Methods and systems for managing data

• US 20060190477A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tiene, Kevin, Lemay, Stephen Oliver, Chaudhri, Imran, Ording, Bas, Giampaolo, Dominic, Arrouye, Yan, Cisler, Pavel, van Os, Marcel, Christie, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1-114. -114. (canceled)

115. A machine implemented method of managing data, the method comprising:

capturing metadata for a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications which execute on a data processing system, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

saving the search input and associating a folder with the search input.

116. A method as in claim 115 further comprising:

performing a search of the metadata using the search input and wherein the results of the search are given a name and the name is given to the folder.

117. A method as in claim 115 wherein selecting the folder causes a new search to be executed using the search input and new search results to be displayed.

118. A method as in claim 115 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder;

receiving a further search input and performing, in response to the selection and the further search input, a further search using the search input and the further search input.

119. A method as in claim 115 further comprising displaying, within a window of the folder, search results from the further search.

120. A method as in claim 115 wherein the folder has a menu with several user-selectable options of at least one of:

hiding the at least one search parameter;

saving the search input;

showing view options;

opening a selected file within the folder.

121. A method as in claim 115 wherein a window showing the folder is a resizeable, moveable, minimizeable and closeable window.

122. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions for causing a data processing system to perform a method of managing data, the method comprising:

capturing metadata for a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications which execute on a data processing system, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

saving the search input and associating a folder with the search input.

123. A medium as in claim 122, the method further comprising:

performing a search of the metadata using the search input and wherein the results of the search are given a name and the name is given to the folder.

124. A method as in claim 122 wherein selecting the folder causes a new search to be executed using the search input and new search results to be displayed.

125. A medium as in claim 122, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder;

receiving a further search input and performing, in response to the selection and the further search input, a further search using the search input and the further search input.

126. A medium as in claim 122, further comprising displaying, within a window of the folder, search results from the further search.

127. A medium as in claim 122 wherein the folder has a menu with several user-selectable options of at least one of:

hiding the at least one search parameter;

saving the search input;

showing view options;

opening a selected file within the folder.

128. A medium as in claim 122 wherein a window showing the folder is a resizeable, moveable, minimizeable and closeable window.

129. A data processing system comprising:

means for capturing metadata for a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications which execute on a data processing system, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

means for receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

means for saving the search input and associating a folder with the search input.

130. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions for causing a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

storing metadata for a plurality of files created by at least one software application, wherein the type of information in metadata for a first type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for a second type of file;

receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

creating a folder which represents the search input.

131. A medium as in claim 130, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder; and

performing a search using the search input in response to the selection.

132. A medium as in claim 130 wherein the folder represents the search input which is a saved search query.

133. A medium as in claim 130, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder;

receiving a further search input and performing, in response to the selection and the further search input, a further search using the search input and the further search input.

134. A medium as in claim 133, the method further comprising:

displaying, within a window associated with the folder, search results from the further search.

135. A machine implemented method comprising:

storing metadata for a plurality of files created by at least one software application, wherein the type of information in metadata for a first type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for a second type of file;

receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

creating a folder which represents the search input.

136. A method as in claim 135, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder; and

performing a search using the search input in response to the selection.

137. A method as in claim 135 wherein the folder represents the search input which is a saved search query.

138. A method as in claim 135, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of the folder;

receiving a further search input and performing, in response to the selection and the further search input, a further search using the search input and the further search input.

139. A method as in claim 138, the method further comprising:

displaying, within a window associated with the folder, search results from the further search.

140. A data processing system comprising:

means for storing metadata for a plurality of files created by at least one software application, wherein the type of information in metadata for a first type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for a second type of file;

means for receiving a search input for searching the metadata;

means for creating a folder which represents the search input.