Method and system for visualization and operation of multiple content filters

• US 20050044100A1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACD Systems International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ACD Systems Ltd. (ACD Systems International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hooper, David Sheldon, Stanlake, Matthew, Mao, Yida
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A system for operation and visualization of multiple content filters, including a plurality of filter interfaces for setting parameters of corresponding content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each content filter having a lock status being in a locked or an unlocked state, and each filter interface having a display generator for rendering a user interface display, wherein at least one such user interface display for a content filter is dependent upon the lock status of another content filter, and a lock processor for setting the lock status of at least one content filter. A method and a computer readable storage medium are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system for operation and visualization of multiple content filters, comprising:

a plurality of interfaces for content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each interface including at least one control for setting at least one content filter parameter;

a filter activation interface for activating at least one of said content filters; and

a display interface for viewing a result of application of the activated content filters to the catalog of assets.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the content filters are filters for digital files.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the content filters are filters for digital image files.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the content filters include a folder based filter.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the content filters include a category based filter.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the content filters include a calendar based filter.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the content filters include a location based filter.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter activation interface includes a list of the plurality of content filters, with check boxes for selectively activating each content filter.

9. A method for operation and visualization of multiple content filters, comprising:

providing a plurality of interfaces for content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each interface including at least one control for setting at least one content filter parameter;

activating at least one of the content filters; and

displaying a result of application of the activated content filters to the catalog of assets.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the content filters are filters for digital files.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the content filters are filters for digital image files.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the content filters include a folder based filter.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the content filters include a category based filter.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the content filters include a calendar based filter.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the content filters include a location based filter.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the filter activation interface includes a list of the plurality of content filters, with check boxes for selectively activating each content filter.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

providing a plurality of interfaces for content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each interface including at least one control for setting at least one content filter parameter;

activating at least one of the content filters; and

displaying a result of application of the activated content filters to the catalog of assets.

18. A system for retrieval of digital assets having metadata associated therewith, comprising:

an interface for generating a plurality of metadata constraints, and for activating at least one generated metadata constraint;

a query processor for applying the activated metadata constraints; and

a display interface for viewing a result of said query processor.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein metadata includes file system data.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein metadata includes data assigned by a capture device.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein metadata includes user assigned data.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on date and time metadata.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on category metadata.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on property metadata.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein said interface is used for saving a group of at least one metadata constraint as a filter.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein said interface is also used for de-activating at least one generated metadata constraint.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said interface is also used for modifying at least one generated metadata constraint.

28. The system of claim 27 further comprising a constraint lock processor for locking at least one metadata constraint so as to remain activated when other metadata constraints are activated, de-activated or modified.

29. A method for retrieving digital assets having metadata associated therewith, comprising:

generating a plurality of metadata constraints;

activating at least one generated metadata constraint;

applying the activated metadata constraints; and

viewing a result of said applying.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein metadata includes file system data.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein metadata includes data assigned by a capture device.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein metadata includes user assigned data.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on date and time metadata.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on category metadata.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of metadata constraints include at least one constraint on property metadata.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising saving a group of at least one metadata constraint as a filter.

37. The method of claim 29 further comprising de-activating at least one generated metadata constraint.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising modifying at least one generated metadata constraint.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising locking at least one metadata constraint so as to remain activated when other metadata constraints are activated, de-activated or modified.

40. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

generating a plurality of metadata constraints;

activating at least one generated metadata constraint;

applying the activated metadata constraints; and

viewing a result of the applying.

41. A system for operation and visualization of multiple content filters, comprising:

a plurality of filter interfaces for setting parameters of corresponding content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each content filter having a lock status being in a locked or an unlocked state, and each filter interface having a display generator for rendering a user interface display, wherein at least one such user interface display for a content filter is dependent upon the lock status of another content filter; and

a lock processor for setting the lock status of at least one content filter.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the at least one user interface display contains at least one alphanumeric string dependent upon the lock status of another content filter.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the alphanumeric string is a statistic about the catalog of assets filtered according to locked content filters.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein parameters of the content filters are set in a sequential order, and wherein said lock processor locks previously set content filters.

45. The system of claim 41 wherein parameters of the content filters are set in a sequential order, and wherein said lock processor unlocks previously set content filters.

46. A method for operation and visualization of multiple content filters, comprising:

providing a plurality of filter interfaces for setting parameters of corresponding content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each content filter having a lock status being in a locked or an unlocked state;

setting the lock status of at least one content filter; and

rendering a user interface display for a content filter, that is dependent upon the lock status of another content filter.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein said rendering generates a user interface display that contains at least one alphanumeric string dependent upon the lock status of another content filter.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein the alphanumeric string is a statistic about the catalog of assets filtered according to locked content filters.

49. The method of claim 46 further comprising setting parameters of the content filters in a sequential order, and wherein said setting the lock status of at least one content filter, locks previously set content filters.

50. The method of claim 46 further comprising setting parameters of the content filters in a sequential order, and wherein said setting the lock status of at least one content filter, unlocks previously set content filters.

51. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

providing a plurality of filter interfaces for setting parameters of corresponding content filters that filter a catalog of assets, each content filter having a lock status being in a locked or an unlocked state;

setting the lock status of at least one content filter; and

rendering a user interface display for a content filter, that is dependent upon the lock status of another content filter.