Searching metadata from files

• US 8,166,065 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/648,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/100, 707/101, 707/10, 707/3, 707/206, 707/1, 707/2, 707/4, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/103.X, 707/103.Y, 707/103.Z, 707705-711, 707/764, 707/769, 707/774, 707/779, 707/805, 707/E17.13, 707/E17.136, 707/999.004, 707/999.102, 709/203, 709/201, 715/700, 715/780, 715/200, 715/762, 715/772, 715/781, 715/783, 715/804, 715/805, 715/810, 715/828
• US Class Current: 707/779
• 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 computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, at a computing device, one or more search parameters in a parameter column;

receiving a selection of a first search parameter;

displaying a first plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the first plurality of options corresponds to the first search parameter;

receiving a selection of a first option;

generating a search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter;

performing a first search for one or more files matching the search query;

displaying results of the first search;

receiving a selection of a second search parameter;

displaying a second plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the second plurality of options corresponds to the second search parameter;

receiving a selection of a second option;

generating an updated search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter and the second option corresponding to the second search parameter;

performing a second search for one or more files matching the updated search query; and

displaying results of the second search.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an indicator adjacent to the first search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the first option; and

displaying an indicator adjacent to the second search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the second option.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each indicator includes an associated remove control, and wherein interaction with the remove control causes the associated indicator to be removed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each plurality of options is displayed in a submenu, and wherein the selection of one of the options causes the submenu to be removed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the first plurality of options in an option column adjacent to the parameter column, wherein receiving the selection of the second search parameter causes the second plurality of options to replace first plurality of options in the option column.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter column includes a clear all control, and wherein interaction with the clear all control causes the first option and the second option to be removed from the updated search query.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more items in the search results;

generating a group including the selected items; and

performing a single operation on the group, wherein the single operation is applied to each item in the group.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the group is made persistent by dragging the group to a sidebar adjacent to the parameter column, wherein releasing the group on the sidebar generates a folder in the sidebar, and wherein the folder corresponds to the group.

9. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

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

displaying one or more search parameters in a parameter column;

receiving a selection of a first search parameter;

displaying a first plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the first plurality of options corresponds to the first search parameter;

receiving a selection of a first option;

generating a search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter;

performing a first search for one or more files matching the search query;

displaying results of the first search;

receiving a selection of a second search parameter;

displaying a second plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the second plurality of options corresponds to the second search parameter;

receiving a selection of a second option;

generating an updated search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter and the second option corresponding to the second search parameter;

performing a second search for one or more files matching the updated search query; and

displaying results of the second search.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including:

displaying an indicator adjacent to the first search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the first option; and

displaying an indicator adjacent to the second search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the second option.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each indicator includes an associated remove control, and wherein interaction with the remove control causes the associated indicator to be removed.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each plurality of options is displayed in a submenu, and wherein the selection of one of the options causes the submenu to be removed.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including:

displaying the first plurality of options in an option column adjacent to the parameter column, wherein receiving the selection of the second search parameter causes the second plurality of options to replace first plurality of options in the option column.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the parameter column includes a clear all control, and wherein interaction with the clear all control causes the first option and the second option to be removed from the updated search query.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including:

receiving a selection of one or more items in the search results;

generating a group including the selected items; and

performing a single operation on the group, wherein the single operation is applied to each item in the group.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the group is made persistent by dragging the group to a sidebar adjacent to the parameter column, wherein releasing the group on the sidebar generates a folder in the sidebar, and wherein the folder corresponds to the group.

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

display one or more search parameters in a parameter column;

receive a selection of a first search parameter;

display a first plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the first plurality of options corresponds to the first search parameter;

receive a selection of a first option;

generate a search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter;

perform a first search for one or more files matching the search query;

display results of the first search;

receive a selection of a second search parameter;

display a second plurality of options adjacent to the parameter column, wherein the second plurality of options corresponds to the second search parameter;

receive a selection of a second option;

generate an updated search query including the first option corresponding to the first search parameter and the second option corresponding to the second search parameter;

perform a second search for one or more files matching the updated search query; and

display results of the second search.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display an indicator adjacent to the first search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the first option; and

display an indicator adjacent to the second search parameter, wherein the indicator corresponds to the second option.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein each indicator includes an associated remove control, and wherein interaction with the remove control causes the associated indicator to be removed.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein each plurality of options is displayed in a submenu, and wherein the selection of one of the options causes the submenu to be removed.

21. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display the first plurality of options in an option column adjacent to the parameter column, wherein receiving the selection of the second search parameter causes the second plurality of options to replace first plurality of options in the option column.

22. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the parameter column includes a clear all control, and wherein interaction with the clear all control causes the first option and the second option to be removed from the updated search query.

23. The computer-program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive a selection of one or more items in the search results;

generate a group including the selected items; and

perform a single operation on the group, wherein the single operation is applied to each item in the group.

24. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein the group is made persistent by dragging the group to a sidebar adjacent to the parameter column, wherein releasing the group on the sidebar generates a folder in the sidebar, and wherein the folder corresponds to the group.