Rich-Context Tagging of Resources

• US 20100146015A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kazai, Gabriella, Rodrigues, Eduarda Mendes, Milic-Frayling, Natasa, Smyth, Gavin
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/812
• 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 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Tagging of resources in order to associate them is described. In an embodiment it is possible to assign tags to resources or switch between resources with different tags, in the context of current work being undertaken by a user. For example, from a single application window that is currently used, a user is able to switch to other resources by tag in an embodiment. Different embodiments illustrate how tags may have multiple purposes and those purposes may evolve thus enabling associated resources to be exposed in different ways. In some embodiments rich metadata about tag usage and/or the use of resource associated with a tag is stored and used to provide additional functionality. Examples are described in which persistence of resources associated with tags is provided and may involve representation of resources such as by duplication of files or by creating alternative representations of resources.

Claims

1. A method of associating resources comprising:

at a memory, storing a data structure holding references to a plurality of resources;

for each resource storing a plurality of tags such that resources are associated by tag; and

for each resource and tag combination storing resource state information comprising information about a context in which the resource has been used.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of the resources are heterogeneous.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises accessing the resources from stored locations, at least some of the resources being stored at different computing environments.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module being arranged to enable a user to tag a resource without the need to open the resource using a software application.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to receive a user input specifying a tag and, in that event, to trigger the display, at a display device, of resources referenced in the data structure which are associated with the specified tag, according to the state information of the displayed resources.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to access and manage the tags, that user interface module comprising a toolbar arranged to be attached to a window of a software application used to display a resource at a display device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to access resources associated with one or more of the tags, that user interface module comprising a toolbar arranged to be attached to a window of a software application used to display a resource at a display device.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to access and manage at least some of the tags, that user interface module being integral with a software application used to display a resource at a display device.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to access resources associated with one or more of the tags, that user interface module being integral with a software application used to display a resource at a display device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises storing tag types in the data structure whereby each tag has at least one type.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 which further comprises providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to access and manage the tags by tag type.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises storing metadata associated with a tag.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the metadata associated with a tag comprises historical information about that tag and its associated resources.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the metadata associated with the tag comprises information about relationships among the associated resources and relationships with other tags.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein at least one tag type indicates whether resources associated with that tag are shared, those resources being stored at a plurality of disparate locations.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises providing a persistence mechanism whereby at least some of the resources are persisted, the persisted resources being selected according to tags associated with those resources.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises automatically selecting tags to associate with at least some of the resources.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises suggesting tags to the user for manual selection of tags to associate with at least some of the resources.

19. A tagging system comprising:

a memory storing a data structure holding references to a plurality of resources;

the memory storing, for each resource a plurality of tags such that resources are associated by tag; and

the memory storing, for each resource and tag combination, resource state information comprising information about a context in which the resource has been used; and

a user interface module being arranged to enable a user to access and manage the tags in conjunction with use of at least one of the resources.

20. One or more device-readable media with device-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

at a memory, storing a data structure holding references to a plurality of resources;

for each resource, storing a plurality of tags such that resources are associated by tag; and

for each resource and tag combination storing resource state information comprising information about a context in which the resource has been used.