Enabling category-based filtering

• US 20060059185A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zinn, Ronald Scotte, Bocking, Andrew D., Hardy, Michael Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A category may be associated, in a personal information manager (PIM) application, with a data item by associating a category pattern with the data item. Where the PIM application already associates keyword patterns with data items for enabling keyword searching, the category pattern may have a format of an ordered plurality of elements that satisfies at least one rule for the format of the keyword patterns. Optionally, the first element of the ordered plurality of elements may be an element predetermined to be specific to pluralities of elements associated with categories. Advantageously, this approach to the association of a category with a data item allows for the association of more than one category with a single data item. Such an allowance provides for more accurate synchronization with a PIM application on a desktop that also allows the association of more than one category with a data item. Given the allowance of the association of multiple categories with a single data item, the user may filter a list of data items by one or more categories.

Claims

1. A method of enabling category-based filtering of a plurality of data items, said method comprising:

in an application that associates patterns of a first type with said plurality of data items, where said patterns of said first type satisfy a rule, associating a pattern of a second type with a category, where said pattern of said second type satisfies said rule.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating said pattern of said second type with a given data item among said plurality of data items.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said pattern of said second type comprises a plurality of elements, one element of said plurality of elements having a value indicative that said pattern of said second type is a pattern of said second type.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of elements comprise an ordered array and said one element is a first element of said array.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said rule specifies that said pattern of said first type include elements of a predetermined length.

6. A handheld computer adapted to:

associate patterns of a first type with a plurality of data items, where said patterns of said first type satisfy a rule; and

associate a pattern of a second type with a category, where said pattern of said second type satisfies said rule.

7. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by processor in a handheld computer, cause said processor to:

associate patterns of a first type with a plurality of data items, where said patterns of said first type satisfy a rule; and

associate a pattern of a second type with a category, where said pattern of said second type satisfies said rule.

8. A method for facilitating retrieval of a personal information manager data item, said method comprising:

associating at least one keyword pattern with each data item of a plurality of data items, each keyword pattern having a first format; and

where a category for a given data item is selected, associating a category pattern representative of said category with said given data item, said category pattern having said first format, said category pattern being associated with said given data item such that a search on a given pattern traverses said category pattern and each keyword pattern associated with said given data item.

9. A method of adding a category to a master list of categories, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of a category name;

formulating an ordered plurality of elements;

associating said ordered plurality of elements with said category name; and

adding a reference to said category name to said master list of categories.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

assigning a category reference integer to said category name; and

basing said formulating said ordered plurality of elements on said category reference integer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said formulating said ordered plurality of elements comprises determining a value for a first element of said ordered plurality of elements.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said determining said value for said first element of said ordered plurality of elements comprises assigning a predetermined value to said first element.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said first element has a predetermined number of bits such that said first element may be determined to have one of a limited set of values, where said limited set of values is divided into a first set of values to which characters available for entry by a user may be mapped and a second set of values to which characters available for entry by said user may not be mapped, said method further comprising selecting said predetermined value from among values in said second set of values.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said formulating said ordered plurality of elements comprises including, in a value determined for a given element of said ordered plurality of elements, an indication of a quantity of elements in said ordered plurality of elements.

15. A handheld computer adapted to:

receive an indication of a category name;

formulate an ordered plurality of elements;

associate said ordered plurality of elements with said category name; and

add a reference to said category name to said master list of categories.

16. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by processor in a handheld computer, cause said processor to:

receive an indication of a category name;

formulate an ordered plurality of elements;

associate said ordered plurality of elements with said category name; and

add a reference to said category name to said master list of categories.

17. A method of associating a category with a data item, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of said data item;

receiving an indication of said category to associate with said data item;

determining an ordered plurality of elements associated with said category; and

associating said ordered plurality of elements with said data item.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said ordered plurality of elements is a first ordered plurality of elements and said associating comprises associating said first ordered plurality of elements among further ordered pluralities of elements already associated with said data item.

19. A handheld computer adapted to:

receive an indication of a data item;

receive an indication of a category to associate with said data item;

determine an ordered plurality of elements associated with said category; and

associate said ordered plurality of elements with said data item.

20. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by processor in a handheld computer, cause said processor to:

receive an indication of a data item;

receive an indication of a category to associate with said data item;

determine an ordered plurality of elements associated with said category; and

associate said ordered plurality of elements with said data item.

21. A method of synchronizing a first data item referenced by a personal information manager application executed on a personal computer with a corresponding second data item referenced by a personal information manager application executed on a handheld computer, said method comprising:

receiving, at said handheld computer, an indication of a category associated, in said personal information manager application executed on said personal computer, with said first data item;

formulating an ordered plurality of elements; and

associating, in said personal information manager application executed on said handheld computer, said ordered plurality of elements with said second data item.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said category is a first category and said ordered plurality of elements is a first ordered plurality of elements, said method further comprising:

receiving, at said handheld computer, an indication of a second category associated, in said personal information manager application executed on said personal computer, with said first data item;

formulating a second ordered plurality of elements; and

associating, in said personal information manager application executed on said handheld computer, said second ordered plurality of elements with said second data item.