Methods and systems of providing information to computer users

Abstract

Methods and systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, the methods and systems can provide a ranked list of favorite links. The list can be based upon the recency and frequency with which a user accesses items associated with the links. A most recently added favorites list of links is provided that is based upon when particular links were added to a user's favorites list. The methods and system can calculate a union of the lists to provide a collection of favorite quick links.

1 . One or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the computing devices to perform a method of providing a collection of quick links, the method comprising:
 determining a first list of links, the list being based upon the recency and frequency with which a first user accesses items associated with the links;   determining a second list of links that is based upon when particular links were added in association with the first user; and   calculating a union of the first and second lists to provide a collection of quick links in association with the first user, wherein the acts of determining the first and second lists are performed by using dynamically changing information associated with the first user's activities as a basis for ascertaining the collection of quick links, said activities including the recency and frequency with which the first user accesses items associated with the links and when particular links were added in association with the first user, and wherein said union of the lists changes in accordance with the dynamically changing information.   
     
     
         2 . The computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein determining a first list of links includes calculating a score for each link that considers the number of times the first user has accessed an item associated with the link. 
     
     
         3 . The computer storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein calculating the score for each link includes weighting more recent link accesses heavier than less recent link accesses. 
     
     
         4 . The computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the union of the first and second lists is calculated across multiple content types. 
     
     
         5 . The computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein determining the first list of links includes applying a first filter and determining the second lists of links includes applying a second filter. 
     
     
         6 . The computer storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the particular links were added in association with a first user based on one or more selections by the first user. 
     
     
         7 . A system for ascertaining quick links to user information system that includes a processor coupled to computer storage media, the system comprising:
 a first filter component for ranking links associated with a first user, which ranks one or more of the links based upon the recency and frequency with which the first user has accessed items associated with the links;   a second filter component for ranking the links, which ranks one or more of the links based upon when the links were added in association with the first user; and   a presenting component for presenting a collection of quick links associated with the first user, wherein the collection of quick links is based on the first and second filter components using dynamically changing information associated with the first user's activities, said activities including the recency and frequency with which the first user accesses items associated with the links and when particular links were added in association with the first user, and wherein the collection of quick links changes in accordance with the dynamically changing information.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first filter component considers the number of times the first user has accessed an item associated with one or more links. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first filter component weighs more recent link accesses heavier than less recent link accesses. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the collection of quick links includes multiple content types. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the links is associated with a favorite page of the first user. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the links are associated with a first user based on selections by the first user. 
     
     
         13 . One or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device having one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to provide a browsing interface, the interface comprising:
 a first order of a collection of quick links in association with a first user, wherein the quick links in the first collection are sorted into the first order based on the recency with which the first user has accessed one or more items associated with the quick links; and   a second order of the collection of quick links in association with the first user, wherein the first user selects to navigate from the first order to the second order, and wherein the quick links in the second collection are sorted into the second order based on (1) the recency with which the first user has accessed one or more items associated with the quick links, (2) a frequency with which the first user accesses items associated with the quick links, and (3) when the quick links were added in association with the first user.   
     
     
         14 . The computer storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the collection of quick links includes a score for each quick link that represents the number of times the first user has accessed an item associated with the quick link. 
     
     
         15 . The computer storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the score for each quick link includes a weighting for more recent quick link accesses relative to less recent quick link accesses. 
     
     
         16 . The computer storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the collection of quick links is calculated across multiple content types. 
     
     
         17 . The computer storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the collection of quick links include quick links associated with word processing documents. 
     
     
         18 . The computer storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the collection of quick links include quick links associated with web page documents. 
     
     
         19 . The computer storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the quick links in the collection of quick links were added in association with a first user based on one or more selections made by the first user. 
     
     
         20 . The computer storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors applies a union of filters to provide the second order of the collection of quick links.