Machine, program product, and computer-implemented method for file management, storage, and display

• US 8,156,121 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Randall Reese
• Original Assignee: Randall Reese
• Inventors: Reese, Randall, Culotta, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Leroux, Etienne
• Application Number:
  US12/620,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/812, 707/736, 709/203
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/08 Sorting, i.e. grouping record carriers in numerical or other ordered sequence according to the classification of at least some of the information they carry by merging two or more sets of carriers in ordered sequence G06F7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide machines, program products, and computer-implemented methods of file management, storage, and display. A user is displayed an icon palette having a palette boundary and including icons representing a plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in a life of the user. An unsorted file is assigned to at least one predetermined category through a user action so that dragging and dropping a file across the palette boundary onto an icon on the icon palette assigns the file to a category. The user is prompted to fill out a questionnaire associated with the file. The questionnaire includes any additional categories, album data, a journal entry, event information, and display information. The display device then displays an album of files using pre-selected formats, responsive to the questionnaires. Through the questionnaire, the user can specify the file for inclusion in a randomized slide show of files.

Claims

1. A file management machine to perform a process of assigning one of a plurality of unsorted files to at least one of a plurality of predetermined categories through a user action utilizing an icon palette and a process of prompting a user to fill out one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action, the file management machine comprising:

a first computer configured as a file management server adapted to communicate through an electronic communications network with a plurality of remotely located user computers associated with a plurality of users and configured as user computers, each user computer being remote from the file management server, the file management server having at least a processor and a tangible memory; and

a computer program operable on the file management server and stored in the memory, the computer program comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the file management server, cause the file management server to perform the operations of;

displaying the icon palette to one or more users on one or more of the remotely located user computers, the icon palette having a palette boundary and including icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in a life of the user,

assigning one of the plurality of unsorted files to at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories responsive to user action whereby dragging and dropping one of the plurality of unsorted files across a boundary of a selected one of the icons and onto the selected icon on the icon palette causes the file management server to execute the operations of;

extracting a copy of the file from a memory element associated with the one or more of the remotely located user computers to a memory element associated with the file management server through the electronic communications network, and

establishing a relation between the file and the respective predetermined category represented by the selected icon,

prompting the user to fill out one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action of dragging and dropping the file, the one or more questionnaires including album data, a journal entry, event information, and display information, and

displaying one or more albums of files according to pre-selected formats on a display device to one or more users for the respective predetermined category, the one or more albums of files being organized on the display device based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

2. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs;

wherein the plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in the life of the user includes one or more of the following;

predefined default categories, and user-defined categories, and wherein the operations further comprise displaying a plurality of albums of files for each separate one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

3. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of predefined default categories include three or more of the following:

marriage, faith, family, children, school, travel, military, and health, wherein the one or more questionnaires include access information having one or more conditions to provide conditional third party access to the file, and wherein the one or more conditions comprise a plurality of user selectable trigger events, each user selectable trigger event being selectable by the user through a corresponding plurality of input fields displayed on a graphical user interface to thereby provide user selection of a desired trigger event.

4. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing temporarily the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires to a first database associated with one of the one or more remotely located user computers so that the respective user can initiate assignment of files and fill out questionnaires in the event of slow or interrupted communication with the file management server; and

storing the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires in a second database associated with the file management server responsive to restoration of communication between the user computer and a computer associated with or configured as the remote server so that the respective user can access the file and associated data through an electronic communications network.

5. A file management machine of claim 1

wherein the display device is a first display device;

and

wherein the operations further comprise;

specifying through the one or more questionnaires the file for inclusion in a slide show of randomized files, and

displaying the slide show of randomized files comprising a subset of files randomly selected from a category of files specified for inclusion on a second display device located remote from the first display device responsive to user criteria.

6. A file management machine of claim 5, wherein the user criteria for the slide show of randomized files includes a list of categories from which to draw files, a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that the user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

7. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

aggregating individual journal entries, each associated with a separate file, into one master journal associated with one of the one or more users;

displaying a portion of the master journal to the display device responsive to user criteria so that the user can view journal entries for a category, a particular date range, or files in the one or more albums; and

wherein the master journal provides chronological access to the plurality of otherwise prior unorganized, unsorted files based upon life events of the respective user through selection of corresponding journal entries.

8. A file management machine of claim 1,

wherein the operations include displaying the one or more questionnaires to the one or more users responsive to user action of dropping one of the plurality of unsorted files positioned across the boundary of the selected icon on the icon palette;

wherein the one or more questionnaires include access information having one or more conditions to provide conditional third party access to the file; and

wherein the one or more conditions comprises a plurality of user selectable trigger events, each user selectable trigger event being selectable by the user through a corresponding plurality of input fields displayed on a graphical user interface to thereby provide user selection of a desired trigger event.

9. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes a digital photograph, and wherein the operations include providing an automated recall of one or more atmospheric conditions comprising a description of weather, temperature, and status of moon associated with the digital photograph.

10. A file management machine of claim 1, wherein the operations include displaying a portion of a master journal on the display device, the files displayed in the album of files being linked to associated journal entries in the displayed portion of the master journal so that when the user highlights the file, the associated journal entry is also highlighted, and when the user highlights the journal entry, an associated file is also highlighted.

11. A file management machine of claim 1,

wherein at least a subset of the icons are configured to visually depict the notable events in the life of the respective user;

wherein icons in the icon palette includes only the icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories, visually depicting the notable events in a life of the respective user;

wherein the predetermined categories include three or more of the following;

marriage, faith, family, children, school, travel, work, sports military, and health;

wherein the album files includes an album page, and wherein a first pre-selected format for the album page includes a large number of files with a relatively small picture size, and a second pre-selected format for the album page includes a small number of files or a single file with a relatively larger picture size, the size determined responsive to the questionnaire associated with the respective files; and

wherein the operations further comprise creating a plurality of icons corresponding to user-defined categories, and displaying the plurality of icons to the respective user of the one or more users according to a user selected order responsive to user selection thereof.

12. Non-transitory computer readable medium having processor readable code embodied on the computer readable medium, the processor readable code for programming one or more processors of a file management computer to perform the operations of assigning one of a plurality of unsorted files to at least one of a plurality of predetermined categories responsive to a user action utilizing an icon palette and prompting the user to fill out one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action, the operations comprising:

causing display of an icon palette to a user on a user computer, the icon palette having a palette boundary and including icons representing a plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in a life of the user;

assigning one of a plurality of unsorted files to at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories responsive to user action whereby dragging and dropping one of the plurality of unsorted files across a boundary of a selected one of the icons and onto the selected icon on the icon palette causes the one or more processors to execute the operations of;

extracting a copy of the file from a memory element associated with a remotely located user computer to a memory element associated with the file management computer through an electronic communications network, and

establishing a relation between the file and the respective predetermined category represented by the selected icon;

prompting the user to fill out one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action of dragging and dropping the file, the one or more questionnaires including album data, a journal entry, event information, and display information; and

causing display of one or more albums of files according to pre-selected formats on a display device to one or more users for the respective predetermined category, the album of files being organized based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

13. A computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs, wherein the plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in the life of the user includes one or more of the following:

predefined default categories, and user-defined categories, Wherein the one or more questionnaires include access information having one or more conditions to provide conditional third party access to the file, and wherein the one or more conditions comprise a plurality of user selectable trigger events, each user selectable trigger event being selectable by the user through a corresponding plurality of input fields displayed on a graphical user interface to thereby provide user selection of a desired trigger event.

14. A computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of predefined default categories include three or more of the following:

marriage, faith, family, children, school, travel, military, and health.

15. A computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

storing temporarily the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires to a first database associated with a first computer being local to the user and configured as the user computer so that the user can initiate assignment of files and fill out questionnaires in the event of slow or interrupted communication with a second computer configured as or associated with the file management computer, the second computer being remote from the user; and

storing the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires in a second database associated with the second computer responsive to restoration of communication between the first computer and the second computer so that the user can access the file and associated data through an electronic communications network.

16. A computer readable medium of claim 12,

wherein the display device is a first display device;

and

wherein the operations further comprise;

specifying through the one or more questionnaires the file for inclusion in a slide show of randomized files, and

displaying the slide show of randomized files comprising a subset of files randomly selected from a category of files specified for inclusion on a second display device located remote from the first display device responsive to user criteria.

17. A computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the user criteria for the slide show of randomized files includes a list of categories from which to draw files, a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that the user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

18. A computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

prompting the user for login information, the login information including a username, password, and a status to thereby allow complete access to a member and restricted access to a visitor.

19. A computer-implemented method for causing a file management computer to perform a process of assigning one of a plurality of unsorted files to at least one of a plurality of predetermined categories through a user action utilizing an icon palette and a process of prompting the user to fill out one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action, the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing data, by the file management computer, to display the icon palette to the user on a user computer, the icon palette having a palette boundary and including icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in a life of the user;

assigning one of the plurality of unsorted files to at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories responsive to user action whereby dragging and dropping one of the plurality of unsorted files across a boundary of a selected one of the icons and onto the selected icon on the icon palette provided by the computer causes the computer to perform the computer to perform the steps of;

extracting a copy of the file from a memory element associated with a remotely located user computer to a memory element associated with the file management computer through an electronic communications network, and

establishing a relation between the file and the respective predetermined category represented by the selected icon;

prompting the user to fill out the one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action of dragging and dropping the file, the one or more questionnaires including album data, a journal entry, event information, and display information; and

displaying one or more albums of files according to pre-selected formats on a display device to one or more users for the respective predetermined category, the album of files organized based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

20. A computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs, wherein the plurality of predetermined categories representing notable events in the life of the user includes one or more of the following:

predefined default categories, and user-defined categories, wherein the plurality of predefined default categories include three or more of the following;

marriage, faith, family, children, school, travel, military, and health, wherein the one or more questionnaires include access information having one or more conditions to provide conditional third party access to the file, and wherein the one or more conditions comprise a plurality of user selectable trigger events, each user selectable trigger event being selectable by the user through a corresponding plurality of input fields displayed on a graphical user interface to thereby provide user selection of a desired trigger event.

21. A computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the display device is a first display device;

and

wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises;

storing temporarily the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires to a first database associated with a first computer being local to the user and configured as the user computer so that the user can initiate assignment of files and fill out questionnaires in the event of slow or interrupted communication with a second computer associated with or configured as the file management computer, the second computer being remote from the user,

storing the file and data associated with the one or more questionnaires in a second database associated with the second computer responsive to restoration of communication between the first computer and the second computer so that the user can access the file and associated data through an electronic communications network,

specifying through the one or more questionnaires the file for inclusion in a slide show of randomized files, and

displaying the slide show of randomized files comprising a subset of files randomly selected from a category of files specified for inclusion on a second display device located remote from the first display device responsive to user criteria.

22. A computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the user criteria for the slide show of randomized files includes a list of categories from which to draw files, a number of files to display, a start date of the files, an end date for the files, a duration to display the files, and a number of repetitions before selecting new files so that the user can tailor the randomized slide show for an audience.

23. A computer-implemented method of claim 19, further comprising:

aggregating individual journal entries, each associated with a separate file, into one master journal associated with the user;

displaying a portion of the master journal to the display device responsive to user criteria so that the user can view journal entries for a category, a particular date range, or files in the one or more albums; and

wherein the master journal provides chronological access to the plurality of otherwise prior unorganized, unsorted files based upon life events of the respective user through selection of corresponding journal entries.

24. A computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the files displayed using pre-selected formats in the album of files are linked to the associated journal entries in the displayed portion of the master journal so that when the user highlights the file, the associated journal entry is also highlighted, and when the user highlights the journal entry, an associated file is also highlighted.