Machine, computer readable medium, and computer-implemented method for file management, storage, and display

• US 8,510,305 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• 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 PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US13/440,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/736, 709/203, 719/320, 705/35, 398/58
• 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

Machines, computer readable media, program products, and computer-implemented methods of file management, storage, and display are provided. According to an example of an embodiment of a method, 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 displays an album of files using pre-selected formats based on information provided in the questionnaires.

Claims

1. A file management machine to perform file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, 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 having a first display device associated therewith and 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 operations comprising;

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;

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; and

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.

2. A file management machine to perform file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, 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 operations comprising;

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,

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,

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

displaying a portion of the master journal on 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 of files; 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.

3. A file management machine as defined in claim 2,

wherein the operations further comprise 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

wherein the one or more albums of files are organized on the display device based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

4. A file management machine as defined in claim 2,

wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs related to notable events in the life of the user;

and

wherein the operation of displaying one or more albums of files comprises displaying a plurality of albums of files for each separate one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

5. A file management machine as defined in claim 2,

wherein the operations further comprise displaying 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.

6. A file management machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the files displayed in the album of files are 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.

7. A file management machine as defined in claim 2,

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 comprise the icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories, visually depicting the notable events in a life of the respective user; and

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

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

8. A file management machine as defined in claim 2,

wherein the operations further comprise:

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, and

assigning the respective file to an album responsive to data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the file, the album comprising 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 data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the respective file.

9. A file management machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes a digital photograph, and wherein the operations further comprise:

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. 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 file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, the operations comprising:

causing display of an icon palette to a user on a first display associated with 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;

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; and

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.

11. 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 file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, 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 cony 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;

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;

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

displaying a portion of the master journal on 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 of files; 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.

12. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11,

wherein the operations further comprise 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

wherein the one or more albums of files are organized on the display device based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

13. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11,

wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs related to notable events in the life of the user;

and

wherein the operation of displaying one or more albums of files comprises displaying a plurality of albums of files for each separate one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

14. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11,

wherein the operations further comprise displaying 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.

15. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the files displayed in the album of files are 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.

16. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11,

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 comprise the icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories, visually depicting the notable events in a life of the respective user; and

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

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

17. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11,

wherein the operations further comprise:

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, and

assigning the respective file to an album responsive to data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the file, the album comprising 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 data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the respective file.

18. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes a digital photograph, and wherein the operations further comprise:

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.

19. A computer-implemented method for causing a file management computer to perform file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, the method comprising the steps of:

providing data, by the file management computer, to display the icon palette to the user on a first display associated with 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 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 one or more questionnaires associated with the file responsive to the user action of dragging and dropping the file;

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; and

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.

20. A computer-implemented method for causing a file management computer to perform file management operations associated with a plurality of unsorted files through a user action utilizing an icon palette, the method comprising the steps of:

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;

display 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;

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

displaying a portion of the master journal on 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 of files; 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.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising the step of:

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

wherein the one or more albums of files are organized on the display device based upon questionnaire data associated with the respective files.

22. A method as defined in claim 20,

wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes digital photographs related to notable events in the life of the user;

and

wherein the step of displaying one or more albums of album files comprises displaying a plurality of albums of files for each separate one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

23. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising the step of:

providing 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.

24. A method as defined in claim 20,

wherein the files displayed in the album of files are 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.

25. A method as defined in claim 20,

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 comprise the icons representing the plurality of predetermined categories, visually depicting the notable events in a life of the respective user, and

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

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

26. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

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;

assigning the respective file to an album responsive to data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the file, the album comprising 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 data provided through the one or more questionnaires associated with the respective file.

27. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the plurality of unsorted files includes a digital photograph, and wherein the operations further comprise 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.