GB2450876A

GB2450876A - Method and Apparatus for File Selection using a graphical representation of file classification

Info

Publication number: GB2450876A
Application number: GB0713273A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ashbrook; Neil Holmes; Mark Priestley
Original assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
Current assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
Priority date: 2007-07-09
Filing date: 2007-07-09
Publication date: 2009-01-14
Also published as: GB0713273D0

Abstract

A method and apparatus for compiling a list of selected files from at least one database, wherein each database contains at least one file and each file is characterised by at least one file classification, comprising, means for receiving input identifying selected file classifications, means for identifying files having the selected file classifications from the at least one database, means for creating a graphical display associated with the selected classifications, means for mapping the identified files to coordinates on the graphical display in dependence on their classifications, means for receiving further input, the further input selecting at least one coordinate on the graphical display, means for determining the files mapped to the at least one selected coordinate and means for compiling a list of the determined files. There is preferably an additional input of the number of files mapped to each of the selected coordinates and the number of files mapped to each coordinate is preferably dependent on the time spent selecting that coordinate. The files are preferably audio, video or image files and typical classifications are song title, artist, genre, year or decade of release and duration, being used to compile playlists.

Description

Method and Apparatus for File Selection

S

The present invention relates to a method an apparatus for selecting files and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for selecting a compilation of digital files from a database.

Many different types of data, including music tracks, photographic images, video streams or text documents, can be stored as digital files. Over time, individuals can acquire or create libraries of digital files which can be stored on suitable storage facilities, for example hard drives within PCs, digital music players or mobile phones.

Libraries of files can be presented to the user in different ways, for example as a list or as a series of icons. The files can then be viewed or played by selecting the particular file, for example by clicking the entry in the list.

In many cases, users may wish to select more than one file to be grouped together which can then be viewed or played in a sequence. Common examples of when multiple files are grouped together are music play lists or of a series of images which aze displayed sequentially, for example as a screen saver on a PC. Grouping files in this way is useful because once the group is created and selected for viewing or playing the user does not have to have to navigate their entire library database of files to find the next suitable file to view or play. For example with music files a user can create play lists containing groups of tracks containing certain examples of music suitable for particular times or moods. For example the user may create a play list containing high tempo tracks which they play during exercise or a play list of more relaxed classical tracks which they listen to in the car to help to keep them calm when driving in the Newbury rush hour. A user may even wish to make play lists based on selection of music genres, age, vocal nature, live performance or track length as well as many other categories. In all of these cases, once the appropriate play list is selected the files on the play list are played exclusively without non-play list tracks intervening. f

While play lists can be beneficial once they are created, the creation of such play lists can often be a tedious and time consuming exercise. Typically, a user would have to navigate their item database, often presented as a categorised list, looking for the individual files.

Consequentially, it is difficult for a user to quickly create a play list. As an example; a user is about to go running for 1 hour and wants to create a new play list to play during their run. Typically, a user will either have to spend time selecting tracks for the play list from a PC before they can be uploaded onto their portable MP3 player, or in certain circumstances can manually select tracks from a portable player using its embedded selection system. In the first case, the selection and compilation procedure required additional equipment such as a PC. In the second case where the files were being displayed for selection on the small display screen inherent with portable devices, for example a mobile telephone, the procedure could be more time consuming due to the fact that the screen can only display a small number of files at any time and so the user cannot view the library database as a whole. In addition to these I issues a further problem is that, once a play list has been created, it cannot be easily amended or modified with the exception of skipping tracks within the list. Thus dynamic creation and alteration of play lists is currently difficult to do.

We have appreciated that the creation of play lists or selection of a group of files from a database of files can often be a tedious and time consuming process. This can be hindered further when this is performed using a device with a small screen.

Embodiments of the present invention overcome the problems with the prior art by representing an entire database of files, or a selected part of the database, in a graphical format. The axes of the graphical display relate to different classifications of the files and files are mapped to coordinates of the screen which relate to the specific classifications of those files. Single files or groups of flies can be selected by interaction with the graphical display. The advantage provided by such embodiments is that a user is able to select groups of files quickly without having to navigate extensive and text heavy, lists of files, and can also dynamically create, alter and modify play lists easily and quickly.

In preferred embodiments the user is able to select different criteria or classifications for the axes that correspond to attributes of the files (for example those found in an 11)3 tag associated with the mp3 music format) contained within the database that can be readily accessed or generated. The user may also be able to restrict particular files, criteria or classifications from being displayed. Further embodiments also allow the user to request further information about particular regions of the graphical display. Such embodiments allow the user to view the files within their database in different ways.

In certain embodiments the user is able to indicate the proportion of files that he wishes to include in the play list which come from different locations of the database during their selection, for example by spending a larger portion of the selection time in the relevant area of the graphical display.

The invention is defined in its various aspects in the appended claims, to which reference should now be made.

A specific embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 shows a database of music files displayed as a list; Figure 2 is a block diagram showing devices which can be used to create or transfer files to a memory of a PC; Figure 3 shows a particular example of the axes of a graphical representation of the files in a database; Figure 4 shows a user selection of files from the database of figure 3; ( Figure 5 shows a user selection of files in which the time taken to make the selection is recorded; and, Figure 6 is a flow diagram of the steps taken to create a play list.

Figure 1 shows a portion of a library database of digital files. The digital files shown in figure 1 are audio music files. However, the files could be image files, video files, text documents or any other type of digitally stored file. In the example of Figure 1, the library database is a private digital music collection and is stored in the memory of the user's private PC. Databases of similar form may be public, for example available for access via public access website, or may be available after subscription, for example via a restricted access website or associated music and or mobile service.

Figure 2 shows examples of how files may be transferred to and from the user's database 210. For example files may be created locally by recording a direct audio input 220; files may be copied into the memory area from a CD driver 230 containing a CD which the user has purchased; files may be downloaded from an external database, for example via a website 240, or from a separate storage device, for example a mobile telephone 250 or MP3 player 260. Typically, connections to these devices and databases will be bi-directional to allow files to be sent to and from the user's memory area 210 of their pc 200.

The files within the database of Figure 1 are labelled and identified by classifications or by other information which can be presented to the user. Typical identifiers for music files include song title and artist. Additional classification information may also be included, for example, genre, year or decade of release and duration. Some or all of this information may be embedded with the music file and so will automatically be associated with the file. Alternatively, the user's software or other accessible services may allow them to either manually or automatically add additional information to help to identify or classify cacti track, for example the user may wish to rate each track according to their personal preference, or search a web database to of their chart positions enabling them to ( create a "#1's only" play list.. Typically, this classification data is stored as metadata within the tile and can be read by software.

Typically, the format for the presentation of files is a list of the form shown in figure 1.

The classifications of the file will be stored with the file and can be read by the software of the device. Modem software will usually be able to read this file classIfication data and be able to use this data to allow the user to control how the information is presented, for example allow the user to select which classifications are displayed and to sort the files in terms of particular criteria or classifications, for example in alphabetical order or to sort by artist or genre.

Digital files can be copied and moved around within a digital domain in a simple fashion.

Software packages allow users to select groups of files from the main libraiy database to create separate, smaller or specific, databases. With music files, users often create databases of files which suit a particular mood, type of activity or occasion. Such databases are often referred to as play lists. The play lists can then be played without having to listen to other tracks which may not be appropriate at that time. The play list may also be uploaded onto a separate device. For example, a user may compile an exercise' play list including high tempo tracks that they would want to listen to while running, this play list could be uploaded onto their portable MP3 player which they take running. The exercise' play list will probably include different tracks from a play list a user had created to be played when they are relaxing.

Play lists are particularly useful when groups of files are transferred between devices.

For example, if a user owns a small digital MP3 player that they only use when they are exercising, they are able to initiate the transfer of all files in a single play list (which they have compiled on their PC by selecting and extracting tracks manually from their entire library of music files) by selecting the play list for copying in a single action rather than having to copy each file separately. (

Play list type databases can also be useful for different types of digital files. For example, a user may create a sub-database of photo images which they would wish to use as their screensaver on their PC, a selection of date categorized patent proposals, or a selection of length categorized video clips etc. It can be a tedious and time consuming process to compile a play list from a library database when the database is presented as a list. Typically, users must manually select files from the library database and place them in a preset order within the play list. Such lists can also be difficult to navigate since, generally, the files can only be sorted by a single classification and for large library databases only a small portion of the files can be displayed at any time. This becomes more problematic if you are viewing the database on a device with a small screen, for example a mobile telephone.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the files of the library database of Figure 1 are presented to the user in a 2-dimensional graphical form. The x and y axes correspond to different classifications. In the example of figure 3, the classifications used to sort and present the files within the database are genre and decade of release. Preferred embodiments of the invention allow the user to select and customise the classifications which appear on the x and y axes.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the user is able to select whether all files within the library database (or the any other selected database) are presented within the displayed graphical representation or whether only selected files should be presented.

For example, the user may select that only files of a particular genre or within a particular decade are presented. In the example of figure 3, only files being classified as genre: acid-house, classical, dance, hip-hop, pop and rock; and being released in the decades: 1960s, l970s, 1980s, 1990s or 2000s are included in the display.

In preferred embodiments the user is able to control how the different classifications are arranged within the display, for example in alphabetical order, in increasing year order and allows these to be zoomed in/out (for e.g. smaller/larger timescale) and scrolled (for (1 e.g. 1980-1990 or 1990-2000 depending on the zoom status) to allow tighter control of the selection etc. Once the user has selected the axes for the display, the system takes the inherent data of the files or obtains appropriate data from alternative (web based) sources and maps the files to coordinates on the display in relation to the data they exhibit. In some cases, the classifications will be sufficiently broad that more than one file will have the same classification for both selected axes. For example, the track Gercha' by Chas & Dave was released in the l980s and has genre classification of pop'. 99 Red Balloons' by Nena was also released in the 1 980s and will also fall into the genre of pop music.

Therefore, both files will fall at the same position on the display of Figure 3. However, if the user changed the axes to, for example, genre and rating, the files would fall at different positions on the graph since Dave has rated Gercha with the top rating of S and 99 Red Balloons with only 1. Similarly if the user organized their tracks using style, tempo, nationality etc these tracks would be categorized differently.

In preferred embodiments of the invention multiple files can have the same classifications and so appear in the same area of the graphical display. These areas will be referred to as bins' where each bin contains files having the same classification in terms of those classifications selected by the user as axes. Effectively, the bins are micro-databases containing files matching the classifications associated with that bin. Therefore, the graph will contain different bins depending on which axes are chosen. In the case of figure 3, Gercha and 99 red balloons appear in the same bin since they have the same genre and decade of release. However, as mentioned above, if the axes were changed to genre and rating, Gercha and 99 Red balloons would appear at different areas of the graph and so would be in different bins.

After the system has obtained the data with which to categorize the track, and the user has specified the axes of graphs, a simple algorithm within the device can sort through the tracks and assign them to appropriate bins. For example if the graphical axes are set to genre and decade of release, an imbedded algorithm within the device can perform a two layer search that can identify all tracks that fit both criteria, (using alternate search methodology) and place them within the appropriate bin. Micro-segmentation within the bin can also occur depending on user and system preferences, for example a pop track recorded in 1981 will fall in the same bin as a pop track recorded in 1989 when the classification is decade of release, however their 2D coordinates could be physically separated within the same bin to allow the user a greater degree of resolution between tracks. Clicking one side of the bin (i.e. one side of the grid) would thus obtain different tracks to clicking the opposing side. This inter-bin resolution would be either manually of automatically configured.

Also, there will be a pool of files which meet each criteria and a selection from this pool has to be made somehow. In one embodiment a memory of tracks played should be retained to make sure the same track is not picked repeatedly during different play list creations.

Generally, the combination of the number of files and the size of the screen will make it impractical for the files to be individually identified on the display. Preferred embodiments of the invention indicate how densely different areas of the display are populated, for example by using colour schemes to indicate the number of files contained within each bin. In further embodiments, if the resolution of the display is suitably high, the total number of files in each bin is identified on the display using a numerical representation or associated icon.

In further embodiments, the software may allow users to enlarge certain areas of the display for viewing, using, for example, a cross- hair or other selection identification mechanism such as a touch screen. On selecting a particular bin or bins of the display, the system could display to the user any tiles within those bins. The system may even allow the user to display those files within the selected bins in a further classification graph using different classifications or sub-classifications. For example identify those tracks with a high rating.

I

Embodiments of the invention enable the user to interact with the display and to select files of a particular classification directly from the display. A user is able to select * individual files by selecting the relevant region of the graph. Many known selection methods would be suitable for indicating the selection of a file, for example using a cursor or cross hair controlled by a mouse or other pointing device or by using a touch sensitive screen.

In the situation that a user makes a selection from a bin containing multiple files, embodiments of the system make a random tile selection from that bin. Alternatively, the contents of the bin could be displayed to the user in order to allow him to select a specific file. In further embodiments the system might identify how many times files within the bin have been played and preferentially select a popular file or, alternatively, a file which has not been played for some time.

One particular benefit of preferred embodiments of the invention is the manner in which play lists can be created using the graphical representation of the database. A user can quickly select multiple tracks by selecting different bins or multiple tracks from a single bin. In a simple embodiment a user may simply place the curser over the selected bin and select to select a track from that bin. Multiple tracks for a play list can be selected by making multiple selections, or indicating a total play length for that bin. In preferred embodiments, a user can trace a path across the graph to select multiple files. The path may be indicated by the user using a curser or other pointing indicator or a touch sensitive screen. The system tracks the path of the indicator and determines which bins the indicator has past over. The system then creates a play list including only files which appear within the selected bins. Embodiments of the invention allow the user to specify the number of files to be selected from each bin which the user selects.

Embodiments of the invention allow the user to draw multiple paths on the same graphical representation and for each path to be added together to form the complete play list. Embodiments of the invention allow the way in which the paths are added together to be configured. For example in one case a user could draw two paths and the files

I

corresponding to each path would be added to the play list based on the order in which the paths were drawn. In another case the user could draw the same two paths on the same graphical representation but the files could be added to the play list based on another factor such as their value for the x or y axis.

Embodiments of the invention allow multiple play lists with a common axis' to be merged, resulting in a play list which Incorporates more than two selection criteria whilst maintaining the simple user interface.

Figure 4 shows an example in which a user has made a selection to create a play list. The solid lines represent the selection, The user has selected 1960s pop and rock, 1970s rock, 1980s pop and hip hop and 1990s acid house.

In further embodiments of the invention, the system tracks the movement of the selector as a function of time. The system is then able to compare the length of time spent over different bins and select a number of files from the bins in dependence on the length of time the selector spent over the bin. For example if the selector passes over a first bin in 0.5 seconds and a second bin in 2 seconds, the play list will include four times more files from the second bin than the first bin.

In further embodiments the system measures the total time taken for selection and prompts the user to input the duration of time that he wishes the play list to last. The time measurement may be triggered to start when the device detects that the user first touches the screen and to finish when the device detects that the user has broken contact with the screen. Additionally, the system may allow the user to manually start and slop the time measurement. Such embodiments would be preferential when a user wished to make a selection which does not correspond to a solid line on the display.

Figure 5 shows an example of a play list selection in which the selection is not made in a single, unbroken, trace and in which the movement of the selector is tracked as a function of time. The axes are genre (including pop. disco, classical, rock and dance) and decade (including 70s, 80s and 90s). The crosses on the selection line are made at equal time intervals. Thus, the closer the crosses are to each other the slower the selector was moving. Therefore, the selector passed within 1970s dance for 2 full time intervals; 1980s dance for 7 full time intervals; 1980s rock for I full time interval; 1980s disco for 9 time intervals; and, 1990s disco for 1 full time interval. Thus the selection incLudes 20 full time intervals within bins.

Since the time spent over each bin was recorded by the system, the system is able to compile a play list in which the number of tracks selected from a particular bin corresponds to the time spent taken when selecting tracks from that bin. If the user inputs that they wants their play list to last for 60 minutes, the system calculates that each time frame corresponds to 3 minutes and so the proportion of time spent in each bin equates to: 6 minutes for 1970s dance (i.e. 2 full time frames of the 20 full time frames); 21 minutes for 1980s dance; 3 minutes for 1980s rock; 27 minutes for 1980s disco; and, 3 minutes for 1 990s disco. The system then identifies a selection of files or a single file from each bin which match closely to the time allocation for that bin and places these into the play list, calling the music player to play the selection in the prespecifed order.

Figure 6 is a flow diagram showing the steps taken by embodiments of the invention to create a play list. At 610 the system receives a user input identifying the classifications for the axes and any limitations on the data, for example only show files with a high personal rating. In response to the user input, the system identifies all files which meet the input classification criteria and creates and displays a graphical representation of the relevant files at 620.

At 630 the device receives the user's file selection. As discussed above, this selection may be made by touching a touch sensitive screen, by selecting using a cursor or by using any other suitable input means. The selection is mapped against the coordinates of the display and the device determines which classification bins correspond to the user selection. In preferred embodiments the device will also record the selection as a function of time and determine how much time was spent at each classification. In Il

S

preferred embodiments the user will input the total desired duration of the play list and this is received by the system at 640. At 650 the system calculates what time duration should be allocated to each of the selected classification bins.

When the system has determined what duration of the play list should be allocated to each classification bin, for each classification bin it identifies one or several files which meet the selected user selection criteria and creates the play list at 660.

Once the user has completed his selection and the system has compiled the play list, the play list may be stored and copied or downloaded to further devices, for example if the selection was made on a PC the play list could be downloaded onto a portable MP3 player, or may be played directly on the device on which the selection was made.

By displaying files within a graphical representation in terms of particular classifications, the entire database, or selected part the database, can be displayed in a convenient, easy to view, 2-dimensional display. The user is able to manipulate the axes any way he wishes in order to display the files. An advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that the system can display a representation of a large amount of files on a single screen in an aurangement which is easy to navigate and simple to identify and select required files. This is particularly beneficial when the device displaying the files has a small screen, for example a mobile telephone, a camera or a MP3 player, and when selecting, editing, and manipulating multiple items dynamically.

Although the specific embodiment described above relates to a database of music files, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the advantages provided by the invention would be gained by a database containing any types of files, for example image files or video files etc. It will also be clear to those skilled in the art that a 2-dimensional graph is not the only way that the database could be displayed but, instead, a 3-dimensional plot could be used. (

Claims

Claims 1. A method for compiling a list of selected files from at least

one database, wherein each database contains at least one file and each file is characteriseci by at least one file classification, comprising the steps of: receiving input identifying selected file classifications; identifying files having the selected file classifications from the at least one database; creating a graphical display associated with the selected classifications; mapping the identified files to coordinates on the graphical display in dependence on their classifications; receiving further input, the further input selecting at least one coordinate on the graphical display; Detennining the files mapped to the at least one selected coordinate; and Compiling a list of the determined files.
2. A method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of' receiving additional input, the additional input specifying the number of files mapped to each of the selected coordinates to be included in the compiled list.
3. A method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of measuring the time spent selecting each coordinate during the further input, wherein the number of files mapped to each coordinate included in the compiled list is dependent on the time spent selecting that coordinate.
4. A method according to claim 3 comprising the further steps of; measuring the total time taken to select all selected coordinates during the further input; receiving input indicating the total number of files to be included in the compiled list; ( calculating the number of files mapped to a particular coordinate to be included in the compiled List, wherein the ratio of the number of tiles to be included in the list mapped to a particular coordinate to the total number of files in the compiled list is the same as the ratio of the time spent selecting that coordinate to the total time taken to select all selected coordinate; and including in the compiled list the calculated number of files mapped to each particular coordinate.
5. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the files have a play time duration and the time duration of each file is a classification of the file.
6. A method according to claim 5 comprising the further steps of; measuring the total time taken to select all selected coordinates during the further input; receiving input indicating the required total duration of files included in the selected list; calculating the duration of tiles mapped to each selected coordinate to be included in the compiled list, where in the ratio of duration of tracks for a particular coordinate to the required total duration is the same as the ratio of the time spent selecting that coordinate to the total time spent selecting the list; and, including in the compiled list files mapped to each coordinate in the compiled list whose duration matches the calculated duration of files for that coordinate.
7. A method according to claim 5 or 6 wherein at least one file is a music track.
8. A method according to claim 5, 6 or 7 wherein at least one file is a video clip.
9. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or B comprising the further steps of receiving a request for additional information about files mapped to at least one particular coordinate and displaying at least one classification of each file mapped to that particular coordinate. (
10. A method according to any of claims 1-9 wherein the graphical display is a graph having axes associated with the selected classifications.
11. A method according to any of claims 1-10 wherein the files are represented on the display.
12. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the number of files mapped to with each coordinate is identified in the display.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the number of tiles is represented by colour.
14. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the further user input is made using a cursor.
15. A method according to any of claims 1-14 wherein the further user input is made using a touch sensitive screen.
16. A method according to any of claims 1-15 including the further step of retrieving files in the compiled list.
17. A method according to any of claims 1-16 including the further step of rendering the files in the compiled list.
18. A method according to any of claims 1-17 including the further step of transferring the files in the compiled list to a further database.
19. An apparatus for compiling a list of selected files from at least one database, wherein each database contains at least one file and each tile is characterised by at least one file classification, comprising:

I

Means for receiving input identifying selected file classifications; Means for identifying files having the selected file classifications from the at least one database; Means for creating a graphical display associated with the selected classifications; Means for mapping the identified tiles to coordinates on the graphical display in dependence on their classifications; Means for receiving further input, the further input selecting at least one coordinate on the graphical display; Means for determining the files mapped to the at least one selected coordinate; and Means for compiling a list of the determined files.
20. An apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising means for receiving additional input, the additional input specifying the number of files mapped to each of the selected coordinates to be included in the compiled list.
21. An apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising means for measuring the time spent selecting each coordinate during the further input, wherein the number of files mapped to each coordinate included in the compiled list is dependent onthe time spent selecting that coordinate.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising; Means for measuring the total time taken to select all selected coordinates during the further input; Means for receiving input indicating the total number of files to be included in the compiled list; Means for calculating the number of tiles mapped to a particular coordinate to be included in the compiled list, wherein the ratio of the number of files to be included in the list mapped to a particular coordinate to the total number of files in the compiled list is the same as the ratio of the time spent selecting that coordinate to the total time taken to select all selected coordinate; and

I

Means for including in the compiled list the calculated number of files mapped to each particular coordinate.

S
23. An apparatus according to claim 19, 20, 21 or 22 wherein the files have a play time duration and the time duration of each file is a classification of the file.
24. An apparatus according to claim 23 further comprising; Means for measuring the total time taken to select all selected coordinates during the further input; Means for receiving input indicating the required total duration of files included in the selected list; Means for calculating the duration of files mapped to each selected coordinate to be included in the compiled list, where in the ratio of duration of tracks for a particular coordinate to the required total duration is the same as the ratio of the time spent selecting that coordinate to the total time spent selecting the list; and, Means for including in the compiled list fjles mapped to each coordinate in the compiled list whose duration matches the calculated duration of files for that coordinate.
25. An apparatus according to claim 23 or 24 wherein at least one file is a music track.
26. An apparatus according to claim 23, 24 or 25 wherein at least one file is a video clip.
27. An apparatus according to claim 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or 26 further comprising means for receiving a request for additional information about files mapped to at least one particular coordinate and displaying at least one classification of each file mapped to that particular coordinate.
28. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-27 wherein the graphical display is a graph having axes associated with the selected classifications. t
29. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-28 wherein the files are represented onthe display.
30. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-29 wherein the number of flies mapped to with each coordinate is identified in the display.
31. An apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the number of files is represented by colour.
32. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-31 wherein the further user input is made using a cursor.
33. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-32 wherein the further user input is made using a touch sensitive screen.
34. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-33 further comprising means for retrieving files in the compiled list.
35. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-34 further comprising means for rendering the files in the compiled list.
36. An apparatus according to any of claims 19-35 further comprising means for transferring the files in the compiled list to a further database.