Rich-context tagging of resources

• US 8,914,397 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milic-Frayling, Natasa, Smyth, Gavin, Rodrigues, Eduarda Mendes, Kazai, Gabriella
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Susan
• Application Number:
  US12/328,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: 719/311, 235/375, 707/513, 707/748, 715/763, 715/205, 709/202, 709/228, 705/26, 705/7.33, 725/133
• US Class Current: 707/767
• 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 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Tagging of resources in order to associate them is described. In an embodiment it is possible to assign tags to resources or switch between resources with different tags, in the context of current work being undertaken by a user. For example, from a single application window that is currently used, a user is able to switch to other resources by tag in an embodiment. Different embodiments illustrate how tags may have multiple purposes and those purposes may evolve thus enabling associated resources to be exposed in different ways. In some embodiments rich metadata about tag usage and/or the use of resource associated with a tag is stored and used to provide additional functionality. Examples are described in which persistence of resources associated with tags is provided and may involve representation of resources such as by duplication of files or by creating alternative representations of resources.

Claims

1. A method of associating resources comprising:

at a memory, storing a plurality tags, each tag being associated with a computer activity performed by a user at a device;

providing a user interface module arranged to enable a user to perform at least one of assigning data directly to at least one of the plurality of tags or assigning at least one of a plurality of resources to at least one of the plurality of tags;

for each resource and tag combination, storing resource state information comprising information about a context in which the resource has been used or is being used in the computer activity; and

copying all resources associated with a tag into a single directory such that each of the plurality of tags containing an assigned resource has an associated directory and, for each directory, automatically generating a description of how the resources in the directory relate to each other, the directory being arranged for sharing with other users.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the resources are heterogeneous.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising accessing the plurality of resources from stored locations, at least two resources being separately stored at different computing environments.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface module being arranged to enable the user to tag a resource without opening the resource using a software application.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

storing a data structure holding a reference to each of the plurality of resources;

providing a user interface module arranged to receive a user input specifying one of the plurality of tags; and

displaying, at a display portion of the device, at least two resources referenced in the data structure which are associated with the specified tag and the respective resource state information of the displayed at least two resources.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface module arranged to enable the user to access and manage the plurality of tags, the user interface module comprising a toolbar arranged to be attached to a window of a software application used to perform a computer activity.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface module arranged to enable the user to access the plurality of resources assigned to a tag, the user interface module comprising a toolbar arranged to be attached to a window of a software application used to perform a computer activity.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface module arranged to enable the user to switch between a first computer activity and a second computer activity by selecting a first tag or a second tag.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a user interface module arranged to enable the user to switch between a first set of one or more resources associated with a first computer activity and a second set of one or more resources associated with a second computer activity, the user interface module being integral with a software application used at a display portion of the device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising storing tag types in the data structure for each of the plurality of tags, whereby each tag has at least one type.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising providing a user interface module arranged to enable the user to access and manage the plurality of tags by tag type.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising storing metadata associated with each of the plurality of tags.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the metadata comprises historical information about the respective tag and its assigned set of one or more resources.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the metadata comprises information about relationships among resources assigned to the respective tag and relationships the respective tag has with other tags.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one tag type indicates shared resources, the shared resources being stored at a plurality of disparate locations.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a persistence mechanism whereby at least one of the resources is persisted, the at least one persisted resource being selected according to tags assigned to the at least one persisted resource.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising automatically selecting at least one of the plurality of tags to assign to at least one of the plurality of resources.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising suggesting at least one of the plurality of tags to the user for manual assignment to at least one of the plurality of resources.

19. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory, coupled to the processor, that stores;

a plurality of tags, each tag having at least one of data assigned directly to the tag or at least one of a plurality of resources assigned to the tag, each tag being also associated with an activity or task implemented on the system;

for each resource and tag combination, resource state information that includes a context in which the resource has been used or is currently being used for the activity or the task implemented on the system; and

for each tag containing at least one resource, a copy of all resources associated with the tag in a single directory and an automatically generated description of how the resources in the directory relate to each other, the directory being arranged for sharing with other users;

a user interface module being arranged to;

enable a user to access and manage one or more of the plurality of tags in conjunction with a selected activity or a selected task; and

display the one or more resources associated with the selected activity or the selected task and the respective resource state.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media with device-executable instructions configured to perform acts comprising:

storing a data structure holding references to a plurality of resources;

storing a plurality of tags, each tag having at least one of data assigned directly to the tag or at least one of the plurality of resources assigned to the tag, each tag being also associating at least one of the plurality of resources with a computer activity at a device;

copying all resources associated with a tag into a single directory such that each of the plurality of tags containing an assigned resource has an associated directory and, for each directory, automatically generating a description of how the resources in the directory relate to each other, the directory being arranged for sharing with other users; and

providing a user interface module arranged to allow a user to access and manage one or more of the plurality of tags to switch from a first computer activity to a second computer activity.