ARRAY OF DOCUMENTS WITH PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE PORTIONS THEREOF

• US 20130290897A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc., Maya-Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc.
• Inventors: Audet, Mathieu
• Granted Patent: US 9,262,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method, apparatus practicing the method, a system and an interface for displaying an array of computer-readable files having time portions thereof is described. The time portions are configured to display computer-readable files associated with respective time periods to order the computer-readable files along a timeline. The time portions being configured to define at least one of a past portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time before a present time, a present portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with the present time, and a future portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time past the present time.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, provide a method of displaying arrays of user-selectable elements, the method comprising:

displaying an array of user-selectable elements comprising

a past portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with a time before a present time;

a present portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with the present time; and

a future portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with a time after the present time.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions is independently scrollable.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the past portion is distinguished from the present portion with a first mark and wherein the present portion is distinguished from the future portion with a second mark.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the marks are movable to predetermine a space on the array allowed for each of the portions.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the future portion of the array of user-selectable elements is adapted to display one of a group consisting of documents to review and agenda elements.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is an axis having a substantially rectilinear arrangement and wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are documents.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the axis of user-selectable elements is adapted to be separated in three axes of user-selectable elements, a first axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the past portion, a second axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the present portion and a third axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the future portion.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein at least one of the marks are extending over a plurality of adjacent axes of user-selectable elements.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the past portion and the future portion are configured to display a respective predetermined number of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements further comprising an identifier adapted to be displayed for indicating that the number of user-selectable elements in a portion exceeds a predetermined number of user-selectable elements for the portion and that user-selectable element are not displayed.

10. A computerized system configured to read computer-executable instructions adapted to enable a program enabling an interface adapted to display an array of user-selectable elements, the computerized system comprising:

a processing unit configured to process the computer executable instructions; and

a display configured to display the interface;

the program, when executed, being operative to

cause an array of user-selectable elements to be displayed, the array of user-selectable elements comprising

a past portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with a time before a present time;

a present portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with the present time; and

a future portion adapted to display user-selectable elements associated with a time after the present time.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the portions is independently scrollable.

12. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the past portion is distinguished from the present portion with a first mark and wherein the present portion is distinguished from the future portion with a second mark.

13. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the marks are movable to predetermine a space on the array allowed for each of the portions.

14. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the future portion of the array of user-selectable elements is adapted to display one of a group consisting of documents to review and agenda elements.

15. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the array of user-selectable elements is an axis having a substantially rectilinear arrangement and wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are documents.

16. The computerized system of claim 15, wherein the axis of user-selectable elements is adapted to be separated in three axes of user-selectable elements, a first axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the past portion, a second axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the present portion and a third axis of user-selectable elements for displaying user-selectable elements of the future portion.

17. The computerized system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the marks are extending over a plurality of adjacent axes of user-selectable elements.

18. The computerized system of claim 15, wherein the past portion and the future portion are configured to display a respective predetermined number of user-selectable elements, the array of user-selectable elements further comprising an identifier adapted to be displayed for indicating that the number of user-selectable elements in a portion exceeds a predetermined number of user-selectable elements for the portion and that user-selectable element are not displayed.

19. A method of displaying an array of computer-readable files on a display of a computer system, the method comprising:

causing, via at least one processor of the computer system, an array of computer-readable files to be displayed along an axis having a timeline on the display, along which computer-readable files are visually separated in a plurality of time portions represented along the axis, wherein the plurality of time portions comprising at least one of

a past portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time before a present time,

a present portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with the present time, and

a future portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time past the present time.

20. The method of displaying an array of claim 19, wherein at least one of the portions is independently scrollable.