SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER MODIFICATION OF METADATA IN A SHELL BROWSER

• US 20100281390A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: HALLY, JUDSON CRAIG, KURTZ, JAMES BRIAN, SHELDON, DAVID JOEL, BEAM, TYLER KIEN, DEVORCHIK, DAVID GEORGE, GUZAK, CHRIS J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,555,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system and method for user modification of metadata in a shell browser. A group of items and associated metadata values are displayed in a window of the shell browser. An edit control permits user modification of metadata values displayed in the window. The user can modify metadata associated with a welcome pane, a selected item, or multiple selected items. A data structure stored on one or more computer-readable media contains metadata associated with items displayed in a shell browser, including user modifiable metadata which is also displayed in the shell browser.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to modify metadata within an operating-system browser, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of items;

receiving a selection of one of the items of the plurality of items;

displaying metadata associated with the one of the items; and

providing an operating-system interface element that permits, without opening an application running in the operating system, user modification of the metadata.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items includes one or more files.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items includes one or more non-file objects.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items includes one or more folders.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items includes a folder and contents of the folder.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is displayed together with a preview of a selected one of the group of items.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the operating-system interface element includes a context menu that is shown in response to user selection of metadata associated with the one of the items.

8. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device having an operating system, facilitate a method of enabling a user to modify metadata within an operating-system browser, the method comprising:

displaying an item together with metadata of the item;

receiving a user selection of the metadata; and

responsive to the user selection, without opening an application running in the operating system, modifying the metadata to create modified metadata, wherein the modified metadata is application-neutral such that the modified metadata is available to a subsequent requesting application.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein modifying the metadata includes adding new metadata, editing the metadata that is displayed, or a combination thereof.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the user selection is received when a cursor is hovered over the metadata that is displayed.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the item includes a file.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the item includes a non-file object.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8 further comprising, responsive to the user selection, displaying a context menu that enables modification of the metadata.

14. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device having an operating system, generate a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising:

a display window of an operating-system browser, the display window divided into a first pane, which displays a graphical item representing a file, and a second pane, which displays application-neutral metadata of the file that is represented by the graphical item; and

an operating system interface element that permits, without invoking an application running in the operating system, user modification of the metadata displayed in the second pane.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the user modification is application-neutral, such that a modified metadata value is available to subsequent requesting applications.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the user modification is in response to a user selection of the metadata to directly modify the metadata in the second pane.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the user modification includes adding new metadata, editing the metadata that is displayed, or a combination thereof.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein a user selection of the metadata is received when a cursor is hovered over the metadata that is displayed in the second pane.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the operating-system browser supports a plurality of item types.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the plurality of item types includes music files, picture files, and document files.