Array of documents with past, present and future portions thereof

摘要

A method, apparatus practicing the method, a system and an interface for displaying an array of computer-readable files having time portions thereof is described. The time portions are configured to display computer-readable files associated with respective time periods to order the computer-readable files along a timeline. The time portions being configured to define at least one of a past portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time before a present time, a present portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with the present time, and a future portion adapted to display computer-readable files associated with a time past the present time.

主权项

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, provide a method of displaying an array of user-selectable icons including a plurality of time portions thereof, the method comprising:
(a) displaying the array of user-selectable icons, each user-selectable icon having a first attribute related to time and a second attribute associated with a selected commonality among the displayed user-selectable icons, wherein each respective user-selectable icon of the array of user-selectable icons is grouped into one of three different displayed portions of the array based on the first attribute of the respective user-selectable icon, the three different displayed portions comprising
(i) a past portion adapted to display one or more user-selectable icons, generally associated with a past term interaction, grouped therein, wherein the first attribute of each such user-selectable icon is associated with a past time relative to a temporal reference point adapted to locate the past portion along a timeline;(ii) a present portion adjacent to the past portion and adapted to display one or more user-selectable icons, generally associated with a short term interaction, grouped therein, wherein the first attribute of each such user-selectable icon is associated with a present time relative to the temporal reference point adapted to locate the present portion along the timeline; and(iii) a future portion adjacent to the present portion and adapted to display one or more user-selectable icons, generally associated with an expected future interaction, grouped therein, wherein the first attribute of each such user-selectable icon is associated with a future time relative to the temporal reference point adapted to locate the future portion along the timeline; (b) wherein, when each respective portion of the three portions of the array comprises at least one user-selectable icon, the displaying of the array of user-selectable icons comprises, for each respective portion,
(i) displaying one or more user-selectable icons of the respective portion; and(ii) when not all user-selectable icons of the respective portion are being displayed, changing the user-selectable icons of the respective portion that are being displayed in response to user input received via a navigation tool;(iii) wherein the changing of user-selectable icons displayed in a portion of the array does not change any user-selectable icon displayed in each of the other two portions of the array, (c) wherein the three different displayed portions of the array are disposed in a substantially linear arrangement along a common axis of the timeline.