U.S. patent application number 13/408340 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-21 for method of managing attributes and system of managing same.
Invention is credited to Mathieu Audet.
Application Number | 20120159320 13/408340 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41054880 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120159320 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Audet; Mathieu |
June 21, 2012 |
METHOD OF MANAGING ATTRIBUTES AND SYSTEM OF MANAGING SAME
Abstract
A method of associating attributes with an information element
adapted to be individually or collectively retrievable on a basis
of at least one of the attributes is presented. Attributes adapted
to have a direct attribute configuration, when associated with the
information element for characterizing the information element, and
a bridge attribute configuration, when associated with the
information element for providing a link between the information
element and another information element without characterizing the
information element it is associated therewith; and associating an
attribute from the plurality of attributes with an information
element, the associated attribute being in one of the direct
attribute configuration and the bridge attribute configuration is
also hereby provided.
Inventors: |
Audet; Mathieu; (Montreal,
CA) |
Family ID: |
41054880 |
Appl. No.: |
13/408340 |
Filed: |
February 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12400773 |
Mar 9, 2009 |
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13408340 |
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61034625 |
Mar 7, 2008 |
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61096655 |
Sep 12, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/273 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 40/103 20200101;
G06F 3/0482 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/273 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/00 20060101
G06F017/00 |
Claims
1.-13. (canceled)
14. A method of associating attributes with an information element,
the method comprising: providing a first attribute; associating a
second attribute to the first attribute; and associating the first
attribute with an information element, wherein the second attribute
is automatically associated with the information element, the
information element being retrievable on a basis of the second
attribute.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first attribute belongs to
a first user and the second attribute belongs to a second user.
16. The method of claim 14, comprising performing a search on a
basis of the first attribute and wherein the search on a basis of
the first attribute automatically performs the search on a basis of
the second attribute.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating a third
attribute with the first attribute, wherein the third attribute is
adapted to be automatically associated to the information element
when the first attribute is associated with the information
element.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one information
element is a document.
19. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a master
attribute associated to a group of attributes including the first
attribute and the second attribute, the master attribute being
adapted to be user selectable and being adapted to associate the
first and the second attribute with the information element when
the master attribute is selected by a user to be associated with
the information element.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first attribute and the
second attribute are adapted to be defined as the master
attribute.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein associating the master
attribute with the information element is adapted to associate the
first attribute and the second attribute with the information
element via a dialogue proposed to a user, the user being adapted
to manage the attributes association with the information element
on a basis of actions performed through the dialogue.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein attribute access rights
associated with the attributes are adapted to be managed via the
master attribute.
23. A method of managing information elements comprising: providing
a plurality of attributes adapted to be associated with information
elements, at least some of the attributes being adapted to have a
direct attribute configuration, when associated with the
information element for characterizing the information element, and
a bridge attribute configuration, when associated with the
information element for providing a link between the information
element and another information element without characterizing the
information element associated therewith; and associating an
attribute, from the plurality of attributes, with an information
element, the associated attribute being in one of the direct
attribute configuration and the bridge attribute configuration.
24. The method of managing information elements of claim 23,
wherein, when the associated attribute is in the bridge attribute
configuration, the associated attribute is adapted to be in the
direct attribute configuration when associated with another
information element, whereby an attribute associated with an
information element in the bridge attribute configuration can also
be associated with another information element in the direct
attribute configuration.
25. The method of managing information elements of claim 23,
wherein a selection of an attribute associated with an information
element in the bridge attribute configuration is adapted to be used
as a basis of a search query adapted to provide results including
information element associated with the selected attribute in the
direct attribute configuration.
26. The method of managing information elements of claim 23,
wherein an attribute in the bridge attribute configuration is
adapted to be selectable and further adapted to lead to another
information element.
27. The method of managing information elements of claim 23,
wherein the information element is a document.
28. The method of managing information elements of claim 23,
wherein attributes in the bridge attribute configuration and
attributes in the direct attribute configuration are adapted to be
displayed simultaneously in graphical association with the
information element they are associated with.
29. A system for managing a plurality of attributes adapted to have
a direct attribute configuration, when associated with an
information element for characterizing the information element, and
a bridge attribute configuration, when associated with the
information element for providing a link between the information
element and another information element, the system comprising: a
computing module operatively connected to a storage having
information elements stored thereon; a display module adapted to
display a user interface, the user interface module being adapted
to provide user interaction with information elements and
attributes; a direct attribute module adapted to manage attributes
in a direct attribute configuration; and a bridge attribute module
adapted to manage attributes in the bridge attribute
configuration.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein a selection of an attribute
associated with an information element in the bridge attribute
configuration is adapted to be used as a basis of a search query
adapted to provide results including information element associated
with the selected attribute in the direct attribute
configuration.
31. The system of claim 29, wherein an attribute in the bridge
attribute configuration is adapted to be selectable and further
adapted to lead to another information element.
32. The system of claim 29, wherein the information element is a
document.
33. The system of claim 29, wherein attributes in the bridge
attribute configuration and attributes in the direct attribute
configuration are adapted to be displayed simultaneously in
graphical association with the information element associated
therewith.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention relates to and claims priority from
and is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 12/40,773, filed Mar. 9, 2009, entitled DOCUMENTS
DISCRIMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF, which claims priority
from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. 61/034,625, filed
Mar. 7, 2008, entitled INTERFACE, U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. 61/096,655, filed Sep. 12, 2008, entitled
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TOOL, all these documents are incorporated
herein by reference. The present invention also relates to United
States Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0214169 A1,
published Sep. 13, 2007, entitled MULTI-DIMENSIONAL LOCATING SYSTEM
AND METHOD and relates to United States Patent Application
Publication No.: US 2007/0271508 A1, published Nov. 22, 2007,
entitled MULTI-DIMENSIONAL LOCATING SYSTEM AND METHOD. All these
documents are incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to a computer system and
more specifically to a user interface providing methods that
facilitate information management and organization. More precisely,
the present invention relates to attributes association with
information elements and documents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] United States Patent Application Publication No.: US
2007/0214169 A1, published on Sep. 13, 2007 teaches a
Multi-dimensional locating system and method (title). United States
Patent Application Publication No.: US 2007/0271508 A1, published
on Nov. 22, 2007 teaches a Multi-dimensional locating system and
method (title). Both patent applications teach ways of managing and
displaying documents on arrays of documents. What is taught in
these documents have deficiencies.
[0004] For instance, one of the deficiencies becomes apparent when
a first array of documents presents a group of documents having
various attributes (or tags, categories . . . ) associated
therewith. When selecting an attribute, either by selecting the
attribute, or a document to select an attribute associated
therewith, a second array of documents is enabled and displayed.
The second array of documents, being either displayed non-parallel
or parallel with the first array of documents, groups documents
from the first array of documents having the selected attribute in
common. Some documents from the first array of documents associated
with the selected attribute will therefore appear a second time on
the second array of documents. Displaying many times the same
documents on different arrays of documents might be confusing for a
user.
[0005] Another deficiency becomes apparent when a user wants to
infer the attribute(s), value or the status of a document just by
seeing a document. A document can be associated with a color
associated therewith, however, the information transmitted by a
color is not enough to properly translate more complex status or
value of a document.
[0006] The meaning of a color or a pattern associated with a
document is arbitrary. It might be desirable to use a color and a
pattern that are already known in a complete non-analogous field
and use the color and the pattern with documents to reduce the
effort required to understand the meaning inferred by colors and
patterns associated with documents.
[0007] Another deficiency becomes apparent when attributes, or
tags, are used to categorize documents according to subjects,
topics, categories or other means for linking to documents
additional related information or documents. Attributes are
associated with documents to categorize the documents and create a
link among documents sharing the same attribute. This could be
called a first-degree relationship. Thus, attributes are used to
retrieve documents associated therewith. So, by selecting an
attribute it is possible to retrieve the documents having the
selected attribute associated therewith.
[0008] In certain circumstances it could be useful to draw a link
between two documents, inter alia, that don't share a common
attribute. It is therefore desirable to have a way to connect one
document to another document despite they are not sharing any
common attributes.
[0009] Another deficiency becomes apparent when multiple attributes
are associated with documents. It can easily become time consuming
to individually associate a plurality of attributes with
documents.
[0010] One other deficiency becomes apparent when multiple
attributes having substantially similar meaning are used. A query
based on a specific attribute is unlikely to retrieve documents
associated with another attribute despite the other attribute has a
substantially similar meaning.
[0011] The prior art computer systems or computer interfaces have
not provided solutions to deal with the aforementioned deficiencies
and each of these deficiencies in the prior art yield a demand for
an improved information managing system and method using an
intuitive and natural way to visually present information as well
as improved ways to manage associations between the documents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The following presents a simplified summary of the
disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader.
This summary is not an exhaustive or limiting overview of the
disclosure. The summary is not provided to identify key and, or
critical elements of the invention, delineate the scope of the
invention, or limit the scope of the invention in any way. Its sole
purpose is to present some of the objects and aspects disclosed in
a simplified form, as an introduction to the more detailed
description that is presented later.
[0013] The word "document" is used throughout the present
specification to facilitate its readability. It is nonetheless not
intended to restrict or limit the scope of the present
specification to documents. The present specification is mainly
directed to computer systems and provides improvements that are
useable for managing documents, electronic documents, menu items,
application windows and other user-selectable elements displayed on
a user graphical interface. The applicant therefore reserves the
rights to define claimed subject matters to, inter alia, the above
identified elements that could be represented on a user-graphical
interface.
[0014] The present specification refers to "arrays of documents"
although arrays of documents can have various forms. In an
embodiment the array of documents can have a substantially linear
shape disposing documents along a timeline. In another possible
embodiment the array can be a curved line along which documents are
displayed. Alternatively, the array can dispose documents on a
matrix having a plurality of columns and rows.
[0015] Methods of managing information and graphical user
interfaces are carried on by computer-readable instructions that
are enabled on a computer. Nowadays computers are used everywhere;
they come in various shapes and devices. Computers are so popular,
inter alia, because they transform into a variety of dedicated
purpose computers depending on the instructions they use. De facto,
a general purpose computer is of little help until it has dedicated
useful instructions defining its functioning. Once it uses
dedicated instructions defining its functions, the dedicated
purpose computer is adapted to manage data, to transform graphical
rendering of information, to exchange data, in other words the
computer using dedicated instructions is material in the
transformation of data, the management of the process of
transformation and the graphical representation of the process of
transformation and the result of the process of transformation for
a user to appreciate and, possibly, act upon.
[0016] It is therefore one object of the present specification to
improve at least one of the aforementioned deficiencies.
[0017] One object of the present specification provides an improved
method for managing information on a computer system.
[0018] Another object of the present specification provides an
improved user graphical user interface for managing
information.
[0019] One other object of the present specification provides an
improved computer system adapted to manage information.
[0020] An object of the present specification provides an improved
graphical representation of documents that appears on more than one
array of documents.
[0021] Another object of the present specification provides an
improved graphical document representation capable of providing
additional meaning associated therewith.
[0022] One other object of the present specification provides a
method for drawing links between documents that don't commonly
share an attribute.
[0023] It is one aspect of the specification to provide a
discriminative visual feature to documents from a first array of
documents that will also be displayed on the second array of
documents when displaying the second array of documents.
[0024] An aspect of the present specification provides a
discriminative visual feature for identifying which documents from
a first array of documents will be copied on a second array of
documents so that it becomes apparent for a user that the same
document is displayed simultaneously more than one time to prevent
confusion.
[0025] An aspect of the present specification provides a
discriminative visual feature adapted to identify documents
displayed on a first array of documents that will also be displayed
on a second array of documents. The discriminative visual feature
being enabled either 1) before the second array of documents is
displayed, 2) at the same time the second array of documents is
displayed or 3) after the second array of documents is
displayed.
[0026] One aspect of the present specification provides a
discriminative visual feature that is, individually or in
combination, a document color, a document texture, a document
frame, a document animation or a transition animation applied to
the documents present on both the first array of document and the
second array of documents.
[0027] Another aspect of the present specification provides an
animation adapted to illustrate copying of documents into document
copies to be displayed on other arrays of documents. The copying
being preferably shown simultaneously when the additional arrays of
documents are displayed.
[0028] It is one object of the present specification provides a
plurality of pattern codes adapted to be associated with documents.
Each of the pattern code has a meaning associated therewith
allowing a viewer to infer the meaning associated with the pattern
that is combined with a document.
[0029] An additional object of the specification provides a method
to associate attributes with color codes and/or pattern codes
adapted to be applied to documents.
[0030] One additional object of the present invention provides
color codes and/or pattern codes that are adapted to be associated
with attributes, an association of a specific arrangement of color
codes and/or pattern codes being associated to more than a single
attribute.
[0031] One aspect of the present specification provides a graphical
pattern code providing attribute-related meaning to a document to
which it is associated so that a viewer can infers the attribute
associated therewith out reading the attributes when seeing the
document.
[0032] Another aspect of the present specification provides color
codes and pattern codes that are analogous to colors and patterns
distinguishing values of poker chips (or token).
[0033] An aspect of the present specification provides document
quantification associated with a color code and/or a pattern code
that is analogous to poker chips values.
[0034] Another aspect of the present specification provides a set
of color codes and/or a set of pattern codes associated with
incremental values; each of the color codes and each of the pattern
codes being adapted to be associated, individually or collectively,
with documents to graphically illustrate the value of each
document.
[0035] One aspect of the present specification provides an icon
size, a thumbnail size and a document size representing one
document over various strength of zoom; each of the icon size, the
thumbnail size and the document size being adapted to illustrate a
color code and/or a pattern code adapted to its respective
size.
[0036] Another aspect of the present specification provides a color
code and/or a pattern code associated with an attribute, the color
code and/or the pattern code being adapted to be graphically
associated with documents associated with the attribute in a way
that an observer can infer which attribute is associated with a
document without reading.
[0037] One other aspect of the present specification provides a
color code and/or a pattern code adapted to use, inter alia, a main
color, a secondary color, a main shape and a secondary shape in
association with attributes that can be associated with
documents.
[0038] An additional aspect of the specification provides a value
associated with color codes and/or pattern codes applied to
documents. Variations in colors or in patterns meaning variation in
value.
[0039] One object of the invention is to group at least two
attributes/values, used to categorize documents together, when the
at least two attributes/values are considered to be analogous, to
use the group of attributes/values in a search despite the at least
two attributes/values are not selected by a user to perform the
search.
[0040] An aspect of the present specification provides the ability
to group a plurality of attributes/values having analogous meaning
and to use one attribute/value from the group of attributes/values
to generate a search that will also automatically consider the
other attributes/values from the group of attributes/values in the
search.
[0041] One aspect of the specification provides a method to
associate a plurality of attributes/values together such that a
single-attribute/value based search performed by a user also
provides search results also having the remaining attributes/values
of the plurality of attributes/values.
[0042] Another aspect of the specification provides a visual
distinctive feature adapted to be associated with attributes/values
that are in a group of associated attributes/values so that they
are discriminated in a list of attributes/values.
[0043] One other aspect of the present invention provides sharing
of group of attributes among users.
[0044] One object of the specification provides a group of
attributes/values adapted to be offered to a user when a document
in inserted in a database; the attributes/values can be deleted,
modified and other attributes/values can be added to the document
when the group of attributes/values is offered.
[0045] Another object of the specification is to reduce the time
required to properly associate attributes/values to documents by
providing a group of attributes/values instead of selecting each
relevant attributes/value independently.
[0046] One other object of the specification provides at least one
master attribute/value a group of attributes/values; the group of
attributes/values being offered to the user when one of the at
least one master attribute/value is selected to be associated with
the a document.
[0047] An aspect of the specification provides a dialogue on a user
graphical interface adapted to display a group of attributes/values
potentially relevant to a document when the document is
categorized.
[0048] Another aspect of the specification provides a mechanism in
a computer system adapted to propose to a user groups of
potentially relevant attributes/values to be associated with
documents; the selected group of potentially relevant
attributes/values proposed to a user being based on the selection
of a master attribute.
[0049] One another aspect of the specification provides a plurality
of master attributes in a same group of attributes/values, a
selection of each of the master attributes enabling the display of
a dialogue containing the group of attributes/values.
[0050] Another aspect of the specification provides access and/or
sharing rights of each group of attributes.
[0051] One object of the specification provides a means for
associating documents having no common attributes.
[0052] An aspect of the present specification provides attributes
and bridge attributes (indirect attribute) associable with a
document.
[0053] Another aspect of the specification provides an interface
capable of displaying a document associated with attributes (direct
attributes) and/or associated with bridge attributes (indirect
attributes). The direct attributes categorizing the document, and
the bridge attributes, not categorizing the document but
categorizing another document, provides a bridge to the other
document(s) from the document.
[0054] An aspect of the present specification provides a graphical
association between a bridge attribute and a document.
[0055] One other aspect of the present specification provides a
bridge between a document and a related document not sharing the
same attributes.
[0056] Another aspect of the present specification provides
instructions to a computer system to associate an attribute and a
bridge attribute to a document.
[0057] Another aspect of the present specification provides
instructions to a computer system to access a first document from a
second document by selecting a bridge attribute associated with the
first document and not categorizing the second document, the bridge
attribute being an attribute categorizing the first document.
[0058] These and other advantages and features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description and
the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer
network;
[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer
network;
[0061] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computer
system;
[0062] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic exemplary embodiment of
non-parallel arrays of documents with emphasis added on repeating
documents thereon;
[0063] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic exemplary embodiment of
substantially parallel arrays of documents with emphasis added on
repeating documents thereon;
[0064] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary poker token;
[0065] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary icon representing a document
with color-coding thereon;
[0066] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary thumbnail representing a
document with color-coding thereon;
[0067] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary document with color-coding
thereon;
[0068] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of documents
with attributes associated therewith;
[0069] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary of associated
attributes;
[0070] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary query using associated
attributes, despite a single attribute has been selected, to build
the query and provide results;
[0071] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a
module-based system adapted to manage and use grouped
attributes;
[0072] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of steps
performed during the creation of a group of attributes;
[0073] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of steps
performed during the association of attributes from a group of
attributes with a document(s);
[0074] FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a master
attribute adapted to associated its related group of attributes
with a document;
[0075] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a
plurality of attributes from a group of attributes associated with
a document;
[0076] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary dialogue adapted to allow
the management of a group of attributes;
[0077] FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary dialogue adapted to allow
the management of access rights related to groups of
attributes;
[0078] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a
module-based system adapted to manage and use bridge
attributes;
[0079] FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of steps
performed to associate direct and bridge attributes to
document(s);
[0080] FIG. 22 illustrates an exemplary flow chart of steps
performed to retrieve documents based, at least in part, on direct
and bridge attributes to document(s);
[0081] FIG. 23 illustrates a list of attributes;
[0082] FIG. 24 illustrates two documents with one respective
attribute associated therewith;
[0083] FIG. 25 illustrates two documents of FIG. 23 with bridge
attribute E associated with document (1);
[0084] FIG. 26 illustrates a plurality of documents with respective
attributes associated therewith;
[0085] FIG. 27 illustrates the plurality of documents of FIG. 25
with bridge attributes E and F associated with document (1);
and
[0086] FIG. 28 illustrates the plurality of documents of FIG. 26
with additional bridge attributes associated with documents (1),
(2) and (3).
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION
[0087] The present invention is now described with reference to the
figures. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,
numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the present invention by way of
embodiment(s). It may be evident, however, that the present
invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block
diagram form in order to facilitate describing the present
invention.
[0088] The features provided in this specification mainly, but
might not exclusively, relate to principles of computer software
and machine-readable code/instructions adapted to instruct a
computer, many computers or other machines adapted to use the
instructions to provide material effects on a display, or other
means enabling human-computer interactions to manage documents,
menus, user-selectable elements and other computer files. These
code/instructions are preferably stored on a machine-readable
medium to be read and acted upon to with a computer or a machine
having the appropriate code/instructions reading capability.
[0089] Exemplary Network
[0090] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network 10 in which a system
and a method, consistent with the present invention, may be
implemented. The network 10 may include multiple client devices 12
connected to multiple servers 14, 16, 18 via a network 20. The
network 20 may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN), a phone network, such as the Public Switched Phone
Network (PSTN), an intranet, the Internet, Wi-Fi, WiMAX or a
combination of networks. Two client devices 12 and three servers
14, 16, 18 have been illustrated as connected to network 20 for
simplicity. In practice, there may be more or less client devices
and servers 14, 16, 18. Also, in some instances, a client 12 device
may perform the functions of a server 14, 16, 18 and a server 14,
16, 18 may perform the functions of a client 12 device.
[0091] The client devices 12 may include devices, such as
mainframes, minicomputers, personal computers, laptops, personal
digital assistants, phones, or the like, capable of connecting to
the network 20. The client devices 12 may transmit data over the
network 20 or receive data from the network 20 via a wired,
wireless, or optical connection.
[0092] The servers 14, 16, 18 may include one or more types of
computer system, such as a mainframe, minicomputer, or personal
computer, capable of connecting to the network 20 to enable servers
14, 16, 18 to communicate with the client devices 12. In
alternative implementations, the servers 14, 16, 18 may include
mechanisms for directly connecting to one or more client devices
12. The servers 14, 16, 18 may transmit data over the network 20 or
receive data from the network 20 via a wired, wireless, or optical
connection.
[0093] In an implementation consistent with the present invention
illustratively embodied herein, the server 14 may include a search
engine 22 usable by the client devices 12. The servers 14, 16, 18
may store documents, such as web pages, accessible by the client
devices 12.
[0094] With reference to FIG. 2, a network 20 includes the content
cloud 30, a content database 32, content devices 34-38, and other
devices 40-48. The network mediator 28 enables network devices
32-48 to communicate with each other without pre-configuring each
device. The content cloud 30 represent a content source such as the
Internet, where content exists at various locations across the
globe that could be reached through a wired connection and/or with
a wireless connection. The content includes multimedia content such
as audio and video. The mediator 28 allows the content cloud to
provide content to devices 34-48. The content database 32 is a
storage device that maintains content. The content database 32 may
be a stand-alone device on an external communication network. The
mediator 28 communicates with the content database 32 to access and
retrieve content. The content devices 34-48 include intelligent
devices, such as, for example, personal computers, laptops, cell
phones and personal digital assistants. The content devices 34-48
are capable or storing content data. The devices 34-48 are
intelligent devices that receive content from other content devices
30-48. However, the devices 30-48 can also operate as servers to
distribute content to other client devices.
[0095] Exemplary Client Architecture
[0096] The following discussion provides a brief, general
description of an exemplary computer apparatus in which at least
some aspects of the present invention may be implemented. The
present invention will be described in the general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being
executed by a computerized device. However, the methods of the
present invention may be affected by other apparatus. Program
modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data
structures, applets, WEB 2.0 type of evolved networked centered
applications, etc. that perform a task(s) or implement particular
abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that at least some aspects of the present invention may
be practiced with other configurations, including hand-held
devices, multiprocessor system, microprocessor-based or
programmable consumer electronics, network computers,
minicomputers, set top boxes, mainframe computers, gaming console
and the like. At least some aspects of the present invention may
also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks
are performed by remote processing devices linked through a
communications network as exemplified in FIG. 2. In a distributed
computing environment, program modules may be located in local
and/or remote memory storage devices.
[0097] With reference to FIG. 3, an exemplary apparatus 100 for
implementing at least some aspects of the present invention
includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a
computer 120 or in the form of a computerized portable apparatus.
The computer 120 may include a processing unit 121, a system memory
122, and a system bus 123 that couples various system components,
including the system memory 122, to the processing unit 121. The
system bus 123 may be any of several types of bus structures
including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and
a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system
memory may include read only memory (ROM) 124 and/or random access
memory (RAM) 125. A basic input/output system 126 (BIOS),
containing basic routines that help to transfer data between
elements within the computer 120, such as during start-up, may be
stored in ROM 124. The computer 120 may also include a hard disk
drive 127 for reading from and writing to a hard disk, (not shown),
a magnetic disk drive 128 for reading from or writing to a (e.g.,
removable) magnetic disk 129, and an optical disk drive 130 for
reading from or writing to a removable (magneto) optical disk 131
such as a compact disk or other (magneto) optical media. The hard
disk drive 127, magnetic disk drive 128, and (magneto) optical disk
drive 130 may be coupled with the system bus 123 by a hard disk
drive interface 132, a magnetic disk drive interface 133, and a
(magneto) optical drive interface 134, respectively. The drives and
their associated storage media provide nonvolatile (or persistent)
storage of machine readable instructions, data structures, program
modules and other data for the computer 120. Although the exemplary
environment described herein employs a hard disk, a removable
magnetic disk 129 and a removable optical disk 131, these skilled
in the art will appreciate that other types of storage media, such
as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks,
Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only
memories (ROM), remote cloud storage and the like, may be used
instead of, or in addition to, the storage devices introduced
above.
[0098] A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk
127, magnetic disk 129, (magneto) optical disk 131, ROM 124 or RAM
125, such as an operating system 135 (for example, Windows.RTM.
NT.RTM. 4.0, sold by Microsoft.RTM. Corporation of Redmond, Wash.),
one or more application programs 136, other program modules 137
(such as "Alice", which is a research system developed by the User
Interface Group at Carnegie Mellon University available at
www.Alice.org, OpenGL from Silicon Graphics Inc. of Mountain View
Calif., or Direct 3D from Microsoft Corp. of Bellevue Wash.),
and/or program data 138 for example.
[0099] A user may enter commands and data into the computer 120
through input devices, such as a keyboard 140, a camera 141 and
pointing device 142 for example. Other input devices (not shown)
such as a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner,
a touch sensitive screen, accelerometers adapted to sense movements
of the user or movements of a device, or the like may also be
included. These and other input devices are often connected to the
processing unit 121 through a serial port interface 146 coupled to
the system bus. However, input devices may be connected by other
interfaces, such as a parallel port, a game port, blue tooth
connection or a universal serial bus (USB). For example, since the
bandwidth of the camera 141 may be too great for the serial port,
the video camera 141 may be coupled with the system bus 123 via a
video capture card (not shown). The video monitor 147 or other type
of display device may also be connected to the system bus 123 via
an interface, such as a video adapter 148 for example. The video
adapter 148 may include a graphics accelerator. One or more speaker
162 may be connected to the system bus 123 via a sound card 161
(e.g., a wave table synthesizer such as product number AWE64 Gold
Card from Creative.RTM. Labs of Milpitas, Calif.). In addition to
the monitor 147 and speaker(s) 162, the computer 120 may include
other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as a printer, a
hi-definition television and a scanner for example. As an
alternative or an addition to the video monitor 147, a stereo video
output device, such as a head mounted display or LCD shutter
glasses for example, could be used.
[0100] The computer 120 may operate in a networked environment
which defines logical connections to one or more remote computers,
such as a remote computer 149. The remote computer 149 may be
another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device
or other common network node, and may include many or all of the
elements described above relative to the computer 120. The logical
connections depicted in FIG. 3 include a local area network (LAN)
151 and a wide area network (WAN) 152, an intranet and the
Internet.
[0101] When used in a LAN, the computer 120 may be connected to the
LAN 151 through a network interface adapter (or "NIC") 153. When
used in a WAN, such as the Internet, the computer 120 may include a
modem 154 or other means for establishing communications over the
wide area network 152 (e.g. Wi-Fi, WinMax). The modem 154, which
may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus 123
via the serial port interface 146 or another type of port
interface. In a networked environment, at least some of the program
modules depicted relative to the computer 120 may be stored in the
remote memory storage device. The network connections shown are
exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link
between the computers may be used.
[0102] Visual Document Attribute Discrimination
[0103] Referring to FIG. 4, is illustrated a first array of
documents 200 comprising a group of documents 202, 204, 206, 208,
210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222 disposed along a chronological
order 230 on a graphical user interface adapted to manage
documents.
[0104] Each document is associated with related attributes or tags,
or keywords. In the present embodiment, each attribute is
illustratively represented with a capital letter A, B, C, D or E.
An attribute is selected, most likely by a user, from all the
attributes associated with at least one of the documents present on
the first array of documents 200. For instance, attribute E is
selected. Documents 206, 212, 216, 220, 222 are illustratively
associated with the selected attribute (i.e. attribute E). The
document from which attribute E is selected acts as intersecting
document. Alternatively, another document could be used as
intersecting document although it makes sense to use the document
from which the attribute has been selected.
[0105] Thus, attribute E is selected and document 212 is the
intersecting document intervening between both arrays of documents
200, 300. The intersecting document 212 is located at the
intersection of both arrays of documents 200, 300 to graphically
put emphasis on the relationship between both arrays of documents
200, 300. A bold frame 240 or other visually discriminating
element, optionally, illustrates that the selected attribute has
been selected from this particular document 212.
[0106] The second array of documents 300 is created, simultaneously
or consecutively with the display of the first array of documents
200, showing the documents from the first array of documents 200
that have the selected attribute E associated therewith. In other
words, documents 206, 212, 216, 220 and 222 are search results
obtained with the query "attribute E" disposed on the second
document array 300 along the chronological order 232. As it can be
appreciated, documents 206, 212, 216, 220 and 222 are copied on
both arrays of documents 200, 300 where document 206 is copied and
shown as document 302, document 212 is copied as document 304 (the
same document used as intersecting document 212 therefore used a
single time by both arrays of documents 200, 300), document 216 is
document 306, document 220 is document 308 and document 222 is
document 310.
[0107] Since documents 206, 216, 220, 222 are copied on both arrays
of documents 200, 300 it could be confusing for a user to see the
same documents 206, 216, 220 and 222 displayed at two different
places, e.g. displayed on both array of documents 200 and array of
documents 300. Or, it could be useful to a user to see where is
copied a document of interest.
[0108] In order to identify and discriminate the documents on the
first document array 200 that will be found on the second array of
documents 300, a discrimination visual feature 250 is applied to
the documents 206, 212, 216, 220, 222 and similarly applied to the
documents 302, 304, 306, 308, 310 displayed on the second array of
documents 300. In the present situation the illustrative
discriminative visual feature darkens 250 the relevant documents as
shown on FIG. 4. The discriminative visual feature 250 assists an
observer, or a user of the system, to infer which documents from
the first array of documents 200 will also appear on the second
array of documents 300 and where it will appear so that a quick
relation can be established between the duplicated documents 206,
216, 220 and 222. Document 212 is a special case and is darken 250
for a reason of consistency despite it is not duplicated for
obvious reasons.
[0109] It might be desirable that the discriminating visual feature
250 be applied (or enabled) to the documents having the attribute E
associated therewith on the first array of documents 200, then,
display the second array of documents 300 with the duplicated
documents 206, 216, 220 and 222. Then, enable the discriminating
visual feature to be displayed with documents 302, 304, 306, 308,
310 on the second array of documents 300.
[0110] The discriminating visual feature 250 can appear for a
limited lapse of time at the moment the second array of documents
300 is displayed so that an observer, or a user, could see which
documents from the first array of documents 200 will also appear on
the second array of documents 300. The discriminating visual
feature 250 will disappear after a pre-selected delay is expired.
Conversely, discriminating visual features 250, such as a document
color, a document frame and a document texture applied to the
documents to be duplicated, can remain associated with the subject
documents as long as the second array of documents 300 is
displayed. Conversely, the discriminating visual features 250 can
remain visible for a predetermined amount of time and then
disappear.
[0111] The discriminating visual feature 250 could be a color
applied to the documents, a border around the documents,
animations, an alteration of a portion of the documents, an
animation showing a movement 260 of each documents having the E
attribute from the first array of documents 200 to their respective
position on the second array of documents 300. The display of the
discriminating visual feature 250 can be made with an animation 260
literally moving, or copying, documents 206, 216, 220, 222 from the
first array of documents 200 to their respective locations on the
second array of documents 300.
[0112] Any visual means capable of discriminating the documents
from a user point of view so that the user can see which documents
from the first array of documents 200 will be, or is, duplicated on
the second array of documents 300 is encompassed by the present
specification. Also, more than two arrays of documents can be
involved into the use of the discriminating visual features.
[0113] Referring now to FIG. 5 where are provided three parallel
arrays of documents 330, 340, 350. The first array of documents 330
displays a group of documents 332 having a respective selection of
attributes A, B, C, D, E and F associated therewith. Attribute E,
in relation with all attributes associated with the first array of
documents 330 or in relation with a particular document from the
first array of documents 330 or from a list of attributes is
selected and leads to the creation of array of documents 340
displaying only documents having the attribute E. The
discriminating visual feature 250 is applied so that an observer,
or a user, would see which documents from the first array of
documents 330 are associated with the attribute E and are to be
duplicated on the second array of documents 340 when the attribute
E is selected and the second array of documents 340, displaying
only the documents 334, 336, 338 associated with the attribute E,
is created and displayed. As explained above, but this time in
respect to substantially parallel arrays of documents, this
application of discriminating visual feature 250 helps preventing
any confusion occurring with the duplication of a number of
documents. The second array of documents 340, thus, displays a
group of documents 342 having the attribute E in common.
[0114] The same principle is applied to the third array of
documents 350 that displays a group of documents 352, 354, 356
having the attribute F in common. A logic similar to the logic
described in respect with attribute E applies here where a
discriminating visual feature 252 put a X on the documents having
the attribute F that will be duplicated on the third array of
documents 350 grouping the documents having the attribute F in
common. Similarly discriminating visual feature 252 marks the
documents having the attribute F that are displayed on the third
array of documents 350 grouping the documents having the attribute
F in common.
[0115] Here again, the application of the discriminating visual
feature 352 can be made with an animation 260 clearly moving, or
copying, documents 352, 354, 356 from the first array of documents
330 to their respective locations on the third array of documents
352.
[0116] The illustrative embodiments presented herein are presenting
three arrays of documents 330, 340, 350. However, the present
specification does not intend to limit the number of arrays
displayed consecutively or simultaneously.
[0117] Document Color Coding
[0118] As mentioned above, discriminative visual features 250, 252
are useful to distinguish documents from other documents that do
not share some specific attribute, or tag, or key word.
[0119] Documents can be reduced and magnified in size according to
the number of documents desired to be seen at one time on a
display. When the document is too small to appreciate its details
it is convenient to use colors, shapes and patterns associated to
different meanings, attributes and/or tags so that a viewer can
infer the associated meaning without having to magnify the
document. More than one attribute can be represented by an
arrangement of shape and colors. Various colors, shapes and
patterns could be used and the scope of the present application
does not intend to limit their possible variations.
[0120] It is desirable be inspired by color and pattern coding
associated with something already well known in a non-analogous
field to represent one attribute of a combination of attributes.
One possible option is to see what is done in the field of poker
where colors and patterns are used to distinguish the chips used in
the game as opposed to real money. The colors and patterns are
intended to be easily recognizable a chip's value when the chip is
seen from its face and from its side without reading the actual
writing on it.
[0121] Typically colors found in home sets of poker chips include
red, white, blue and sometimes black; however, more recently a wide
assortment of colors has become readily available.
[0122] $2.50 chips are almost exclusively used for blackjack
tables, since a "natural" (a 21 on the first two cards dealt to a
player) typically pays 3:2 and most wagers are in increments of $5.
However, the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. has used pink
chips in $7.50-$15 and $10-$20 poker games. Low-denomination yellow
chips can vary in value: $20 by statute in Atlantic City and
Illinois (which also uses "mustard yellow" $0.50 chips); $5 at most
Southern California poker rooms; $2 at Foxwoods' poker room in
Ledyard, Conn. and at Casino del Sol in Tucson, Ariz.; and $0.50 at
Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, Wis. Blue chips are occasionally
used for $10, most notably by statute in Atlantic City. In Las
Vegas and California, most casinos use blue or white for $1 chips,
though many Vegas tables now use $1 metal tokens in lieu of chips.
Many casinos have coinless slot machines, and this practice reduces
costs by limiting $1 chips to the craps tables, where such chips
are necessary.
[0123] Chips are commonly available in $1000 denominations,
depending on the wagering limits of the casino in question. Such
chips are often yellow or orange and of a large size. Las Vegas,
Atlantic City, and other areas, which permit high wagers typically,
have chips available in $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, and higher
denominations; the colors for these vary widely.
[0124] European casinos use a similar scheme, though certain venues
(such as Aviation Club de France) use pink for 2 and blue for 10.
European casinos also use plaques rather than chips for high
denominations (usually in the 1000 and higher range).
[0125] In many places, gaming boards regulate the color and size of
casino chips for consistency. All states require that casino chips
have a unique combination of edge (e.g. side) spots for
identification, the name and location of the casino and the chip's
value, if any, impressed, printed, or molded onto the obverse and
reverse of the token. Notably, Nevada has no regulations on color;
this is why Nevada casinos may use white, blue, or gray as $1,
though $5 and higher are almost always consistently colored.
[0126] Referring to FIG. 6, The color and shape used on poker chips
400 are distinguishable when the chip is seen from its face 402 and
from its side 404.
[0127] A possible standard, for example, could use the following
color-coding scheme illustrated in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Poker chips 400 colors 406, 408 and shape
412 values Secondary color 408 and Denomination Main color 406
secondary shape 412 $0.50 Dark yellow None $1 White None $2.50 Pink
Round black $5 Red Square yellow $10 Blue Round white $20 Bright
yellow Square black $25 Green Round yellow $100 Black Square white
$500 Purple Rectangle white $1000 Fire orange Lozenge black $5000
Gray Triangle red
[0128] The denomination is the actual value of the chip 400. The
main color 406 is used on a portion of the circumference of the
chip 400 so that is can be consistently appreciated when seen from
the face 402 and from the edge/side 404. FIG. 6 is depicting a
possible main color 406 and main shape 410 but other
shapes/patterns are considered within the scope of the present
specification. The secondary color 408 appears in a secondary shape
412 consistently visible from the face view 402 and from the side
view 404 in a contrasting color portion 414 (in the present example
it is black). In the present example the secondary shape is a
circle but it could be any other recognizable shape, e.g. square,
triangle, oval, hexagon, diamond, spade, heart, skull, flag, clubs
or a letter/number.
[0129] The application of a color and pattern code on documents
could be defined as follow in Table 2 for illustrative purpose.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Documents color codes and meaning Main color
Secondary Secondary Document 424 Importance color 426 Delay shape
430 type Green Low Green Prospective Square Email Orange Medium
Orange In time Circle Text Red High Red Urgent Rectangle Webpage
Heart Picture Lozenge Not assigned yet Triangle Not assigned
yet
[0130] Referring to FIG. 7 is shown an icon 422 representing a
document 420. The icon 422 is a small representation of a document
420 used when the document would be shown too small for perceiving
the details of the actual document 420. For this reason the color
and pattern coding take illustratively all the area on the icon
422. The main color 424 is illustratively disposed on the periphery
of the icon 422 while the secondary color 426 is displayed in
cooperation with the secondary shape 430. Again, the secondary
color 426 and secondary shape 430 are disposed in a contrasting
portion 432.
[0131] Still on FIG. 7, for example, if the main color 424 is
illustratively orange, the secondary color 426 is illustratively
orange and the secondary shape 430 is illustratively round.
According to Table 2, the attributes associated with the main color
424, the secondary color 426 and the secondary shape 430 of
document 420 infer that it is a "text document" that is of "medium
importance" and dealt with "in time". This way, with a simple look
over documents, it is possible to retrieve the "urgent documents"
420 by finding the documents having a secondary color 426 that is
"red".
[0132] FIG. 8 illustrates the same document in a thumbnail size 438
where it is possible to see the text document in much smaller size
than the actual real life document size 440. The colors 424, 426
and the shape 430 are illustratively identified on the bottom of
the thumbnail document 438 to limit the interference with the
visible portion of the document 420.
[0133] FIG. 9 illustrates the actual document 420 in a real life
size 440, or magnified size, so that it is possible to read the
text of the document. In this case the colors 424, 426 and the
shape 430 are applied on the circumference of the document 420 not
to hide the document 420 itself.
[0134] Shapes and colors can be shared among users. The actual
layout of the main color 420, the secondary color 426 and the
secondary shape 430 on the document 420 are for illustrative
purpose and could be changed while keeping the same spirit and
without departing from the present specification.
[0135] Associated Attributes
[0136] As identified above, attributes, tags or key words are used
to categorize and discriminate documents. The use of several
attributes is desirable to properly classify documents with as many
different attributes as necessary. This is probably workable
without too much difficulty if there is a single user classifying
its own documents with its own set of attributes, although it might
not. When documents are exchanged among a plurality of users it
becomes more difficult to keep a clear list of attributes since a
user has to consider the attributes created by other users.
[0137] One possible issue arises when doing a search among
documents. For instance, two (or more) attributes from different
users (or perhaps a single user) can substantially share the same
meaning. If only one attribute is selected to build the search
query only the documents associated with this particular attribute
will be presented as results. In other words all relevant documents
associated to like attributes in meaning (but literally different
attributes) will not be retrieved despite they could be
relevant.
[0138] A way to fix this would be to change attributes on documents
provided or shared by others. One can imagine that this process
would be painful and time consuming. Realistically it would not be
possible to do such an up-date to documents. Even if this was
possible it would risk to created such a mess with shared documents
that would then appear to have different attributes for each
user.
[0139] An embodiment of the present specification provides
associated attributes. An associated attribute is, like it says,
associated with another attribute so that when an attribute is
selected the associated attribute is considered as well.
[0140] Two documents (1), (2), 450, 452 are illustrated on FIG. 10
with respective associated attributes 454, 456. For example, if
attribute A is selected to retrieved documents associated
therewith, only document 1 would be retrieved as a result. There is
no similar attribute with document 2 that is shared by another user
because the document (2) 452 is categorized with the other user's
attributes. The search would fail to provide all relevant results
if attribute A of our user is equivalent in sense to attribute G of
the other user's attribute. Therefore, the present embodiment
provides a way to associate attribute A with attribute G as
illustrated in FIG. 11.
[0141] FIG. 12 shows what happens with an attribute based search
query if attribute A is associated with attribute G: both document
1 and document 2 are retrieved and presented in the results.
[0142] In the latter illustrative example, the logical operator
used between attribute A and attribute G is logical operator (AND).
Other logical operators could be used between associated
attributes. One example could be to associate attribute A with
attribute G with the logical operator (NOT) to exclude documents
having both attribute A and G from the search results by keeping
only documents associated with attribute A in combination with
other attributes but attribute G.
[0143] To achieve this a correspondence table (not shown) could be
used where a user indicates which attribute is associated with
which other attribute(s). The attributes could be attributes of a
single user or be attributes shared by other users. The attributes
shared by other users could be shared by sharing the actual
attribute(s) or by sharing documents having the attribute(s)
associated therewith. In the latter situation the attribute(s)
might not be usable by the user if the other user has granted no
such access right.
[0144] Associated attributes can evolve over time. At first, two
attributes can be associated together and later a third attribute
can be associated thereto. The evolution of each "package" of
associated attribute can be illustrated over a timeline showing
when each additional attribute has been added to the "package" and
when attributes have been removed from the "package" of attributes.
It is desirable to keep track of the time of entry and the time of
extraction of each attribute in a "package" of attributes to
properly define a query targeting a specific time period.
[0145] Grouped Attributes
[0146] It can rapidly become time consuming to individually
associate many attributes with a document (or a plurality of
documents at the same time). In order to facilitate the process of
associating attributes to documents it is provided herein to group
attributes that are likely to be used together when associating
attributes to document(s). In turn, many different groups of
attributes can be created and retrieved when desired.
[0147] FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of a system capable of
providing such mechanism. A display module 470 is provided to
display documents and attributes; an organization module 472
adapted to organize documents with related attributes; a selection
module 474 is adapted to select attributes and documents by a user;
a group sharing module 476 adapted to share groups of attributes
among users; a grouped attributes module 478 adapted to manage
groups of attributes and a user interface module 480 adapted to
provide user interaction based, at least in part, on a graphical
display of user-selectable elements adapted to offer choices to a
user in order to establish a dialogue with the user.
[0148] Turning now to FIG. 14 illustrating an exemplary flow chart
of a possible sequence of actions leading to the use of groups of
attributes. The sequence starts 490 with defining a name of a
subject group of attributes 492 (to be created) and inserting an
attribute 494 in the group of attributes with a predetermined
selected default value associated with the attribute 496 (an
alternative would provide an attribute with no value although the
present embodiment uses a more refined attribute/value system thus
requiring to select a default value to the attribute). It is
determined if the attribute is a "master attribute" or not a master
attribute 498. A master attribute is an attribute that, when
selected in the course of associating attributes with document(s),
will call the other attributes of the group of attributes to the
dialogue presented to the user. The user can decide which
attribute(s) from the group of attributes, and desired value
associated therewith, when applicable, will be associated with the
document(s). Each attribute in a group of attributes can be
designed as a "master attribute". This way, the selection of any of
the "master attributes" of a group of attributes will call the
other attributes from the group of attributes in the dialogue
allowing association of attributes with document(s). Steps 494, 496
and 498 are repeated for each attribute in the group of attributes.
Several choices are offered to the user managing the group of
attributes. Still in FIG. 14, undesired attributes can simply be
removed (or deleted) 500 from the group of attributes, other
attributes that are not already part of the group of attributes can
alternatively be added as previously discussed. The default value
of each attribute can be changed 502. Finally, the group of
attributes can either be enabled 504 or disabled 506 depending of
the pertinence of the group before the illustrative process ends
508.
[0149] Turning now to FIG. 18 illustrating an exemplary process for
associating attribute(s) to document(s). The process begins 520
with the selection of an attribute 522 intended to be associated
with the document(s). If the selected attribute is a "master
attribute" a dialog opens 526 to offer the other attributes from
the group of attributes that includes the selected "master
attribute". It is possible to modify the attributes forming the
group of attributes by adding, removing or altering the
attributes/values of the group of attributes 528. The attributes
are associated to the document(s) 530 when the adjustment(s), if
needed, on the proposed group of attributes are done.
Alternatively, if the selected attribute 522 is not a master
attribute 524 then, the selected attribute can be associated with
the document(s) 532 without offering a group of attributes before
the process ends 534.
[0150] Other attributes forming another group of attributes are
added in the dialog when another master attribute is selected.
Redundant attributes will be automatically removed from the dialog.
Many attributes, master attribute(s) or not, can be added in the
dialog to properly categorize the subject document(s).
[0151] Turning to FIG. 16 illustrating a master attribute 540
accompanied by a master attribute identifier 542 adapted to be
associated with document (1) 544. When the master attribute 540 is
selected it calls the other attributes 546 from the group of
attributes the master attribute 540 relates to. FIG. 17 illustrates
the association of all attributes from the group of attributes with
document (1).
[0152] An exemplary group attributes management dialog 550 is
illustrated in FIG. 18. The dialog 550 displays the name 552 of the
group of attributes. Each attribute in the group is disposed on a
row. Each row presents editable choices related to each attribute.
In the present situation, column 554 identifies if the attribute is
a master attribute, column 556 identifies the name of the
attribute, column 558 identifies the value of the attribute and
column 560 offers the choice of deleting the attribute from the
group of attributes. Other attributes can be added 562 if
desired.
[0153] Access rights can be managed with another dialog as embodied
in FIG. 19. Each group of attributes is illustrated on a row.
Similarly with the dialog of FIG. 18, each column offers editable
information. Namely, to enable or disable 570 the group of
attributes, to which user or group of user 572 the group of
attribute is accessible to and, inter alia, as understood, the name
of each group of attributes 574. It is also possible to add 576 or
delete 578 a group of attributes from the group of attribute access
right management dialog 580.
[0154] Grouped attributes can evolve over time. At first, two
attributes can be grouped together and later a third attribute can
be added in the group. The evolution of each group of attributes
can be illustrated over a timeline showing when each additional
attribute has been added to the group of attribute and when
attributes have been removed from the group of attributes. It is
desirable to keep track of the time of entry and the time of
extraction of each attribute in a group of attributes to have the
possibility to retroactively modify attributes that have been
associated with a document based on the use of the group of
attributes.
[0155] Bridge Attributes
[0156] It is sometimes desirable to associate attributes to a
document that do not categorize the document. This non-categorizing
attribute is called a bridge attribute (or indirect attribute). It
bridges the document to which it is associated [without further
categorizing it] with other documents categorized by this bridge
attribute [the bridge attribute is a direct attribute to them]. The
bridge attribute, as opposed to a direct attribute, is associated
with a document, or documents, because it builds a bridge, a link,
leading to other relevant related documents. The same attribute
thus can be a direct attribute for some documents and a bridge
attribute for other documents. It is desirable that each direct
attribute has its corresponding bridge attribute but it is not
mandatory.
[0157] FIG. 20 illustrates a block diagram of a system capable of
providing such mechanism. A display module 600 is provided to
display documents and attributes; an organization module 602
adapted to organize documents with related attributes; a selection
module 604 is adapted to select attributes and documents by a user;
a direct attribute module 606 adapted to manage direct attributes;
a bridge attributes module 608 adapted to manage bridge attributes
and a user interface module 610 adapted to provide user interaction
based, at least in part, on a graphical display of user-selectable
elements adapted to offer choices to a user in order to establish a
dialogue with the user.
[0158] Turning now to FIG. 21 illustrating an exemplary flow chart
of a possible sequence of actions leading to the use of direct and
bridge attributes. The sequence starts 620 with the insertion of a
new document 622, or the insertion of many documents or the
modification of attributes already associated with document(s)
already entered in the system and the sequence ends 628. In
contrast, in FIG. 22, an illustrative sequence of actions related
to the use of direct and bridge attributes is shown. The sequence
starts 650 by having the choice of either selecting one or more
direct attributes 652 or selecting one or more bridge attributes
656. If a direct attribute has been selected 652 a query is
launched to retrieve other documents directly associated with the
direct attribute 654. In contrast, if a bridge attribute has been
selected 656 a query is launched to retrieve other documents
associated with the selected bridge attribute 658 before the
process ends 660. The selection of either direct or bridge
attributes is not exclusive and a mix of direct and bridge
attributes can be made to build a query to retrieve relevant
documents.
[0159] FIG. 23 illustrates a plurality of attributes that can be
either directly associated with documents or bridge documents to
other documents by being associated with documents as bridge
attributes. FIG. 24 illustrates two documents, document (1) and
document (2), associated with respective direct attributes A and E.
FIG. 25 illustrates the same two documents of FIG. 24 with bridge
attribute E [in dotted line] being associated with document (1). In
so doing, bridge attribute E associated with document (1) builds a
link, or a bridge to use the same wording, with document (2)
because document (2) is directly associated with attribute E; the
bridge being illustrated with the dotted line 670.
[0160] Lets use an example that patent people will understand to
illustrate the current embodiment in relation with FIGS. 24, 25 and
26. Document (1) 800 is a USPTO form PTO/SB/07 used to file prior
art related to a patent application with the USPTO in an
Information Disclosure Statement (IDS). Document (1) 800 can be
associated with attributes that could be 1) "document sent to
USPTO" [because this document is sent by the applicant to the
United States Patent and Trademark Office], 2) "PTO/SB/07" [the
USPTO form identification], 3) "IDS" [that is the purpose of the
document] and/or 4) "attorney's file number xxx" [that indicates to
which matter number this document relates to]. These attributes
work fine with document (1) 800 but it would be useful to have
direct access to the actual patent document [illustratively
document (2) 810] cited in document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07).
Document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07) is not a patent document
and therefore is not associated with the attribute E 806 "patent
document". A bridge attribute E B806 "patent document" is therefore
associated with document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07) despite the
bridge attribute E B806 "patent document" is not categorizing
document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07) [because document (1) 800
is not a patent document]. The bridge attribute E B806 "patent
document" would lead to documents associated directly with
attribute E 806, in the present situation the actual patent
document (2) 810 cited in document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07)
[here we assume there is only one patent publication to be cited in
the IDS]. And, in turn, patent document (2) is directly associated
with the [direct] attribute E 806 "patent document" that is
actually correctly categorizing the patent document (2) 810. As one
has understood from the figures, direct attributes are illustrated
in solid lines and bridge attributes are illustrated in dotted
lines.
[0161] Now referring more precisely to FIGS. 26, 27 and 28,
document (1) 800 (USPTO form PTO/SB/07) is directly associated with
attribute A 802 that is the "document sent to USPTO" attribute. The
bridge attribute E B806 "patent document" is also associated with
document (1) 800. The actual patent documents cited in the "IDS" of
document (1) 800 are document (2) 810 and document (3) 812, both
associated with attribute E 806.
[0162] Still referring to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 26, 27
and 28, the selection of attribute A 802 is adapted to launch a
search to gather all documents having the attribute A 802 in
common. Similarly, as mentioned above, it is desirable to allow an
association with related documents not directly categorized by
attribute A 802 but meaningful to document (1) 800 with a bridge
attribute. The bridge attribute E 806 is a direct attribute
associated with document (2) 810 and is a bridge attribute to
document (1) 800. Thus, attribute E is an attribute to document (2)
810 and document (3) 812 and is a bridge attribute to document (1)
800.
[0163] FIG. 27 illustrates the graphical association between direct
attributes A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and their respective
documents (1), (2), (3) 800, 810, 812 using boxes of solid lines.
The bridge attribute E B806 is also graphically associated,
illustratively using a dotted lined box to distinguish the bridge
attribute E B806 from direct attributes illustrated in solid lines,
with document (1) 800. The selection of direct attribute A from
document (1) leads, when the attribute is selected in the context
of a query, to other documents having the attribute A associated
thereto. The selection of bridge attribute E B806 on document (1)
800 leads to document (2) 810 and document (3) 812, which neither
share a direct common attribute with document (1) 800. The bridge
attribute E B806 bridges document (1) with document (2) and (3)
because they are relevant to document (1). In addition, other
documents also associated with attribute E 806 will be provided if
the bridge attribute E B806 was selected in the context of the
building of a query.
[0164] FIG. 28 illustrates the documents of FIG. 27 with additional
bridge attributes associated therebetween. One can appreciate that
document (2) is associated with direct attribute E, F, G, H and
bridge attribute A. Bridge attribute A draw a connection with
document (1) despite document (2) has no common direct attribute
with document (1). Similarly, one can also appreciate that document
(3) is associated with direct attribute E, I, J, K and bridge
attribute C. Bridge attribute C draw a connection with document (1)
despite document (3) has no common direct attribute with document
(1). As it is shown, bridge attributes can be used in both
directions.
[0165] A computer-readable medium including computer-executable
instructions for performing a method of discriminating documents,
the method comprising: displaying a first array of documents;
receiving instructions from the selection of an attribute
associated with at least one document; displaying a second array of
documents grouping documents having the selected attribute; and
displaying documents associated with the selected attribute with a
graphical discriminating feature.
[0166] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is displayed on the first array of
documents.
[0167] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is displayed on the second array
of documents.
[0168] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is associated with a transition
between the first array of documents and the second array of
documents.
[0169] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is a displacement of documents
having the selected attribute from the first array of documents to
their respective positions on the second array of documents.
[0170] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is applied on the documents having
the selected attribute on the first array of documents and the
second array of documents.
[0171] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is selected from a group
consisting of a document color, a document frame, a document
texture, a document animation.
[0172] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the
graphical discriminating feature is progressively applied to the
documents.
[0173] The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the display
of the second array of documents triggers the removal of the first
array of documents.
[0174] In a computing device, a method of discriminating documents,
the method comprising: displaying a first array of documents;
receiving instructions about the selection of an attribute
associated with at least one document; displaying a second array of
documents grouping documents having the selected attribute; and
displaying documents associated with the selected attribute with a
graphical discriminating feature.
[0175] A system for discriminating documents comprising: a display
module adapted to display arrays of documents; a selection module
adapted to manage a signal provided by a selection of an attribute;
and a discriminating feature module adapted to apply discriminating
features to documents having the selected attribute.
[0176] A graphical user interface adapted to graphically
discriminate documents from a first array of documents that are
also displayed on a second array of documents to show which
documents from the first array of documents are on the second array
of documents.
[0177] A computer-readable medium including computer-executable
instructions implementing a method of discriminating documents, the
method comprising: associating a first graphical discriminator with
a first attribute; associating a second graphical discriminator
with a second attribute; and displaying the first graphical
discriminator and the second graphical discriminator with a
document having the first attribute and the second attribute
associated therewith. The computer-readable medium of claim 13,
wherein the graphical discriminator is selected from a group
consisting of a color and a shape.
[0178] The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the
attribute is a value.
[0179] In a computing device, a method for graphically associate a
plurality of attributes with documents, the method comprising:
providing a group of graphical discriminators associated with
attributes and analogous to poker chips design; displaying
graphical discriminators, associated with attributes associated
with a document, with the document.
[0180] A computer-readable medium including computer-executable
instructions providing a method of grouping documents, the method
comprising: associating a plurality of attributes therewith;
providing a document; selecting at least one attribute from the
plurality of attributes; providing at least a some of the remaining
attributes from the plurality of attributes; and associating at
least one attribute from the plurality of attributes with the
document.
[0181] The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein at least
one attribute from the plurality of attributes comprises the
attribute and a value associated therewith.
[0182] The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the
plurality of attributes is adapted to be associated with a
workspace.
[0183] The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the
plurality of attributes is a cluster of attributes, further
comprising providing a plurality of clusters of attributes adapted
to respectively be associated with workspaces.
[0184] The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein at least
one attribute from the plurality of attributes is a master
attribute adapted to call the other attributes from the plurality
of attributes.
[0185] The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the
plurality of attributes is adapted to be shared with a plurality of
users.
[0186] In a computing device, a method for graphically associating
a plurality of attributes with documents, the method comprising:
associating a plurality of attributes therewith; providing a
document; selecting at least one attribute from the plurality of
attributes; providing at least a some of the remaining attributes
from the plurality of attributes; and associating at least one
attribute from the plurality of attributes with the document.
[0187] A system for grouping documents to be associated with a
document, the system comprising: a display module adapted to
display documents; a grouped attributes module adapted to group
attributes; and a selection module adapted to receive instructions
from a selection of an attribute.
[0188] A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code
stored thereon providing a method of associating attributes with a
document, the method comprising: directly associating a first
attribute with a first document; directly associating a second
attribute with a second document; and indirectly associating the
second attribute with the first document, the second attribute
being a bridge attribute to the first document.
[0189] The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the bridge
attribute does not categorize the first document and draws a link
between the first document and the second document.
[0190] A method of associating attributes with a document, the
method comprising: directly associating a first attribute with a
first document; directly associating a second attribute with a
second document; and indirectly associating the second attribute
with the first document, the second attribute being a bridge
attribute to the first document.
[0191] The method of claim 27, wherein the bridge attribute does
not categorize the first document and draws a link between the
first document and the second document.
[0192] The description and the drawings that are presented above
are meant to be illustrative of the present invention. They are not
meant to be limiting of the scope of the present invention.
Modifications to the embodiments described may be made without
departing from the present invention, the scope of which is defined
by the following claims:
* * * * *
References