System and method for filtering and organizing items based on common elements
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a display and a memory for storing items with metadata properties, a method of filtering items, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of display objects on the display that each represent one or more items;
evaluating the metadata properties of the items that are represented by the display objects; and
presenting a filter term on the display that corresponds to a metadata property that is shared by a plurality of the items, wherein the selection of the filter term causes the items that are represented on the display to be reduced to the items that share the metadata property.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for filtering and organizing items from computer memories based on common elements. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, filters are provided for manipulating the items. The filters are essentially tools for narrowing down a set of items. In one embodiment, the filters are dynamically generated based on the properties of the separate items. The system utilizes virtual folders. The virtual folders expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, quick links are provided. In one embodiment, quick links are a set of predefined links (e.g., located on the left side of the display) that can be clicked on to generate useful views of the sets of items. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, libraries are provided. Libraries consist of large groups of usable types of items that can be associated together.
246 Citations
72 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a display and a memory for storing items with metadata properties, a method of filtering items, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of display objects on the display that each represent one or more items;
evaluating the metadata properties of the items that are represented by the display objects; and
presenting a filter term on the display that corresponds to a metadata property that is shared by a plurality of the items, wherein the selection of the filter term causes the items that are represented on the display to be reduced to the items that share the metadata property. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for implementing a method of filtering items with metadata properties, the items being represented on a display, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of display objects on the display that each represent one or more items;
evaluating the metadata properties of the items that are represented by the display objects; and
presenting a filter term on the display that corresponds to a metadata property that is shared by a plurality of the items, wherein the selection of the filter term causes the items that are represented on the display to be reduced to the items that share the metadata property. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for filtering items, comprising:
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a display;
a means for providing a plurality of display objects on the display that each represent one or more items;
a means for evaluating metadata properties of the items that are represented by the display objects; and
a means for providing a filter term on the display that corresponds to the metadata property that is shared by a plurality of the items. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In a computer system having a display and a memory for storing items with metadata properties, a method of filtering items, comprising:
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representing a plurality of items on the display; and
dynamically generating a filter term based on the metadata properties of the items that are represented on the display, the filter term when selected reducing the items that are represented on the display to those that have the metadata property that corresponds to the filter term. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for implementing a method for filtering items in a computer system, the computer system having a display and a memory for storing items, the method comprising:
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representing a plurality of items on the display; and
dynamically generating a filter term based on the metadata properties of the items that are represented on the display, the filter term when selected reducing the items that are represented on the display to those that have the metadata property that corresponds to the filter term. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. In a computer system having a display and a memory for storing items, a method of viewing selected items, the method comprising:
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navigating to a view of a desired collection of items;
saving a link to the desired collection of items;
providing a name for the link; and
presenting the link on the display such that by clicking on the link a user can return to the view of the desired collection of items. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A computer-readable medium having computer executable components for implementing a method for viewing items, the method comprising:
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navigating to a view of a desired collection of items;
saving a link to the desired collection of items;
providing a name for the link; and
presenting the link on the display such that by clicking on the link a user can return to the view of the desired collection of items. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for viewing selected items, comprising:
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means for navigating to a view of a desired collection of items;
means for saving a link to the view of the desired collection of items; and
means for presenting the link on the display such that by selecting the link a user can return to the view of the desired collection of items. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. In a computer system with a display and a memory for storing items, a method for presenting collections of the items, comprising:
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creating a library to contain items with one or more specified metadata properties;
automatically grouping items with the one or more specified metadata properties into the library; and
providing one or more tools for manipulating items in the library. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for implementing a method for presenting collections of items, the method comprising:
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creating a library to contain items with one or more specified metadata properties;
automatically grouping items with the one or more specified metadata properties into the library; and
providing one or more tools for manipulating items in the library. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A system for presenting collections of items, comprising:
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means for creating a library to contain items with a specified metadata property;
means for automatically grouping items with a specified metadata property into the library; and
means for providing one or more tools for manipulating items in the library. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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Specification