Method and tool for classifying documents to allow a multi-dimensional graphical representation

• US 8,788,937 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc., Maya-Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc.
• Inventors: Audet, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/944,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,435 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715255-256, 715764-767, 715/782, 707821-822, 707829-831
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method of managing visual distinctive features on axes is provided, the method comprising providing a first group of documents having a first attribute in common, displaying the first group of documents on a first axis, providing a second group of documents having a second attribute in common, displaying the second group of documents on a second axis and displaying a visual distinctive feature in connection with a set of documents having a third attribute in common, the set of document comprising at least one document from the first group of documents and at least one document from the second group of documents, wherein the third attribute is attributed to each document in the set of documents irrespective of the position of each document in relation to one another on the first axis and second axis, the visual distinctive feature discriminating the documents associated with the third attribute from the documents not associated with the third attribute on the axes. A system and a graphical user interface providing same are also hereby provided.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon suitable for execution by a computing apparatus, the computer-readable code, when executed, implementing a method for displaying a plurality of documents on a display, the method comprising:

providing a first group of documents having a first attribute in common;

displaying the first group of documents on a first axis;

providing a second group of documents having a second attribute in common;

displaying the second group of documents on a second axis; and

displaying a visual distinctive feature in connection with a set of documents having a third attribute in common, the set of document comprising at least one document from the first group of documents and at least one document from the second group of documents, wherein the third attribute is attributed to each document in the set of documents irrespective of the position of each document in relation to one another on the first axis and second axis, the visual distinctive feature discriminating the documents associated with the third attribute from the documents not associated with the third attribute on the axes.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein each axis is a substantially rectilinear axis.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the first axis displays documents along a first timeline and the second axis displays documents along a second timeline.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 3, further comprising displaying a present moment visual indicator, the present moment visual indicator identifying the present moment along at least one of the first timeline and the second timeline.

5. The non-transient computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 3, wherein the first timeline and the second timeline are the same timeline.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the first axis is displayed adjacent and parallel to the second axis.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the third visual distinctive feature is an offset in alignment of the documents from their respective axis.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the third visual distinctive feature is a plurality of visual distinctive features, each one of the plurality of visual distinctive features being associated with a respective attribute and is adapted to be displayed in connection with at least one document from the first group of documents and at least one document from the second group of documents that have the respective attribute in common.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the third visual distinctive feature is selected by a user.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the visual distinctive feature is changeable by a user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, wherein the first axis is adapted to be generated on basis of a first query and the second axis is adapted to be generated on basis of a second query.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, further comprising a third axis disposed at an angle from at least one of the first axis and the second axis, the third axis being adapted to display a plurality of documents having a commonality and adapted to display documents having the third attribute associated therewith with the visual distinctive feature.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 1, further comprising changing the visual distinctive feature for a second visual distinctive feature.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer-readable code thereon for implementing the method of claim 13, wherein changing the visual distinctive feature is progressive and can be appreciated by a viewer.

15. A non-transitory computer readable program code for execution by a computing apparatus for implementing a graphical user interface on a display device, the graphical user interface comprising:

a first display area adapted to display a first group of documents having a first attribute in common on a first axis; and

a second display area adapted to display a second group of documents having a second attribute in common on a second axis;

the graphical user interface being adapted to display a visual distinctive feature in connection with a set of documents having a third attribute in common, the set of documents comprising at least one document from the first group of documents and at least one document from the second group of documents, the third attribute being attributed to each document in the set of documents irrespective of the position of each document in relation to one another on the first axis and second axis, the visual distinctive feature discriminating the documents associated with the third attribute from the documents not associated with the third attribute on the axes.

16. The non-transitory computer readable program code for implementing the graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein each axis is a substantially rectilinear alignment of documents and wherein the first axis is displayed adjacent and parallel to the second axis.

17. The non-transitory computer readable program code for implementing the graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein the first axis displays documents along a first timeline and the second axis displays documents along a second timeline, and the first timeline and the second timeline are the same timeline.

18. The non-transitory computer readable program code for implementing the graphical user interface of claim 17, further comprising displaying a present moment visual indicator identifying the present moment along the first and second timeline and wherein the present moment visual indicator moves with time along the timelines.

19. An apparatus for implementing a user interface adapted to discriminate documents, the apparatus comprising:

a memory module adapted to store thereon a plurality of documents;

a processing unit in communication with the memory module, the processing unit being operative for executing computer readable program code stored on a non-transient computer readable medium for implementing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being adapted for displaying on a display device;

a first group of documents from the plurality of documents that have a first attribute in common, the first group of documents being displayed on a first axis;

a second group of documents from the plurality of documents that have a second attribute in common, the second group of documents being displayed on a second axis;

a visual distinctive feature in connection with a set of documents having a third attribute in common, the set of documents comprising at least one document from the first group of documents and at least one document from the second group of documents, wherein the third attribute is attributed to each document in the set of documents irrespective of the position of each document in relation to one another on the first axis and the second axis, the visual distinctive feature discriminating the documents associated with the third attribute from the documents not associated with the third attribute on the axes.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the third attribute is a user selected attribute, the apparatus further comprising an input for receiving a signal indicative of the third attribute from a user, wherein upon receipt of the signal, the processing unit being adapted to apply the visual distinctive feature associated with the third attribute to the documents having the third attribute on the axes.