Method for interactive browsing and visualization of documents in real space and time

• US 7,003,737 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiu, Patrick, Truong, Khai
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): THERIAULT, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US10/126,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/848, 715/679, 715/850, 345/427
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A system and method for displaying, browsing and accessing content in real space and time. In one embodiment, a user may browse and access multiple types of electronic content in a three dimensional representation of real space and time, where each document has a time and space attribute. A user may also place electronic documents at different locations in real space and time. A user performs inquiries by moving a space indicator along a time line. A visual indicator representing a relevancy score may provide information regarding document proximity to a selected location in space and time. The relevance score may also offset uncertainties inherent in location tracking systems. A document window is provided to display documents located at a selected point in space and time. Visual indicators associated with the documents may represent the time and space location of each document. Documents in the document window may be sorted as desired by a user.

Claims

1. A method for browsing content in space and time comprising:

providing a time indicator representing a first time period;

providing a space indicator having a location indicator, the space indicator associated with a second time period, the second time period existing within the first time period; and

providing a first content, the first content having a first time attribute and a first location attribute, the first content configured to be accessible when the first time attribute is within the second time period and the first location attribute is within the location indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the time indicator includes a time line.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a current time indicator, the current time indicator configured to indicate the current time within the first time period on the time indicator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the space indicator and the time indicator comprise a three dimensional grid configured to display content in space and time.

5. The method of claim 1 farther comprising providing a time interval bar, the time interval bar representing a third time period that extends from the second time period to an interval point either before or after the second time period, the first content configured to be accessible when the first time attribute is located within the second time period or the third time period and the first location attribute is within the location indicator.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein providing a time interval bar includes providing a first time interval bar having a first visual indicator and extending from the second time period backwards in time and having a second time interval bar having a second visual indicator and extending from the second time period forward in time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein providing the first time interval bar baying the first visual indicator includes coloring the first interval bar a first color and providing the second time interval bar having the second visual indicator includes coloring the second interval bar a second color.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein providing the dine interval bar includes providing a third visual indicator associated with the time interval bar, the third visual indicator configured to develop as the time interval bar extends away from the second time period.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein providing the third visual indicator includes configuring the time interval bar to include fading, the fading increasing from the second time period to the interval point.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the space indicator having a location indicator includes providing a visual indicator associated with the location indicator, the visual indicator having an on and off state, the on state associated with when the first content is accessible.

11. The method of claim 10 further including:

providing a second content the second content having a second time attribute and a second location attribute; and

changing the time period associated with the space indicator from a second time period to a third time period, the second content configured to be accessible when the second time attribute is within the first time period or the second time period and the second location attribute is within the location indicator, the on state associated with when the first content or second content is accessible.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein providing the visual indicator includes coloring of the location indicator.

13. The method for browsing content in space and time comprising:

providing a time indicator representing a first time period;

providing a space indicator representing a space plane, the space plane having a location indicator, the space indicator associated with a second time period, the second time period existing within the first time period;

providing a first content, the first content having a first time attribute and a first location attribute, the first content configured to be accessible when the first time attribute is within the second time period and the first location attribute is within the location indicator;

providing a time interval bar, the time interval bar representing a third time period that extends from the second time period to an interval point either before or after the second time period, the first content configured to be accessible when the first time attribute is located within the second time period or the third time period and the first location attribute is within the location indicator, the time interval bar having a time bar visual indicator that includes coloring;

selecting the first content by a user while the first content is accessible; and

displaying the selected first content in a document window.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein displaying the selected first content includes:

providing a selection indicator indicating that content located in the first space is displayed in the document window; and

displaying a document in a document window, wherein the first content includes the document.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein displaying the document includes:

providing a first visual indicator relating to the time location of the document; and

providing a second visual indicator relating to the space location of the document.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing the first visual indicator includes coloring a first portion of the document corresponding to the coloring of the time bar visual indicator and providing the second visual indicator includes coloring a second portion of the document according to the color of the location indicator the document is located in.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein providing the time interval bar includes providing a fading associated with the time interval bar, the degree of fading configured to increase as the time interval bar extends away from the second time period, and wherein displaying a document includes providing a fading in the display of the document, the degree of document fading corresponding to the degree of fading at the point in time in the time interval bar the document exists.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the document is one of a text file, digital picture file, video file, spreadsheet file, and word processing file.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting a document from the document window; and

executing an application for accessing the document.

20. A method for browsing electronic documents comprising:

providing a three dimensional representation of space and time, the three dimensional representation having a time line and a two dimensional space plane, the space plane associated with a first time within the time line;

providing a location indicator on the space plane, the location indicator representing a location and including a visual indicator having an on and off state;

providing a document having a time attribute and space attribute, wherein the document is accessible when the time attribute is within the first time and the location attribute is within the location indicator,

providing a document window, the document window configured to display an accessible document located in a location indicator; and

displaying a representation of an accessible document in the document window, the representation of the document including;

a first visual indicator providing location information of the accessible document; and

a second visual indicator providing time location of the accessible document.