Abstract:
A personalized interface browser for browsing information of a data bank, which includes browser display means for displaying a browser interface for enabling the user to browse the information of the data bank, a set of browser interface models corresponding to predetermined types of users for defining the appearance and function of the browser interface displayed on the display means, and a personal profile for recording the type of user corresponding to the user who currently uses the personalized interface browser, wherein when the current user starting the browser display means to display the browser interface, a corresponding browser interface model is picked up from the predetermined browser interface models subject to the personal profile of the current user, for adjusting the appearance and function of the browser interface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a personalized interface browser and its browsing method, and more particularly to such a personalized interface browser for internet and multimedia application which displays a personalized browser interface to fit the demands of different types of users. 
     Following the fast development of internet and multimedia application, for example, remote shopping, the requirement for the application of a browser has become more critical. In order to let the user obtain useful information efficiently and rapidly, a browser must be capable of processing versatile and complicated information. Conventional browsers are designed for a particular application or a particular type of consumers, i.e., conventional browsers are designed to fit a particular application. For example, if a browser is to be used to browse a web station, common browsers, for example, MOSAIC, NETSCAPE can be selected. If a browser is to be used to browse a particular data bank or a web station that provides a particular service such as VOD (video on demand) or internet shopping, the aforesaid common browsers and other browsers designed for browsing these data banks or web stations can be used. 
     Because conventional browsers are application-oriented, they have numerous drawbacks as outlined hereinafter: 
     1) The conventional browsers cannot automatically adjust the browser interface to fit personal differences. Because a regular browser is designed for a particular type of user or a particular application, the same browser interface is provided for different users. This design may overlook certain types of users, for example, children before school or aged users. In the application of remote shopping, male and female consumers may show differences in commodity selection priority. The conventional browsers cannot process these personal quality differences. 
     2) The conventional browsers cannot automatically adjust the browser interface subject to the user&#39;s operational habit. Every-browser user has a particular habit in operating a browser. For example, one user may search computer related products or another particular type of products at first when entering a remote shopping web page. Therefore, it is the best to show the user&#39;s favorites in priority. However, conventional browsers can only display the browser interface subject to a pre-set manner. They cannot adjust the appearance and function of the browser interface subject to different users. 
     3) In a regular web page, advertisements are simultaneously displayed. These advertisements are determined by the web station maintainer, i.e., everyone who enters the web page sees same advertisements. However, the effectiveness of an advertisement may vary with the consuming habit of the users. For example, a cosmetics advertisement may produce little effect to a male, and produce better effect to a female. Letting a web page advertisement be aimed at a suitable group of consumers can greatly improve the effectiveness of the advertisement, and simultaneously increase the using efficiency of the web page. However, because conventional browsers cannot recognize the type and consuming habit of the user, they cannot show different advertisement contents subject to different users. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a personalized interface browser and the related browsing method which automatically adjust outputted browser interface subject to the user&#39;s quality and operational habit, enabling the browser interface to fit the user&#39;s actual demand and to provide high quality service. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a personalized interface browser for browsing information of a data bank, which comprises a browser display means for displaying a browser interface for enabling the user to browse the information of the data bank, a set of browser interface models corresponding to predetermined types of users for defining the appearance and function of the browser interface displayed on the display means, and a personal profile for recording the type of user corresponding to the user who currently uses the personalized interface browser, wherein when the current user starting the browser display means to display the browser interface, a corresponding browser interface model is picked up from the predetermined browser interface models subject to the personal profile of the current user, for adjusting the appearance and function of the browser interface. 
     The personal profile stores the user&#39;s personal data for use to select at least one corresponding browser interface model from the predetermined browser interface models for adjusting the appearance and function of said browser interface. The personal profile can store the personal operational habit of the user in operating the browser interface for use to select at least one corresponding browser interface model from the predetermined browser interface models for adjusting the appearance and function of said browser interface. The personal profile is stored in a personal profile bank, which is used to store personal profiles corresponding to all users. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which, 
     FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing explaining the concept of setting up browser interface models according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing explaining the access to the personal profile bank according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart explaining the browsing procedure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the personalized interface browser and its browsing method, a personal profile is used corresponding to personal quality and temperament for recognizing every user&#39;s operational habit. The browser itself has pre-set browser interface models. After recognizing the current user&#39;s operational habit and personal quality by means of using the personal profile, a suitable browser interface can be selected from the pre-set browser interface models for the current user, i.e., the appearance and function of the browser interface to be displayed can be adjusted subject to the user&#39;s possible operational habit. In another word, a personalized browser interface is provided to fit the user. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a personalized interface browser  10  is provided between the user  1  and the data bank or web station data  3 . Through the personalized browser interface provided by the personalized interface browser  10 , the user  1  can browse services and information provided by the data bank or web station data  3 . The so-called data bank or web station data can be a particular server, for example, a BBS (bulletin board system), VOD (video on demand) server, or internet station providing particular functions. Information searching and fetching techniques can be achieved by conventional methods. The scope of the present invention is at the function of providing a browser interface. 
     In FIG. 1, the personalized interface browser  10  comprises four units, namely, the control unit  100 , the monitor  102 , the browser interface model data bank  104 , and the personal profile bank  106 . The monitor  102  is used to display a browser interface, enabling the user  1  to browse information provided by the data bank or web station data  3 . The browser interface model data bank  104  has a number of browser interface models stored in it. These browser interface models correspond to a number of types of users, and are used to define the appearance and function of the browser interface. The personal profile bank  106  has personal profiles stored in it. Every personal profile has recorded in it the respective user&#39;s personal data such as sex, age, etc., and operational habit in operating the browser, for example, particular commercial article classifications selected in remote shopping. These personal data and operational habits correspond to a particular user model. Therefore, when a user starts the browser, the browser automatically picks up a browser interface corresponding to the user&#39;s personal data and operational habits stored in the corresponding personal profile, so as to synthesize the appearance and function of the actual browser interface. 
     The browser interface displaying procedure is explained hereinafter with reference to FIG. 1 again. The user  1  uses an input device (not shown), for example, a mouse or keyboard, to start the browser. When started, the control unit  100  recognizes the ID (identification) of the user  1 , then finds out the corresponding personal profile from the personal profile data bank  106 , and then determines the closest browser interface model subject to the data of the searched personal profile, and then finds out of the browser interface model from the browser interface model data bank  104 , and then synthesizes and outputs the actual browser interface. 
     The browser interface model data bank  104  and the personal profile bank  106  are explained hereinafter. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing explaining the concept of setting up browser interface models. As stated above, browser interface models are set up subject to predetermined types of users. In FIG. 2, the user type data bank  7  comprises a number of predetermined user type models U 1 ˜U n , that describe the characteristics of the users. The user type models U 1 ˜U n , correspond to the browser interface models B 1 ˜B n  in the browser interface model data bank  104 . According to the present invention, the user type models correspond to the browser interface models one to one. For example, in an application of VOD, the user type model U 1  is defined to be “male, age: within 20˜29, favorites: particular type of motion pictures”, and the corresponding browser interface model B 1  defines the browser interface subject to this user type model U 1 , for example, to display in priority motion pictures suitable for this type of user for selection. Therefore, through the browser interface models set in the browser interface model data bank  104 , the best browser interface is determined subject to different users. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing explaining the access to the personal profile bank. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the personal profile bank  106  has stored therein personal profiles R 1 ˜R m  of users # 1 ˜#M. Every personal profile has stored therein the respective user&#39;s personal data and operational habit. The type of the user is determined subject to the related personal data and operational habit. In order to know the identification of the current user, the user&#39;s ID data  9  must be provided to the control unit  100 , enabling the control unit  100  to search the personal profile bank  106  for a corresponding personal profile subject to the user&#39;s ID data  9 . Subject to the recorded data in the obtained personal profile, the control unit  100  can then fetch the corresponding browser interface. Because the data of the personal profile contains every record the user ever operated, the control unit  100  can adjust the best fit browser interface. 
     The browsing procedure and the operation of the personalized interface browser are outlined hereinafter. FIG. 4 is a flow chart explaining the browsing procedure. When started, it proceeds to the step of setting up browser interface models in the browser (S 1 ). These browser interface models have concern with the applied browsing content, and are used to define the best browser interface status for different types of users. When the user gives a start instruction after the setting of browser interface models, the control unit  100  becomes ready to start the browser interface, and to link to the desired data bank or web station (S 2 ). At the beginning, the system requests the current user to input the user&#39;s name and ID code for recognition (S 2 ). After receipt of the user&#39;s ID code, the control unit  100 , as shown in FIG. 3, searches the personal profile bank  106  for a corresponding personal profile (S 3 ). The current user may have never used this browser before. In this case, the system cannot obtain a corresponding personal profile from the personal profile bank  106 . Therefore, when the system obtained a corresponding personal profile (S 4 ), it can directly read out such a personal profile (S 5 ). If the system cannot find a corresponding personal profile (S 4 ), it means that the current user never used the browser before, and the current user is requested to input related personal data for setting up a personal profile (S 6 ) (personal operational habit data not included at this time). Either by directly reading out a personal profile or setting up a personal profile, the control unit  100  can determine a corresponding browser interface model and display the browser interface subject to the provided data (S 7 ). At this time, the browser interface shown at the monitor  102  is the best fit browser interface for the current user. During browsing, the current user&#39;s operational habits and favorites are recorded in the respective profile (S 8 ). When the current user uses the browser next time, the control unit  100  can then automatically adjust the browser interface. 
     As indicated above, the personalized interface browser achieves the following effects: 
     1) It automatically adjusts the browser interface subject to the type of the user, for example, subject to the user&#39;s age or profession, so that the best browser interface status is provided for the user. 
     2) It uses personal operational habits obtained from a personal profile for adjusting the browser interface. By means of recording the user&#39;s operation procedure, the browser can select the best fit browser interface from predetermined browser interface models for the user. 
     3) By means of using the personal profile, it determines qualities of the current user. When displaying advertising information, the advertiser can determine the advertisement subject to consumers &#39; so as to achieve the best advertising effect. 
     4) Further, using personal profile can improve the function and applicability of current browsers. In addition to conventional browsing function, the personalized interface browser provides personalized services such as setting up new service items, programs, etc. Therefore, the quality of service is greatly improved. 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended for use as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.