Graphical Multidimensional File Management System and Method

• US 20110307832A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: AUDET, Mathieu
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon that provides, when executed by a computer, a method for displaying a plurality of information elements on a display is hereby provided, the method comprising displaying a plurality of juxtaposed information elements defining a first axis thereof, selecting one information element from the plurality of displayed information elements, and displaying a plurality of user-selectable elements related to the selected information element, some of the plurality of user-selectable elements being substantially vertically disposed in respect of one another substantially defining a second axis thereof, the second axis being disposed at an angle in respect with the first axis. A method providing same is also hereby provided.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon that provides, when executed by a computer, a method for displaying a plurality of information elements on a display, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of juxtaposed information elements defining a first axis thereof;

selecting one information element from the plurality of displayed information elements; and

displaying a plurality of user-selectable elements related to the selected information element, some of the plurality of user-selectable elements being substantially vertically disposed in respect of one another substantially defining a second axis thereof, the second axis being disposed at an angle in respect with the first axis.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the axes are adapted to be axially scrolled.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements from the second axis are hyperlinks.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selection of the information element from the first axis modifies the visual aspect of the selected information element.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the display includes is a touch screen adapted to interact with a body part of a user.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least some of the information elements from the first axis are images of music albums and wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements from the second axis are associated with music files retrieved on a basis of the selected music album.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein selecting a second information element from the first axis replaces the second axis with a third axis adapted to display a second plurality of user-selectable elements related to the selected second information element.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the angle is about 90 degree.

9. A method for displaying a plurality of information elements on a display, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of juxtaposed information elements defining a first axis thereof;

selecting one information element from the plurality of displayed information elements; and

displaying a plurality of user-selectable elements related to the selected information element, some of the plurality of user-selectable elements being substantially vertically disposed in respect of one another substantially defining a second axis thereof, the second axis being disposed at an angle in respect with the first axis.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the axes are adapted to be axially scrolled.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements from the second axis are hyperlinks.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the selection of the information element from the first axis modifies the visual aspect of the selected information element.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the display includes a touch screen adapted to interact with a body part of a user.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the information elements from the first axis are images of music albums and wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements from the second axis are associated with music files retrieved on a basis of the selected music album.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting a second information element from the first axis replaces the second axis with a third axis adapted to display a second plurality of user-selectable elements related to the selected second information element.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the angle is about 90 degree.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon that provides, when executed by a computer, a method for displaying a plurality of information elements on a display, the method comprising:

selecting a first attribute;

selecting a second attribute;

displaying a first plurality of juxtaposed information elements defining a first axis thereof on a basis of the first attribute, the first axis being adapted to be longitudinally scrolled;

concurrently displaying a second plurality of juxtaposed information elements defining a second axis thereof on a basis of the second attribute, the second axis being adapted to be longitudinally scrolled;

selecting one information element from the plurality of displayed information elements;

modifying the visual aspect of the selected one information element to discriminate the selected one information element from the other information elements displayed on the axes; and

displaying an information element including plurality of user-selectable elements on a basis of the selected information element, some of the plurality of user-selectable elements being substantially vertically disposed in respect of one another and substantially defining a third axis thereof, the third axis being disposed at an angle in respect with the axis.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first axis and the second axis is adapted to be scrolled when the displayed information element is displayed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the displayed information element is graphically associated with the selected information element.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the display is a touch screen adapted to interact with a body part of a user to interact with the information elements and the axes.