Visual representation of a characteristic of an object in a space

• US 8,230,355 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Bauer, German, Bauermeister, Ben, Kelley, Yohko
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Chat
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US11/387,183
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/789, 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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

Abstract

Visual representation of a characteristic of an object in a space is described, including collecting data associated with an object in a space, determining a characteristic of the object based on the data, and visually representing the characteristic of the object relative to other objects within the space using a scaled representation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

performing, by a computer;

accessing data pertaining to a plurality of objects displayed in a space;

measuring an age related characteristic for each of the plurality of objects based on the data, wherein said measuring comprises;

determining a number of accesses to each object,

assigning a point value to each object based on the number of accesses to the object and times of access, and

determining the age related characteristic based on the point value;

applying a variable visual effect relative to each other object to the display of each of one or more of the plurality of objects, wherein the respective visual effect applied to the display of each object varies for that object dependent on the age related characteristic of the respective object; and

wherein said accessing, said measuring and said applying are automatically repeated over time to visually indicate actual changes over time in the age related characteristics for each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, and wherein the actual changes over time are visually indicated by the variable visual effect applied to the display of each object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the age related characteristic for each object further comprises determining an age of the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual effect comprises:

an opacity effect.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual effect comprises:

a shrinking effect.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual effect comprises:

a color effect.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the number of accesses to each object comprises determining at least one of a number of times one or more of the plurality of objects has been opened, modified, or referenced.

7. A method, comprising:

performing by a computer;

accessing data for a plurality of objects displayed in a space, wherein the data indicates a number of times each object has been accessed;

measuring an age related characteristic for each of the plurality of objects based on the data, wherein said measuring includes;

determining a point value based on the number of times each respective object has been accessed and times of the accesses; and

determining the age related characteristic based on the point value;

applying a variable visual effect relative to each other object to the display of one or more of the plurality of objects, and wherein the respective visual effect applied to the display of each object varies for the object dependent on the age related characteristic of the respective object; and

wherein said accessing, said measuring and said applying are automatically repeated over time to visually indicate actual changes over time in the age related characteristics for each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, and wherein the actual changes over time are visually indicated by the variable visual effect applied to the display of each object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual effect is chosen from the group consisting of an opacity effect, a color effect, a shrinking effect, and a modification effect.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing data associated with a plurality of objects displayed in a space, and storing program instructions executable by the processor to;

access said data;

measure an age related characteristic for one or more of the plurality of objects based on the data, wherein to perform said measuring, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to;

determine a number of accesses to each object,

assign a point value to the object based on the number of accesses to the object and times of access, and

determine the age related characteristic based on the point value;

apply a variable visual effect relative to each other object to the display of each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, wherein the respective visual effect applied to the display of each object varies for the object dependent on the age related characteristic of the respective object; and

wherein said accessing, said measuring and said applying are automatically repeated over time to visually indicate actual changes over time in the age related characteristics for each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, and wherein the actual changes over time are visually indicated by the variable visual effect applied to the display of each object.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the age related characteristic of the object comprises an age of the object.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual effect is at least one of an opacity effect, a color effect, a shrinking effect, or a modification effect.

12. A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions executable by a processor to implement:

accessing data for a plurality of objects displayed;

measuring an age related characteristic for one or more of the plurality of objects based on the data, wherein said measuring includes;

determining a number of accesses to the object,

assigning a point value to the object based on the number of accesses to the object and times of access, and

determining the age related characteristic based on the point value;

applying a variable visual effect relative to each other object to the display of each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, wherein the respective visual effect applied to the display of each object varies for the object dependent on the age related characteristic of the object; and

wherein said accessing, said measuring and said applying are automatically repeated over time to visually indicate actual changes over time in the age related characteristics for each of the one or more of the plurality of objects, and wherein the actual changes over time are visually indicated by the variable visual effect applied to the display of each object.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein measuring the age related characteristic for one or more of the plurality of objects comprises determining an age of the object.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the visual effect is at least one of an opacity effect, a color effect, a shrinking effect, or a modification effect.