Timescale for presenting information

• US 8,826,123 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc., Maya-Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 9224-5489 Quebec Inc.
• Inventors: Audet, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Manglesh M
• Application Number:
  US11/754,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080295016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 715/723, 715/763, 715/835, 715/838, 715/200
• US Class Current: 715/243
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A method for presenting information on a timeline is provided, the method comprising displaying the plurality of documents on the timeline using either a linear or a non-linear timescale. Documents presented along a linear timeline can switch to a non-linear timeline and vice-versa. The plurality of documents can be search results provided along the timeline representing a time attribute of each result. More than one timeline can be used to display documents, each timeline using a timescale that can be similar or dissimilar. An interface and a system for implementing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, the method comprising:

(a) displaying an axis of an array of documents at separate display times in different manners by switching between two different types of timescale used for a timeline of the axis, the two different types of timescale comprising a linear timescale of the displayed axis and a nonlinear timescale of the displayed axis, the step of displaying including

(i) displaying the axis with the timeline having a linear timescale by displaying documents of the axis along the timeline at substantially variable intervals of distance between adjacent documents on the axis, the timescale of the timeline having a time distribution that is substantially constant, with substantially equal periods of time being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis; and

(ii) displaying the axis with the timeline having a non-linear timescale by displaying documents of the axis along the timeline at substantially constant intervals of distance between adjacent documents on the axis, the timescale having a time distribution that is substantially variable, with substantially equal periods of time not being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis;

(b) wherein the switching of the type of timescale of the axis between linear and nonlinear timescales in displaying documents of the axis to the user is effected by input from the user.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, the method further comprising changing a range of time represented by a portion of a displayed length of the displayed axis, and wherein the documents are arranged in a substantially rectilinear fashion.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, wherein the input from the user comprises setting of a threshold regarding intervals between adjacent documents to be displayed along the axis.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, the method further comprising effecting switching from the linear timescale to the non-linear timescale in displaying documents of the axis so that a displayed extent of the axis includes a displayed interval of distance along the axis between two displayed adjacent documents of the axis.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, wherein the step of the method of determining a manner in which an array of documents are to be displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale comprises receiving user input representing a selection of the manner in which an array of documents are displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale, the selection indicating whether the timeline has a linear timescale or a non-linear timescale.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, wherein the method further comprises:

changing the timescale of the timeline from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale;

changing the timescale of the timeline from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale; and

displaying the array of documents along the axis in accordance with the changed timescale.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying documents, wherein the method further comprises:

transitioning the documents while changing the timescale of the timeline by progressively altering the intervals of distance between documents on the axis.

5. An information organizing system, comprising:

(a) a computing device having a (i) processor and (ii) non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method; and

(b) a display operatively connected to the computing device for displaying a graphical user interface to a user during performance of the method when the computer-executable instructions are executed;

(c) wherein the method includes the step of,

(i) determining a manner in which an array of documents are to be shown along an axis having a timeline having a timescale, the manner comprising whether the timeline has a linear timescale or a non-linear timescale,

(ii) when the determined manner comprise a timeline having a linear timescale, causing to be shown on the display, for view by the user, the documents along the timeline at substantially variable intervals of distance between adjacent documents on the axis, the timescale of the timeline having a time distribution that is substantially constant, with substantially equal periods of time being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis,

(iii) when the determined manner comprises a timeline having a non-linear timescale, causing to be shown on the display, for view by the user, the documents along the timeline at substantially constant intervals of distance between adjacent documents on the axis, the timescale having a time distribution that is substantially variable, with substantially equal periods of time not being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis, and

(iv) switching between the linear timescale and the nonlinear timescale in displaying documents of the axis to the user, wherein the switching between the linear timescale and the nonlinear timescale in displaying documents of the axis to the user is effected by input from the user.

6. The information organizing system of claim 5, wherein the method therein further comprises effecting switching from the linear timescale to the non-linear timescale in displaying documents of the axis so that a displayed extent of the axis includes a displayed interval of distance along the axis between two displayed adjacent documents of the axis.

17. The information organizing system of claim 5, wherein the input from the user comprises setting of a threshold regarding intervals between adjacent documents to be displayed along the axis.

18. The information organizing system of claim 5, wherein the method therein further comprises changing a range of time represented by a portion of a displayed length of the displayed axis, and wherein the documents are arranged in a substantially rectilinear fashion.

19. The information organizing system of claim 5, wherein the step of the method of determining a manner in which an array of documents are to be displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale comprises receiving user input representing a selection by the user of the manner in which an array of documents are displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale, the selection indicating whether the timeline has a linear timescale or a non-linear timescale.

20. The information organizing system of claim 5, wherein the method therein further comprises:

changing the timescale of the timeline from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale;

changing the timescale of the timeline from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale; and

causing the documents to be shown along the axis in accordance with the changed timescale.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method for displaying search results, the method comprising:

(a) determining a manner in which an array of the search results are to be displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale, the manner relating to whether the timeline has a linear timescale or a non-linear timescale;

(b) ordering the search results chronologically;

(c) when the determination is that the timeline has a linear timescale, displaying the ordered search results along the timeline at substantially variable intervals of distance between adjacent search results on the axis, the timescale of the timeline having a time distribution that is substantially constant, with substantially equal periods of time being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis; and

(d) when the determination is that the timeline has a non-linear timescale, displaying the ordered search results along the timeline at substantially constant intervals of distance between adjacent search results on the axis, the timescale having a time distribution that is substantially variable, with substantially equal periods of time not being visually represented in substantially equal lengths of distance along the axis; and

(e) switching between the linear timescale and the nonlinear timescale in displaying search results to the user, wherein the switching between the linear timescale and the nonlinear timescale in displaying search results to the user is effected by input from the user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, the method further comprising changing a range of time represented by a portion of a displayed length of the displayed axis, and wherein the results are arranged in a substantially rectilinear fashion.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, wherein the input from the user comprises setting of a threshold regarding intervals between adjacent search results to be displayed along the axis.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, the method further comprising effecting switching from the linear timescale to the non-linear timescale in displaying search results so that a displayed extent of the axis includes a displayed interval of distance along the axis between two displayed adjacent search results of the axis.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, wherein the step of the method of determining a manner in which an array of the search results are to be displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale comprises receiving user input representing a selection of the manner in which an array of search results are displayed along an axis having a timeline having a timescale, the selection indicating whether the timeline has a linear timescale or a non-linear timescale.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, wherein the method further comprises:

changing the timescale of the timeline from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a linear timescale to a non-linear timescale;

changing the timescale of the timeline from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale upon receiving user input representing a change in the manner of display from a non-linear timescale to a linear timescale; and

displaying the search results along the axis in accordance with the changed timescale.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, provide a method of displaying search results, wherein the method further comprises:

transitioning the search results while changing the timescale of the timeline by progressively altering the intervals of distance between search results on the axis.