Methods and systems for managing data

• US 7,630,971 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Ording, Bas, Giampaolo, Dominic, Arrouye, Yan, Cisler, Pavel, van Os, Marcel, Tiene, Kevin, Lemay, Stephen Olivier, Christie, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINCEY, JERMAINE A
• Application Number:
  US11/648,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

capturing metadata from a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications, wherein a type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of the data processing system and storing results of the indexing to provide indexed content;

dynamically updating the indexed content and the captured metadata as changes are made to existing files in the data processing system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted;

receiving an input for a search;

performing the search for search results as the input is being received, the searching being through the plurality of files created by the plurality of different software applications and through the captured metadata, wherein the searching as begun concurrently as the input is entered and before entry of the input is completed or in response to a single command;

displaying, by a data processing system, a list of results from the search, the list presenting N items, wherein N is less than M items found from the search and wherein the list is not scrollable and wherein the displaying includes displaying a command to show all M items and wherein the list is grouped by categories and the number of items within each category is limited to less than N and wherein the list is sorted by one of relevance and recency and wherein the input includes a selection of a command in a menu bar displayed at an edge of a screen and wherein the list of results is displayed adjacent to the menu bar.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the number of items within each category is limited to less than N+X where X is greater than 2 and wherein the list is incapable of showing all M items.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein a top hit is shown and wherein the top hit is determined according to a ranking criteria, which comprises at least one of relevance and recency.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the items in each category are sorted by criteria, comprising at least one of date, location or kind, and wherein the items in each category are ranked by criteria, comprising at least one of relevance and recency, and displayed accordingly.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the categories are created based on criteria, comprising at least one of the type or kind of item, the date of creation or modification, the location of the item and membership in other existing groupings, and wherein the categories are ranked according to some criteria and displayed accordingly.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the list is collapsible so that the items in each category are not shown and the list is expandable so that all or some of the items in each category are shown.

7. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

performing the search with a search query on at least one database of content or metadata of files in a computer system;

saving the search query as a folder;

displaying an icon representing the folder in a portion of a window; and

receiving a selection of the icon in the portion to cause the system to perform the search specified by search query.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising:

displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

9. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a window;

displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of a computer system and storing results in a first database;

collecting metadata of files in the one or more volumes of the computer system and storing results in a second database;

allowing a user to search for content and metadata of files in the computer system by searching through the first database and the second database; and

dynamically updating the contents of the first database and the second database as changes are made to existing files in the computer system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein a category of results comprises applications.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a result in the category comprising applications and executing, in response to the selection, an application corresponding to the result.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the category of results comprising applications is displayed first in the list.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the search results are displayed as the input is being received and wherein the list is grouped by first categories after a first portion of the input is received and the list is grouped by second categories after a second portion of the input is received.

15. A machine readable storage medium storing executable program instruction for causing a data processing system to perform a method of managing data, the method comprising:

capturing metadata from a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications, wherein a type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of the data processing system and storing results of the indexing to provide indexed content;

dynamically updating the indexed content and the captured metadata as changes are made to existing files in the data processing system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted;

receiving an input for a search;

performing the search for search results as the input is being received, the searching being through the plurality of files created by the plurality of different software applications and through the captured metadata, wherein the searching is begun concurrently as the input is entered and before entry of the input is completed or in response to a single command;

displaying a list of results from the search, the list presenting N items, wherein N is less than M items found from the search and wherein the list is not scrollable and wherein the displaying includes displaying a command to show all M items and wherein the list is grouped by categories and the number of items within each category is limited to less than N and wherein the list is sorted by one of relevance and recencey and wherein the input includes a selection of a command in a menu bar displayed at an edge of a screen and wherein the list of results is displayed adjacent to the menu bar.

16. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 wherein the number of items within each category is limited to less than N+X where X is greater than 2 and wherein the list is incapable of showing all M items.

17. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 wherein a top hit is shown and wherein the top hit is determined according to a ranking criteria, which comprises at least one of relevance and recency.

18. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 wherein the items in each category are sorted by criteria, comprising at least one of date, location or kind, and wherein the items in each category are ranked by criteria, comprising at least one of relevance and recency, and displayed accordingly.

19. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 wherein the categories are created based on criteria, comprising at least one of the type or kind of item, the date of creation or modification, the location of the item and membership in other existing groupings, and wherein the categories are ranked according to some criteria and displayed accordingly.

20. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 wherein the list is collapsible so that the items in each category are not shown and the list is expandable so that all or some of the items in each category are shown.

21. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15 further comprising:

performing the search with a query on at least one database of content or metadata of files in a computer system;

saving the query as a folder;

displaying an icon representing the folder in a portion of a window; and

receiving a selection of the icon in the portion to cause the system to perform the search specified by the search query.

22. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 21, further comprising:

displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

23. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a window;

displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

24. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15, further comprising:

indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of a computer system and storing results in a first database;

collecting metadata of files in the one or more volumes of the computer system and storing results in a second database;

allowing a user to search for content and metadata of files in the computer system by searching through the first database and the second database; and

dynamically updating the contents of the first database and the second database as changes are made to existing files in the computer system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted.

25. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15, wherein a category of results comprises applications.

26. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 25, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of a result in the category comprising applications and executing, in response to the selection, an application corresponding to the result.

27. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 26, wherein the category of results comprising applications is displayed first in the list.

28. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 15, wherein the search results are displayed as the input is being received and wherein the list is grouped by first categories after a first portion of the input is received and the list is grouped by second categories after a second portion of the input is received.

29. A data processing system comprising:

means for capturing metadata from a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications, wherein a type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differ from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application;

means for indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of the data processing system and storing results of the indexing to provide indexed content;

means for dynamically updating the content and the captured metadata as changes are made to existing files in the data processing system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted;

means for receiving an input for a search;

means for performing the search for search results as the input is being received, the searching being through the plurality of files created by the plurality of different software applications and through the captured metadata, wherein the searching is begun concurrently as the input is entered and before entry of the input is completed or in response to a single command;

means for displaying a list results from the search, the list presenting N items, wherein N is less than M items found from the search and wherein the list is not scrollable and wherein the displaying includes displaying a command to show all M items and wherein the list is grouped by categories and the number of items within each category is limited to less than N and wherein the list is sorted by one of relevance and recency and wherein the input includes a selection of a command in menu bar displayed at an edge of a screen and wherein the list of results is displayed adjacent to the menu bar.

30. A data processing system as in claim 29 wherein the number of items within each category is limited to less than N+X where X is greater than 2 and wherein the list is incapable of showing all M items.

31. A data processing system as in claim 29 wherein a top hit is shown and wherein the top hit is determined according to a ranking criteria, which comprises at least one of relevance and recency.

32. A data processing system as in claim 29 wherein the items in each category are sorted by criteria, comprising at least one of date, location or kind, and wherein the items in each category are ranked by criteria, comprising at least one of relevance and recency, and displayed accordingly.

33. A data processing system as in claim 29 wherein the categories are created based on criteria, comprising at least one of the type or kind of item, the date of creation or modification, the location of the item and membership in other existing groupings, and wherein the categories are ranked according to some criteria and displayed accordingly.

34. A data processing system as in claim 29 wherein the list is collapsible so that the items in each category are not shown and the list is expandable so that all or some of the items in each category are shown.

35. A data processing system as in claim 29, further comprising:

means for performing the search with a search query on at least one database of content or metadata of file in a computer system;

means for saving the search query as a folder;

means for displaying an icon representing the folder in a portion of a window; and

means for receiving a selection of the icon in the portion to cause the system to perform the search specified by the search query.

36. A data processing system as in claim 35, further comprising:

means for displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

means for displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

means for displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

37. A data processing system as in claim 29, further comprising:

means for displaying a window;

means for displaying within the window a plurality of first items and a plurality of second items;

means for displaying a control for selecting at least either a first type of view or a second type of view for at least one of the first items and the second items in the window;

means for displaying the plurality of first items in the first type of view within the window and displaying the plurality of second items in the second type of view within the window.

38. A data processing system as in claim 29, further comprising:

means for indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of a computer system and storing results in a first database;

means for collecting metadata of files in the one or more volumes of the computer system and storing results in a second database;

means for allowing a user to search for content and metadata of files in the computer system by searching through the first database and the second database; and

means for dynamically updating the contents of the first database and the second database as changes are made to existing files in the computer system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted.

39. A data processing system as in claim 29, wherein a category of results comprises applications.

40. A data processing system as in claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a result in the category comprising applications and executing, in response to the selection, an application corresponding to the result.

41. A data processing system as in claim 40, wherein the category of results comprising applications is displayed first in the list.

42. A data processing system as in claim 29, wherein the search results are displayed as the input is being received and wherein the list is grouped by first categories after portion of the input is received and the list is grouped by second categories after a second portion of the input is received.