MINI-FORM VIEW FOR DATA RECORDS

• US 20110078109A1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Griggs, Ryan, Nelson, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for mini-form view of data records are described. Each data records can be formatted according to a layout. The layout can define an arrangement of various data fields for display. To display multiple data records, an image can be created for each formatted data record. Each image can be a snapshot of the formatted data record. The image can have a size that is smaller than the size of the layout. The arrangement of the data fields can be preserved in the image. Multiple images of formatted data records can be displayed in a single window. By displaying formatted data records in images, the “look and feel” in the layout of each data record can be preserved, even when multiple records are displayed. The mini-form view can display data records from multiple shared databases.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

constructing a formatted view of a data record according to an arrangement of data components, the arrangement defined in a layout, the layout specifying an original size;

creating an image corresponding to the formatted view, the image preserving the arrangement of the data components and having an image size that differs from the original size specified by the layout; and

on a display device, displaying a plurality of display items in a display pattern, the display items including the image of the formatted view.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection selecting the image; and

displaying the formatted view corresponding to the selected image in a display area in the original size specified by the layout.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an input from the display area, the input modifying one or more of the data components of the formatted view;

updating the data record in response to the input; and

propagate the updated data record to other display items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of display items in a display pattern includes displaying the display items in a grid pattern.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

acquiring a library of display items, the display items organized into two or more levels;

displaying one or more display items having a first-level according to a display pattern in a display area;

receiving a selection of a first-level display item, the display item corresponding to a plurality of second-level display items; and

in response to the selection, animating the selected display item, including displaying the second-level display items that correspond to the first-level display item in a display area occupied by the first-level display item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein animating the selected image further includes iterating through the second-level display items and displaying each of the second-level display items for a period of time.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the selection comprises moving across at least a portion of the display item using a pointing device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the display items include images of formatted views, each formatted view including one or more data records formatted according to a layout.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the formatted views are retrieved remotely from one or more shared databases.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the first-level display items corresponds to a layout, the layout defining display arrangements of one or more data components, and wherein the second-level display items correspond to data records formatted according to the layout, each data component corresponding to a data field in the data record.

11. A computer program product encoded on a computer storage medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

constructing a formatted view of a data record according to an arrangement of data components, the arrangement defined in a layout, the layout specifying an original size;

creating an image corresponding to the formatted view, the image preserving the arrangement of the data components and having an image size that differs from the original size specified by the layout; and

on a display device, displaying a plurality of display items in a display pattern, the display items including the image of the formatted view.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection selecting the image; and

displaying the formatted view corresponding to the selected image in a display area in the original size specified by the layout.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the display area, the input modifying one or more of the data components of the formatted view;

updating the data record in response to the input; and

propagate the updated data record to other display items.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein displaying the plurality of display items in a display pattern includes displaying the display items in a grid pattern.

15. A computer program product encoded on a computer storage medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

acquiring a library of display items, the display items organized into two or more levels;

displaying one or more display items having a first-level according to a display pattern in a display area;

receiving a selection of a first-level display item, the display item corresponding to a plurality of second-level display items; and

in response to the selection, animating the selected display item, including displaying the second-level display items that correspond to the first-level display item in a display area occupied by the first-level display item.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein animating the selected image further includes iterating through the second-level display items and displaying each of the second-level display items for a period of time.

17. The product of claim 15, wherein the selection comprises moving across at least a portion of the display item using a pointing device.

18. The product of claim 15, wherein the display items include images of formatted views, each formatted view including one or more data records formatted according to a layout.

19. The product of claim 18, wherein the formatted views are retrieved remotely from one or more shared databases.

20. The product of claim 15, wherein the first-level display items corresponds to a layout, the layout defining display arrangements of one or more data components, and wherein the second-level display items correspond to data records formatted according to the layout, each data component corresponding to a data field in the data record.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more computers configured to perform operations including;

constructing a formatted view of a data record according to an arrangement of data components, the arrangement defined in a layout, the layout specifying an original size;

creating an image corresponding to the formatted view, the image preserving the arrangement of the data components and having an image size that differs from the original size specified by the layout; and

on a display device, displaying a plurality of display items in a display pattern, the display items including the image of the formatted view.

22. The system of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection selecting the image; and

displaying the formatted view corresponding to the selected image in a display area in the original size specified by the layout.

23. The system of claim 22, the operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the display area, the input modifying one or more of the data components of the formatted view;

updating the data record in response to the input; and

propagate the updated data record to other display items.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein displaying the plurality of display items in a display pattern includes displaying the display items in a grid pattern.

25. A system, comprising:

one or more computers configured to perform operation including;

acquiring a library of display items, the display items organized into two or more levels;

displaying one or more display items having a first-level according to a display pattern in a display area;

receiving a selection of a first-level display item, the display item corresponding to a plurality of second-level display items; and

in response to the selection, animating the selected display item, including displaying the second-level display items that correspond to the first-level display item in a display area occupied by the first-level display item.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein animating the selected image further includes iterating through the second-level display items and displaying each of the second-level display items for a period of time.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the selection comprises moving across at least a portion of the display item using a pointing device.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the display items include images of formatted views, each formatted view including one or more data records formatted according to a layout.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the formatted views are retrieved remotely from one or more shared databases.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the first-level display items corresponds to a layout, the layout defining display arrangements of one or more data components, and wherein the second-level display items correspond to data records formatted according to the layout, each data component corresponding to a data field in the data record.