Patent ID: 7613645

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a network connection configured to link the apparatus with a client device, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate a graphical user interface for display on a display of the client device, the graphical user interface enabling a user of the client device to visibly identify a time-based characteristic of an item being displayed, the graphical user interface comprising: a display area configured to identify a plurality of items being monitored by the user, wherein each of said items can include either a first time-based characteristic or a second time-based characteristic; said display area being configured so that first identification information for a first item appears in a first portion of said display area and second identification information for a second item appears in a second portion of said display area; and said display area further configured to include a first visual indicator associated with said first portion for visually indicating said first time-based characteristic, and a second visual indicator associated with said second portion of said display area for visually indicating said second time-based characteristic; wherein said first visual indicator and said second visual indicator are used to represent different time periods for which said first identification information and said second identification information are valid; wherein said second visual indicator is adapted to be sufficiently visually different from said first visual indicator so as to communicate to the user that said first item and said second item have different time-based characteristics.