Method and system for organizing content on a time axis

• US 20070120856A1
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Baren, Joy, De Ruyter, Boris Emmanuel, Romero Herrera, Natalia
• Application Number:
  US10/577,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120856A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• 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: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method and system are provided for organizing content on a spiral time axis. Content is organized on the spiral axis, for example, based on the creation date or reception time of the corresponding content. More recent content can be positioned, for example, towards the outside of the spiral while older content is positioned towards the inside of the spiral. Properties of the content representation can optionally be specified to convey additional information about the content. An efficient means for responding to communications from other friends and family members is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for presenting one or more content items to a user, comprising:

a spiral image; and

one or more icons arranged on said spiral image, each icon corresponding to one of said one or more content items, wherein a position of said icon on said spiral image indicates a relative position of said one or more content items in relation to other content items.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a color of at least a portion of said icon associates said content item with one or more users or other content items.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said spiral image is segmented into segments, wherein each segment represents a range of values of said relative position.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said relative position is based on a creation time of said content item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said relative position is based on a reception time of said content item.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said relative position is based on a modification time of said content item.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said content item is a message.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said content item is a document.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a size of a plurality of said icons is proportional to said relative position.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a first plurality of said icons is presented with a detailed view while at least a second plurality of said icons is presented with a compressed view.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an indication of a reachability of at least one user associated with a given content item.

12. A method for presenting one or more content items to a user, comprising:

Generating a spiral image having a center and an endpoint; and

Arranging one or more icons on said spiral image, each icon corresponding to one of said one or more content items, wherein a position of said icon on said spiral image indicates a relative position of said one or more content items in relation to other content items.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a color of at least a portion of said icon associates said represented content item with one or more users or other content items.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said spiral image is segmented into segments, wherein each segment represents a range of values of said relative position.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said relative position is based on a creation time, reception time or modification time of said content item.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein a size of a plurality of said icons is proportional to said relative position.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein a first plurality of said icons is presented with a detailed view while at least a second plurality of said icons is presented with a compressed view.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising an indication of a reachability of at least one user associated with a given content item.

19. A user interface for presenting one or more content items to a user, comprising:

a spiral image containing one or more icons, each icon corresponds to one of said one or more content items, wherein a position of said icon on said spiral image indicates a relative position of said one or more content items in relation to other content items; and

one or more tools to manipulate said one or more icons.

20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said one or more tools includes a tool to access a content item associated with an icon.

21. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said one or more tools includes a tool to contact a user associated with an icon.

22. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said one or more tools includes a tool to navigate said spiral image.

23. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising a visual indication to associate one or more users with an icon.