System and method for iconic software environment management

• US 7,346,850 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cygnus Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cygnus Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Swartz, James B., Swartz, Gregory J., Danforth, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/878,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,475 Days
• Field of Search: 345/835, 345/860, 345/786, 345/763, 345/765, 715/748, 715/780, 715/750, 715/840, 715/835, 715/860, 715/786, 715/854, 715/700, 715/737, 715/735, 715/743, 715/744, 715/761, 715763-765
• US Class Current: 715/763
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A method and system for storing, navigating and accessing files within an operating system through the use of a graphical thumbnail representing the video display of the active document within the active application, and organized chronologically by the most recent file ‘captured’. Filenames, application names and thumbnail filenames are stored in an indexed file. The indexed file can consist of every document and application used during a session or categorically defined by project or tasks or personal preference. This also stores the application name and path eliminating the need to remember which application last edited the file and where the application is located.

Claims

1. A method of accessing one or more computer files via a graphical icon, comprising the steps of:

capturing automatically one or more graphical representations of one or more portions of information content of one or more computer files while an application is manipulating the one or more computer files;

creating automatically an icon including selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content of the one or more computer files wherein the icon graphically depicts at least a portion of the information content from the one or more computer files and wherein the icon is created while the application was manipulating the icon'"'"'s corresponding one or more computer files and includes selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content;

linking the icon to the application and to the one or more computer files based on the ability of the application to manipulate the information content of the one or more computer files corresponding to the icon;

storing the icon in a memory;

displaying the icon in a window on a display screen;

invoking the application for manipulating the information content of the one or more computer files upon selection of the icon by accessing the more or more computer files by reference to an underlying file system corresponding to the icon and opening the one or more computer files within the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing a graphical representation is initiated by a user input command while the application manipulating the one or more computer files are active.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user input command is a keyboard command.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing information related to the application for manipulating the one or more computer files in the memory along with the icon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the window when a cursor is positioned at an edge of the screen display.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of concealing the window when the cursor is positioned outside the window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of invoking the application comprises invoking the application and opening the one or more computer files upon a single user input command selecting the icon.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the single user input command comprises depressing a button when a cursor is placed over the icon.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the button is a mouse button and the cursor is a mouse-driver cursor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if an application is active then the step of invoking the application comprises accessing the active application.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing data related to the one or more computer files and the corresponding application each time the one or more computer files and application is opened and closed during a session, and wherein the step of invoking the application comprises invoking the one or more computer files and the application based on the stored data related to the one or more computer files and corresponding application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data related to the one or more computer files and the corresponding application includes a document path, a document handle, and application path, and an application handle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of invoking the further includes printing the computer file.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of invoking the application comprises copying the one or more computer files to designated storage device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating an icon comprises creating an icon corresponding to a template file.

16. A method for providing a user interface for accessing a file based on a corresponding icon comprising:

storing a plurality of icons in a memory along with a corresponding plurality of references to an underlying file system for storage information for a plurality of files, each icon having an appearance substantially depicting information content from its corresponding file, wherein the plurality of icons were created by capturing automatically one or more graphical representations of one or more portions of information content of an icon'"'"'s corresponding file while an application was manipulating an icon'"'"'s corresponding file and include selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content;

linking an application to each icon based utility on the ability of the application to manipulate the information content of the file corresponding to the icon;

providing a window on a display screen for displaying the plurality of icons;

invoking the application for manipulating the information content of the file corresponding to the selected icon upon selection of an icon from the plurality of icons in the window;

accessing the file designated by the reference to the underlying file system corresponding to the selected icon; and

opening the accessed file into the corresponding application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of storing a plurality of icons in a memory further comprises storing data related to an application for manipulating the corresponding file along with each of the plurality of icons and wherein the step of invoking the application corresponding to the selected icon comprises invoking an application based on the corresponding stored data related to the application.