Graphical user interface for 3-dimensional view of a data collection based on an attribute of the data

• US 8,095,892 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2005
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anthony, Colin Ray, St-Michel, Stephane, Odins-Lucas, Zeke Book, Schwartz, Jordan Luther King, Banks, Richard Malcolm, Cummins, Charles, Stabb, Charles W., Ligameri, Mark Richard, Harvey, Marcus Simmon Howell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US11/145,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 715/712, 715/713, 715/767, 715/798, 715/838, 715/851
• US Class Current: 715/851
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) view of a data collection based on an attribute is disclosed. A timeline is provided for displaying files and folders. The timeline may include a focal group that displays detailed information about its contents to the user. Remaining items on the timeline are displayed in less detail and may be positioned to appear further away from the user. A histogram may be provided as part of the view to allow the user to more easily navigate the timeline to find a desired file or folder.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a set of items on a graphical user interface according to a attribute of each item of the set, wherein the attribute can be ordered, comprising:

determining an ordering interval for a plurality of items by dividing a total range covered by a histogram by a quantity of columns that can fit within a portion of the graphical user interface;

dividing the plurality of items into a plurality of ordered groups based on the ordering interval and the attribute;

determining a focal group from the plurality of ordered groups;

ordering the ordered groups into a histogram view;

displaying the focal group at a point of primary focus;

displaying with less prominence than the focal group on a first side of the focal group and in decreasing prominence away from the focal group, a first group of images that precede the focal group;

displaying on the graphical user interface with less prominence than the focal group on a second side of the focal group and in decreasing prominence away from the focal group, a second group of images that follow the focal group, the images in the second group being sized smaller than the images in the focal group;

displaying with less prominence than the second group of images, a third group of images so that the images in the third group are sized smaller than the images in the second group; and

without changing the focal group, folding out a selected non-focal group from the ordered groups that are non-focal and displaying items of the selected non-focal group in entirety, rather than being partially obscured.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first side of the focal group is one of a left side and a right side of the focal group, and the second side of the focal group is the other of said left side and right side.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first side of the focal group is one of a top side and a bottom side of the focal group, and the second side of the focal group is the other of said top side and said bottom side.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of items represent graphical image files.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the attribute corresponds to when each item was created.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the attribute corresponds to a date a picture was taken.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the focal group, the first plurality of groups of images, and the second plurality of groups of images are displayed in a three-dimensional representation.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface simulates 3D in a 2D graphical environment, as displayed on a display device.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting an item from a non-focal group;

determining the non-focal group from which the item was selected to be a new focal group instead of the original focal group;

transitioning the graphical user interface to display the new focal group at the point of primary focus of the graphical user interface, to display, with less prominence than the new focal group, at least one group that precedes the new focal group, on the first side of the new focal group, and to display, with less prominence than the new focal group, at least one group that succeeds the new focal group, on the second side of the new focal group, wherein the transitioning step comprises animating the graphical user interface to move the ordered groups.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the focal group at a point of primary focus of the graphical user interface comprises sizing the focal group to consume a predetermined amount of the graphical user interface space.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined amount comprises a range of approximately fifty to seventy percent of a width of the graphical user interface.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein the step of displaying the focal group at a point of primary focus of the graphical user interface comprises sizing items of the focal group such that all the items fit within the predetermined amount of the graphical user interface space.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether all the items fit within the predetermined amount of the graphical user interface space when each icon has a predetermined minimum size;

dividing the focal group into a plurality of sub groups and displaying a first subgroup of the plurality of subgroups as the focal group if the icons do not fit within the predetermined amount of the graphical user interface space.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined minimum size is pixel-based.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined minimum size comprises 24 pixels by 24 pixels on a 96 dots per inch (dpi) display device, or a substantially equivalent size on a non-96 dpi display device.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying on the graphical user interface at least one group that precedes the focal group comprises displaying the at least one group that precedes the focal group to appear receding backwards from the focal group.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising displaying on the graphical user interface a jog control which, when moved, causes the ordered groups to shift correspondingly with the jog control causing the focal group to become a new non-focal group and a non-focal group to become a new focal group.

18. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions for performing a method for displaying group of items on a graphical user interface according to a common attribute of each item of a set, the method comprising:

determining an ordering interval for a plurality of items by dividing a total range covered by a histogram by a quantity of columns that can fit within a portion of the graphical user interface;

dividing the plurality of items into a plurality of ordered groups based on the ordering interval and the common attribute;

determining a focal group from the plurality of ordered groups;

retrieving a predetermined width ranging between fifty to seventy percent of the graphical user interface for displaying the focal group;

ordering the ordered groups into a histogram view;

organizing thumbnails of items in the focal group into a representation that fits within the predetermined width;

displaying the focal group at a point of primary focus and within the predetermined width;

displaying with less prominence than the focal group on a first side of the focal group and in decreasing prominence away from the focal group, a first plurality of groups of images that precede the focal group;

displaying on the graphical user interface with less prominence than the focal group on a second side of the focal group and in decreasing prominence away from the focal group, a second plurality of groups of images that follow the focal group; and

without changing the focal group, folding out a selected non-focal group from the ordered groups that are non-focal and displaying items of the selected non-focal group in entirety, rather than being partially obscured.

19. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions for generating a user interface for displaying items comprising:

a first set of items comprising a focal group;

a plurality of sets of items, which are related to the first set of items and presented in a histogram, comprising a plurality of non-focal groups of images, the images displayed with decreasing prominence away from the focal group in array orientations of the images, wherein images in each non-focal group are displayed in smaller sizes than images in non-focal groups closer on the histogram to the focal group, and further wherein without changing the focal group, a selected non-focal group is folded out from the non-focal groups and images of the selected non-focal group are displayed in entirety rather than being partially obscured; and

a jog control that when moved to a side causes the focal group to become a non-focal group and a jog control selected non-focal group to become the focal group, wherein the focal group and the plurality of non-focal groups are positioned according to an ordering attribute that exists in the focal group and the non-focal group.

20. A method for displaying a plurality of items on a graphical user interface, comprising:

organizing the plurality of items into groups of two-dimensional arrays based on time;

sizing each item in a group based on the distance the group is from a focal group;

displaying the items in the groups on the graphical user interface, the items being displayed with differing prominence away from the focal group; and

without changing the focal group, folding out a selected non-focal group from the groups that are non-focal and displaying items of the selected non-focal group in entirety, rather than being partially obscured.