Comprehensive, multi-dimensional graphical user interface using picture metadata for navigating and retrieving pictures in a picture database

• US 20020075330A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Beaudet, Douglas B., Prabhu, Prasad V., Rosenzweig, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 7,020,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A comprehensive, multi-dimensional graphical user interface (GUI) using metadata provides for multiple methods and displays for browsing and retrieving pictures in a picture database. The main level display 100, which is linked to other level displays has in the preferred embodiment, a hierarchical picture grouping iconic region (104) with directories and files containing pictures in the database, a main display area (102) for displaying pictures, thumbnails and graphical browsers, a picture content iconic region (106) according to predefined content categories and picture metadata, and a graphical browser region (108) having indicia of the graphical browsers utilized by the GUI. In addition to the main level (100), the present-inventive GUI also has a number of display levels linked to the main display level (100) via one or more icons (104, 106, 108 and 110) in the main display level.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (GUI) adapted to browse pictures stored in a picture database, said GUI comprising:

a main level display providing links to other display level, said main level display comprising;

a hierarchical picture grouping iconic region indicating directories, folders and files containing pictures from said database;

at least one main display area adapted to at least display pictures, thumbnails and graphical browsers;

a picture content iconic region, comprising icons representing pictures in said picture database according to predefined content categories and picture metadata; and

a graphical browser region, comprising indicia of graphical browsers utilized by said GUI; and

said GUI further comprising a plurality of display levels linked to said main display level via one or more icons in said main display level.

2. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said main display area is further adapted to display word search indicia, and said main display level further comprises a word search area comprising indicia of word search methodologies utilized by said GUI.

3. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said content categories at least include picture capture date according to picture metadata.

4. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said content categories at least include picture capture location according to picture metadata.

5. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said content categories at least include predefined events to which pictures pertain, according to picture metadata.

6. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said content categories at least include persons depicted in pictures according to picture metadata.

7. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise geographic maps constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

8. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise timeline metaphors constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

9. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise scatter plots constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

10. The GUI in claim 1, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise people-based graphical representations constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

11. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said content categories at least include picture capture date according to picture metadata.

12. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said content categories at least include picture capture location according to picture metadata.

13. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said content categories at least include predefined events to which pictures pertain, according to picture metadata.

14. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said content categories at least include persons depicted in pictures according to picture metadata.

15. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise geographic maps constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

16. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise timeline metaphors constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

17. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise scatter plots constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

18. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said graphical browsers at least comprise people-based graphical representations constructed with the aid of picture metadata.

19. The GUI in claim 2, wherein said word search methodologies comprise Boolean searches.