HIERARCHICAL TAG BASED BROWSING OF MEDIA COLLECTIONS

• US 20090164946A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Liddington, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A method of browsing a plurality of media items is disclosed. At least one of the media items being associated with a plurality of tag values, each tag value having a level. The method constructs a hierarchical tree structure of tag values according to the levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch of the tree structure from a first tag value is associated with a media item with which said first tag value is associated. At least a first portion of the constructed tree structure is displayed in a graphical user interface. User input is detected to change the level of a second tag value in the displayed portion. The tree structure is reconstructed according to the changed levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch from a third tag value remains associated with a media item with which said third tag value is associated. At least a second portion of the reconstructed tree structure is then displayed in the graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method of browsing a plurality of media items, at least one of said media items being associated with a plurality of tag values, each tag value having a level, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) constructing a hierarchical tree structure of tag values according to the levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch of the tree structure from a first tag value is associated with a media item with which said first tag value is associated;

(b) displaying at least a first portion of the constructed tree structure in a graphical user interface;

(c) changing, in response to a user input, the level of a second tag value in the displayed portion;

(d) reconstructing the tree structure according to the changed levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch from a third tag value remains associated with a media item with which said third tag value is associated; and

(e) displaying at least a second portion of the reconstructed tree structure in the graphical user interface.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein items displayed for a selected position in the tree structure have the tag value for said selected position in the tree structure and all tag values in the path to a root of the tree structure from said selected position.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein items are displayed in the tree structure by a node indicating no tag at the particular level.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the no tag at the particular level node is isolated in the tree structure representation from other nodes hierarchically connected in the structure

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user input, one of hiding or un-hiding a tag from display below a higher level tag, such that media items with such a hidden tag remain visible below the higher level tag but are not visible under the hidden tag.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising testing a threshold set on a number or percentage of items below which a lower level tag is automatically hidden, and hiding the lower level tag when such threshold is exceeded.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatic promotion of tags which cover larger portion percentage of collection.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising using at least one of a dictionary and pre-defined word relationships to aid automatic determination of tag levels.

9. A method of browsing a plurality of media items, at least one of said media items being associated with a plurality of tag values, each tag value having a level, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) constructing an organisational structure of tag values such that if a media item is associated with a first tag and a second tag, and said first tag has a higher level than said second tag, a relationship is created between said first and second tags;

(b) displaying at least a first portion of the constructed structure in a graphical user interface;

(c) changing, in response to a user input, the level of a third tag value;

(d) reconstructing the organizational structure such that if a media item is associated with each of a fourth tag and a fifth tag, and said fourth tag has a higher level than said fifth tag, a relationship is created between said fourth tag and said fifth tag; and

(e) displaying at least a second portion of the reconstructed structure in the graphical user interface.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said organisational structure is a tree structure and said relationship is a tree branch.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said organizational is a set of lookup tables and said relationship is defined in the lookup tables.

12. A computer readable storage medium having a computer program recorded thereon, the program being executable by a computer device to browse a plurality of media items, at least one of said media items being associated with a plurality of tag values, each tag value having a level, the program comprising:

code for constructing a hierarchical tree structure of tag values according to the levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch of the tree structure from a first tag value is associated with a media item with which said first tag value is associated;

code for displaying at least a first portion of the constructed tree structure in a graphical user interface;

code for changing, in response to a user input, the level of a second tag value in the displayed portion;

code for reconstructing the tree structure according to the changed levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch from a third tag value remains associated with a media item with which said third tag value is associated; and

code for displaying at least a second portion of the reconstructed tree structure in the graphical user interface.

13. A computer readable storage medium, according to claim 12, wherein items displayed for a selected position in the tree structure have the tag value for said selected position in the tree structure and all tag values in the path to a root of the tree structure from said selected position.

14. A computer readable storage medium, according to claim 13, wherein items are displayed in the tree structure by a node indicating no tag at the particular level.

15. A computer readable storage medium, according to claim 13, wherein the no tag at the particular level node is isolated in the tree structure representation from other nodes hierarchically connected in the structure

16. Computer apparatus for browsing a plurality of media items, at least one of said media items being associated with a plurality of tag values, each tag value having a level, the apparatus comprising:

a construction unit configured to construct a hierarchical tree structure of tag values according to the levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch of the tree structure from a first tag value is associated with a media item with which said first tag value is associated;

a first displaying unit configured to display at least a first portion of the constructed tree structure in a graphical user interface;

a changing unit configured to change, in response to a user input, the level of a second tag value in the displayed portion;

a reconstructing unit configured to reconstruct the tree structure according to the changed levels of the tag values, such that any tag value on any branch from a third tag value remains associated with a media item with which said third tag value is associated; and

a second displaying unit configured to display at least a second portion of the reconstructed tree structure in the graphical user interface.

17. Computer apparatus according to claim 16, wherein items displayed for a selected position in the tree structure have the tag value for said selected position in the tree structure and all tag values in the path to a root of the tree structure from said selected position.

18. Computer apparatus according to claim 17, wherein items are displayed in the tree structure by a node indicating no tag at the particular level and wherein the no tag at the particular level node is isolated in the tree structure representation from other nodes hierarchically connected in the structure.