Graphical user interface for facilitating access to online groups

Abstract

Methods, systems, and graphical user interfaces that automatically personalize and prioritize links to online groups are disclosed. A server automatically generates a set of prioritized links to online groups based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups and sends these links to a client for display in a navigation region in a graphical user interface.

1 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 automatically generating a set of prioritized links to online groups based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups,    automatically generating indicia of new activity since a previous visit by said user for at least some of said online groups,    automatically generating a set of links to online groups most recently visited by said user,    sending said set of prioritized links, said indicia, and said set of links to online groups most recently visited by said user to a computer for display in a graphical user interface, and    updating said set of prioritized links and said indicia as said user views content from a plurality of online groups,    wherein said browsing patterns with respect to online groups include said user's browsing behavior after new activity is indicated for at least some of said online groups, and    wherein said set of prioritized links includes links to online groups most consistently visited by said user followed by links to online groups that have had the most activity since a prior visit by said user.    
   
   
       2 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 automatically generating a set of prioritized links to online groups based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups, and    sending said set of links to a computer for display in a graphical user interface.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said browsing patterns with respect to online groups includes said user's browsing behavior after new activity is indicated for at least some of said online groups.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein all of said online groups are subscribed to by said user.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said set of prioritized links includes links to online groups most consistently visited by said user followed by links to online groups that have had the most activity since a prior visit by said user.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising automatically generating indicia of new activity since a previous visit by said user for at least some of said online groups and sending said indicia to said computer for display in said graphical user interface.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising automatically generating a set of links to online groups most recently visited by said user and sending said set of links to online groups most recently visited by said user to said computer for display in said graphical user interface.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising updating said set of prioritized links as said user views content from a plurality of online groups.  
   
   
       9 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 receiving a set of prioritized links to online groups for a computer user, and    displaying said set of links in a graphical user interface,    wherein said set of prioritized links are automatically generated by a remote computer based at least in part on said computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups.    
   
   
       10 . A system comprising at least one server, wherein said at least one server is configured to: 
 automatically generate a set of prioritized links to online groups based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups, and    send said set of links to a computer for display in a graphical user interface.    
   
   
       11 . A graphical user interface on a computer comprising: 
 a set of prioritized links to online groups for a computer user,    wherein said set of links are automatically generated by a remote computer based at least in part on said computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said set of links remains visible as said user views content from a plurality of online groups.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said set of prioritized links are part of a navigation region.  
   
   
       14 . A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by a server, cause said server to: 
 automatically generate a set of prioritized links to online groups based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups, and    send said set of links to a computer for display in a graphical user interface.    
   
   
       15 . A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by a client, cause said client to: 
 receive a set of prioritized links to online groups for a computer user, and    display said set of links in a graphical user interface,    wherein said set of prioritized links are automatically generated by a remote computer based at least in part on said computer user's browsing patterns with respect to online groups.    
   
   
       16 . A computer implemented method comprising: 
 automatically generating a set of prioritized links to websites based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to said websites, and    displaying said set of links in a graphical user interface.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said set of prioritized links includes links to websites most consistently visited by said user.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising automatically generating a set of links to websites most recently visited by said user and displaying said set of links to websites most recently visited by said user in said graphical user interface.  
   
   
       19 . A graphical user interface on a computer comprising: 
 a set of prioritized links to websites for a computer user,    wherein said set of links are automatically generated by said computer based at least in part on said computer user's browsing patterns with respect to said websites.    
   
   
       20 . A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause said computer to: 
 automatically generate a set of prioritized links to websites based at least in part on a computer user's browsing patterns with respect to said websites, and    display said set of links in a graphical user interface.