotion, and to analyze hits by user locations and geography and other real time information to change or “fine tune” content or a campaign.

Drag and Drop Glads

As mentioned above, when a glad is triggered or served it is placed in the graphics bar of the user interface. As shown inFIG. 44the graphics bar426includes four Glads for 20% off Expensive Cheese4410, Wine by the Bucket4420, Rebate on All Sony products4430, Try new coffee4440. These Glads have been served to the user interface using the Glad placement logic. Once a Glad is displayed, a user may interact with the Glad. In particular, as described above, various items presented in the user interface may be dragged and dropped from one area to another (e.g., drag a contacts name from the group lozenge to the calendar lozenge to create an appointment with the contact). This is also true for Glads as shown inFIGS. 44-47. In an example shown inFIG. 44a user notices a Glad for 20% off Expensive Cheese found in a Gourmet food chain with a store located in the user's town. The user is interested because they are attending a wine and cheese party this weekend (e.g., as indicated by the event “wine and cheese” event4443on their calendar). The user decides this coupon4410might be just the thing to bring to the event but is not going shopping today. Therefore, in order to save the coupon for her shopping trip Thursday morning, she places a user selection device (e.g., a pointer or a cursor) in position (e.g., over the glad) to select a glad (e.g., clicking a mouse button) for the glad coupon for cheese, as shown inFIG. 45. As shown inFIG. 46, the glad is captured and dragged4601to the calendar lozenge and dropped on a specific date or event. If no event on the calendar is present and event is created. If an event does exist the coupon is added to the event. In this case the service provider system automatically saves the glad coupon by creating an event4701associated with the user's calendar on May 15, 2008, as shown inFIG. 47. The user is automatically reminded or presented with the coupon on that date. The glad also may be accessed at any time by selecting the event. Glads also may be dragged to the top-do list, for example, a glad for lumber dragged to a to-do item build deck. Likewise, Glads may be dragged to the shopping list of the shopping lozenge to be associated with an item on the list. A glad may be dragged to an event to be stored in association with the event. A Glad may be dragged to a person on the people lozenge or group on the group lozenge to be sent by the user to the person or group. Dragging a Glad to the lozenge without direction to a particular item may be used to automatically create and item. For example, drag a glad to the shopping lozenge or to-do lozenge may be used to add the item to the shopping list or to-do list.

A number of exemplary implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the steps of described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described components, architecture, or devices are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.