Techniques to modify file descriptors for content files

• US 8,775,385 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rajabi, Zeyad, Wood, Matthew, Douglas, Malia, Cockerill, Ashley B., Lacey, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US13/479,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 707/674, 707/675
• US Class Current: 707/674
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• 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

Techniques to modify file descriptors for content files are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a file descriptor application operative on the processor circuit to manage file descriptors for content files, the file descriptor application arranged to generate a file descriptor for a content file in accordance with a universal file descriptor model, the universal file descriptor model to comprise a file descriptor surface with multiple file descriptor tiles to present corresponding content parts from the content file, with at least one of the file descriptor tiles defining a content part class representing homogeneous content parts from heterogeneous content file types. The file descriptor application may also comprise a file descriptor editor component arranged to allow modifications to the file descriptor. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a file descriptor request to generate a file descriptor for a content file, the file descriptor to provide a preview of contents of the content file;

retrieving, by a processor circuit, a universal file descriptor model for the content file, the universal file descriptor model to comprise a file descriptor surface with multiple file descriptor tiles to present corresponding content parts from the content file, with at least one of the file descriptor tiles defining a content part class representing homogeneous content parts from heterogeneous content file types;

extracting one or more content parts from the content file based on the universal file descriptor model;

generating a file descriptor from one or more extracted content parts from the content file based on the universal file descriptor model; and

modifying one or more extracted content parts of the file descriptor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising retrieving the universal file descriptor model from a class of universal file descriptor models.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising modifying one or more extracted content parts from the content file in response to control directives received by an input device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising modifying a content part class comprising a text class with a text editor.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising modifying a content part class comprising an image class with an image editor.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising selecting an alternate image from an image gallery for a content part class comprising an image class.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising sending a file descriptor response with the file descriptor to a client application.

8. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a memory to store instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

retrieve a file descriptor model for a content file, the file descriptor model to comprise a file descriptor surface with multiple file descriptor tiles to present corresponding content parts from the content file;

extract a content part from the content file based on the file descriptor model;

generate a file descriptor from the extracted content part, the file descriptor to provide a preview of contents of the content file; and

modify one or more extracted content parts of the file descriptor.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to modify one or more extracted content parts from the content file in response to control directives received by an input device.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to modify a content part class comprising a text class.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to select an alternate text from a text gallery for a content part class comprising a text class.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to modify a content part class comprising an image class.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor circuit; and

a file descriptor application operative on the processor circuit to manage file descriptors for content files, the file descriptor application arranged to generate a file descriptor for a content file in accordance with a universal file descriptor model, the file descriptor to provide a preview of contents of the content file, the universal file descriptor model to comprise a file descriptor surface with multiple file descriptor tiles to present corresponding content parts from the content file, with at least one of the file descriptor tiles defining a content part class representing homogeneous content parts from heterogeneous content file types, the file descriptor application comprising a file descriptor editor component arranged to allow modifications to the file descriptor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor application comprising a file descriptor model component operative to retrieve the universal file descriptor model.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor application comprising a file descriptor extractor component operative to extract one or more content parts from the content file based on the universal file descriptor model.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor application comprising a file descriptor assembly component operative to generate the file descriptor from one or more extracted content parts from the content file based on the universal file descriptor model.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor editor component operative to modify one or more extracted content parts from the content file in response to control directives received by an input device.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor editor component comprising a text editor operative to modify a content part class comprising a text class.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor editor component comprising an image editor operative to modify a content part class comprising an image class.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, the file descriptor editor component comprising an image editor operative to select an alternate image from an image gallery for a content part class comprising an image class.