Methods and software for bundle-based content organization, manipulation, and/or task management
Inventors
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Assignees
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Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University is a global research institution based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recognized for interdisciplinary education, research, and innovation in science, engineering, arts, technology, and social sciences. The university leads advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, digital health, and performing arts. Located in a technology-driven and culturally rich city, CMU powers real-world impact through research centers, industry engagement, workforce training, and initiatives that shape regional and global communities.
Carnegie Mellon University is a global research institution based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, recognized for interdisciplinary education, research, and innovation in science, engineering, arts, technology, and social sciences. The university leads advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, digital health, and performing arts. Located in a technology-driven and culturally rich city, CMU powers real-world impact through research centers, industry engagement, workforce training, and initiatives that shape regional and global communities.
Publication Number
US-12541295-B2
Publication Date
2026-02-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods for assisting one or more users in organizing content-items, such as location information (e.g., URLs) for online information resources (e.g., webpages) and clips taken from information resources, accessed via content-access software, such as one or more web browsers, using a content item-bundle primitive that allows users to create, build, manipulate, and/or populate their own content-item bundles according to their information investigation and collection desires/needs. In some embodiments, the methods include automatically bundling content items into suggested content-item bundles based on learned relationships among various content items. In some embodiments, the methods can be implemented to provide bundle-based task managers that allow users to not only organize their content items but also define tasks and/or projects rooted in the content-item-bundle primitive. Further embodiments are disclosed, as is software for executing disclosed methods.
Core Innovation
A user interface is provided by software that operatively interfaces with content-access software to assist a user in creating a project composed of a task hierarchy that includes an organization of a plurality of content items accessed via the content-access software. The UI displays a plurality of first non-empty content-item bundles in an open-viewer region, and the project-view region displays the project title alongside the task hierarchy and the plurality of first non-empty content-item bundles from the open-viewers region.
The task hierarchy in the project-view region is built using content-item bundles that include the first non-empty content-item bundles, and the task hierarchy has a plurality of nested levels, including a higher content-item-bundle level and a lower content-item-bundle level nested in the higher content-item-bundle level. In response to receiving user input that places at least one first non-empty content-item bundle on the lower content-item-bundle level, the UI displays the task hierarchy showing the at least one first non-empty content-item bundle in a nested relationship below an existing content-item bundle on the higher content-item-bundle level.
The system further organizes displayed content using a bundle-based content organization and task management approach in which content-item bundles store multiple content items and relationship information, and bundles include empty/to-do bundles and hierarchical nesting into meta-bundles. The UI depicts the bundled structures visually and interfaces with browser content-access software, including an open-tabs region and a project-view region in which bundled structures can be rearranged through user input such as drag-and-drop. A clip-and-save workflow provides a selection window to capture clipped content context and save it into bundles for display in a gallery with note-taking.
Claims Coverage
The document contains one independent claim focused on a UI method that interfaces with content-access software, organizes accessed content into non-empty content-item bundles, and creates a project task hierarchy with nested bundle levels updated in response to user placement inputs. The claim set also includes refinements for drag-and-drop placement, bundle identifiers, clipping and copying content into bundles, and calendaring and scheduling information.
Open-viewer non-empty content-item bundles with project-view task hierarchy
Displaying a plurality of first non-empty content-item bundles in an open-viewer region, receiving a project title, and displaying the project title in a project-view region where the project-view region displays the task hierarchy alongside the plurality of first non-empty content-item bundles in the open-viewers region.
Nested task hierarchy using content-item bundles and user placement
Building the task hierarchy in the project-view region using content-item bundles that include the first non-empty content-item bundles, wherein the task hierarchy has a plurality of nested levels including a higher content-item-bundle level and a lower content-item-bundle level nested in the higher content-item-bundle level, receiving user input placing at least one first non-empty content-item bundle on the lower content-item-bundle level, and displaying the task hierarchy showing the at least one first non-empty content-item bundle in a nested relationship below an existing content-item bundle on the higher content-item-bundle level.
Drag-and-drop placement between open-viewers region and task hierarchy
Receiving a dragging and dropping input from the open-viewers region to place at least one of the first non-empty content-item bundles onto the lower content-item-bundle level in the project-view region.
Bundle identifiers and per-viewer identifiers based on subject-matter relationship
Displaying a corresponding first content-viewer bundle by showing a first bundle identifier and content-viewer identifiers for each currently open content-item viewer that is automatically determined to have a subject-matter relationship with the others.
Bundle identifier tied to search results and search string
Where the automatically identified open content-item viewer with a subject-matter relationship includes search results from a search string, and the first bundle identifier contains at least a portion of the search string.
Content-item clipping interface copying information into bundles
Providing a content-item clipping interface that lets the user clip information from an accessed resource and copy it into a selected one of several content-item bundles in a project-view region.
Calendaring and scheduling popup storing scheduling in task hierarchy
Receiving user input to open a popup window with a calendaring and scheduling region for scheduling a task related to displayed content, and storing the scheduling so it is available in the task hierarchy in the project-view region.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on a software UI method that displays non-empty content-item bundles in an open-viewer region and mirrors them with a project task hierarchy in a project-view region, with nested bundle levels updated based on user placement. The refinements further specify drag-and-drop placement, automatic bundle identification using subject-matter relationships and search strings, clipping and copying content into selected bundles, and capturing calendaring and scheduling information for tasks within the hierarchy.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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