Browsing or Searching User Interfaces and Other Aspects

• US 20080307343A1
• Filed: 06/09/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robert, Julien, Goossens, Thomas, Bray, Cedric
• Granted Patent: US 8,201,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder;

displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area.

2. The medium as in claim 1 wherein content of the selected document can be zoomed from the first display area to an enlarged view.

3. The medium as in claim 1 wherein multiple pages of the selected document are configured for display within the first display area in response to receiving an input through a user interface object.

4. The medium as in claim 3 wherein the user interface object comprises a page forward button and a page backward button and wherein the content is displayed through a set of extensible plug-ins which are called by a software component which performs the search using the search query.

5. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the second display area, an input to change the selected document and, in response to the receiving, changing the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area, and wherein the first display area and the second display area are adjacent and in the same moveable, resizeable and closeable window.

6. The medium as in claim 5 wherein the changing comprises scrolling 2-D representations of documents in the first display area.

7. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the content of the selected document is configured to be scrolled within the perimeter of the selected document in the first display area in response to receiving an input from a user interface object.

8. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the second display area displays at least a portion of a list of the documents matching the search query and wherein an order of documents in the list is the same as an order of the 2-D representations in the first display area.

9. The medium as in claim 8 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of a 2-D representation of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the 2-D representation of the selected document.

10. The medium as in claim 9 wherein a first 2-D representation in the first set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the first set to the 2-D representation of the selected document in the first display area and wherein a second 2-D representation in the second set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the second set to the 2-D representation of the selected document and wherein a distance between the first 2-D representation in the first set and the second 2-D representation in the second set substantially exceeds an average distance between adjacent 2-D representations in at least one of the first set and the second set of 2-D representations.

11. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on another side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, and wherein 2-D representations in the first set face toward, with their content, the selected document and wherein the 2-D representations in the second set face toward, with their content, the selected document.

12. The medium as in claim 11 wherein as 2-D representations move from the one side to the another side, the direction their content faces reverses.

13. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the 2-D representations include at least a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, wherein at least one of the 2-D representations in the first set has a first side substantially parallel to and shorter than a second side in the first display area to suggest a perspective view even if the document represented by the at least one of the 2-D representations has an equal length for both the first side and the second side.

14. The medium as in claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a plurality of user interface objects for selecting one of a corresponding plurality of criteria to sort documents displayed in a list in the second display area; and

wherein an order of documents in the list is the same as an order of the 2-D representations in the first display area and wherein receiving a selection of one of the plurality of user interface objects causes a sorting of the documents in the list in the second display area and causes a sorting of the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area and wherein the order of documents in the list in the second display area is the same, after the sortings, as the order of the 2-D representations in the first display area.

15. The medium as in claim 14, wherein the criteria include at least one of:

file name;

file type;

date of creation;

date of modification;

date of last use; and

file size.

16. The medium as in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a scroll control to scroll through the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area, the scroll control being configured to receive an input to change the selected document displayed between a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document.

17. The medium as in claim 16, wherein the scroll control includes a first user interface object to receive an input to scroll in a first direction through the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area and a second user interface object to receive an input to scroll in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction, through the 2-D representations of documents and a third user interface object to receive an input to scroll in either the first direction or the second direction.

18. The medium as in claim 1 wherein content on a page of a selected document is scrollable in a first direction and in a second direction.

19. The medium as in claim 18 wherein the content is scrolled within the 2-D representation of the selected document within the first display area.

20. The medium as in claim 19 wherein the content is scrollable in a zoomed view which shows more detail, the zoomed view being obtained by receiving an input to zoom from a view of the selected document within the first display area.

21. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the selected document comprises time-based media which is operable to be presented within the first display area and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a user interface object configured to receive an input to cause a presenting of the time-based media over time.

22. The medium as in claim 21 wherein the time-based media comprises a movie having a sequence of related images which vary over time.

23. The medium as in claim 22 wherein the method comprises displaying a user interface object configured to receive an input to cause the time-based media to be presented in an enlarged view.

24. The medium as in claim 23 wherein the time-based media is presented in the enlarged view by progressively enlarging the time-based media while the time-based media is being presented.

25. The medium as in claim 24 wherein the time-based media appears to be presented without substantial interruption as it is progressively enlarging.

26. The medium as in claim 25 wherein a border around the time-based media is progressively enlarged as the time-based media is progressively enlarged.

27. A machine implemented method comprising:

displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder;

displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area.

28. The method as in claim 27 wherein content of the selected document can be zoomed from the first display area to an enlarged view.

29. The method as in claim 27 wherein multiple pages of the selected document are configured for display within the first display area in response to receiving an input through a user interface object.

30. The method as in claim 29 wherein the user interface object comprises a page forward button and a page backward button and wherein the content is displayed through a set of extensible plug-ins which are called by a software component which performs the search using the search query.

31. The method as in claim 27 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the second display area, an input to change the selected document and, in response to the receiving, changing the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area, and wherein the first display area and the second display area are adjacent and in the same moveable, resizeable and closeable window.

32. The method as in claim 31 wherein the changing comprises scrolling 2-D representations of documents in the first display area.

33. The method as in claim 27 wherein the content of the selected document is configured to be scrolled within the perimeter of the selected document in the first display area in response to receiving an input from a user interface object.

34. The method as in claim 27 wherein the second display area displays at least a portion of a list of the documents matching the search query and wherein an order of documents in the list is the same as an order of the 2-D representations in the first display area.

35. The method as in claim 34 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of a 2-D representation of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the 2-D representation of the selected document.

36. The method as in claim 35 wherein a first 2-D representation in the first set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the first set to the 2-D representation of the selected document in the first display area and wherein a second 2-D representation in the second set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the second set to the 2-D representation of the selected document and wherein a distance between the first 2-D representation in the first set and the second 2-D representation in the second set substantially exceeds an average distance between adjacent 2-D representations in at least one of the first set and the second set of 2-D representations.

37. The method as in claim 27 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on another side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, and wherein 2-D representations in the first set face toward, with their content, the selected document and wherein the 2-D representations in the second set face toward, with their content, the selected document.

38. The method as in claim 37 wherein as 2-D representations move from the one side to the another side, the direction their content faces reverses.

39. The method as in claim 27 wherein the 2-D representations include at least a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, wherein at least one of the 2-D representations in the first set has a first side substantially parallel to and shorter than a second side in the first display area to suggest a perspective view even if the document represented by the at least one of the 2-D representations has an equal length for both the first side and the second side.

40. The method as in claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a plurality of user interface objects for selecting one of a corresponding plurality of criteria to sort documents displayed in a list in the second display area; and

wherein an order of documents in the list is the same as an order of the 2-D representations in the first display area and wherein receiving a selection of one of the plurality of user interface objects causes a sorting of the documents in the list in the second display area and causes a sorting of the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area and wherein the order of documents in the list in the second display area is the same, after the sortings, as the order of the 2-D representations in the first display area.

41. The method as in claim 40, wherein the criteria include at least one of:

file name;

file type;

date of creation;

date of modification;

date of last use; and

file size.

42. The method as in claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a scroll control to scroll through the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area, the scroll control being configured to receive an input to change the selected document displayed between a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document.

43. The method as in claim 42, wherein the scroll control includes a first user interface object to receive an input to scroll in a first direction through the 2-D representations of documents in the first display area and a second user interface object to receive an input to scroll in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction, through the 2-D representations of documents and a third user interface object to receive an input to scroll in either the first direction or the second direction.

44. The method as in claim 27 wherein content on a page of a selected document is scrollable in a first direction and in a second direction.

45. The method as in claim 44 wherein the content is scrolled within the 2-D representation of the selected document within the first display area.

46. The method as in claim 45 wherein the content is scrollable in a zoomed view which shows more detail, the zoomed view being obtained by receiving an input to zoom from a view of the selected document within the first display area.

47. The method as in claim 27 wherein the selected document comprises time-based media which is operable to be presented within the first display area and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a user interface object configured to receive an input to cause a presenting of the time-based media over time.

48. The method as in claim 47 wherein the time-based media comprises a movie having a sequence of related images which vary over time.

49. The method as in claim 48 wherein the method comprises displaying a user interface object configured to receive an input to cause the time-based media to be presented in an enlarged view.

50. The method as in claim 49 wherein the time-based media is presented in the enlarged view by progressively enlarging the time-based media while the time-based media is being presented.

51. The method as in claim 50 wherein the time-based media appears to be presented without substantial interruption as it is progressively enlarging.

52. The method as in claim 51 wherein a border around the time-based media is progressively enlarged as the time-based media is progressively enlarged.

53. A data processing system comprising:

means for displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder;

means for displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area.

54. A computer readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of at least a portion of files and folders in a hierarchical file system, the first display area configured to display content of the files in the first display area;

displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area, the second display area displaying the 2-D representations of the at least a portion of files and folders in the hierarchical file system.

55. The medium as in claim 54, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying at least one scrolling user interface object to receive an input to cause scrolling of the 2-D representations in the first display area and to cause scrolling of the 2-D representations in the second display area.

56. The medium as in claim 55 wherein the scrolling is linked between the first display area and the second display area, and wherein the at least one scrolling user interface object comprises a first user interface object to receive a first input to scroll in a first direction through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area and a second user interface object to receive a second input to scroll in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction, through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area and a third user interface object to receive a third input to scroll in either the first direction or the second direction through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area.

57. The medium as in claim 55 wherein the first display area and the second display area are adjacent and within a first window which is moveable, resizeable and closeable and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the second display area, an input to change the selected document and, in response to the receiving, changing the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area.

58. The medium as in claim 57 wherein the changing comprises scrolling the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area and wherein the content is displayed through a set of extensible plug-ins which are called by a software component which displays a user interface to interact with the hierarchical file system.

59. The medium as in claim 57 wherein the second display area is configured to display in a list the at least a portion of the files and folders in the hierarchical file system and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a plurality of user interface objects for selecting one of a corresponding plurality of criteria to sort the files and folders displayed in the list in the second display area; and

wherein an order of the files in the list in the second display area is the same as the order of the files in the first display area and wherein receiving a selection of one of the plurality of user interface objects causes a sorting of the files in the second display area and the first display area and wherein the order of the files in the list is the same, after the sortings, as the order of the files in the first display area.

60. The medium as in claim 59, wherein the criteria include at least one of:

file name;

file type;

date of creation;

date of modification;

date of last use; and

file size.

61. The medium as in claim 60 wherein the first window is configured to receive at least one user input for at least one of the following actions in the hierarchical file system:

(a) move a file within the hierarchical file system (FS);

(b) create a copy of a file in the HFS;

(c) delete a file in the HFS;

(d) create a new folder in the HFS;

(e) move a folder in the HFS;

(f) create a copy of a folder in the HFS;

(g) delete a folder in the HFS;

(h) move a file from a first folder to a second folder in the HFS; and

(i) change a name of a file in the HFS.

62. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the 2-D representations in the first display area include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document in the first display area and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document, and wherein a first 2-D representation in the first set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the first set to the 2-D representation of the selected document in the first display area and wherein a second 2-D representation in the second set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the second set to the 2-D representation of the selected document and wherein a distance between the first 2-D representation in the first set and the second 2-D representation in the second set substantially exceeds an average distance between adjacent 2-D representations in at least one of the first set and the second set of 2-D representations.

63. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document in the first display area and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document, and wherein 2-D representations in the first set face toward, with their content, the selected document and wherein the 2-D representations in the second set face toward, with their content, the selected document.

64. The medium as in claim 63 wherein as 2-D representations move from the one side to the other side, the direction their content faces reverses.

65. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the 2-D representations include at least a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, and wherein at least one of the 2-D representations in the first set has a first side substantially parallel to and shorter than a second side in the first display area to suggest a perspective view even if the document represented by the at least one of the 2-D representations has an equal length for both the first side and the second side.

66. The medium as in claim 61 wherein content of the selected document is zoomable from the first display area to an enlarged view.

67. The medium as in claim 61 wherein multiple pages of the selected document are configured for display within the first display area in response to receiving an input through a user interface object.

68. The medium as in claim 67 wherein the user interface object comprises a page forward button and a page backward button.

69. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the content of the selected document is configured to be scrolled within the perimeter of the selected document in the first display area in response to receiving an input from a user interface object.

70. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the content of the selected document is scrollable in a zoomed view which shows more detail than the selected document in the first display area, the zoomed view being obtained by receiving an input to zoom from a view of the selected document within the first display area.

71. The medium as in claim 61 wherein the selected document comprises time-based media which is operable to be presented within the first display area and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a first user interface object configured to receive an input to cause a presenting of the time-based media over time;

displaying a second user interface object configured to receive an input to cause the time-based media to be presented in an enlarged view.

72. A machine implemented method comprising:

displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of at least a portion of files and folders in a hierarchical file system, the first display area configured to display content of the files in the first display area;

displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area, the second display area displaying the 2-D representations of the at least a portion of files and folders in the hierarchical file system.

73. The method as in claim 72, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying at least one scrolling user interface object to receive an input to cause scrolling of the 2-D representations in the first display area and to cause scrolling of the 2-D representations in the second display area.

74. The method as in claim 73 wherein the scrolling is linked between the first display area and the second display area, and wherein the at least one scrolling user interface object comprises a first user interface object to receive a first input to scroll in a first direction through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area and a second user interface object to receive a second input to scroll in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction, through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area and a third user interface object to receive a third input to scroll in either the first direction or the second direction through the 2-D representations in both the first display area and the second display area.

75. The method as in claim 73 wherein the first display area and the second display area are adjacent and within a first window which is moveable, resizeable and closeable and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the second display area, an input to change the selected document and, in response to the receiving, changing the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area.

76. The method as in claim 75 wherein the changing comprises scrolling the 2-D representations of documents displayed in the first display area and wherein the content is displayed through a set of extensible plug-ins which are called by a software component which displays a user interface to interact with the hierarchical file system.

77. The method as in claim 75 wherein the second display area is configured to display in a list the at least a portion of the files and folders in the hierarchical file system and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a plurality of user interface objects for selecting one of a corresponding plurality of criteria to sort the files and folders displayed in the list in the second display area; and

wherein an order of the files in the list in the second display area is the same as the order of the files in the first display area and wherein receiving a selection of one of the plurality of user interface objects causes a sorting of the files in the second display area and the first display area and wherein the order of the files in the list is the same, after the sortings, as the order of the files in the first display area.

78. The method as in claim 77, wherein the criteria include at least one of:

file name;

file type;

date of creation;

date of modification;

date of last use; and

file size.

79. The method as in claim 78 wherein the first window is configured to receive at least one user input for at least one of the following actions in the hierarchical file system:

(a) move a file within the hierarchical file system (HFS);

(b) create a copy of a file in the HFS;

(c) delete a file in the HFS;

(d) create a new folder in the HFS;

(e) move a folder in the HFS;

(f) create a copy of a folder in the HFS;

(g) delete a folder in the HFS;

(h) move a file from a first folder to a second folder in the HFS; and

(i) change a name of a file in the HFS.

80. The method as in claim 79 wherein the 2-D representations in the first display area include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document in the first display area and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document, and wherein a first 2-D representation in the first set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the first set to the 2-D representation of the selected document in the first display area and wherein a second 2-D representation in the second set of 2-D representations is the closest 2-D representation in the second set to the 2-D representation of the selected document and wherein a distance between the first 2-D representation in the first set and the second 2-D representation in the second set substantially exceeds an average distance between adjacent 2-D representations in at least one of the first set and the second set of 2-D representations.

81. The method as in claim 79 wherein the 2-D representations include a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the selected document in the first display area and a second set of 2-D representations on the other side of the selected document, and wherein 2-D representations in the first set face toward, with their content, the selected document and wherein the 2-D representations in the second set face toward, with their content, the selected document.

82. The method as in claim 81 wherein as 2-D representations move from the one side to the other side, the direction their content faces reverses.

83. The method as in claim 79 wherein the 2-D representations include at least a first set of 2-D representations on one side of the 2-D representation of the selected document, and wherein at least one of the 2-D representations in the first set has a first side substantially parallel to and shorter than a second side in the first display area to suggest a perspective view even if the document represented by the at least one of the 2-D representations has an equal length for both the first side and the second side.

84. The method as in claim 79 wherein content of the selected document is zoomable from the first display area to an enlarged view.

85. The method as in claim 79 wherein multiple pages of the selected document are configured for display within the first display area in response to receiving an input through a user interface object.

86. The method as in claim 85 wherein the user interface object comprises a page forward button and a page backward button.

87. The method as in claim 79 wherein the content of the selected document is configured to be scrolled within the perimeter of the selected document in the first display area in response to receiving an input from a user interface object.

88. The method as in claim 79 wherein the content of the selected document is scrollable in a zoomed view which shows more detail than the selected document in the first display area, the zoomed view being obtained by receiving an input to zoom from a view of the selected document within the first display area.

89. The method as in claim 79 wherein the selected document comprises time-based media which is operable to be presented within the first display area and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying a first user interface object configured to receive an input to cause a presenting of the time-based media over time;

displaying a second user interface object configured to receive an input to cause the time-based media to be presented in an enlarged view.

90. A data processing system comprising:

means for displaying a first display area for displaying 2-dimensional (2-D) representations of at least a portion of files and folders in a hierarchical file system, the first display area configured to display content of the files in the first display area;

means for displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area, the second display area displaying the 2-D representations of the at least a portion of files and folders in the hierarchical file system.