Machine, Program Product, And Computer-Implemented Method For Randomized Slide Show Of Files

• US 20100131851A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Randall Reese
• Original Assignee: Randall Reese
• Inventors: Culotta, Keith, Reese, Randall
• Application Number:
  US12/621,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131851A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/732
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• 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 3/04817 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/08 Sorting, i.e. grouping record carriers in numerical or other ordered sequence according to the classification of at least some of the information they carry by merging two or more sets of carriers in ordered sequence G06F7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A user specifies in a database a plurality of files for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files so that only specified files are to be displayed. The plurality of files and the database can be stored on a remote server with user access through an electronic communications network. The user can save criteria for a particular configuration, including a list of predetermined categories associated with a life of the user from which to draw files, a number of files to display, a display duration, and a number of repetitions. A set of files from the plurality of files specified for inclusion in the slide show is randomly selected, responsive to user criteria. A display device displays the randomly selected set of files in the slide show. The steps of randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show are repeated.

Claims

1. A file management machine to perform a process of randomly selecting a set of files from a plurality of files specified in a database for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files responsive to user criteria and a process of displaying the randomly selected set of files in the slide show on a display device, the file management machine comprising:

at least one database adapted to store the plurality of files specified for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files;

a computer configured as a file management computer adapted to communicate with the at least one database and the display device, the file management computer having at least a processor and a tangible memory; and

a computer program product operable on the file management computer and stored in the memory, the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the file management computer, cause the file management computer to perform the operations of;

specifying in the at least one database the plurality of files for inclusion in the randomized slide show of files so that only specified files are displayed,

randomly selecting a set of files from the plurality of files specified in the database for inclusion in the slide show responsive to user criteria,

displaying the randomly selected set of files in the slide show on the display device, and

repeating the operations of randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show responsive to user criteria.

2. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein each file of the plurality of files has been assigned to a predetermined category associated with a life of a user through a user action, and wherein the user criteria includes a list of predetermined categories from which to select files.

3. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the user criteria for randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show includes a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that a user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

4. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein a user can name, save, and retrieve the user criteria for a particular configuration.

5. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the display device includes an electronic picture frame wirelessly communicating to a user computer.

6. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the display device includes a television.

7. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein a user is one of a plurality of users;

wherein the file management computer is a first computer being remote from the user and in communication with a plurality of second computers through an electronic communications network, each second computer associated with one of the plurality of users and configured as a user computer, the first computer associated with the at least one database so that the at least one database is remote from the plurality of user computers; and

wherein the display device includes one of the plurality of user computers.

8. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the file management computer is a first computer being associated with a user and in communication with a second computer through an electronic communications network, the second computer being configured as a file management server and associated with the at least one database so that the at least one database is remote from the first computer and the user.

9. A computer program product, stored on a tangible computer memory media, operable on a computer, the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the operations of:

specifying in a database a plurality of files for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files so that only specified files are displayed;

randomly selecting a set of files from the plurality of files specified in the database for inclusion in the slide show responsive to user criteria;

displaying the randomly selected set of files in the slide show on a display device; and

repeating the operations of randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show responsive to user criteria.

10. A computer program product of claim 9, wherein each file of the plurality of files has been assigned to a predetermined category associated with a life of a user through a user action;

and

wherein the user criteria includes a list of predetermined categories from which to select files.

11. A computer program product of claim 9, wherein the user criteria for randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show includes a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that a user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

12. A computer program product of claim 9, wherein a user can name, save, and retrieve the user criteria for a particular configuration.

13. A computer program product of claim 9, wherein the display device includes one or more of the following:

a user computer;

an electronic picture frame connected to the user computer;

an electronic picture frame wirelessly communicating to the user computer; and

a television.

14. A computer program product of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise storing the plurality of files and the database on a remote server so that a user can access the plurality of files and the database through an electronic communications network.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

specifying in a database a plurality of files for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files so that only specified files are displayed;

randomly selecting, by a computer, a set of files from the plurality of files specified in the database for inclusion in the slide show responsive to user criteria;

displaying, by the computer, the randomly selected set of files in the slide show on a display device; and

repeating, by the computer, the steps of randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show responsive to user criteria.

16. A computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein each file of the plurality of files has been assigned to a predetermined category associated with a life of a user through a user action;

and

wherein the user criteria includes a list of predetermined categories from which to select files.

17. A computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the user criteria for randomly selecting and displaying the set of files in the slide show includes a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that a user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

18. A computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein a user can name, save, and retrieve the user criteria for a particular configuration.

19. A computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the display device includes one or more of the following:

a user computer;

an electronic picture frame connected to the user computer;

an electronic picture frame wirelessly communicating to the user computer; and

a television.

20. A computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing the plurality of files and the database on a remote server so that a user can access the plurality of files and the database through an electronic communications network.