Managing tasks for multiple file types

• US 20070185832A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kriebel, Westin
• Application Number:
  US11/339,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Tasks associated with different types of files are managed. The files may include text files, application files, application documents and other files. The files may be located in memory of a local computer or over a network. The tasks for the different files may be identified, stored in a task index and provided to a user. Tasks may be identified using task character strings, formatted tasks within application files, or other task information. The task index is created from the identified tasks and may be queried. The results of the task index query may be provided to a user through an interface. Additionally, the interface may provide all or a portion of the file associated with the task.

Claims

1. A method for managing tasks, comprising:

constructing a task index, the task index including task information for two or more tasks, the two or more tasks associated with files having a different format; and

querying the task index for tasks that match task filter information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of constructing a task index includes:

accessing each of the two or more files; and

identifying task information in each of the two or more files.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of identifying task information includes:

parsing a text file.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of identifying task information includes:

executing script code to open an application file by an application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tasks is embedded in a file located over a network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tasks includes a task character string.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of querying includes:

querying the task index by a task management module in response to user input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the files is an application file.

9. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

submitting a query to a task index, the task index including two or more tasks associated with different file formats;

identifying one or more tasks in the task index in response to the query; and

providing the one or more identified tasks in an interface.

10. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein said step of submitting a query includes:

receiving query terms from a user; and

submitting the query terms to the task index.

11. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein one of the different file formats include a text file format.

12. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein said step of identifying one or more tasks includes:

identifying one or more tasks in the task index having task information that matches a set of query terms contained in the query.

13. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein said step of providing the one or more identified tasks in the interface includes:

receiving a list of tasks in a query response;

providing task information associated with each task in the list of tasks in the interface.

14. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, wherein said step of providing the one or more identified tasks in the interface includes:

providing at least a portion of a file containing a one of the identified tasks in the interface.

15. The one or more processor readable storage devices of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the identified tasks, wherein the at least a portion of the file provided being associated with the selected task.

16. A method for managing tasks, comprising:

identifying a task character string within a first file having a text format;

identifying task information in an application file, the application file having a second format, the second format not having a text format; and

adding task information associated with the first file and the application file to a task index.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein one of the first file or the application file is located over a network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of identifying task information in an application file is performed by script code.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the application file task information includes the task character string.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the application file task information includes an application task.