Methods, Systems, And Computer Program Products For Grouping Tabbed Portions Of A Display Object Based On Content Relationships And User Interaction Levels

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for grouping tabbed portions of a display object based on content relationships and user interaction levels are disclosed. According to one method, a display object including one or more tabbed portions is provided for display via a computer display device. A level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions is monitored. A request for adding new information to the display object is received. A level of content relationship between the new information and the information including in the at least one of the tabbed portions is determined. A new tabbed portion is created and grouped with the at least one tabbed portion based on the determined level of content relationship and the level of user interaction associated with the at least one tabbed portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for grouping tabbed portions of a display object based on content relationships and user interaction levels, the method comprising:
 providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions for display to a user via a computer display device;   receiving a request to add new information to the display object;   monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions;   determining, without user input, a level of content relationship between the new information and information included in at least one of the tabbed portions; and   creating a new tabbed portion including the new information and grouping the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion based on the determined level of content relationship and the level of user interaction associated with the at least one tabbed portion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions includes providing a window object including one or more folder tabs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions includes providing a window object controllable by a web browser to control display of one or more web pages as one or more folder tabs. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions includes, for each tabbed portion, monitoring at least one of a recency of user interaction associated with the tabbed portion and an amount of time associated with the user interaction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each tabbed portion includes, for each tabbed portion, detecting when the tabbed portion has focus and monitoring a time during which the tabbed portion maintains focus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions includes, for each tabbed portion, monitoring an amount of user input associated with the tabbed portion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a request for adding new information to the display object includes receiving input for adding a web page as a tabbed portion to the display object. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a request for adding new information to the display object includes detecting at least one of:
 an activation of a link displayed in a first tabbed portion; 
 an entering of information associated with an element of the display object; 
 a request for adding the information from executable code associated with the display object; and 
 a request for adding the information from an application program not directly associated with the display object. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising grouping the new tabbed portion with the first tabbed portion in response to detecting the activation of the link displayed in the first tabbed portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein grouping the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion includes identifying a first tabbed portion from the plurality of tabbed portions having a highest level of content relationship among the plurality of tabbed portions with the new information, determining whether the first tabbed portion has a level of user interaction that exceeds a threshold, and, in response to determining that the level of user interaction associated with the first tabbed portion exceeds the threshold, grouping the new tabbed portion with the first tabbed portion. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein grouping the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion includes, in response to determining that the first tabbed portion does not have a level of user interaction that exceeds the threshold, refraining from grouping the new tabbed portion with the first tabbed portion and selecting a second tabbed portion having a second highest level of content relationship with the new information as a candidate for grouping with the new tabbed portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  comprising displaying the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion in a manner that illustrates the grouping between the new tabbed portion and the at least one tabbed portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein displaying the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion in a manner that illustrates the grouping includes displaying the new tabbed portion and the at least one tabbed portion in a manner that illustrates a parent-child relationship between the new tabbed portion and the at least one tabbed portion. 
     
     
         14 . A system for grouping tabbed portions of a display object based on content relationships and user interaction levels associated with the tabbed portions, the system comprising:
 a display object presentation controller for providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions for display to a user via a computer display device;   a tab controller for receiving a request for adding new information to the display object;   a user interaction monitor for monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions;   a related tab manager for determining a level of content relationship between the new information and information included in at least one of the tabbed portions; and   wherein the tab controller is adapted to create a new tabbed portion including the new information and to group the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion based on the level of user interaction associated with the at least one tabbed portion and the determined level of content relationship.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the display object presentation controller comprises a window object presentation controller for displaying a window object including one or more folder tabs. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the display object presentation controller is adapted to provide a window object usable by a web browser for displaying one or more web pages as one or more folder tabs. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the user interaction monitor is adapted to determine the level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions based on at least one of a recency of user interaction and an amount of time associated with each user interaction with each of the tabbed portions. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the user interaction monitor is adapted to determine the level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions based on an amount of user input associated with each tabbed portion. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the tab controller is adapted to detect at least one of:
 activation of a link displayed in a first tabbed portion; 
 an entering of information associated with an element of the display object; 
 a request for adding the information from executable code associated with the display object; and 
 a request for adding the information from an application program not directly associated with the display object. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the tab controller is further adapted to group the new tabbed portion with the first tabbed portion in response to detecting the activation of the link displayed in the first tabbed portion. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the tab controller is adapted to identify a first tabbed portion including information having a highest level of content relationship with the new information and to group the first tabbed portion with the new tabbed portion in response to the first tabbed portion having a level of user interaction that exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the tab controller is adapted to refrain from grouping the first tabbed portion with the new tabbed portion in response to the first tabbed portion having a level of user interaction that does not exceed the threshold and to identify a second tabbed portion of the plurality of tabbed portions with information having a second highest level of content relationship with the new information as a candidate for grouping with the new tabbed portion. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the tab controller is adapted to display the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion in a manner that indicates the grouping between the new tabbed portion and the at least one tabbed portion. 
     
     
         24 . A system for grouping tabbed portions of a display object based on content relationships and user interaction levels associated with the tabbed portions, the system comprising:
 means for providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions for display to a user via a computer display device;   means for monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions;   means for receiving a request for adding new information to the display object;   means for determining a level of content relationship between the new information and information included in at least one of the tabbed portions; and   means for creating a new tabbed portion including the new information and grouping the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion based on the determined level of content relationship and the level of user interaction associated with the at least one tabbed portion.   
     
     
         25 . A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:
 providing a display object including one or more tabbed portions for display to a user via a computer display device;   monitoring a level of user interaction associated with each of the tabbed portions;   receiving a request for adding new information to the display object;   determining a level of content relationship between the new information and information included in at least one of the tabbed portions; and   creating a new tabbed portion including the new information and grouping the new tabbed portion with the at least one tabbed portion based on the level of content relationship and the level of user interaction associated with the at least one tabbed portion.