Method and apparatus for displaying and navigating containment hierarchies

• US 6,691,282 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Wille, Allan, Rochford, Suzanne L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Cong Lac T.
• Application Number:
  US09/337,536
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 707/500.1,514,515,205 345/841,854,853 715/514,515,500
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method for use in a computer system for displaying a containment group such as file folder hierarchy. The method displays a direct containment hierarchy for the selected containment group or file folder, and also displays a list of contents of the selected containment group or file folder. A direct containment hierarchy displays only file folders or containment groups which directly or indirectly contain the selected containment group or file folder. In this manner a large number of file folders or containment groups which do not ultimately contain the selected file folder or containment group are not displayed, thereby simplifying the display, and ensuring that the entire direct containment hierarchy can be shown on a single display screen without the need for scrolling in order to obtain or ascertain the context of the given file folder or containment group.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system, comprising:

displaying a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

wherein said direct containment hierarchy is displayed in a first area and said list of contents is displayed in a second area.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said displaying list of contents is done scrollably.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said second area is displayed adjacent to or partially overlapping with the first area.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

upon entry of a search criterion, searching the list of contents for any listings which match the search criterion and displaying any such listing.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a pictorial representation of the list of contents.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the pictorial representation is a map.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said map is a geographical map.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein said pictorial representation includes a pictorial element for each listing in said list of contents.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying said list of contents m a manner which distinguishes between various types of contents.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said various types of contents comprise file folders and files.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein displaying the direct containment hierarchy comprises displaying a sequence of nth file folders, wherein n−

1, . . . , K, where K is the containment depth of the lowest-level file folder, where for any n the nth file folder is a file folder which directly contains the (n−

1)th file folder.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein displaying the direct containment hierarchy comprises displaying a list inclusively containing only file folders which directly or indirectly contain the lowest-level file folders.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said one of said containment groups is user selectable.

14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

upon temporary selection of a direct containment group in the direct containment hierarchy, temporarily displaying the contents of the temporarily selected containment group without updating the direct consent hierarchy.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

upon selection of a selected containment group in the direct containment hierarchy, modifying the direct containment hierarchy to extend down to the selected containment group;

displaying the contents of the selected containment group in place of the list of contents.

16. A method in a computer system, comprising:

displaying a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

the method further comprising;

upon selection of a child file folder in the list of contents of the lowest-level folder, in place of the previous direct containment hierarchy displaying a new direct containment hierarchy which includes the newly selected child file folder;

displaying the contents of the newly selected child file folder in place of the list of contents.

17. A method in a computer system, comprising:

displaying a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

the method further comprising;

displaying a pictorial representation of the list of contents;

wherein said pictorial representation includes a pictorial element for each listing in said list of contents;

wherein upon a user identifying a particular pictorial element in the display, the method alters We display of that particular pictorial element to highlight the fact that it has been indicated, and a corresponding listing in the list of contents is moved to the top of the list of contents.

18. A method in a computer system, comprising:

displaying a first direct containment hierarchy based on a first containment hierarchy, the first containment hierarchy having at least two hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels, one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group;

concurrently with displaying the first direct containment hierarchy, displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group in said fit direct containment hierarchy;

receiving an input indicating to change to a second containment hierarchy;

displaying in place of said first direct containment hierarchy a second direct containment hierarchy based on the second containment hierarchy, containment hierarchy having at least two hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels, one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group;

concurrently with displaying the second direct containment hierarchy, displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group in said second direct containment hierarchy.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising:

setting the lowest-level containment group in said second direct containment hierarchy to contain a selected containment entity in the lowest-level containment group in said first direct containment hierarchy.

20. A system comprising:

a processing platform connected to a storage device and a display;

the system being adapted to;

display a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently display a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

wherein said direct containment hierarchy is displayed in a first area and said list of contents is displayed in a second area.

21. A graphical user interface adapted to:

display a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently display a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

wherein said direct containment hierarchy is displayed in a first area and said list of contents is displayed in a second area.

22. An operating system adapted to:

display a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently display a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

wherein said direct containment hierarchy is displayed in a first area and said list of contents is displayed in a second area.

23. A computer readable medium having computer executable code stored thereon for implementing a method comprising:

display a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two containment levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently display a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

wherein each containment group is a file folder;

wherein said direct containment hierarchy is displayed in a first area and said list of contents is displayed in a second area.

24. A method in a computer system, comprising:

displaying a direct containment hierarchy having hierarchical containment groups of at least two content levels one of the hierarchical containment groups being a lowest level containment group; and

concurrently displaying a list of contents only of the lowest level containment group;

the method further comprising;

displaying a pictorial representation of the list of contents;

wherein said pictorial representation includes a pictorial element for each listing in said list of contents;

the method further comprising;

upon selection of a particular pictorial element, in place of the previous direct containment hierarchy displaying a new direct containment hierarchy which includes the child file folder corresponding with the particular pictorial element;

displaying the contents of the child file folder corresponding with the particular pictorial element in place of the list of contents.