Browsing or searching user interfaces and other aspects

• US 8,707,192 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robert, Julien, Bray, Cedric, Goossens, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US12/909,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 715/767
• US Class Current: 715/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

performing, by a computing device, a search using a search query, wherein the search is through indexed content and metadata associated with a plurality of files in a hierarchical file system;

generating search results including one or more files of the plurality of files;

determining associated file types for the one or more files;

using the file type for a file in the one or more files to identify a plug-in capable of processing the content associated with the file;

using the plug-in to process the content associated with the file and dynamically generate a preview view entry for the file, wherein the preview view entry includes a display of the content of the file and an interactive control, and wherein the interactive control relates to the file type for the file and the content associated with the file;

generating a preview view including the preview view entry in a preview view area;

generating a list view including a list view entry for the file in a list view area;

concurrently displaying the preview view area and the list view area;

linking the list view and preview view, wherein linking includes displaying an indication of a selection of the preview view entry for the file when an input corresponding to a selection of the list view entry is received;

receiving an input corresponding to a selection of the interactive control of the preview view entry; and

in response to the selection of the interactive control, interactively modifying the display of the content of the file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes one or more of:

resizing, zooming, scrolling, and paging through the display of the content of the file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the file is a media file, and wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes playing back the media file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the media file is a video file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes enlarging the display of the content of the file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the enlarged display of the content of the file overlaps at least a portion of the list view area.

7. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

performing a search using a search query, wherein the search is through indexed content and metadata associated with a plurality of files in a hierarchical file system;

generating search results including one or more files of the plurality of files;

determining associated file types for the one or more files;

using the file type for a file in the one or more files to identify a plug-in capable of processing the content associated with the file;

using the plug-in to process the content associated with the file and dynamically generate a preview view entry for the file, wherein the preview view entry includes a display of the content of the file and an interactive control, and wherein the interactive control relates to the file type for the file and the content associated with the file;

generating a preview view including the preview view entry in a preview view area;

generating a list view including a list view entry for the file in a list view area;

concurrently displaying the preview view area and the list view area;

linking the list view and preview view, wherein linking includes displaying an indication of a selection of the preview view entry for the file when an input corresponding to a selection of the list view entry is received;

receiving an input corresponding to a selection of the interactive control of the preview view entry; and

in response to the selection of the interactive control, interactively modifying the display of the content of the file.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes one or more of:

resizing, zooming, scrolling, and paging through the display of the content of the file.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the file is a media file, and wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes playing back the media file.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the media file is a video file.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes enlarging the display of the content of the file.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the enlarged display of the content of the file overlaps at least a portion of the list view area.

13. A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

perform a search using a search query, wherein the search is through indexed content and metadata associated with a plurality of files in a hierarchical file system;

generate search results including one or more files of the plurality of files;

determine associated file types for the one or more files;

use the file type for a file in the one or more files to identify a plug-in capable of processing the content associated with the file;

use the plug-in to process the content associated with the file and dynamically generate a preview view entry for the file, wherein the preview view entry includes a display of the content of the file and an interactive control, and wherein the interactive control relates to the file type for the file and the content associated with the file;

generate a preview view including the preview view entry in a preview view area;

generate a list view including a list view entry for the file in a list view area;

concurrently display the preview view area and the list view area;

link the list view and preview view, wherein linking includes displaying an indication of a selection of the preview view entry for the file when an input corresponding to a selection of the list view entry is received;

receive an input corresponding to a selection of the interactive control of the preview view entry; and

in response to the selection of the interactive control, interactively modify the display of the content of the file.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes one or more of:

resizing, zooming, scrolling, and paging through the display of the content of the file.

15. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the file is a media file, and wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes playing back the media file.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the media file is a video file.

17. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein modifying the display of the content of the file includes enlarging the display of the content of the file.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the enlarged display of the content of the file overlaps at least a portion of the list view area.