Interactive Image Thumbnails

• US 20080155458A1
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fagans, Joshua, Ubillos, Randy, Leifer, Simeon
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, displaying, within the view pane, a plurality of poster frames, each poster frame representing a corresponding media item, a first poster frame being displayed as positioned in a first row extending across the event view pane in the horizontal direction such that the first poster frame is displayed substantially adjacent to a first vertical edge of the event view pane and subsequent poster frames are displayed substantially adjacent to one another in the first row until a poster frame in the first row is displayed substantially adjacent to a second vertical edge of the event view pane, and displaying a next poster frame in a second row vertically displaced from the first row. Photographs in a poster frame can be previewed by moving a cursor across the poster frame.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction;

displaying, within the view pane, a plurality of poster frames, each poster frame representing a corresponding media item, a first poster frame being displayed as positioned in a first row extending across the view pane in the horizontal direction such that the first poster frame is displayed substantially adjacent to a first vertical edge of the view pane and subsequent poster frames are displayed substantially adjacent to one another in the first row until a poster frame in the first row is displayed substantially adjacent to a second vertical edge of the view pane; and

displaying a next poster frame in a second row vertically displaced from the first row.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an order of display of the poster frames corresponds to an order in which the corresponding media items were captured, wherein progression of time corresponds to positioning of the poster frames going from left to right in the horizontal direction and top to bottom in the vertical direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vertical edge comprises a left edge of the view pane and the second vertical edge comprises a right edge of the view pane.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second row is below the first row.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjacent rows are separated by a space.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media items comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media item represents a document, and the document comprises one or more pages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of poster frames in a row or a number of rows, or both, automatically changes in response to a user varying the size of the view pane.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a first poster frame is separated from a second poster frame by a space.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more poster frames are hidden from display in response to user input.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein hiding one or more poster frames from display causes remaining visible poster frames to be repositioned to fill voids corresponding to the hidden poster frames.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the poster frames have a uniform horizontal dimension and a uniform vertical dimension.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the poster frame is represented by a bounded region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a position of a cursor within the bounded region of a poster frame, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising one or more photographs; and

displaying within the bounded region a photograph from among the one or more photographs based on the determined cursor position.

15. A medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction;

displaying, within the view pane, a plurality of poster frames, each poster frame representing a corresponding media item, a first poster frame being displayed as positioned in a first row extending across the view pane in the horizontal direction such that the first poster frame is displayed substantially adjacent to a first vertical edge of the view pane and subsequent poster frames are displayed substantially adjacent to one another in the first row until a poster frame in the first row is displayed substantially adjacent to a second vertical edge of the view pane; and

displaying a next poster frame in a second row vertically displaced from the first row.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein an order of display of the poster frames corresponds to an order in which the corresponding media items were captured, wherein progression of time corresponds to positioning of the poster frames going from left to right in the horizontal direction and top to bottom in the vertical direction.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the first vertical edge comprises a left edge of the view pane and the second vertical edge comprises a right edge of the view pane.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the second row is below the first row.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein adjacent rows are separated by a space.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the media items comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

21. The medium of claim 15, wherein the media item represents a document, and the document comprises one or more pages.

22. The medium of claim 15, wherein a number of poster frames in a row or a number of rows, or both, automatically changes in response to a user varying the size of the view pane.

23. The medium of claim 15, wherein a first poster frame is separated from a second poster frame by a space.

24. The medium of claim 15, wherein one or more poster frames are hidden from display in response to user input.

25. The medium of claim 24, wherein hiding one or more poster frames from display causes remaining visible poster frames to be repositioned to fill voids corresponding to the hidden poster frames.

26. The medium of claim 15, wherein each of the poster frames have a uniform horizontal dimension and a uniform vertical dimension.

27. The medium of claim 15, wherein the poster frame is represented by a bounded region.

28. The medium of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a position of a cursor within the bounded region of a poster frame, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising one or more photographs; and

displaying within the bounded region a photograph from among the one or more photographs based on the determined cursor position.

29. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; and

displaying, within the view pane, a poster frame represented by a bounded region, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising one or more objects,

wherein, based on an assignment, an assigned object in the container represents the one or more objects in the container, the assigned object displayed within the bounded region of the poster frame.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the assignment is based on factors including one or more of user input, a ranking of the one or more objects in the container, or a quality of the object.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the user input comprises a user choosing the assigned object from among the one or more objects in the container.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the rank of each object in the container is based on user input.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the rank of each object is determined based on a number of times each object is accessed.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the quality of each object is represented by a resolution.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the assigned object is a high resolution object.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

37. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor within the bounded region of the poster frame, wherein one or more positions of the cursor corresponds to one or more objects in the container; and

displaying within the bounded region a first object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the first position in place of the assigned object.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

detecting that the cursor has moved to a second position within the bounded region; and

updating the bounded region to display a second object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the seccnd position.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

displaying a magnifying window adjacent to the cursor; and

displaying the objects in the container corresponding to the cursor position in the magnifying window.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the assigned object is displayed within the bounded region when the cursor is located away from the bounded region.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein a position of the cursor is altered based on user input.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the network is the internet.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.

103. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

displaying a scroll bar adjacent to the poster frame, the scroll bar operatively coupled to the container represented by the poster frame such that one or more positions of a pointer within the scroll bar corresponds to one or more objects in the container; and

displaying within the bounded region a first object from among the one or more objects in place of the assigned object based on a first position of the pointer within the scroll bar.

104. The method of claim 103, further comprising:

detecting that the pointer has moved to a second position within the scroll bar; and

updating the bounded region to display a second object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the second position.

105. The method of claim 103, wherein a position of the pointer is altered based on user Input.

45. A medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction; and

displaying, within the view pane, a poster frame represented by a bounded region, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising one or more objects,

wherein, based on an assignment, an assigned object in the container represents the one or more objects in the container, the assigned object displayed within the bounded region of the poster frame.

46. The medium of claim 45, wherein the assignment is based on factors including one or more of user input, a ranking of the one or more objects in the container, or a quality of the object.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein the user input comprises a user choosing the assigned object from among the one or more objects in the container.

48. The medium of claim 46, wherein the rank of each object in the container is based on user input.

49. The medium of claim 46, wherein the rank of each object is determined based on a number of times each object is accessed.

50. The medium of claim 46, wherein the quality of each object is represented by a resolution.

51. The medium of claim 50, wherein the assigned object is a high resolution object.

52. The medium of claim 45, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

53. The medium of claim 45, further comprising:

determining a first position of a cursor within the bounded region of the poster frame, wherein one or more positions of the cursor corresponds to one or more objects in the container; and

displaying within the bounded region a first object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the first position in place of the assigned object.

54. The medium of claim 53, further comprising:

detecting that the cursor has moved to a second position within the bounded region; and

updating the bounded region to display a second object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the second position.

55. The medium of claim 54, further comprising:

displaying a magnifying window adjacent to the cursor; and

displaying the objects in the container corresponding to the cursor position in the magnifying window.

56. The medium of claim 53, wherein the assigned object is displayed within the bounded region when the cursor is located away from the bounded region.

57. The medium of claim 54, wherein a position of the cursor is altered based on user input.

58. The medium of claim 45, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

59. The medium of claim 58, wherein the network is the internet.

60. The medium of claim 58, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.

106. The medium of claim 45, the operations further comprising:

displaying a scroll bar adjacent to the poster frame, the scroll bar operatively coupled to the container represented by the poster frame such that one or more positions of a pointer within the scroll bar corresponds to one or more objects in the container; and

displaying within the bounded region a first object from among the one or more objects in place of the assigned object based on a first position of the pointer within the scroll bar.

107. The medium of claim 106, the operations further comprising:

detecting that the pointer has moved to a second position within the scroll bar; and

updating the bounded region to display a second object from among the one or more objects corresponding to the second position.

108. The medium of claim 106, wherein a position of the pointer is altered based on user input.

61. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane; and

displaying, within the view pane, one or more representative objects, the one or more representative objects representing a plurality of objects in a container, the container represented by the view pane,

wherein the one or more representative objects are chosen based on an assignment.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the assignment is based on factors including one or more of user input, a ranking of the one or more objects in the container, or a quality of the object.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the user input comprises a user choosing the one or more representative objects from among the plurality of objects in the container.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the rank of each object in the container is based on user input.

65. The method of claim 62, wherein the rank of each object is determined based on a number of times each object is accessed.

66. The method of claim 62, wherein the quality of each object is represented by a resolution.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the assigned object is a high resolution object.

68. The method of claim 61, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

69. The method of claim 61, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

70. The method of claim 63, wherein the network is the internet.

71. The method of claim 63, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.

72. A medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane; and

displaying, within the view pane, one or more representative objects, the one or more representative objects representing a plurality of objects in a container, the container represented by the view pane,

wherein the one or more representative objects are chosen based on an assignment.

73. The medium of claim 72, wherein the assignment is based on factors including one or more of user input, a ranking of the one or more objects in the container, or a quality of the object.

74. The medium of claim 73, wherein the user input comprises a user choosing the one or more representative objects from among the plurality of objects in the container.

75. The medium of claim 73, wherein the rank of each object in the container is based on user input.

76. The medium of claim 73, wherein the rank of each object is determined based on a number of times each object is accessed.

77. The medium of claim 73, wherein the quality of each object is represented by a resolution.

78. The medium of claim 77, wherein the assigned object is a high resolution object.

79. The medium of claim 72, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

80. The medium of claim 72, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

81. The medium of claim 74, wherein the network is the internet.

82. The medium of claim 74, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.

83. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction;

displaying, within the view pane, a poster frame represented by a bounded region, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising a plurality of objects; and

enabling splitting the poster frame into two split poster frames in response to input, each split poster frame displayed in the view pane, each split poster frame representing a split container, the plurality of objects divided among the two split containers.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein a position of a cursor over the poster frame corresponds to an object in the container.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the object corresponding to the position of the cursor is displayed within the bounded region of the poster frame.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the objects in the container are stored in a sequence and the split poster frame comprises objects from the start of the sequence to the object displayed within the bounded region.

88. The method of claim 86, wherein the position of the cursor can be altered based on user input.

89. The method of claim 83, wherein the input is a key stroke on a key board.

90. The method of claim 83, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the network is the internet.

92. The method of claim 90, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.

93. A medium bearing instructions to enable one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

displaying, within a user interface, a view pane having a vertical direction and a horizontal direction;

displaying, within the view pane, a poster frame represented by a bounded region, the poster frame representing a container, the container comprising a plurality of objects; and

enabling splitting the poster frame into two split poster frames in response to input, each split poster frame displayed in the view pane, each split poster frame representing a split container, the plurality of objects divided among the two split containers.

94. The medium of claim 93, wherein the one or more objects comprise one or more of photographs in a digital or digitized format and electronic images.

95. The medium of claim 94, wherein a position of a cursor over the poster frame corresponds to an object in the container.

96. The medium of claim 95, wherein the object corresponding to the position of the cursor is displayed within the bounded region of the poster frame.

97. The medium of claim 96, wherein the objects in the container are stored in a sequence and the split poster frame comprises objects from the start of the sequence to the object displayed within the bounded region.

98. The medium of claim 96, wherein the position of the cursor can be altered based on user input.

99. The medium of claim 93, wherein the input is a key stroke on a key board.

100. The medium of claim 93, wherein the user interface can be transmitted over a network.

101. The medium of claim 100, wherein the network is the internet.

102. The medium of claim 100, wherein the objects displayed in the user interface can be accessed from a remote location connected to the network.