Methods and apparatus for managing information objects in an electronic personal information management system

• US 8,701,018 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Paul Erich Keel
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Huang, Paul Erich Keel
• Inventors: Keel, Paul Erich, Huang, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/793,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 715/201, 715/212, 715/221, 715/227, 715/277, 715751-759, 715/765, 715/769, 715/777, 715/835
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and technique provide management and display of information objects (IOs) in an electronic personal information management application. The system further provides a graphical user interface which allows every object to be used as a folder and the ability to subordinate any other type of object. A unique list view through which IOs can be displayed and managed is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing information objects (IOs), in which at least one computer initiates execution of software instructions to perform the steps of:

providing a plurality of IOs;

displaying the IOs as icons in a list view as one of a plurality of IO types;

receiving a selection of an IO;

associating the IO type of the selected IO with IO metadata;

displaying an indication of the IO metadata in an list view;

sharing the selected IO with at least one participant in response to one of;

a user dragging the at least one participant icon onto the selected IO icon; and

a user dragging the selected IO icon onto the at least one participant icon;

copying the selected shared IO to the at least one participant;

synchronizing the copied selected shared IO; and

displaying an indication of sharing including

providing a numeric count of participants associated with the selected shared IO.

2. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of IO types comprise:

a thread;

a discussion;

an instant message (IM);

a short message (SMS);

a blog;

a forum;

a text note;

an event;

a voice note (transcripts);

a clipping;

an RSS feed;

a directory;

a hyperlink;

a bookmark;

a rating annotation;

an executable program; and

wherein an icon is associated with the IO type to indicate a primary source of data.

3. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein the IO metadata includes detailed data of the IO and is at least one of:

a date;

a time;

a deadline;

a timeframe;

a participant;

a contributor;

a hyperlink;

an executable;

a tag;

a location;

an address;

a priority;

a rating;

a drawing;

a note;

a price;

a quote; and

a bid.

4. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein a second object of any type of IO can be displayed as subordinate to the selected IO represented as a folder in response to a user selection, moving the second object onto the selected IO allowing the user to visually arrange related objects.

5. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising creating a reference to the selected IO by dragging an icon of one of following over the selected IO:

a different IO;

a task;

a hyperlink; and

a note from a separate application.

6. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising associating user defined tags with the selected IO by associating the selected the IO with at least one tag.

7. The computer-implemented method as in claim 6 further comprising creating a tag list and hierarchically structuring the tag list by moving tags between tag folders.

8. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising displaying dates and times associated with the selected IO by displaying one of:

a numeric time countdown; and

a visual countdown.

9. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a map view reflecting geographical locations corresponding to locations associated with the selected IO; and

displaying a route on the map view between the IO and another different IO.

10. The computer-implemented method as in claim 1, wherein providing a numeric count of participants associated with the shared IO comprises providing a numeric count of participants sharing the shared IO.

11. In a personal information management (PIM) software system comprising:

a processor;

a processor memory;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

an information object (IO) display user interface, comprising;

a first portion including one or more selectable tabs to select a container including a collection of IOs;

a second portion including a list of IOs in a selected container arranged in a matrix with indications as a function of an IO type and associated metadata for each IO of;

a participant associated with the IO;

a relative time associated with the IO;

a numeric count of documents associated with the IO;

an indication of sharing including a numeric count of the participants associated with the IO;

a third portion including a map view reflecting geographical locations corresponding to locations associated with a selected IO; and

a participant list.

12. The IO display user interface of claim 11 further comprising an indication that an IO and corresponding second level IOs are shared by at least one participant.

13. The IO display user interface of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the interface indicates a count of participants sharing an IO and the third portion indicates names of the participants.

14. The IO display user interface of claim 13, wherein the second portion of the interface indicates whether all invited participants have accepted an invitation to share the IO and whether there is an update to the IO.

15. The IO display user interface of claim 11, wherein the third portion of the interface indicates one of:

a numeric time countdown; and

a visual countdown, of an IO selected by a user.

16. The IO display user interface of claim 11, wherein the second portion of the interface includes, on a row including an IO, an indication that at least one copy exists in multiple locations.

17. The IO display user interface of claim 11, wherein the second portion of the interface indicates a user defined tag associated with an IO and the third portion displays text related to the tag.

18. The IO display user interface of claim 11 wherein the second portion further includes indications for each IO of:

a numeric count of documents exchanged;

a numeric count of messages exchanged; and

a numeric count of unread and un-responded messages.

19. A computer-implemented method, in which at least one computer initiates execution of software instructions to perform the steps of:

comprising;

coalescing information objects (IO)s from a plurality of sources for display in a user interface;

displaying views of IOs associated with icons representing user assigned folder types;

displaying IO metadata associated with selected ones of the IOs; and

providing user interface controls to move, copy subordinate the folders representing the IOs;

receiving a selection of a IO;

sharing the selected IO with at least one participant;

synchronizing the selected shared IO; and

displaying indications of sharing including a numeric count of the participants associated with the IO.

20. The computer-implemented method as in claim 19 further comprising providing a combined view of an information object and metadata in a personal information manager (PIM);

and

wherein displaying indications of sharing further includes displaying an indication of which participants are sharing the IO.

21. A computer-implemented method of interacting with an information object (IO), in which at least one computer initiates execution of software instructions to perform steps of:

providing the IO;

sharing the IO among a plurality of participants by copying the IO to the plurality of participants;

synchronizing the copied shared IOs;

attaching metadata to the IO;

displaying an indication of the IO metadata in a list view;

displaying indications of sharing including a numeric count of the participants associated with the IO;

displaying a map view reflecting geographical locations corresponding to locations associated with a shared IO;

displaying a route on the map view between the IO and another different IO; and

in response to interaction with the list view by one of the participants, providing a communications path between at least two of the participants sharing the IO.