Gallery Application For Content Viewing

• US 20110126155A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cooliris Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Austin W., Krishnaraj, Venkat, Bhumkar, Soujanya, Rathnam, Aditya
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/18 Image warping, e.g. rearranging pixels individually

Abstract

A gallery software application enables a user to browse, view, and interact with various content items, such as still images and videos. The gallery includes a graphical user interface, where a content item is represented by an image. A group of content items is represented by a displayed stack of partially-overlapping images. A content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information. This information is used to divide the content items into groups.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for browsing content items, wherein the content items are divided into groups, and wherein a content item is represented by an image, comprising:

displaying a plurality of images in a stack mode, wherein a group of content items is represented by a stack of partially-overlapping images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content items are divided into groups based on locations in which the content items are stored.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content items are divided into groups based on geo-location information associated with the content items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content items are divided into groups based on timestamp information associated with the content items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of images in a stack is determined based on a number of content items in a group represented by the stack.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein content items in a group are ordered, and wherein a stack includes images of group content items that are within an interval of the order.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a determination of which images to include in a stack is based on which group content items have been flagged.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a determination of which images to include in a stack is based on which group content items have been viewed most often.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a determination of which images to include in a stack is based on timestamp information associated with the group content items.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an image in a stack is randomly rotated.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input of pressing down on a stack for a threshold period of time; and

in response to the user input, animating positions of images in the stack so that the images spreads out from each other.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input of pressing down on a stack for a threshold period of time; and

in response to the user input, providing tactile feedback.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input of pressing down on a stack for a threshold period of time; and

in response to the user input, entering a multi-select mode such that a single gesture is sufficient to select a stack.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a stack includes a label that describes geo-location information associated with the content items represented by the stack.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a user input that indicates a stack label; and

in response to the user input;

determining which content items are associated with geo-location information that satisfies the stack label; and

displaying images representing the determined content items in a grid mode, wherein the images are displayed in a grid of rows and columns

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user input comprises a single tap or click on an icon adjacent to the stack label.

17. A computer-implemented method for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount;

responsive to the time difference not exceeding the threshold time amount, adding the current content item to the current group; and

responsive to the time difference exceeding the threshold time amount;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount; and

responsive to the geographical distance exceeding the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to the geographical distance not exceeding the threshold distance amount;

determining whether the current group should be split into two groups;

responsive to determining that the current group should be split into two groups;

removing one or more content items from the current group; and

creating a new group that includes the removed content items.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining whether the current group should be split into two groups is performed based on how many content items are in the current group.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining whether the current group should be split into two groups is further performed based on timestamp information associated with a content item that is in the current group.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining whether the current group should be combined with a previous group;

responsive to determining that the current group should be combined with the previous group;

removing all of the content items from the current group; and

adding the removed content items to the previous group.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether the current group should be combined with the previous group is performed based on how many content items are in the current group and how many content items are in the previous group.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein determining whether the current group should be combined with the previous group is performed based on geo-location information associated with a content item that is in the current group and geo-location information associated with a content item that is in the previous group.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein a content item is a static image, and wherein geo-location information associated with the content item comprises a geographical location shown in the static image.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein a content item is a static image, and wherein timestamp information associated with the content item comprises a time at which the static image was created.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein a group represents an event.

27. A computer-implemented method for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount;

responsive to the geographical distance exceeding the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item; and

responsive to the geographical distance not exceeding the threshold time amount;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount; and

responsive to the time difference exceeding the threshold time amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responsive to the time difference not exceeding the threshold time amount, adding the current content item to the current group.

29. A computer-implemented method for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount; and

when the time difference exceeds the threshold time amount or the geographical distance exceeds the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

when the time difference does not exceed the threshold time amount and the geographical distance does not exceed the threshold distance amount, adding the current content item to the current group.

31. A computer program product for browsing content items, wherein the content items are divided into groups, and wherein a content item is represented by an image, the computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing computer program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of images in a stack mode, wherein a group of content items is represented by a stack of partially-overlapping images.

32. A computer program product for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, the computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing computer program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount;

responsive to the time difference not exceeding the threshold time amount, adding the current content item to the current group; and

responsive to the time difference exceeding the threshold time amount;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount; and

responsive to the geographical distance exceeding the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.

33. A computer program product for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, the computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing computer program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount;

responsive to the geographical distance exceeding the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item; and

responsive to the geographical distance not exceeding the threshold time amount;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount; and

responsive to the time difference exceeding the threshold time amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.

34. A computer program product for dividing content items into groups, wherein a content item is associated with geo-location information and timestamp information, the computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing computer program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

identifying a current group of content items, a previous content item, and a current content item;

identifying a first timestamp associated with the previous content item and a second timestamp associated with the current content item;

identifying a first geo-location associated with the previous content item and a second geo-location associated with the current content item;

determining whether a time difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp exceeds a threshold time amount;

determining whether a geographical distance between the first geo-location and the second geo-location exceeds a threshold distance amount; and

when the time difference exceeds the threshold time amount or the geographical distance exceeds the threshold distance amount, creating a new group that includes the current content item.