Measuring and limiting distractions on computer displays

A method for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• comparing the distractibility measure to a threshold value indicating a maximum distractibility measure;
• and
• in response to determining that the distractibility measure for the item is less than the threshold value, determining that the item should be displayed on the display.

A method for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• generating a primary distractibility measure for a primary item, wherein the primary item is to be displayed on the display;
• based on the primary distractibility measure and the distractibility measure for the item, determining whether the item should be displayed on the display;
• and
• storing in a computer-readable medium an indication of whether the item should be displayed on the display.

A method for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• for each other item of one or more items which are to be displayed on the display, generating a distractibility measure for the each other item;
• generating a total distractibility measure by summing the distractibility measure for the item and the distractibility measures for the each other item of the one or more items which are to be displayed on the display;
• based on the total distractibility measure, determining whether the item should be displayed on the display;
• and
• storing in a computer-readable medium an indication of whether the item should be displayed on the display.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automatically generating a distractibility measure for an item to be displayed on a display, the instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• for each characteristic of one or more characteristics of a set of characteristics of the item, determining a characteristic-based distractibility measure;
• wherein the set of characteristics consists of static imagery, onset response, optic-flow motion, and change in velocity;
• and
• generating and storing in a computer-readable medium the distractibility measure for the item, wherein the distractibility measure for the item is based at least in part on the characteristic-based distractibility measures of the one or more characteristics of the set of characteristics of the item.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, wherein the instructions include instructions for performing the steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• comparing the distractibility measure to a threshold value indicating a maximum distractibility measure;
• and
• in response to determining that the distractibility measure for the item is less than the threshold value, determining that the item should be displayed on the display.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, the instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• generating a primary distractibility measure for a primary item, wherein the primary item is to be displayed on the display;
• based on the primary distractibility measure and the distractibility measure for the item, determining whether the item should be displayed on the display;
• and
• storing in a computer-readable medium an indication of whether the item should be displayed on the display.

A computer-readable storage medium for automatically determining whether an item should be displayed on a display, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

• generating a distractibility measure for the item;
• for each other item of one or more items which are to be displayed on the display, generating a distractibility measure for the each other item;
• generating a total distractibility measure by summing the distractibility measure for the item and the distractibility measures for the each other item of the one or more items which are to be displayed on the display;
• based on the total distractibility measure, determining whether the item should be displayed on the display;
• and
• storing in a computer-readable medium an indication of whether the item should be displayed on the display.