Rapid visual sorting of digital files and data

• US 20050192924A1
• Filed: 07/17/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Curtis, Drucker, Steven M., DeMar, Steven D., Glenner, Steven C., Roseway, Asta J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,005 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: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

Described is a system and method including a user interface to manage sets of digital data (e.g., files) such as digital photographs or email messages. The system and method comprise a rapid sort mechanism and an underlying support mechanism that associates metadata with each set of digital data, including annotation metadata obtained from the sort mechanism. As the user scrolls through images that represent the sets of digital data and categorizes them, metadata as to its particular categorization or lack of categorization is implicitly obtained and associated with each set of digital data. Grouping of sets of digital data into clusters is also provided, with a visual indication as to which cluster a set of digital data belongs. With respect to digital photography, the system and method makes annotating and classifying digital photographs significantly easier and faster than contemporary photograph management mechanisms.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

providing a mechanism to sort sets of digital data into categories based on user interaction with the mechanism; and

maintaining category information in association with at least some of the sorted sets of digital data corresponding to how each sorted set has been categorized.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the category information comprises maintaining metadata.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sets of digital data comprise digital photographs, and wherein maintaining classification metadata comprises storing an indication of whether a digital photographs has been sorted into at least one category of a set containing:

a hidden category, a private category, a majority category, a highlights category, a best category and a representative category.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein maintaining classification metadata comprises receiving a user-specified category.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a mechanism to sort the sets of digital data comprises providing a user interface to scroll through the sets of data.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, receiving a user command via the user interface and scrolling based on the command.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising, receiving a user command via the user interface and sorting based on the command.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising, arranging the sets of digital data to scroll in time order based on time data associated with each set of digital data.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, displaying images representative of at least two sets of digital data, with one image being shown as a currently selected image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the image shown as a selected set is larger than any other image representative of a set of digital data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sets of digital data are grouped into clusters, and further comprising, displaying an image representative of a set of digital data in conjunction with a visible indication that indicates that the image'"'"'s corresponding set of digital data belongs to a cluster.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising, processing the category information to filter output corresponding to the sets of digital data.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the sets of digital data comprise a subset of a larger collection of digital data that has been previously narrowed.

14. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein displaying the plurality of images comprises displaying the images in a generally-linear stream.

15. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including at least one display and at least one user interface selection device, a method comprising:

displaying a plurality of images representing respective sets of digital data;

scrolling the plurality of images based on user scrolling instructions received via a selection device; and

sorting at least some of the sets of digital data based on user sorting instructions received via a selection device; and

automatically maintaining metadata in association with the digital data based on the user sorting instructions.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein displaying the plurality of images comprises displaying at least two of the images in an arranged ordering.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein each image is associated with a time, and wherein displaying the plurality of images comprises displaying the images in time-based ordering.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the user scrolling instructions correspond to manual keyboard input.

20. The method of claim 15 the user scrolling instructions correspond to input from a pointing device.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the user scrolling instructions correspond to an instruction to automatically scroll until otherwise halted.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein sorting based on user sorting instructions comprises detecting actuation of a keyboard key corresponding to a currently-selected image and a category.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein sorting based on user sorting instructions comprises detecting a pen gesture corresponding to a currently-selected image and a category.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising displaying a representative category location including a thumbnail of at least one of the images that has been sorted into a category that corresponds to the representative category location.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein a thumbnail image corresponds to a currently-selected image, and further comprising, displaying the thumbnail image in a different manner relative to other thumbnails to indicate that the currently-selected image has been categorized.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein displaying the plurality of images comprises displaying two images side-by-side.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein at least some of the sets of digital data are grouped into clusters, and wherein displaying the plurality of images comprises displaying an image in a manner that indicates that the image'"'"'s corresponding set of digital data belongs to a cluster.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein displaying an image in a manner that indicates that the image'"'"'s corresponding set of digital data belongs to a cluster comprises displaying a gap between images of one cluster and other images.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein displaying an image in a manner that indicates that the image'"'"'s corresponding set of digital data belongs to a cluster comprises displaying frames of one color around images of one cluster and displaying frames of another color around images of another cluster.

30. The method of claim 15 wherein the sets of digital data comprise a subset of a larger collection of digital data by having been previously narrowed.

31. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 15.