Milestones in File History Timeline of an Electronic Document

• US 20190318007A1
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: WEAVER, Joan Catharine, MILVANEY, Douglas Lane
• Granted Patent: US 11,301,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71

Abstract

Described herein is a system and method for creating a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file. A milestone creation input associated with the particular version of the electronic file is received. Milestone content to be associated with the particular version of the electronic file is further received. The milestone content is stored, and, the stored milestone content and the particular version of the electronic file are associated. Further described herein is a system and method for using a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file. Milestone indicator(s) are displayed, each milestone indicator associated with a milestone of a version of an electronic file. A selection of a particular milestone indicator is received. Milestone content associated with the selected particular milestone indicator is presented. The milestones can be searchable.

Claims

1. A system for creating a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file, comprising:

a computer comprising a processor and a memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to;

receive a milestone creation input associated with the particular version of the electronic file;

receive milestone content to be associated with the particular version of the electronic file;

store the milestone content; and

,

associate the stored milestone content and the particular version of the electronic file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the milestone creation input is received explicitly from a user using a graphical user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the milestone creation input is inferred based upon user activity related to the electronic file.

4. The system of claim 1, the memory having further computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to:

associate a milestone indicator with the stored milestone content and the particular version of the electronic file.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the milestone indicator is one of a symbol or a user-selected milestone indicator selected from a palette of milestone indicators.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the milestone indicator is generated based upon the received milestone content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the milestone content comprises text.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the milestone content comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file, an image file or another electronic file.

9. A method for using a milestone associated with a version of an electronic file, comprising:

displaying one or more milestone indicators, each milestone indicator associated with a milestone of a version of an electronic file;

receiving a selection of a particular milestone indicator; and

presenting milestone content associated with the selected particular milestone indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone indicators are associated with versions of a particular electronic file.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone indicators are associated with versions of a plurality of electronic files.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone indicators displayed are associated with a particular user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone indicator is one of a symbol or a user-selected milestone indicator selected from a palette of milestone indicators.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone indicator is indicative of associated milestone content.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone content comprises text.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the milestone content comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file, an image file or another electronic file.

17. A computer storage media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed cause a computing device to:

receive a search query related to stored milestones, each milestone associated with a version of an electronic file;

search the stored milestones for milestones satisfying the search query; and

present at least one milestone satisfying the search query.

18. The computer storage media of claim 17, storing further computer-readable instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:

when searching the stored milestones, utilize optical character recognition on content of at least one milestone, the content comprising at least one of an image file or a frame of a video file.

19. The computer storage media of claim 17, storing further computer-readable instructions that when executed cause the computing device to:

when searching the stored milestones, utilize speech-to-text on content of at least one milestone, the content comprising an audio file.

20. The computer storage media of claim 17, wherein the stored milestones comprises at least one of milestone metadata, milestone content, or milestone indicators.