Methods and systems for managing data

• US 8,150,826 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Arrouye, Yan, Giampaolo, Dominic, Ording, Bas, Christie, Gregory, Lemay, Stephen Olivier, van Os, Marcel, Chaudhri, Imran, Tiene, Kevin, Cisler, Pavel, De Marco, Vincenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, BAOQUOC N
• Application Number:
  US11/338,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,262 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• 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

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 method comprising:

performing, using one or more processing units, a system-wide search based upon a search query;

generating, using the one or more processing units, data for a set of search results organized by categories, wherein each category includes a particular number of search results displayable in a collapsible group, wherein each collapsible group is associated with a collapse indicator, and wherein activating the collapse indicator causes the particular number of search results to be collapsed; and

associating, using the one or more processing units, an additional results indicator with each category having hidden search results, wherein the additional results indicator displays a number or text indicating hidden search results within at least one category, and wherein activating the additional results indicator causes the hidden search results to be displayed in addition to the particular number of displayed search results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each category is restricted to a limited number of search results, and wherein the limited number of search results is predetermined or dynamically determinable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each collapsible group is associated with an expand indicator, and wherein activating the expand indicator causes the particular number of search results to be expanded.

4. The method claim 1, wherein using the search query to perform a system-wide search includes searching indexed content and indexed metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of search results is displayable in one or more views, including a list view and an icon view.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more views are concurrently displayable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular number of search results are the most relevant or highly displayed search results.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an information indicator is associated with at least one search result.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein activating the information indicator causes additional information about the at least one search result to be displayed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional information includes an image.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-organizing, using the one or more processing units, the set of search results.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sorting, using the one or more processing units, the re-organized set of search results.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including;

performing a system-wide search based upon a search query;

generating data for a set of search results organized by categories, wherein each category includes a particular number of search results displayable in a collapsible group, wherein each collapsible group is associated with a collapse indicator, and wherein activating the collapse indicator causes the particular number of search results to be collapsed; and

associating an additional results indicator with each category having hidden search results, wherein the additional results indicator displays a number or text indicating hidden search results within at least one category, and wherein activating the additional results indicator causes the hidden search results to be displayed in addition to the particular number of displayed search results.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each category is restricted to a limited number of search results, and wherein the limited number of search results is predetermined or dynamically determinable.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein each collapsible group is associated with an expand indicator, and wherein activating the expand indicator causes the particular number of search results to be expanded.

16. The system claim 13, wherein using the search query to perform a system-wide search includes searching indexed content and indexed metadata.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the set of search results is displayable in one or more views, including a list view and an icon view.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more views are concurrently displayable.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the particular number of search results are the most relevant or highly displayed search results.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein an information indicator is associated with at least one search result.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein activating the information indicator causes additional information about the at least one search result to be displayed.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the additional information includes an image.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including:

re-organizing the set of search results.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including:

sorting the re-organized set of search results.

25. A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

perform a system-wide search based upon a search query;

generate data for a set of search results organized by categories, wherein each category includes a particular number of search results displayable in a collapsible group, wherein each collapsible group is associated with a collapse indicator, and wherein activating the collapse indicator causes the particular number of search results to be collapsed; and

associate an additional results indicator with each category having hidden search results, wherein the additional results indicator displays a number or text indicating hidden search results within at least one category, and wherein activating the additional results indicator causes the hidden search results to be displayed in addition to the particular number of displayed search results.

26. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein each category is restricted to a limited number of search results, and wherein the limited number of search results is predetermined or dynamically determinable.

27. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein each collapsible group is associated with an expand indicator, and wherein activating the expand indicator causes the particular number of search results to be expanded.

28. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein using the search query to perform a system-wide search includes searching indexed content and indexed metadata.

29. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the set of search results is displayable in one or more views, including a list view and an icon view.

30. The computer-program product of claim 29, wherein the one or more views are concurrently displayable.

31. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein the particular number of search results are the most relevant or highly displayed search results.

32. The computer-program product of claim 25, wherein an information indicator is associated with at least one search result.

33. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein activating the information indicator causes additional information about the at least one search result to be displayed.

34. The computer-program product of claim 33, wherein the additional information includes an image.

35. The computer-program product of claim 25, further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

re-organize the set of search results.

36. The computer-program product of claim 35, further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

sort the re-organized set of search results.