I
`
`]
`
`5. Oath or Declaration
`
`[Total Sheets
`
`2
`
`'
`
`a. I:I Newly executed (original or copy)
`A copy from a prior application (37 CFR 1.63(d))
`b
`(for continuation/divisional with Box 18 completed)
`i. I:I DELETION OF INVENTOR(S)
`Signed statement attached deleting inventoris) name in the
`prior application. see 37 CFR 1.63(d)(2) and 1.33(b).
`Application Data Sheet See 37 CFR 1.76
`CD-ROM or CD-R in duplicate, large table or
`Computer Program (Appendix)
`I:I Landscape Table on CD
`3. Nucleotide and/or Amino Acid Sequence Submission
`(if applicable, items a. « c. are required)
`
`6.
`7'
`
`9. I::I Assignment Papers (cover sheet & document(s))
`
`Name of Assignee
`
`10D
`
`Power of
`37 CFR 3.730)) Statement
`(when there is an assignee)
`Attorney
`11. I:I English Translation Document (if applicable)
`
`12.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement (PTO/SB/08 or PTO-1449)
`
`Copies of citations attached
`
`13. I::I Preliminary Amendment
`
`14.
`
`15.
`
`16.
`
`Return Receipt Postcard (MPEP 503)
`(Should be specifically itemized)
`
`Certified Copy of Priority Document(s)
`(if foreign priority is claimed)
`Nonpublication Request under 35 U.S.C.122 (b)(2)(B)(i).
`Applicant must attach form PTO/SB/35 or equivalent.
`
`PTO/SB/OS (08—08)
`Approved for use through 06/30/2010. OMB 0651-0032
`US. Patent and Trademark Office. US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`Underthe Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.
`M1103.70799U801
`Attorney Docket No.
`UTILITY
`First Inventor
`Matthew B. Maclaurin
`PATENT APPLICATION
`TRANSMITTAL
`SELECTION-BASED ITEM TAGGING
`Title
`(ONLY FOR NEW NONPROVISIONAL APPLICATIONS UNDER
`37 CFR "53‘3”
`Express Mail Label No.
`_____.—_____________________,
`Commissioner for Patents
`APPLICATION ELEMENTS
`ADDRESS TO.’
`PO. Box 1450
`See MPEP chapter 600 concerning utility patent application contents.
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`ACCOMPANYING APPLICATION PARTS
`
`1.
`
`2
`
`'
`3.
`
`4.
`
`Fee Transmittal Form (e.g., PTO/SB/17)
`Applicant claims small entity status.
`See 37 CFR 1.27.
`Specification
`Both the claims and abstract must start on a new page
`(For information on the prelerred arrangement, see MPEP 608.01(a))
`Drawing(s) (35 U.S.C. 113)
`[Total Sheets
`13
`
`[Total Pages .31... 1
`
`a. I:I Computer Readable Form (CRF)
`Specification Sequence Listing on:
`b.
`i. I:I CD-ROM or CD-R (2 copies); or
`
`17. I:I Other:
`
`ii. I:I Paper
`
`c. I:I Statements verifying identity of above copies
`
`18.
`
`Prior application information: Examiner
`
`If a CONTINUING APPLICATION, check appropriate box, and supply the requisite information below and in the first sentence of the
`specification following the title, or in an Application Data Sheet under 37 CFR 1. 76:
`Continuation I:I Divisional
`I:I Continuation—in-part (CIP)
`of prior application No.:
`Eric A. Wiener
`Art Unit:
`19. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`OR
`45840
`The address associated with Customer Number.
`
`11/193586
`21 79
`
`I:I Correspondence address below
`
`Name
`
`Address
`City
`Country
`
`Signature
`Name
`(Print/Type)
`
`I State I
`
`I Zip Code I
`
`Andrew
`
`. Tibbetts
`
`Date
`Registration No.
`(Attomey/Agent)
`
`September 21. 2010
`65,139
`
`20978341
`
`Blackberry's Exhibit No. 2008
`Page 1 of 384
`
`

`

`Application Data Sheet
`
`Application Information
`
`Application Type::
`Subject Matter:
`Suggested Group Art Unitz:
`CD-ROM or CD-R?::
`Sequence submission?::
`Computer Readable Form (CRF)?::
`Title:
`Attorney Docket Number:
`Request for Early Publication?::
`Request for Non-Publication?::
`Total Drawing Sheets::
`Small Entity?::
`Petition included?::
`Secrecy Order in Parent Appl.?::
`
`Applicant Information
`Applicant Authority Type::
`Primary Citizenship Country:
`Status::
`Given Name:
`Middle Name::
`Family Name::
`City of Residence::
`State or Province of Residence:
`Country of Residence:
`Street of mailing address:
`
`Regular
`Utility
`2179
`None
`None
`No
`SELECTiON—BASED ITEM TAGGING
`M1103.70799USO1
`No
`No
`13
`No
`No
`No
`
`Inventor
`US
`Full Capacity
`Matthew
`B.
`MacLaurin
`Woodinville
`WA
`US
`c/o Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Page # 1
`
`Initial 09/21/10
`2097832.1
`
`Blackberry's Exhibit No. 2008
`Page 2 of 384
`
`

`

`City of mailing address:
`State or Province of mailing address:
`Postal or Zip Code of mailing address:
`
`Redmond
`WA
`98052
`
`Correspondence Information
`
`Correspondence Customer Number:
`
`45840
`
`Representative Information
`
`Representative Customer Number:
`
`45840
`
`Domestic Priority Information
`
`Application:
`This Application
`
`Continuity Type:
`Continuation of
`
`Parent Application:
`11/193586
`
`Parent Filing Date:
`07/29/05
`
`Foreign Priority Information
`
`Assignee Information
`
`Assignee name::
`Street of mailing address:
`City of mailing address:
`State or Province of mailing address:
`Postal or Zip Code of mailing address:
`
`Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond
`WA
`98052-6399
`
`Page # 2
`
`Initial 09/21/10
`
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`Page 3 of 384
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`

`

`PATENT APPLICATION
`DnCLARATION AND POWER OF ATTORNEY
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. MSFTP1033US
`As a below named inventor, I hereby declare that:
`My residence/ post office address and citizenship are as stated below next to my name;
`I believe I am the original, first and sole inventor (if only one name is listed below) or an original, first and joint inventor (if
`plural names are listed below) of the subject matter which is claimed and for which a patent is sought on the invention
`entitled: SELECTION-BASED ITEM TAGGING the specification of which is filed herewith unless the following box is
`checked:
`luly 29, 2005 as US Application Serial No. or PCT International Application
`(\/) was filed on
`(if applicable).
`and was amended on
`11 193 586
`Number
`I hereby state that I have reviewed and understood the contents of the above-identified specification, including the claims, as
`I acknowledge the duty to disclose all information which is material to
`amended by any amendment(s) referred to above.
`patentability as defined in 37 CFR 1.56.
`
`MS DOCKET NO. M8312979.01
`
`Foreign Application(s) and/or Claim of Foreign Priority
`I hereby claim foreign priority benefits under Title 35, United States Code Section 119 of any foreign application(s) for patent or inventor(s) certificate listed
`below and have also identified below any foreign application for patent or inventor(s) certificate having a filing date before that of the application on
`which priority is claimed:
`COUNTRY
`
`PRIORITY CLAIMED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 119
`YES:
`NO:
`YES:
`NO:
`
`APPLICATION NUMBER
`
`DATE FILED
`
`POWER OF ATTORNEY:
`As a named inventor, I hereby appoint the following attorney(s) and/ or agent(s) associated with
`
`Customer No. 27195
`
`to prosecute this application and transact all business in the Patent and Trademark Office connected therewith.
`Ronald C. Zink
`Martin L. Shively
`David Bartley Eppenauer
`Reg. No. 35,744
`Reg. No. 33,553
`Reg. No. 35,499
`Michael W. Bocianowski
`John Weresh
`Jeffrey L. Ranck
`Reg. No. 28,692
`Reg. No. 32,332
`Reg. No. 38,590
`Gregory Turocy
`Reg. No. 36,952
`
`Patricia E. Barnes
`Reg. No. 37,038
`Himanshu S. Amin
`Reg- NO- 40,894
`
`Send Correspondence to:
`
`Contact Name:
`Firm Name:
`Firm Address:
`City, State and Zip:
`
`Himanshu S. Amin
`Amin & Turocy, LLP
`1900 E. 9m Street, National City Center — 24‘“ Floor
`Cleveland, OH 44114
`
`Direct Telephone Calls To:
`
`Contact Name:
`Contact Phone Number:
`
`Himanshu S. Arnin
`(216) 696-8730
`
`Page 1 of 2
`
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`Page 4 of 384
`
`

`

`DECLARATION AND POWER OF ATTORNEY
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. MSFI'PIOSSUS
`MS DOCKET NO. M5312979.01
`I hereby declare that all statements made herein of my own knowledge are true and that all statements made on information
`and belief are believed to be true; and further that these statements were made with the knowledge that willful false
`statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United
`States Code and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of the application or any patent issued thereon.
`
`Full Name of Inventor: Matthew B. MacLaurin
`
`Residence:
`
`Woodinville, Washington
`
`Post Office Address:
`
`16214 183"d Place NE
`
`,1
`
`W00 'nvill Was ‘ gton 98072
`
`W
`Inventor’s/{granite '
`/
`
`Citizenship:
`
`United States
`
`'
`
`Dat
`
`e
`
`Ia/e‘
`
`2 025
`
`Page 2 of 2
`
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`Page 5 of 384
`
`

`

`Attorney Docket N0.: M1103. 70 799U301
`MS Ref. N0.: MS 312979.02
`
`SELECTION-BASED ITEM TAGGING
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`This application is a continuation of, and accordingly claims the
`[0001]
`benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of, U.S. Patent Application No. 11/193,586, entitled
`“Selection-based item tagging,” which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark
`Office on July 29, 2005.
`
`BACKGROUND
`With the proliferation of computing devices has come a dramatic
`[0002]
`increase in available information that seems to be exponentially growing each year.
`This requires that storage technology keep pace with the growing demand for data
`storage. Vast amounts of data can now be stored on very small devices that are easily
`transported and accessible almost anywhere in the world via the Internet. Data
`retrieval techniques have expanded in scale to also meet the growth of stored data.
`Advances in search engines and other ‘data mining’ techniques facilitate in the
`extraction of relevant data. Easy retrieval of information is paramount in the
`utilization of stored data. The harder the data is to retrieve, the more likely it will not
`be accessed and utilized. On the far end of the retrieval spectrum, if the data cannot
`be found and retrieved at all, then technology has failed despite the ability to store the
`data.
`Its value will lie dormant until technology once again advances to allow full
`access to the data.
`[0003]
`Frequently, it is the timeliness of the information that makes its value
`substantial. The value of retrieving information at a desired point in time can be
`profound. A doctor operating on a patient may need access to additional surgical
`procedures or patient information during the surgery ~ making information retrieval a
`possible life and death action at that moment. Although this is an extreme example, it
`shows that the patient information, such as allergies to medicines, may be of a much
`lesser value to the doctor after the surgery should the patient die on the operating table
`due to an allergic reaction. Thus, having vast amounts of data is of little value if the
`data is not organized in some fashion to allow its retrieval. Therefore, data storage
`techniques such as databases utilize various methods to store the data so that it can be
`
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`

`

`retrieved easily. Database search engines also utilize different techniques to facilitate
`in increasing the speed of data retrieval.
`Most people familiar with an office environment will readily recognize
`[0004]
`It typically has four or five drawers that contain paper files
`an office filing cabinet.
`that are stored in folders inside the cabinet. This office concept of organizing was
`carried over into the computer realm in order to more easily transition new users to
`computer technology. Thus, typically, computer files are stored in folders on a
`computer’s hard drive. Computer users organize their files by placing related files in
`a single folder. Eventually, this too became unwieldy because a folder might have
`several hundred or even a thousand files. So, users began to use a hierarchy of folders
`or folders-within-folders to further breakdown the files for easier retrieval. This aided
`retrieval but also required users to “dig” deeply into the folders to extract the folder
`with the desired information. This was frequently a daunting task if there were large
`hierarchies of folders.
`The folder concept, however, is often challenged by those users who
`[0005]
`do not agree that an item only belongs to a single folder. They frequently desire to
`associate a file with several folders to make it easier to find. Some just copy a file
`into different folders to alleviate the problem. That, however, uses more storage
`space and, thus, is not highly desirable for large quantities of information. To
`circumvent this, users have begun to “mark” or “tag” the files or data to indicate an
`association rather than placing them in a folder. A tag is generally an arbitrary text
`string associated with an item that is utilized to recall that item at a later time. By
`tagging the item, the user is not required to place it in a folder and force it into a
`single category. A user has the flexibility of tagging and, thus, associating different
`It also allows a user to
`types of items such as graphics, text, and/or data and the like.
`apply multiple tags to the same item. Thus, a user can tag a picture of a mountain as a
`‘vacation picture’ to enable recalling it as a vacation photo and also as ‘desktop
`wallpaper’ to enable recalling it as a background image on a computer screen. This is
`item to be moved or placed into a folder.
`accomplished without requiring the actual
`etc.
`Despite the apparent power and flexibility afforded by tagging in
`[0006]
`contrast to utilizing folders, the folder concept still dominates most of today’s
`It is
`computer users. The folder concept is easy to understand and to implement.
`“intuitive” for those who work or have worked in office environments and only
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`

`

`requires a user to drag and drop an item into a folder to associate it with other items.
`In sharp contrast, current tagging techniques are cumbersome and require a user to dig
`deeply into associated data of the item, typically requiring opening several computer
`windows and having ‘expert-like’ knowledge in order to correctly tag the item. For
`these reasons, tagging has not been well received by most users, despite its powerful
`potential. To overcome a user’s unwillingness to utilize complicated implementation
`procedures, tagging has to be as intuitive and easy as the folder concept. Only then
`will users begin to embrace tagging as a replacement for the filing concept that
`originated from the traditional office environment.
`
`SUMMARY
`The following presents a simplified summary of the subject matter in
`[0007]
`order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of subject matter
`It is
`embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the subject matter.
`not intended to identify key/critical elements of the embodiments or to delineate the
`Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the subject
`scope of the subject matter.
`matter in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is
`presented later.
`The subject matter relates generally to information retrieval, and more
`[0008]
`particularly to systems and methods for tagging items based on user selections of
`items. The item selections along with user inputs are leveraged to provide users with
`automated item tagging with minimal impact to the user, allowing easy recall of the
`tagged items at another time. Further user interaction with additional windows and
`other interfacing techniques are not required to save the tag with the item. Thus, for
`example, the user can select items and begin typing a tag which is automatically
`In other instances, tagging suggestions can be
`associated with the selected items.
`supplied based on a user’s selection. For example, if the items selected are known to
`be dog related, a tag of “dog” can be suggested to the user based on the selection of
`In another instance, tagging suggestions can be dynamically
`the dog related items.
`supplied based on a user’s input action. For example, if a user types “gr,” a tag of
`“graphics” can be suggested to the user. Tagging suggestions can also be formulated
`automatically based on user data and/or tags and the like associated with selections by
`an external source. For example, if a user is determined to be a doctor, medical
`related terminology tag sets can be downloaded from the Internet and included in the
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`

`supplied tag suggestions. Thus, the systems and methods herein provide an extremely
`convenient manner in which to add tags to items and can, if desired, employ machine
`learning to facilitate tag determination. This increases the value of the tagged items
`by providing greater item access flexibility and allowing multiple associations (or
`tags) with each item.
`To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain
`[0009]
`illustrative aspects of embodiments are described herein in connection with the
`following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative,
`however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject
`matter may be employed, and the subject matter is intended to include all such aspects
`and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the subject matter may
`become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in
`conjunction with the drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`is a block diagram of a selection-based tagging system in
`FIG. 1
`[0010]
`accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 2 is another block diagram of a selection—based tagging system in
`[0011]
`accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 3 is yet another block diagram of a selection-based tagging
`[0012]
`system in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 4 is an illustration of a user interface with selected items in
`[0013]
`accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 5 is an illustration of a user interface with a tag input by a user for
`[0014]
`selected items in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 6 is an illustration ofa user interface showing a user input tag
`[0015]
`added to an item tag list in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 7 is an illustration ofa user interface displaying items with a
`[0016]
`specific item tag in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 8 is an illustration of a user interface with a suggested tag in
`[0017]
`response to a user input in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a method of facilitating item tagging in
`[0018]
`accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`
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`FIG. 10 is another flow diagram of a method of facilitating item
`[0019]
`tagging in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`[0020]
`FIG. 11 is yet another flow diagram of a method of facilitating item
`tagging in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment.
`[0021]
`FIG. 12 illustrates an example operating environment in which an
`embodiment can function.
`[0022]
`FIG. 13 illustrates another example operating environment in which an
`embodiment can function.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`The subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings,
`[0023]
`wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout.
`In the
`following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set
`forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter.
`It may be
`evident, however, that subject matter embodiments may be practiced without these
`specific details.
`In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in
`block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the embodiments.
`[0024]
`As used in this application, the term “component” is intended to refer
`to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and
`software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but
`is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an
`executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of
`illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a computer
`component. One or more components may reside within a process and/0r thread of
`execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/0r distributed
`between two or more computers. A “thread” is the entity within a process that the
`operating system kernel schedules for execution. As is well known in the art, each
`thread has an associated “context” which is the volatile data associated with the
`execution of the thread. A thread’s context includes the contents of system registers
`and the virtual address belonging to the thread’s process. Thus, the actual data
`comprising a thread’s context varies as it executes.
`[0025]
`Ad-hoc item tags are simple text—based strings that are a useful form of
`organization for end users. Existing systems today that apply tags require
`cumbersome dialog boxes and/or menus that interrupt the user’s thought process and
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`

`work flow. The systems and methods herein provide an improved user interface for
`applying tags automatically when the user has made a selection of items to be tagged
`and/0r provides an input such as, for example, typing any character on a keyboard.
`Tags can be added to items without entering a complex mode and/or substantially
`interrupting current activity. The type of tag that the user is typing is determined
`based on factors that can include the item selected, other tags applied to similar items
`In one
`and/0r used recently, and/or the most commonly used tags and the like.
`instance, if the user has selected one or more items and begins to type, tagging mode
`is entered automatically and a tag buffer collects key strokes to facilitate
`determination of the tag type.
`In FIG. I, a block diagram of a selection-based tagging system 100 in
`[0026]
`accordance with an aspect of an embodiment is shown. The selection—based tagging
`system 100 is comprised of a selection-based tagging component 102 that interfaces
`with a user 104 and an item source 106. The selection-based tagging component 102
`interacts with the user 104 and provides a means for the user 104 to select items from
`the item source 106. When a selection is detected by the selection-based tagging
`In
`component 102, it 102 provides the user with a suggested tag for that selection.
`other instances, the selection-based tagging component 102 can wait for the user 104
`to provide an input subsequent and/0r prior (if associated with the subsequent
`selection) to the selection before the selection—based tagging component 102 responds
`In that scenario, the selection—based tagging component 102 can
`with a suggested tag.
`respond dynamically to the user’s input and relay tag suggestions as the user 104
`provides inputs. For example, the selection-based tagging component 102 can
`respond with tag suggestions that utilize each character that the user 104 types into a
`keyboard, providing a list of tag suggestions that utilize at least some of the typed
`characters. The selection-based tagging component 102 can also provide tag
`suggestions by heuristically determining the tag based on a selected item, a tag
`associated with a similar item, a recently utilized tag, a commonly used tag, a rule-
`based criterion, and/or a heuristic-based criterion. The input provided by the user 104
`can be a mouse click, a keyboard keystroke as mentioned, a visual indicator (e.g., eye
`scanning techniques that determine where and at what a user is looking), and/or an
`audible indicator (e.g., verbal commands and the like to instruct a computing device
`what to select, what to input, and what choices to select, etc.). The item source 106
`can be a local and/or remote depository of data and the like. Typically, databases are
`
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`

`

`utilized for information storage and retrieval. The tags provided by the user 104 and
`generated by the selection-based tagging component 102 can be stored with the
`associated data in the item source 106 if desired. Tags can also be associated on
`newly created data not yet stored in the item source 106.
`Turning to FIG. 2, another block diagram of a selection-based tagging
`[0027]
`system 200 in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment is illustrated. The
`selection-based tagging system 200 is comprised of a selection-based tagging
`component 202 that interfaces with a user 204 and an item source 206. The selection-
`based tagging component 202 is comprised of a user interface 208 and a tagging
`component 210. The user interface 208 provides the user 204 with a means to view
`and/or select items from the item source 206. The user 204 can obtain tag
`suggestions for item selections from the tagging component 210 via the user interface
`208. The user 204 can also input tags for a selection of items to the tagging
`component 210 via the user interface 208. The tagging component 210 can also
`access the item source 206 to locate additional tag information, like tags. other
`associated tags, and/or other associated items and the like to facilitate tag
`determinations and/0r storage. When the user 204 selects at least one item via the
`user interface 208, the tagging component 210 determines a suggested tag based on,
`It 210 can look for other similar tags that are related
`in part, the selected item itself.
`It 210 can also suggest commonly used
`to the item and provide those as suggestions.
`tags, most recently used tags, anaVor tags based on user data such as, for example,
`preferences, profession, work topic (e.g., a graphics designer working on a project is
`most likely working on ‘graphics,’ eta), and/0r activity and the like.
`The tagging component 210 can also utilize the user interface 208 to
`[0028]
`detect when the user 204 is providing an input such as a keystroke and/0r mouse click
`and the like (described supra). This input which is subsequent and/0r prior to the
`selection of the item or items allows the tagging component 210 to attempt guesses
`for possible tag suggestions for the user 204. For example, if the user 204 inputs a
`the tagging component 210 can list possible tags that begin with the letter g
`g,
`group A,” “group B,” “green,” and/0r “garage” and
`such as, for example, “graphics,
`the like. As the user 204 types more characters (i.e., inputs), the tagging component
`210 dynamically responds by providing tag suggestions that can mimic the characters
`In a similar fashion, if the tagging component 210
`disclosed up to that point.
`recognizes a sequence of characters that has associations other than based directly on
`
`6‘
`
`7!
`
`’3 ‘6
`
`£6
`
`37
`
`20974152
`
`7
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`Blackberry's Exhibit No. 2008
`Page 12 of 384
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`the characters, it 210 can display those tag suggestions as well. For example, the user
`204 can type “horn” for home and the tagging component 210 can respond with a tag
`suggestion that was previously used by the user 204 and/or synonymous such as
`“house” and the like.
`Looking at FIG. 3, yet another block diagram of a selection-based
`[0029]
`tagging system 300 in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment is depicted. The
`selection-based tagging system 300 is comprised of a selection-based tagging
`component 302 that interfaces with a user 304, an item source 306, optional user data
`312, optional machine learning 314, and optional external tag sources 316. The
`selection-based tagging component 302 is comprised of a user interface 308 and a
`tagging component 310. The user interface 308 interacts with the user 304 to receive
`and/or provide information related to items from the item source 306. The item
`source 306 can be local and/or remote to the interface and/or the selection—based
`In a typical interaction, the user interface 308 detects a
`tagging component 302.
`selection of at least one item by the user 304. The information relating to what items
`are selected is passed to the tagging component 310. The tagging component 310
`determines at least one tag suggestion based on various parameters and/or data. The
`user 304 can then respond by selecting a suggested tag and/or the user 304 can
`provide a user input such as, for example, by typing on a keyboard various characters
`and the like. The user input obtained by the tagging component 310 via the user
`interface 308 is utilized to form additional tag suggestions for relaying to the user 304
`via the user interface 308. The input based tag suggestions are then utilized by the
`user 304 to make a tag selection and/or the user 304 can directly input a different tag
`altogether. The selected and/0r direct input tag is then obtained by the tagging
`component 310 and utilized to tag the selected items. The utilized tags are then
`relayed to the user via the user interface 308 at appropriate times to facilitate the user
`304 in recalling items based on tag information. The tagging component 310 can also
`directly store the tags with the selected items in the item source 306 if desired.
`The tagging component 310 can also heuristically determine the tag
`[0030]
`based on a selected item, a tag associated with a similar item, a recently utilized tag, a
`commonly used tag, a rule-based criterion, and/or a heuristic—based criterion.
`Optional machine learning 314 can also be employed to learn tag suggestions.
`Optional user data 312 (e.g., user environment data, directly entered by the user 304
`data, and/or indirectly derived data and the like) can also be utilized by the tagging
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`component 310 to determine tag suggestions. The tagging component 3 l 0 is not
`limited to only utilizing internally obtained and/or local information. Optional
`external tag sources 316 (e.g., global network connections, local network connections,
`and/0r manually entered data and the like) can also be employed to provide additional
`information to facilitate tag suggestions. For example, if the user 304 is determined to
`be a lawyer (determined from the optional user data 312), the tagging component 310
`can obtain tag information related to attorneys via the Internet. The Internet obtained
`attorney tag list can then be utilized to facilitate in formulating tag suggestions that
`are more appropriate for that particular user. Optional machine learning 314 can also
`be employed, in this example, to account for the likelihood that one tag suggestion is
`better than another. One skilled in the art will appreciate the power and flexibility
`achievable utilizing the systems and methods described herein over traditional
`into file parameters to set
`manually entered tags that required a user to ‘dig deeply’
`tags. Thus, this technology allows the user 304 to just select and type/choose a tag
`and move on to other work without breaking their concentration.
`Simple text—based strings or tags are a very useful form of organization
`[0031]
`for users. They allow a variety of items to be easily recalled later utilizing only a
`single tag. The tag itself is free—form - there is no interpretation of the tag by the
`computing device. Utilization of tagging has several advantages over traditional
`folder systems. For one, tagged items can be stored on separate computing devices in
`different locations. If the computing devices are connected in some manner, retrieval
`of the items using the tags can be achieved easily. Thus, the retrieval of tagged
`information is independent of where the items are stored. This is a substantial benefit
`to users who frequently employ multiple computing devices and/or users who have
`portable computing devices and require easy synchronization of files between
`devices. Tagging also excels in allowing items to have multiple tags. That is, an item
`can belong to multiple groups and associations without requiring the item to be
`moved or copied into many different locations, saving storage space and increasing
`the value of the item through increased utilization. Tagging is also beneficial for data
`It allows a system to glean additional knowledge from the tags and also their
`mining.
`associations with items that would otherwise not be obtainable. For example, to a
`computer system, a picture is a grouping of pixels. The computer system cannot
`necessarily interpret the true meaning or value of the picture. With tags, however,
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`dates, people, places, and times can be tagged to the picture allowing the computer
`system to gain more knowledge regarding what the picture represents to the user.
`Despite the great virtues of tags, existing systems which allow users to
`[0032]
`apply tags, however, require cumbersome dialog boxes and/or menus which interrupt
`the user’s thought process and work flow. As a result, these systems have failed to
`encourage users to use tags regularly, effectively limiting the success of tags as an
`organizational construct in desktop computer systems. In sharp contrast, the systems
`and methods herein make tagging more natural, less interruptive, easier, and more
`approachable for end users. Users can add tags to items without entering a complex
`mode and/or substantially interrupting their current activity.
`Tags can be applied without opening a dialog box, menu, and/or other
`[0033]
`selection user