Customizable data management system

Abstract

The invention relates to methods, systems, and computer-readable media related to a system having a plurality of users, designed to display a user-customized subset of item and/or provider information to the user.

1 .- 74 . (canceled) 
     
     
         75 . A computer implemented method of selecting data objects for interaction with a user at a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
 receiving a data stream from an item provider, the data stream identifying items available from the item provider;   storing a data object in a global database with a provider identifier uniquely identifying the item provider;   storing for each item in the data stream a data object with an item identifier uniquely identifying the item;   detecting a user interaction at a graphical user interface of a user device, the interaction with an item or item provider data object representation, and creating a user data object with a user identifier uniquely identifying the user;   creating in a tracking database an association between the user data object and the item and/or item provider data object; and   using the tracking database to select a customised data set of data objects based on the associations in the tracking database, the customised data set being for presentation at the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75  wherein each data object is stored with an object identifier uniquely identifying that object, and the association between the user data object and the item and/or item provider data object is an association between the object identifiers of those objects. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76  wherein the association conforms to an association data structure, the association data structure comprising respective fields for those object identifiers. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 76  or  77  wherein the association is further between those object identifiers and the user identifier. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78  when dependent on  claim 77 , wherein the association data structure comprises a further field for the user identifier. 
     
     
         80 . The method any of  claims 75  to  79  wherein each data object conforms to an object data structure, the object data structure comprising respective fields for at least some of: an object identifier of that object; a user or provider identifier of a creator of that data object; a user, item, or provider identifier of a user, item or provider to which that data object relates; and additional information for said presentation at the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         81 . The method of any of  claims 75  to  80  comprising, subsequent to the item provider creating a new data object associated with the item and/or item provider data object, updating the customized data set to include the new data object. 
     
     
         82 . The method of any of  claims 75  to  81  wherein the global database contains a category data object associated with the item and/or item provider data object; and
 wherein at least one of the selected data objects is also associated with the category data object in the tracking database, that data object being selected for inclusion in the customized set on that basis. 
 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82  comprising, subsequent to the item provider creating a new data object associated with the category data object, updating the customized set to include the new data object. 
     
     
         84 . A computer system comprising:
 a plurality of user devices each having a display interface available to a user;   a plurality of item providers;   a global database of data objects, each data object comprising a unique object identifier of that object and a user, item, or provider identifier of a user, item or provider to which that data object relates;   computer storage storing: (i) for each item provider, a respective provider data table comprising a unique provider identifier of that provider and one or more item identifiers of items provided by that provider; (ii) for each user, a respective user data table comprising a unique user identifier of that user and one or more item identifiers, provider identifiers, and/or category identifiers for items, providers and/or categories in which that user has expressed a preference; and (iii) a customized set of data tables selected for at least a first user, the customized set selected from the user data tables and provider data tables based on the item and/or the provider identifiers contained in the first users data table;   a global tracking database configured responsive to the first user expressing an additional preference for a provider or item by instigating an association instruction at their user device to associate that first user's user identifier with an object identifier of a data object comprising the provider or item identifier of that provider or item; and   an information exchange computer configured, responsive to the first user expressing the additional interest in the item or provider, to select one or more additional provider data tables and/or user data tables for inclusion in the first user's customized set to update that set, and to select at least one data object based on the first user's updated set for display to the first user via the display interface of their user device.   
     
     
         85 . The computer system of  claim 84  wherein the global database contains a category data object and the category data object is associated with the data object comprising the provider or item identifier of the provider or item in which the user has expressed a subsequent interest, and wherein the selected data object is also associated with the category data object in the tracking database. 
     
     
         86 . A computer system comprising:
 a plurality of user devices each having a display interface available to a user;   a plurality of item providers;   a global database of data objects, each data object comprising a unique object identifier of that object and a user, item, or provider identifier of a user, item or provider to which that object relates, the data objects including a user association data object comprising a target user identifier of a target user and a follower user identifier of a user following the target user, wherein the global database is configured responsive to the target user expressing a tracking interest in a data object representation by instigating a tracking instruction at their user device to create a new derivative data object based on that data object;   a global tracking database configured responsive to the target user expressing the tracking interest in the data object representation to store an association between the user identifier of the target user, the object identifier of that data object, and the object identifier of the created derivative data object; and   an information exchange computer configured, responsive to the target user expressing the interest in the data object representation to access the global database and the global tracking database and to display the derivative data object representation to the follower user via the display interface of their user device.   
     
     
         87 . The system of any one of  claims 85  and  86 , wherein the system displays a set of data object representations organized into a stream of frames broadcast on one or more broadcast modalities. 
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 87  wherein the broadcast is transmitted via air waves, cable, fiber optics, and/or satellite. 
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 88  wherein the broadcast is received directly by a television and displayed on the television screen. 
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 89  wherein the stream is received directly by a television decoder operably connected to the television screen, wherein the television decoder enables the user to view and interact with one or more frames in the broadcast on the television screen. 
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 90  wherein the television decoder is cable digital video recorder (DVR), TiVO, Roku, DirectTV, GoogleTV, Apple TV, XBOX360, XBOX1, PS3, PS4, WiiU, and/or other programmable decoder.