Method and system for navigating and selecting media from large data sets

• US 20060195438A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Galuten, Albhy
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of accessing a data set. The data set includes a set of data elements. The method collects the data elements of the data set. The method receives a lens item. The lens item provides a set of parameters for searching the data set. The method searches the data set by using the lens item to identify a data subset. The method sorts a list of data elements based on the data subset. The sorting generates an ordered list. The method filters the data subset. Filtering the data subset comprises excluding the data elements that are not relevant to the lens item. The method presents the ordered list in a first column of a matrix. The matrix has several cells. The cells of the matrix are based on the data subset. The method selects column headings for the matrix and populates the cells of the matrix. Some embodiments provide a system for providing access to a data set. The system has a set of data elements that comprises a first data source. The system has a first device for collecting the set of data elements. The first device receives a first lens item for searching the data elements. The first device filters the data elements by using the first lens item to generate a first subset. The first device presents the first subset in a variety of views for navigation through the first subset.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a data set, the data set comprising a set of data elements, the method comprising:

collecting the data elements of the data set;

receiving a lens item, wherein the lens item provides a set of parameters for searching the data set; and

searching the data set by using the lens item to identify a data subset.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

sorting a list of data elements based on the data subset, wherein the sorting generates an ordered list;

filtering the data subset, wherein filtering the data subset comprises excluding the data elements that are not relevant to the lens item;

presenting the ordered list in a first column of a matrix, the matrix having a plurality of cells, wherein the cells of the matrix are based on the data subset;

selecting column headings for the matrix; and

populating the cells of the matrix.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data elements are located on a plurality of data sources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a data source is remote.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data are sorted based on the content of the data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data are sorted based on a set of metadata associated with each data element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the column headings are selected based on the content of the data in each column.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the column headings are selected based on metadata.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the populating comprises, for a particular cell in a row of the matrix, cross referencing the column heading for the column containing the particular cell with data in the first cell of the row containing the particular cell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein relevance is determined by using a set of data associated with the data subset.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the data subset for retrieval.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data subset is cached, the method further comprising:

retrieving the data subset from the cache without the need for a search.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-caching a data subset from the data set.

14. A method of selecting a first data element in a data set, the data set comprising a plurality of data elements, the method comprising:

collecting a plurality of data elements from the data set, wherein the plurality of data elements includes the first data element for selection;

limiting the data set of data elements to a subset;

excluding a second data element from the subset;

selecting a set of columns, wherein a column comprises a plurality of data elements;

ordering the data elements in a list for a column in the set of columns;

presenting the ordered list in a matrix comprising the selected set of columns;

selecting column headings for each column in the matrix;

populating a plurality of cells in matrix.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the data set is limited by using a set of rules, wherein a rule in the set of rules determines a relationship between the first data element and the plurality of data elements.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the relationship is associative.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a data element comprises associated metadata.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the removed second data element is deemed not relevant to the first data element.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected set of columns includes a first column, wherein the first column has a predetermined relationship to the first data element.

20. The method of claim 14, where the list of data elements is for a first column, wherein the ordering is based on a set of meta data associated with the list of data elements.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the ordered list of data elements is presented as a first column in the matrix.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein a first column heading is selected based on the metadata associated with the data elements in the first column.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the populating comprises, for a particular cell in a row of the matrix, cross referencing the column heading for the column containing the particular cell with data in the first cell of the row containing the particular cell.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising ordering the column headings from most useful to least useful.

25. A system for providing access to a data set, the system comprising:

a set of data elements comprising a first data source; and

a first device for collecting the set of data elements, wherein the first device receives a first lens item for searching the data elements, wherein the first device filters the data elements by using the first lens item to generate a first subset, and further wherein the first device presents the first subset in a plurality of views for navigation through the first subset.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a second data source, wherein the set of data elements comprises the first and second data sources.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the navigation comprises scrolling through a matrix that represents the first subset.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first subset contains a second lens item, wherein the first device determines a second subset by using the second lens item.

29. The system of claim 25, further comprising a second device, wherein the first device communicates with the second device for presentation of data on the second device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein data is rendered on the second device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first device controls the second device.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the first device communicates with at least one external device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the communication comprises wireless communication.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising a network, wherein the first device communicates with the external device through the network.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the first device comprises a user interface device, the user interface device comprising:

a communications module for collecting data from the first data source;

a display screen for presenting a matrix comprising a set of data cells, the matrix representing the first subset; and

a set of controls for navigating through the matrix of data cells.

36. A user interface device, the user interface device comprising:

a communications module for collecting a data set, the data set available from a plurality of sources;

a processor for executing a set of instructions that limit the data set into a first subset based on a first lens item;

a storage module for storing the first subset;

a display screen for presenting a matrix comprising a set of data cells, the matrix representing the first subset; and

a set of controls for navigating through the matrix of data cells.

37. The user interface device of claim 36, wherein the communication module comprises a wireless protocol.

38. The user interface device of claim 36, wherein the user interface device binds to an external device, the external device for presentation of data.

39. The user interface device of claim 38, wherein the external device renders the data.

40. The user interface device of claim 38, wherein the user interface device controls the external device.

41. The user interface device of claim 38, wherein the set of controls comprises a set of buttons, wherein the binding attributes certain functions for controlling the external device to particular controls in the set of controls.

42. The user interface device of claim 36, wherein the set of controls comprises a scroll wheel.

43. The user interface device of claim 42, wherein the scroll wheel includes one or more functions selected from a set comprising clickable, variable speed rotation of the wheel, jog, and shuttle.

44. The user interface device of claim 36, further comprising an orientation module, wherein the orientation module determines the rotational orientation of the user interface device.

45. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the orientation module determines the direction and rate of rotation for the user interface device.

46. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the presentation of the matrix is based on the orientation of the user interface device.

47. The user interface device of claim 44, wherein the function of the set of controls is based on the orientation of the user interface device.

48. The user interface device of claim 36, further comprising a voice recognition module for receiving audio commands that control the user interface device.

49. A user interface for presentation of data, the user interface comprising:

a lens field for receiving a lens item, the lens item comprising a data element and presenting the lens item;

a matrix of data cells, the data cells for representing a subset of a larger data set, the matrix having a first column and a set of column headings, wherein the lens item has a relationship to one or more data cells in the matrix, and further wherein the matrix presents an organization of the data cells based on the relationship.

50. The user interface of claim 49, wherein a particular data cell in the matrix is selected for presentation in the lens field.

51. The user interface of claim 50, wherein the user interface updates based on the selected particular data cell.

52. The user interface of claim 49, wherein a plurality of data cells in the matrix comprise metadata.

53. The user interface of claim 49, wherein the matrix scrolls to reveal hidden data.

54. The user interface of claim 49, further comprising an expansion icon, the expansion icon used for revealing hidden data.

55. The user interface of claim 49, wherein the first column is ordered based on a relationship to the lens item.

56. The user interface of claim 49, wherein the column headings are determined based on the data contained in the cells of the columns.

57. The user interface of claim 49, wherein the data cells in the matrix are populated by cross referencing each column heading with the cells in each row of the first column.