US 7,457,814 B2
Multi-dimensional data classification for user interface customizations
Zoe M. Wydroug, Seattle, Wash. (US); Todd D. Ostermeier, Kenmore, Wash. (US); Nazar M. Abdelrahman, Redmond, Wash. (US); and Christopher M. Tremonte, Redmond, Wash. (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US)
Filed on May 30, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/421,037.
Prior Publication US 2007/0282896 A1, Dec. 06, 2007
Int. Cl. G06F 17/30 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 707—101 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
assigning one of multiple contexts to each user of a computing system, wherein each context comprises multiple dimensions, each dimension including an attribute type capable of association with one or more values;
assigning at least one of the attribute types to each of multiple objects selectable for inclusion as part of a user interface of the computing system, each attribute type having an associated value; and
selecting one or more of the objects to customize the user interface alonn multiple dimensions for a particular user by comparing the attribute values of each object with the attribute values of the particular user;
wherein when one of the objects has an aftribute value that does not match an attribute value of the particular user then the object is not used to customize the user interface; and
wherein when multiple objects qualify for inclusion in the user interface by having attribute values that match some of the attribute values of the user while also including attribute values that the multiple objects do not share in common with each other, then the multiple objects are each indexed for access via the attribute values that the multiple objects do not share in common with each other, and wherein indexing based on the attribute values that the multiple objects do not share in common facilitates retrieval of each of the multiple objects based on attribute values which are unique to that object.