Chunking Data Records

• US 20120023439A1
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Crim, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems of chunking data records are described. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can provide for display on a display screen a scrollable window. The scrollable window can display first display content (e.g., a first segment of formatted data) stored in a first display buffer. The mobile device can determine that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer. Upon the determining, the mobile device can create second display content (e.g., a second segment of formatted data) in a second display buffer. The second display content can include display content that borders the first display content at the boundary. The mobile device can provide for display the second display content when the scrollable window crosses the boundary.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing for display on a mobile device a scrollable window, the scrollable window displaying first display content stored in a first display buffer;

determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer;

creating second display content in a second display buffer upon the determining, the second display content including display content that borders the first display content at the boundary; and

providing for display the second display content when the scrollable window crosses the boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, where the first display content and the second display content include data records retrieved from a data store and formatted using a layout.

3. The method of claim 2, where creating the second display content in the second display buffer includes, responsive to determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer:

identifying one or more data records to be retrieved and formatted;

retrieving the one or more data records from the data store and formatting the one or more data records using the layout; and

storing the formatted one or more data records in the second display buffer.

4. The method of claim 3, where identifying the one or more data records includes identifying a data record that, when formatted, intersects the boundary.

5. The method of claim 3, where identifying the one or more data records includes identifying a set of data records that, as a group, intersects the boundary.

6. The method of claim 5, where identifying the set of data records includes identifying a derived data field, the derived data field having a value that is calculated based the set of data records.

7. The method of claim 6, where the derived data field is a summary data field.

8. The method of claim 1, where determining that the scrollable window will cross the boundary includes determining that a change of orientation of the mobile device will cause the scrollable window to change between a landscape display mode and a portrait display mode.

9. The method of claim 1, where determining that the scrollable window will cross the boundary includes determining that the scrollable window has reached the boundary.

10. The method of claim 1, where determining that the scrollable window will cross the boundary occurs before the scrollable window reaches the boundary.

11. The method of claim 1, where the mobile device is connected to the data store through a communications network.

12. A computer readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

providing for display on a mobile device a scrollable window, the scrollable window displaying first display content stored in a first display buffer;

determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer;

creating second display content in a second display buffer upon the determining, the second display content including display content that borders the first display content at the boundary; and

providing for display the second display content when the scrollable window crosses the boundary.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, where the first display content and the second display content include data records retrieved from a data store and formatted using a layout.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, where creating the second display content in the second display buffer includes, responsive to determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer:

identifying one or more data records to be retrieved and formatted;

retrieving the one or more data records from the data store and formatting the one or more data records using the layout; and

storing the formatted one or more data records in the second display buffer.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where identifying the one or more data records includes identifying a data record that, when formatted, intersects the boundary.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, where identifying the one or more data records includes identifying a set of data records that, as a group, intersects the boundary.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, where identifying the set of data records includes identifying a derived data field, the derived data field having a value that is calculated based the set of data records.

18. A system, comprising:

one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising;

providing for display on a mobile device a scrollable window, the scrollable window displaying first display content stored in a first display buffer;

determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer;

creating second display content in a second display buffer upon the determining, the second display content including display content that borders the first display content at the boundary; and

providing for display the second display content when the scrollable window crosses the boundary.

19. The system of claim 18, where the first display content and the second display content include data records retrieved from a data store and formatted using a layout.

20. The system of claim 19, where creating the second display content in the second display buffer includes, responsive to determining that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer:

identifying one or more data records to be retrieved and formatted;

retrieving the one or more data records from the data store and formatting the one or more data records using the layout; and

storing the formatted one or more data records in the second display buffer.