Patent Publication Number: US-2010115021-A1

Title: Method for Generating a User Interface for Enabling Access to Data on a Server

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to the field of user interfaces. In particular, the invention relates to a method for generating a user interface for enabling access to data on a server. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many users store data such as media files, image files, or audio files on devices. The users typically wish to access the aforementioned data without any inconvenience even when the stored data is voluminous. It would be frustrating for the users to encounter difficulties when attempting to access the stored data. 
     The type of devices may include, for example, mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), portable media players, computers, any computing device and so forth. As the collection of files grow, the users typically manually organize their files on the device using file management applications running on the device. 
     To satisfy the need for increased storage of data, many online data sharing sites allow users to upload data for storage so that the users do not have to compromise a compact form factor for their device in order to possess higher storage capacity. In addition, these online data sharing sites also allow users to access their data regardless of device as long as the device is technically able to access the online data sharing sites. However, to manage the uploaded files or files stored on the server, the device has to be continually connected to the online data sharing sites either through either a wireless or a wired connection. It is desirable that the widespread proliferation of online data sharing sites still allows the uploaded data from the various online data sharing sites to be easily accessible by the user despite the voluminous amount of data stored at the various online data sharing sites. 
     Reference in the specification is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,433 titled “Automatic Hierarchical Categorization of Music By Metadata” which is assigned to Creative Technology Ltd. The reference is made in relation to a media file management application that will be mentioned in the section titled “Detailed Description of the Embodiments”. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is provided a method for generating a user interface for enabling access to data on a server. The method comprises updating metadata in a metadata server, the metadata server being functionally connected to the server; processing the metadata on the metadata server; sending a request to the server to perform a task; and generating the user interface on a client device based on the processed metadata for enabling access to data on the server. The user interface may preferably be used to send the request to the server. The task being performed by the server may include, for example, browsing a collection of files, organizing files, selecting files, editing files, uploading files, downloading files and so forth. 
     It is preferable that processing the metadata comprises analysing the metadata on the metadata server. Analysing the metadata may comprise determining a data file format such as, for example, audio file, image file, video file and so forth. 
     Preferably, analysing the metadata enables categorization of data into a hierarchy in accordance with branches of a directory tree as presented in the user interface. 
     The client device may be selected from, for example, portable media player, mobile phone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), computing device and so forth. 
     It may be preferable for the server to be separable into at least one data server and at least one metadata server. 
     In addition, the method may further include consuming the data based on a combination of a pre-defined protocol and a hardware/software configuration of the client device. 
     It may be preferable that updating the metadata in the metadata server is either a push process by the server or a pull process by the metadata server. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the present invention may be fully understood and readily put into practical effect, there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only preferred embodiments of the present invention, the description being with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
         FIG. 1  shows an overview of a method for generating a user interface according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  shows a representation of the user interface of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show variations of the user interface of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart outlining the method of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart of a method  100  for generating a user interface  10  for enabling access to data on a server  12  according to a first embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates a system  90  where the method  100  may be employed. With reference to  FIG. 1 , the user interface  10  may formatted for display on a display  8  on a client device  14 . The server  12  may be, for example, a computer, a program residing on a computer, a remote network site or any storage means. While the server  12  is shown to be a single unit in  FIG. 1 , it should be noted that the server  12  can be separable into at least one metadata server and at least one data server. 
     The metadata server may contain all metadata of data from the at least one data server. When the at least one metadata server and at least one data server are functionally linked, a user would not be able to distinguish a composition of servers being used. The metadata server may obtain and process new metadata whenever new data is input into the at least one data server. The provision of new metadata to the metadata server may be either a push process (where the data server transmits any new metadata for new data to the metadata server) or a pull process (where the metadata server periodically/continually checks whether new data resides in the data server and consequently sends a request to the data server to transmit any new metadata). The use of a plurality of data servers would be similar to an instance when a plurality of online storage facilities are in use by the user. 
     The client device  14  may be, for example, a portable media player, a mobile phone, an application running on a processor-based device and so forth. In a non-limiting embodiment, the invention will now been described with reference to the portable media player. It should be noted that the invention may also be applied in other areas such as, desktop/server computers, computing devices and so forth. However, it should be appreciated that the method  100  is most advantageously employed in devices  14  with low-end processing capability as the method  100  does not require the device  14  to carry out data processing in relation to the method  100 . The device  14  is preferably wirelessly connected to the server  12  via a network connection. 
       FIG. 2  shows a non-limiting representation of the user interface  10  which appears on the display  8  on the client device  14 . The user interface  10  may comprise a secondary window  16 , a task selection bar  18  and a plurality of modal tabs  20  for selecting modes for viewing in a primary window  23 . The secondary window  16  may be for presentation of an expanded view of contents of a branch  25  of a directory tree  22 . The contents of the branch  25  of the directory tree  22  may also be shown in a contents bar  17  in the primary window  23 . As such, the user may select contents of the branch  25  of the directory tree  22  either from the secondary window  16  or the contents bar  17 . 
     The task selection bar  18  may consist of a selection (plurality) of action buttons  19 . The action buttons  19  may each be represented by either a graphical icon or a literary description. The action buttons  19  may be grouped in accordance with, for example, a user&#39;s preferences, the type of task being performed, how each task is related to each other and so forth. The action buttons  19  in the task selection bar  18  may include, for example, browsing a collection of files, organizing files, selecting files, editing files, uploading files, downloading files and so forth. 
     In a non-limiting example, for tasks relating to file access, related action buttons  19  like transfer of files, editing or creating a folder are grouped together in a sequential manner to either aid or guide the user to perform the desired task(s) quickly and efficiently. The action buttons  19  may also provide the option for the user to go online to download a file. Furthermore, a query form field  21  is provided in the task bar  18  to enable the user to enter text to search for a specific file. 
     Each modal tab  20  may have a directory tree  22  and each modal tab  20  may be determined by a data file format of each data file stored in the directory tree  22 . The data files may include, for example, audio files, image files, video files, non-media files or the like. Each directory tree  22  may consist a list of branches  25  that are relevant to the directory tree  22  (which may be dependent on data file format of data files). When a particular modal tab  20  is selected, the set of branches  25  in the directory tree  22  is displayed. The branches  25  may be presented in a list view format in the primary window  23  (as shown). A detailed description relating to how the directory tree  22  is generated follows in a subsequent portion of the description. 
     In the non-limiting example as shown in  FIG. 2 , when a music modal tab  20  is selected, the directory tree  22  containing a set of music branches  25  is shown. Each music branch  25  may define a node for storing music files categorized by metadata in a hierarchical fashion as per the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,928,433. For example, the set of music branches  25  may include, as shown for illustrative purposes, playlist, album, artist, genre, all tracks, folders, DJ, transfer list or the like. 
       FIGS. 3   a,  and  3   b  illustrate other non-limiting examples of the interface  10  when a picture modal tab  20 , and a video modal tab  20  are selected respectively. In  FIG. 3   a,  a set of picture branches  25  may include, as shown for illustrative purposes, slideshow, year, people, event, place, folders, transfer list, or the like. Similarly, in  FIG. 3   b,  a set of video branches  25  may include, as shown for illustrative purposes, year, genre, director, cast, producer, folders, transfer list, or the like. 
       FIG. 4  shows a process flow of the method  100  for generating the user interface  10  on the client device  14 . Firstly, new metadata is provided to the metadata server in step  99 . As such, the metadata is updated in the metadata server. The metadata server may be a part of server  12  or may be a separate server. The new metadata may be transmitted to the metadata server either via a push process (where the data server transmits any new metadata for new data to the metadata server) or a pull process (where the metadata server periodically/continually checks whether new data resides in the data server and consequently sends a request to the data server to transmit any new metadata). Subsequently, in step  101 , the metadata in the metadata server is processed. Processing of the metadata may include analysis of the metadata on the server. Analysing the metadata may comprise determining a data file format such as, for example, an audio file, an image file, a video file and so forth. Analysing the metadata enables categorization of data into a hierarchy in accordance with the branches  25  of each directory tree  22  as presented in the primary window  23  of the user interface  10 . 
     In step  102 , the user sends a request using the user interface  10  on the client device  14  to the server  12  to perform a task such as for example, to view one data file or to access a collection of music files, where the files are stored on the server  12 . This may be done by selecting the music modal tab  20  in the user interface  10 . 
     At step  103 , the client device  14  consequently generates the user interface  10  based on the user&#39;s request for enabling access to data on the server  12  (data server). The server  12  (metadata server) sends the hierarchy of data to the client device  14 . The client device  14  then renders a directory tree  22  based on hierarchy of data and a pre-defined protocol linking the client device  14  and the server  12 . It should be noted that a hardware/software configuration of the client device  14  requires a minimum performance level to operate on the pre-defined protocol. A combination of the pre-defined protocol and the hardware/software configuration of the client device  14  determines how the data is consumed by the client device  14  (either via streaming or downloading). However, as mentioned earlier, it is advantageous that the client device  14  only requires low-end processing capability. 
     There is no requirement for an application on the client device  14  to send the data file or hierarchy information to the server  12 . Advantageously, since the processing of metadata is done on the server  12  (metadata server) prior to sending to the client device  14 , this minimizes a requirement for the client device  14  to have sophisticated processing power. Consequently, diminishing a need for high performance processors minimises the cost of producing each client device  14 . In this regard, a need to adopt more advanced processors on a client device  14  is eradicated given that the major processing aspects are handled by the server  12 . Consequently client device  14  obsolescence is minimized as the changing tasks and demands of the user may be controlled by the server  12 . Thus, environmental friendly consumer patterns will emerge since usage of client devices  14  is prolonged. 
     Having now fully described the invention, it should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications can be made hereto without departing from the scope as claimed.