Method for displaying files from a plurality of devices in a multi-view interface and for enabling operations to be performed on such files through such interface
View Patent ↗In a synchronization or back-up system that synchronizes and/or back-ups files from multiple computing devices, the present invention provides a method for (1) displaying files from multiple computing devices in a multi-view user interface and (2) enabling content and file operations to be performed on such files through the user interface. The multi-view interface includes a file-system view and one or more media-specific views. In the file-system view files are organized in the same way in which they are organized on the devices on which they are stored. The file-system view in the interface looks essentially the same as the file-system view on client devices. In the file-system view, users can perform file operations on files. In the media-specific view files are organized by media category. In one embodiment of the media-specific view, files are organized by metadata that relates to the files content. In the media-specific view, users can perform content operations on the files.
1. A method for viewing files from a plurality of devices, the method comprising:
receiving, by a server, a plurality of files, at least some of the files stored on different devices;
providing an interface to the server via which the user is able to view the stored files, the interface including a view window and, within the view window, the user is able to view, at the user's discretion, either a media-specific view or one of a plurality of file-system views, wherein each file-system view corresponds to a local file-system view on a different one of the plurality of devices and files within each file-system view are organized in the same way as files are organized in the corresponding local file-system view, and wherein the media-specific view is a compilation view of all the stored files that are designated with a particular media category;
enabling the user to perform file operations in each of the file-system views in the interface, wherein file operations include deleting files from folders, copying files in folders, and pasting files to folders and wherein performing a file-system operation in a file-system view in the interface causes the file-system on the device to which the file-system view corresponds to be altered in accordance with the performed file-system operation;
enabling the user to perform content-specific operations in the media-specific view in the interface; and
enabling a user to switch between the file-system and media-specific views in the view window, and switching automatically from the media-specific view to the file-system view responsive to a file system operation performed in the media-specific view.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface is a web interface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media-specific view is a photo view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as photos are displayed.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media-specific view is a music view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as music files are displayed.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media-specific view is a video view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as video files are displayed.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media-specific view is a document view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as documents are displayed.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a user also can view and edit data objects through the interface and the media-specific view corresponds to a type of data object.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein data objects include email messages.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein data objects include contacts.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein data objects include calendar items.
11. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including instructions for causing a computer processor to carry out steps comprising:
receiving, by a server, a plurality of files, at least some of the files stored on different devices;
providing an interface to the server via which the user is able to view the stored files, the interface including a view window and, within the view window, the user is able to view, at the user's discretion, either a media-specific view or one of a plurality of file-system views, wherein each file-system view corresponds to a local file-system view on a different one of the plurality of devices and files within each file-system view are organized in the same way as files are organized in the corresponding local file-system view, and wherein the media-specific view is a compilation view of all the stored files that are designated with a particular media category;
enabling the user to perform file operations in each of the file-system views in the interface, wherein file operations include deleting files from folders, copying files in folders, and pasting files to folders and wherein performing a file-system operation in a file-system view in the interface causes the file-system on the device to which the file-system view corresponds to be altered in accordance with the performed file-system operation;
enabling the user to perform content-specific operations in the media-specific view in the interface; and
enabling a user to switch between the file-system and media-specific views in the view window, and switching automatically from the media-specific view to the file-system view responsive to a file system operation performed in the media-specific view.
12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the interface is a web interface.
13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the media-specific view is one of:
a photo view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as photos are displayed;
a music view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as music files are displayed;
a video view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as video files are displayed; or
a document view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as documents are displayed.
14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein a user also can view and edit data objects through the interface and the media-specific view corresponds to a type of data object.
15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein data objects include at least one of email messages, contacts or calendar items.
16. A computer server comprising a non-transitory data store, the computer server configured to:
receive a plurality of files, at least some of the files stored on different devices;
provide an interface to the computer server via which the user is able to view the stored files, the interface including a view window and, within the view window, the user is able to view, at the user's discretion, either a media-specific view or one of a plurality of file-system views, wherein each file-system view corresponds to a local file-system view on a different one of the plurality of devices and files within each file-system view are organized in the same way as files are organized in the corresponding local file-system view, and wherein the media-specific view is a compilation view of all the stored files that are designated with a particular media category;
enable the user to perform file operations in each of the file-system views in the interface, wherein file operations include deleting files from folders, copying files in folders, and pasting files to folders and wherein performing a file-system operation in a file-system view in the interface causes the file-system on the device to which the file-system view corresponds to be altered in accordance with the performed file-system operation;
enable the user to perform content-specific operations in the media-specific view in the interface; and
enable a user to switch between the file-system and media-specific views in the view window, and switching automatically from the media-specific view to the file-system view responsive to a file system operation performed in the media-specific view.
17. The computer server of claim 16 , wherein the interface is a web interface.
18. The computer server of claim 16 , wherein the media-specific view is one of:
a photo view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as photos are displayed;
a music view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as music files are displayed;
a video view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as video files are displayed; or
a document view in which a compilation of all the stored files designated as documents are displayed.
19. The computer server of claim 16 , wherein a user also can view and edit data objects through the interface and the media-specific view corresponds to a type of data object.
20. The computer server of claim 19 , wherein data objects include at least one of email messages, contacts or calendar items.