Radial, three-dimensional hierarchical file system view

• US 20060212833A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Matthew William, Liao, Bin, Druitt, Colin Eric
• Application Number:
  US11/302,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212833A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of displaying a hierarchical file structure. The method determines a visual arrangement (100) of containers (102) which reflects a hierarchical relationship of the file structure. A concentric curved shape is then formed representing each container in the file structure and files within the containers, the curved shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement. A viewpoint (600) is then established for the curved shape which is substantially radial thereto and allows viewing from a root container of the file structure towards one or more child containers of the file structure. The curved shape is then rendered, relative to the viewpoint, to a display (2114). Desirably, the files within a container (102) are represented as a tower (104) in the curved shape.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a hierarchical file structure, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a visual arrangement of containers which reflects a hierarchical relationship of said file structure;

forming a concentric curved shape representing each said container in the file structure and files within said containers, said curved shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement;

establishing a viewpoint for the curved shape which is substantially radial thereto and allows viewing from a root container of the file structure towards one or more child containers of the file structure; and

rendering said curved shape, relative to said viewpoint, to a display.

8. A method according to claim 1 where the contained elements have a visual representation and said visual representation is rendered to said display in a manner that reflects their containment within a corresponding one of the containers in the hierarchy.

9. A method according to claim 1 where the parent-child relationships in the hierarchy extend radially.

11. A method according to claim 1 comprising the further steps of detecting a directional user input and altering said viewpoint relative to said curved shape according to said detected input.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said directional input is afforded by a pointing device such that lateral movement of said pointing device results in corresponding horizontal rotation of said curved shape relative to said viewpoint.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said directional input is afforded by a pointing device such that radial movement of said pointing device results in a corresponding vertical rotation of said rendered curved shape.

14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a list of images associated with one said container,

(b) forming a region,

(c) displaying the entire list of images in the region, where,

(ca) representations of said images of said list substantially fills the region, and

(cb) a size of each image represented in said region is dependent a position of the image in the region.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said region is 2-dimensional rectangular.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein said region is a 3D partial surface of a cylinder.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein images closer to one side of the region are larger than images closer to another side.

18. A method according to claim 14 wherein said region is rectangular and said images are arranged in rows such that a number of images in each said row is proportional to a corresponding row number within said region.

19. A method according to claim 14 wherein said region is rectangular and said images are arranged in rows such that a number (N) of images in each said row (n) is 2^n-1.

20. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a list of images associated with one said container;

(b) creating a region;

(c) specifying a current position in the list of images;

(d) displaying the entire list of images in said region, where,

(da) representations of said images in said list substantially fill the region, and

(db) a size of each said image is dependent on a position of said image relative to a current position in the list of images.

21. A method according to claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(e) detecting a user input, and

(f) altering said current position in said list according to the detected user input.

22. A method according to claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

(g) altering a size of representation of said images said altered current position.

2. A method according to claim I wherein said determined visual arrangement and said geometry of said containers reflects a number of correspondingly contained elements.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said curved shape comprises at least one annulus segment, each said annulus segment representing a level in said hierarchy such that an annulus segment for a level is sectionalized according to those containers associated with said level and contained elements of a container depend from the corresponding section.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein child annulus segments are hierarchically radially displaced relative to said viewpoint and a corresponding parent annulus segment.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein each said annulus segment has a height, and child segments are vertically distinct from the corresponding parent segment.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein said contained elements for a container extend from said container.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said contained elements extend substantially perpendicularly from said corresponding container relative to said viewpoint.

10. A method according to claim 2 where the contained elements comprise representations of photographs, video or other visual media.

23. A method according to claim 2 wherein said contained elements comprise video clips, each said clip being represented within said displayed file structure by a corresponding representational frame, said method further comprising the step of:

(a) determining a set of video clips selected from those represented within one said container;

(b) determining at least one interesting part of each video clip of said set;

(c) reproducing the interesting parts of each video clip in said set at the position of the corresponding representational frame of said video clip within said displayed file structure.

24. A method of displaying a collection of data objects, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a visual arrangement of containers which reflects a relationship of said data objects within said collection;

forming a concentric curved shape representing each said container, said curved shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement;

establishing a viewpoint for the curved shape which is substantially radial thereto and allows viewing from a primary container of the collection towards one or more subsidiary containers of the collection; and

rendering said curved shape, relative to said viewpoint, to a display.

25. A method of displaying a collection of data objects, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a visual arrangement of containers which reflects a relationship of said data objects within said collection;

forming a shape representing each said container, said shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement;

establishing a viewpoint for the shape which is allows viewing from a primary container of the collection towards one or more subsidiary containers of the collection;

forming at least one region in which a group of said data objects associated with a corresponding said container are represented; and

rendering, relative to said viewpoint, said shape with said regions extending therefrom, to a display.

26. Apparatus for displaying a hierarchical file structure, said apparatus comprising:

a processor adapted to determine a visual arrangement of containers which reflects a hierarchical relationship of said file structure;

a forming arrangement for forming a concentric curved shape representing each said container in the file structure and files within said containers, said curved shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement;

a viewpoint establisher configured for establishing a viewpoint for the curved shape which is substantially radial thereto and allows viewing from a root container of the file structure towards one or more child containers of the file structure; and

a rendering arrangement configured to render said curved shape, relative to said viewpoint, to a display.

27. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon and executable to display a hierarchical file structure, said program comprising:

code for determining a visual arrangement of containers which reflects a hierarchical relationship of said file structure;

code for forming a concentric curved shape representing each said container in the file structure and files within said containers, said curved shape having a geometry and location according to the determined visual arrangement;

code for establishing a viewpoint for the curved shape which is substantially radial thereto and allows viewing from a root container of the file structure towards one or more child containers of the file structure; and

code for rendering said curved shape, relative to said viewpoint, to a display.