Three-dimensional active file explorer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
- associating each of a plurality of file system elements with a respective icon, wherein the file system elements comprise a computer file and/or a computer file directory, wherein each icon is associated with a plurality of sides representing a three-dimensional structure, wherein one of the sides comprises an option to modify a configuration of the three-dimensional structure and an option to apply the configuration to at least one other three-dimensional structure associated with a same type of file system element;
receiving respective information for each of at least one new side associated with each icon, wherein each respective information comprises at least one function available via a respective side;
in response to a first user interaction with a file system, determining a current state, the current state comprising at least a current directory path, and wherein the first user interaction comprises navigating a directory structure or requesting metadata regarding a file system element;
determining a first view of the three-dimensional structure, wherein the first view comprises at least one current icon and respective display information based on the current state, wherein the display information includes a selection status for the at least one current icon and either an active status or an inactive status for each of the plurality of sides associated with the at least one current icon, wherein a selected side is associated with an active status;
displaying on a display device the first view of the three-dimensional structure;
upon receiving a first signal;
determining a second view of the three-dimensional structure, wherein the second view represents a rotation of the three-dimensional structure such that information not viewable in the first view is viewable in the second view; and
displaying the second view of the three-dimensional structure while simultaneously maintaining the selected side as having an active status; and
upon receiving a second signal, displaying a selected new side and providing for the invocation of a selected respective function described by the associated respective information for the selected new side.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A three-dimensional object that represents computer data and methods and computer-readable media for presenting same. The object has a first, active side and a second, inactive side. The active side may contain information relating to the computer data.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
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associating each of a plurality of file system elements with a respective icon, wherein the file system elements comprise a computer file and/or a computer file directory, wherein each icon is associated with a plurality of sides representing a three-dimensional structure, wherein one of the sides comprises an option to modify a configuration of the three-dimensional structure and an option to apply the configuration to at least one other three-dimensional structure associated with a same type of file system element; receiving respective information for each of at least one new side associated with each icon, wherein each respective information comprises at least one function available via a respective side; in response to a first user interaction with a file system, determining a current state, the current state comprising at least a current directory path, and wherein the first user interaction comprises navigating a directory structure or requesting metadata regarding a file system element; determining a first view of the three-dimensional structure, wherein the first view comprises at least one current icon and respective display information based on the current state, wherein the display information includes a selection status for the at least one current icon and either an active status or an inactive status for each of the plurality of sides associated with the at least one current icon, wherein a selected side is associated with an active status; displaying on a display device the first view of the three-dimensional structure; upon receiving a first signal; determining a second view of the three-dimensional structure, wherein the second view represents a rotation of the three-dimensional structure such that information not viewable in the first view is viewable in the second view; and displaying the second view of the three-dimensional structure while simultaneously maintaining the selected side as having an active status; and upon receiving a second signal, displaying a selected new side and providing for the invocation of a selected respective function described by the associated respective information for the selected new side. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A display device having rendered thereon a file explorer view, comprising:
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a current representation of a state associated with a file system, the state updated upon a user interaction with the file system, wherein the current representation comprises at least one three-dimensional object that represents computer file or folder data, wherein the three-dimensional object has a first and at least a second side, wherein, when one side has an active status and a remainder of the sides have an inactive status, the side having the active status is displayed in a manner to indicate it is active and the remainder of the sides are displayed in a manner to indicate they are inactive, and wherein one of the sides comprising an option to modify a configuration of the three-dimensional object and an option to apply the configuration to at least one other three-dimensional object associated with a same type of file system element; extensibility information comprising respective information for each of at least one new side associated with a modified three-dimensional object, wherein each respective information comprises at least one function available via a respective side; wherein the display device; displays the current representation of the modified three-dimensional object; upon receiving a first signal; determines a temporary representation of the three-dimensional object, wherein the temporary representation represents a rotation of the three-dimensional object whereby information not viewable in the current representation may be viewable in the temporary representation; and displays the temporary representation of the three-dimensional object while simultaneously maintaining the selected side as having an active status; and upon receiving a second signal, displays a selected new side and provides for the invocation of a selected respective function described by the associated respective information for the selected new side. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display device and a user interface selection device, a method of providing a representation of computer file or folder data, the method comprising the steps of:
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associating each of a plurality of file system elements with a respective three-dimensional object, wherein the file system elements comprise a computer file and/or folder data, wherein each three-dimensional object has a first side and at least a second side, and wherein one of the sides comprises an option to modify a configuration of the three-dimensional object and an option to apply the configuration to at least one other three-dimensional object associated with the same type of file system element; receiving respective information for each of a at least one new side associated with each respective three dimensional object, wherein each respective information comprises at least one function available via a respective side; displaying on the display device each three-dimensional object that represents the computer file or the folder data; determining a user selected side from a first user input with a file system; assigning an active status to said user selected side; assigning an inactive status to one or more unselected sides; displaying a first set of information pertaining to computer file or folder data represented by the user selected side; upon receiving a first signal; determining a second set of information pertaining to computer file or folder data, wherein the second set of information is not viewable via the displaying of the first set of information; displaying the second set of information while simultaneously maintaining the selected side as having an active status; and upon receiving a second signal, displaying a selected new side and providing for the invocation of a selected respective function described by the associated respective information for the selected new side. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification