System and method for presenting the contents of a content collection based on content type

• US 7,171,626 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sheldon, Michael G., Ouzts, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hanne; Sara
• Application Number:
  US10/147,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 715/853, 715/810, 715/526, 715/517, 715/524, 707/3, 707/5, 707/200, 709/224
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

An apparatus and method for execution in a graphical user interface environment are provided. The apparatus and method are used to display a set of items within a content collection, such as a set of files within a folder on a computer operating system. The method includes obtaining data from the items that describes an item type for a number of the items. Based upon the obtained item types a distribution of the types of items within the collection is determined. The content collection is categorized based upon the determined distribution and, based upon the category, the content collection is displayed in a certain format that is chosen to best display that category of content. A user interface is also provided that includes a working area that displays the contents of a content collection. In the working area, the format of the display varies based upon the type of contents in the content collection. The user interface also includes a menu adjacent the working area that displays tasks corresponding-to the contents exhibited in the working area.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for execution in a graphical user interface environment to display files within a folder, comprising:

obtaining a file extension of a file for one or more of the plurality of the files within the folder;

determining, based upon the file extensions, a distribution of the file extension with the folder;

assigning a folder type based on a largest number of the file extensions in the distribution wherein the folder type is associated with the largest number of the file extension;

determining a best folder view for the folder type;

providing a set of selectable options associated with the best folder view and the folder type;

presenting the files within the folder on a display device in a folder format based upon the determined types of files; and

recording the folder type in a memory for the folder wherein upon a subsequent access of the folder the folder type is known.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the folder format for presenting the files is also based upon the number of files within the folder further comprising the format to be selected from the group including an image file, an audio file, a document file, a compressible file, a text file, a system file, and an executable file.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, further comprising presenting, adjacent the files presented on the display device, a tasks list corresponding to the folder type wherein the tasks list is a set of selectable options associated with the category wherein the set of selectable options change according to the category of the content collection.