Patent ID: 7788297

Claim:
A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for presenting to a user a graphical user interface associated with a storage container having a storage capacity, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of items, the plurality of items collectively consuming a first portion of the storage capacity; logically arranging the plurality of items into a plurality of groups in accordance with user-selectable grouping criteria, each group having associated therewith zero or more items and a storage capacity consumption amount representing an amount of the storage capacity or the first portion of the storage capacity consumed by the zero or more items; for each group, associating a meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator therewith, a particular meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates a relative amount of the storage capacity or the first portion of the storage capacity being consumed by the zero or more items associated with a particular group; arranging for display of at least some of the meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators in a manner that visually illustrates a relative size of the storage capacity consumption amount associated with each of the groups associated with the displayed meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators; identifying a second portion of the storage capacity remaining for consumption; associating a meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator with the second portion of the storage capacity, the meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates the second portion of the storage capacity relative to the first amount of the storage capacity; arranging for display of the meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator; identifying a type of item that can consume the storage capacity; predicting an amount of the storage capacity consumed by a representative item of the identified type; and based on the identified type and the predicted amount of the storage capacity, determining an allocation of items of the identified type that could consume the second portion of the storage capacity.