Method for storing and accessing data

• US 7,644,096 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sjölander, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US11/537,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/102, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A method for storing data in an electronic device, using tags to mark events carried out in the electronic device during a certain time period. The method involves defining a tag which is assignable to data related to events which are carried out and stored using the electronic device; defining a time period for using the tag; and configuring the electronic device to assign the tag to data related to all events stored using the electronic device during said time period. The tag may be used for all events of only one type, such as pictures captured using a digital camera. Alternatively, the tags may be used for a plurality of types of events, such as for captured pictures or videos, received virtual business cards, calls dialed or received, messages sent or received, and so on. Data associated with an event related to a certain occasion may then be searched and accessed using a tag register.

Claims

1. A method for storing different types of data in a mobile telephone, comprising the steps of:

defining a tag, the tag being a user-specified name for a period of time and the tag assignable to different types of data files and log entries stored by the mobile telephone, the different types of data files and log entries each respectively related to a different type of event that is carried out by the mobile telephone, the events including two or more of phone calls to and from the mobile telephone, electronic messages transmitted to and from the mobile telephone, virtual business cards received in the mobile telephone, digital pictures and video data captured with the mobile telephone, audio data captured with the mobile telephone, data files created or received in the mobile telephone, or access to web sites with the mobile telephone;

during the period of time, assigning the tag to each data file and log entry stored with the mobile telephone for which the tag is assignable; and

sorting the stored data files and log entries in accordance with the tag and then by event type.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of:

creating a tag register comprising a plurality of tags, in which register each tag is accessible by means of a user interface to open a list of the events stored with the respective tag.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising

presenting on a display a list of the events that are assigned a selected one of the tags.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining the time period comprises the steps of:

defining a start time by setting the tag to be used from now on and forward; and

defining a stop time by input of a command to terminate use of the tag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining a time period comprises the step of:

defining a start time and a stop time, between which the tag will be used.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining a tag comprises the step of selecting which types of events to tag, from a plurality of identified events.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of tags with associated time periods for using the respective tag;

assigning, to data related to an event stored at a point in time, two or more tags having associated time periods covering said point in time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the time periods includes:

opening an electronic calendar in the electronic device;

scheduling a calendar entry in the electronic calendar, the time period corresponding to the calendar entry.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the tag is assigned only if the time period exceeds a predetermined length.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the name of the tag and a name of the calendar entry are different.