BACKGROUND
The present invention relates generally to organizing data, and more particularly to organizing and displaying data using tags. Editable text fields are a common tool for receiving user input data in applications, websites, and other software programs today. Such editable text fields allow users to input data which may then be displayed to others, such as a comments or feedback. As increased amounts of data are input within editable text fields, however, information becomes increasingly more difficult to locate and utilize. For example, a user may have to scroll through dozens of comments before finding a comment of particular relevance. Furthermore, existing schemas for displaying said information may be incapable of handling and presenting the increased amounts of data to a user, particularly in the case of mobile applications where screen size is limited. While schemas can be redefined to accommodate the increased amount of information, it is often a costly process in both time and money. In addition, redefining a schema may not address the problem of efficiently presenting relevant information to a user when large amounts of data, such as comments, are displayed.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, system, and computer program product for a data organizing and display system. A computer identifies editable text fields within a file and extracts the contents, if any, from the identified editable text fields. The computer identifies one or more tags associated with the extracted content and stores the extracted content in association with the identified tag. The computer then determines, when displaying the editable text fields on a device, whether to replace the extracted content with one or more selectable tiles corresponding to the tags associated with the extracted content. Based on determining to replace the extracted content with tiles corresponding to the tags associated with the extracted content, the computer displays selectable tiles corresponding to the tags associated with the extracted content instead of displaying the content itself. Responsive to receiving user input from a user selecting a tile, the computer displays the content associated with the tag corresponding to the selected tile.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures.
In the example embodiment, network 108 may be the Internet, representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways to support communications between devices connected to the Internet. Network 108 may include, for example, wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In other embodiments, network 108 may be implemented as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN). In general, network 108 can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between computing device 110A, computing device 110B, and host server 120.
In the example embodiment, computing device 110A includes software client 112A and computing device 110B includes software client 112B. In the example embodiment, each of computing devices 110 (i.e. computing device 110A and computing device 110B) may be laptop computer, a notebook, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a thin client, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving and sending data to and from other computing devices. While each of computing devices 110 are shown as a single device, in other embodiments, computing devices 110 may be comprised of a cluster or plurality of computing devices, working together or working separately. Computing devices 110 are described in more detail with reference to
In the example embodiment, software client 112A and software client 112B are client programs on computing device 110A and computing device 110B, respectively, which maintain client-server relationships with a host server program, such as software host 122 on host server 120. In the example embodiment, software clients 112 (i.e. software client 112A and software client 112B) are computer programs which act as a user interface for one or more users, such as the users of computing devices 110, to communicate with host program 122. In the example embodiment, software clients 112 are capable of instructing host program 122 to read, write, or otherwise edit a collaborative work maintained on host server 120, such as collaborative file 124. For example, software clients 112 may be web browsers which provide a web client interface to read, write, or otherwise edit a collaborative ticket (collaborative file 124) via software host 122 on server 120. In the example embodiment, collaborative file 124 is stored on a host server, such as host server 120, and modifications to the collaborative work are made in real time. In other embodiments, however, modified copies of collaborative file 124 may be temporarily stored on each of computing devices 110 and replicated to a master copy of collaborative file 124 on host server 120 via data replication techniques. While in the example embodiment a user interacts with software host 122 and collaborative file 124 via software clients 112, in other embodiments, a user may interact directly with software host 122 to edit collaborative file 124.
In the example embodiment, host server 120 includes software host 122, collaborative file 124, and organizing program 126. In the example embodiment, host server 120 may be a laptop computer, a notebook, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a thin client, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving and sending data to and from other computing devices. While host server 120 is shown as a single device, in other embodiments, host server 120 may be comprised of a cluster or plurality of computing devices, working together or working separately. Host server 120 is described in more detail with reference to
In the example embodiment, software host 122 is a server program on host server 120 which maintains a client-server relationship with one or more client programs, such as software clients 112 on computing devices 110. In the example embodiment, software host 122 is computer program which is capable of receiving instructions from one or more users of software clients 112 on computing devices 110. In the example embodiment, the received instructions read, write, or otherwise modify a collaborative work, such as collaborative file 124 on host server 120, in real time. For example, if collaborative file 124 is a webpage, then software host 122 receives and applies modifications to the hypertext markup language associated with collaborative file 124 from software clients 112 acting as web browsers. In other embodiments, software host 122 may be stored on other devices, such as computing devices 110. Furthermore, in other embodiments, a user may interact directly with software host 122 (rather than indirectly via software clients 112) to edit collaborative file 124.
Collaborative file 124 is a document stored on host server 120 which is integrated with software host 122 and organizing program 126. In the example embodiment, collaborative file 124 is a document which is edited by software host 122 in accordance with instructions transmitted from one or more users on software clients 112. While in the example embodiment, collaborative file 124 is stored on host server 120, in other embodiments, collaborative file 124 may be stored on other computing devices, such as computing devices 110. Furthermore, other embodiments may implement alternative data replication techniques known in the art to modify collaborative file 124.
In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 is a computer program on host server 120 which is integrated with collaborative file 124 and software host 122. In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 is capable of detecting editable text fields within a collaborative work, such as collaborative work 124. In addition, organizing program 126 is capable of extracting content from identified text fields and storing the content in association with an identified tag. Furthermore, organizing program 126 is additionally capable of determining whether to display the tags to a user in lieu of the extracted content associated with the tags. Based on determining to display the tags in lieu of the extracted content, organizing program 124 is further capable of receiving a user input selecting one or more tags and displaying the extracted content corresponding to the selected one or more tags.
While in the example embodiment software host 122, collaborative file 124, and organizing program 126 are stored on host server 120, in other embodiments, software host 122, collaborative file 124, and organizing program 126 may be stored and work cooperatively on other devices, such as computing devices 110. Furthermore, other embodiments may eliminate the need for software clients 122 such that a user may interact directly with software host 122.
Organizing program 126 identifies editable text fields within collaborative file 124 (step 202). In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 identifies editable text fields within collaborative file 124 by communicating with software host 122. In the example embodiment, software host 122 is capable of reading, writing, and otherwise modifying the program code of collaborative file 124. Based on analyzing the syntax and structure of the programming language and/or markup language defining collaborative file 124, software host 122 is capable of determining which elements or nodes of collaborative file 124 are capable of receiving a user input. For example, if collaborative file 124 is a webpage, then organizing program 126 searches the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code associated with collaborative file 124 for specific, user configured elements indicative of an editable text field, such as containers. Now referring to an example in
Referring now back to the flowchart illustrated by
Organizing program 126 identifies one or more tags corresponding to the identified content (step 206). In the example embodiment, tags are words which describe the content of a text field and are identified by organizing program 126 or received via user input from software clients 112 on computing devices 110. In embodiments where tags are received via user input, tags are entered into one of software clients 112 and transmitted to software host 122 via network 108. Organizing program 126 then identifies the tag via integration with software host 122 and compares the identified tag to a tag database of existing tags to determine whether the identified tag exists. Continuing the example illustrated by
If the identified tag does not exist in the tag database, organizing program 126 determines whether a synonymous or related tag exists in the database (step 206 cont'd). Organizing program 126 determines whether a synonymous or related tag exists by referencing a synonym or relational tag database and determining whether the identified tag is associated with any listed synonyms or related words. In the example embodiment, synonym databases detail synonyms to common terms while a relational database establishes relationships between related terms. If the identified tag is synonymous/related to an existing tag, organizing program 126 stores the extracted content in association with the existing tag. Continuing the example illustrated by
If organizing program 126 does not receive a tag via user input, organizing program 126 attempts to identify a tag associated with the content (step 206 cont'd). In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 identifies an associated tag by comparing existing tags (and synonymous words) within the tag database to the words within the extracted content. In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 identifies words within the extracted content using optical character recognition, natural language processing, and word/string matching techniques. In other embodiments, however, organizing program 126 may identify the words within the content in other ways. If organizing program 126 determines that one or more words within the extracted content is matching/synonymous to one or more existing tags, organizing program 126 associates the matching/synonymous tag with the content. In other embodiments, however, organizing program 126 may only associate the content with one or more of the matching, existing tags upon user confirmation via user input.
Continuing the example illustrated by
Referring again to the flowchart illustrated by
In the example embodiment, organizing program 124 determines how much of the screen area is utilized by the tagged content of collaborative file 124, illustrated in
In the example embodiment, organizing program 124 may be configured to determine a viewing ratio for each individual editable text field, sections of a document, or selected groups of editable text fields (decision 208 cont'd). For example, organizing program 126 may replace content associated with the “@Fix” tag by the corresponding “@Fix” tag when content corresponding to “@Fix” consumes 30% of the display screen size. Furthermore, in the example embodiment, organizing program 126 may be configured to always replace or leave content associated with specific tags. For example, a user may configure organizing program 126 to never replace content associated with the tag “@Fix.” In further embodiments, tags may be prioritized such that content corresponding to specified tags are replaced until the viewing ratio drops below the user-set threshold. For example, a user may configure organizing program 126 to replace content corresponding to a first priority tag, such as “@Fix,” and then check the viewing ratio again and, if the ratio is still greater than the threshold ratio, replace a next priority tag, such as “@ReproStep.” This process may be repeated until the viewing ratio falls under the user-set threshold such that content corresponding to a tag at the bottom of the priority list is the last to be replaced by a tag. In addition to increasing available screen real estate, replacing content with tags is advantageous in subsequently and rapidly categorizing, filtering, querying, and visualizing the content associated with each tag (described in greater detail below). In the example embodiment, the amount of screen real estate increased by replacing extracted content with associated tags depends on the amount of content replaced as well as the configuration/size/number of tiles replacing the content. While, in the example embodiment, tag tiles can be as small as a recognizable character/symbol and even incorporate a separate legend, other tiles may incorporate images and other media indicating a corresponding tag. Content replacement and display is described with more detail below.
In the example embodiment, organizing program 126 may display the tags in lieu of the content based on other factors as well, such as a user input (decision 208 cont'd). In the example embodiment, the user of computing devices 110 may manually select an option to group and display the content based on tags. In such embodiments, an option may be incorporated into the heading of an editable text field section, for example the “Comments” header shown in
If organizing program 126 determines not to display tags in lieu of the corresponding content (decision 208 “NO” branch), organizing program 126 continues to identify editable text fields (step 202), extract content from the identified text fields (step 204), and identify corresponding tags (step 206) until organizing program 126 determines to display the tags in lieu of the content (decision 208 “YES” branch).
If organizing program 126 determines to display tags in lieu of the corresponding content (decision 208 “YES” branch), organizing program 126 displays the corresponding tags and monitors the tags for a user input to display the content corresponding to the selected tag (step 210). In the example embodiment, user input is entered via the user interface of software clients 112 on computing devices 110. Furthermore, the tags are displayed in lieu of the content within the original footprint of the content, as illustrated by
In the example embodiment, the number of displayed tiles is dependent on the number of tags associated with the content of collaborative file 124 (step 210 cont'd). In addition, tiles may be altered in color, size, or appearance based on the contents associated with a corresponding tag. For example, tiles corresponding to tags with more associated content may be larger in size. Similarly, tiles corresponding to tags that have recently been associated with new content may be colored red to indicate a hot tag or blue to indicate a cold tag (no recently associated content). However, the displayed tiles may be customized and/or prioritized. For example, refer to
Computing device 110 may include one or more processors 02, one or more computer-readable RAMs 04, one or more computer-readable ROMs 06, one or more computer readable storage media 08, device drivers 12, read/write drive or interface 14, network adapter or interface 16, all interconnected over a communications fabric 18. Communications fabric 18 may be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system.
One or more operating systems 10, and one or more application programs 11, for example, organizing program 126, are stored on one or more of the computer readable storage media 08 for execution by one or more of the processors 02 via one or more of the respective RAMs 04 (which typically include cache memory). In the illustrated embodiment, each of the computer readable storage media 08 may be a magnetic disk storage device of an internal hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD, memory stick, magnetic tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, a semiconductor storage device such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, flash memory or any other computer-readable tangible storage device that can store a computer program and digital information.
Computing device 110 may also include a R/W drive or interface 14 to read from and write to one or more portable computer readable storage media 26. Application programs 11 on computing device 110 may be stored on one or more of the portable computer readable storage media 26, read via the respective R/W drive or interface 14 and loaded into the respective computer readable storage media 08.
Computing device 110 may also include a network adapter or interface 16, such as a TCP/IP adapter card or wireless communication adapter (such as a 4G wireless communication adapter using OFDMA technology). Application programs 11 on computing device 110 may be downloaded to the computing device from an external computer or external storage device via a network (for example, the Internet, a local area network or other wide area network or wireless network) and network adapter or interface 16. From the network adapter or interface 16, the programs may be loaded onto computer readable storage media 08. The network may comprise copper wires, optical fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers.
Computing device 110 may also include a display screen 20, a keyboard or keypad 22, and a computer mouse or touchpad 24. Device drivers 12 interface to display screen 20 for imaging, to keyboard or keypad 22, to computer mouse or touchpad 24, and/or to display screen 20 for pressure sensing of alphanumeric character entry and user selections. The device drivers 12, R/W drive or interface 14 and network adapter or interface 16 may comprise hardware and software (stored on computer readable storage media 08 and/or ROM 06).
The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.
Based on the foregoing, a computer system, method, and computer program product have been disclosed. However, numerous modifications and substitutions can be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention has been disclosed by way of example and not limitation.
Various embodiments of the present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
By the expression “a/one” should be understood as “at least one”.
By the expression “comprise(s)/comprising a/one” should be understood as “comprise(s)/comprising at least one”.
By the expression “comprise(s)/comprising” should be understood as “comprise(s)/comprising at least”.
By the expression “/” should be understood as “and/or”.