Filtering a collection of items

• US 20060190817A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Banks, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,383,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

A user interface is provided wherein a set of items is displayed as a set of item representations (such as icons or thumbnails), and wherein a filtered subset of those items are visually identified in accordance with a user-defined criterion. All of the item representations are displayed on the screen in some form, regardless of which of the items have been filtered out. Further, the item representations may be displayed in various formats such as collected together in arrays or carousels as appropriate. This may allow the user interface to visually distinguish between those items that have been filtered out and those that are considered relevant.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of item representations each associated with a different item;

(b) receiving a user input including a textual criterion;

(c) determining a subset of the items to be all of the items that satisfy the textual criterion;

(d) displaying the associated item representations for the subset of items so as to have a first display property; and

(e) displaying the remaining item representations so as to have a second display property different from the first display property.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is a first intensity profile and the second display property is a second intensity profile different from the first intensity profile.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is a first opacity profile and the second display property is a second opacity profile different from the first opacity profile.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is fully opaque and the second display property is partially transparent.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is a first region of a display and the second display property is a region of the display different from the first region of the display.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is an array arrangement of item representations and the second display property is a carousel arrangement of item representations.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is a first size profile, and the second display property is a second size profile different from the first size profile.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first display property is a first amount of item representation displacement, and the second display property is a second amount of item representation displacement.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each of the items is associated with a keyword, and wherein step (c) includes determining whether the keyword for each item begins with the textual criterion.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further for displaying those of the keywords that begin with the textual criterion, wherein each of the displayed keywords are displayed in a different color, and wherein step (d) includes displaying each of the associated item representations for the subset of items to include the color of the displayed keyword that is associated with the respective item.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the items are each files.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further for displaying a background behind at least some of the item representations, wherein the background depends upon the textual criterion.

13. A method implemented by a computer, comprising:

(a) displaying a plurality of item representations each associated with a different item;

(b) receiving a user input including a textual criterion;

(c) determining a subset of the items to be all of the items that satisfy the textual criterion;

(d) displaying the associated item representations for the subset of items so as to have a first display property; and

(e) displaying the remaining item representations so as to have a second display property different from the first display property.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first display property is a first intensity profile and the second display property is a second intensity profile different from the first intensity profile.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first display property is a first opacity profile and the second display property is a second opacity profile different from the first opacity profile.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first display property is fully opaque and the second display property is partially transparent.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first display property is an array arrangement of item representations and the second display property is a carousel arrangement of item representations.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first display property is a first amount of item representation displacement, and the second display property is a second amount of item representation displacement.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the items is associated with a keyword, and wherein step (c) includes determining whether the keyword for each item begins with the textual criterion.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further for displaying a background behind at least some of the item representations, wherein the background depends upon the textual criterion.