BROWSING OR SEARCHING USER INTERFACES AND OTHER ASPECTS

• US 20090307306A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gricourt, Julien, Jalon, Julien, Arrouye, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• 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

Abstract

User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. According to some aspects of the invention, a server in the system initiates an instance of a preview generator for each client machine in the system. The instance sends at least one of a preview and a thumbnail of a file to the client machine responsive to a request for the file from the client machine to allow the client machine to present the preview. The instance may generate an icon representing the file and execute a plug-in associated with a creator application of the file to present the preview within the icon so that the creator application does not have to be launched. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a server initiating an instance of a preview generator for each of a plurality of client machines; and

the instance sending at least one of a preview and a thumbnail of a file to a respective client machine responsive to a request for the file from the respective client machine to allow the respective client machine to present the preview.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a plug-in associated with an application, which is used to create the file, to present the preview without launching the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the preview is presented within the thumbnail displayed on the respective client machine.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the preview is presented within an icon of the file displayed on the respective client machine.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising caching the icon of the file on the server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the icon cached on the server is used by a plurality of instances of the preview generator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing users of the plurality of client machines to manage a hierarchical file system (HFS) via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing users of the plurality of client machines to view results from a file searching application via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

9. A computer readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

a server initiating an instance of a preview generator for each of a plurality of client machines; and

the instance sending at least one of a preview and a thumbnail of a file to a respective client machine responsive to a request for the file from the respective client machine to allow the respective client machine to present the preview.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises executing a plug-in associated with an application, which is used to create the file, to present the preview without launching the application.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the preview is presented within the thumbnail displayed on the respective client machine.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the preview is presented within an icon of the file displayed on the respective client machine.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises caching the icon of the file on the server.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the icon cached on the server is used by a plurality of instances of the preview generator.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises allowing users of the plurality of client machines to manage a hierarchical file system (HFS) via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises allowing users of the plurality of client machines to view results from a file searching application via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface to couple to a plurality of client machines via a network; and

a processor to initiate an instance of a preview generator for each of the plurality of client machines, wherein the instance sends at least one of a preview and a thumbnail of a file via the network interface to a respective client machine responsive to a request for the file from the respective client machine to allow the respective client machine to present the preview.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a plug-in associated with an application, which is used to create the file, the plug-in being executable by the processor to present the preview without launching the application.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the preview is presented within the thumbnail displayed on the respective client machine.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the preview is presented within an icon of the file displayed on the respective client machine.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a cache to cache the icon of the file.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the icon cached is used by a plurality of instances of the preview generator.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor allows users of the plurality of client machines to manage a hierarchical file system (HFS) via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor allows users of the plurality of client machines to view results from a file searching application via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

25. A system comprising:

a plurality of client machines; and

a server coupled to the plurality of client machines, the server comprising

a network interface to couple to the plurality of client machines via a network; and

a processor to initiate an instance of a preview generator for each of the plurality of client machines, wherein the instance sends at least one of a preview and a thumbnail of a file via the network interface to a respective client machine responsive to a request for the file from the respective client machine to allow the respective client machine to present the preview.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the server further comprises a plug-in associated with an application, which is used to create the file, the plug-in being executable by the processor to present the preview without launching the application.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the preview is presented within the thumbnail displayed on the respective client machine.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the preview is presented within an icon of the file displayed on the respective client machine.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a cache to cache the icon of the file.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the icon cached is used by a plurality of instances of the preview generator.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor allows users of the plurality of client machines to manage a hierarchical file system (HFS) via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor allows users of the plurality of client machines to view results from a file searching application via GUIs created by instances of the preview generator.