Temporal desktop agent

Abstract

File accesses initiated by a graphical user interface are monitored. If a particular icon residing on the computer desktop has not been used more than a specified number of times in more than a specified period of time, that icon may be removed from the desktop. The user may be queried to determine if that icon should be removed from the computer desktop. That icon may also be relocated to a temporary location so that it may be easily accessed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A computer operable method, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) automatically selecting a file having an icon representing said file displayed on a computer screen wherein said file satisfies a first set of criteria, said first set of criteria defining when said file has not been used recently;    (b) automatically removing said icon representing said file from said computer screen;    (c) automatically placing said icon into a first graphical object wherein said icon may be re-displayed when a user opens said first graphical object.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first set of criteria is satisfied when said file has been selected fewer than a specified number of times in more than a specified amount of time.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of: 
 (d) keeping a log of files selected in a desktop event log, wherein said files selected include program files selected to be executed and data files selected to perform other operations using those files and wherein said files selected comprise files whose selection is initiated by a graphical user interface (GUI).    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein step (b) includes: 
 (b.1) prompting a user for a user response; and    (b.2) removing said icon representing said file in response to said user response.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a user may set a first property associated with a specific file to prevent said first set of criteria from being satisfied for said specific file.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a user may set said first property for a group of files.  
     
     
         7 . A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for automatically removing an icon representing a file that is infrequently used by a graphical user interface (GUI), said method steps comprising: 
 (a) automatically selecting a file having an icon representing said file displayed on a computer screen wherein said file satisfies a first set of criteria, said first set of criteria defining when said file has not been used recently;    (b) automatically removing said icon representing said file from said computer screen;    (c) automatically placing said icon into a first graphical object wherein said icon may be re-displayed when a user opens said first graphical object.    
     
     
         8 . The program storage medium of  claim 7 , wherein said first set of criteria is satisfied when said file has been selected fewer than a specified number of times in more than a specified amount of time.  
     
     
         9 . The program storage medium of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of: 
 (d) keeping a log of files selected in a desktop event log, wherein said files selected include program files selected to be executed and data files selected to perform other operations using those files and wherein said files selected comprise files whose selection is initiated by a graphical user interface (GUI).    
     
     
         10 . The program storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein step (b) includes: 
 (b.1) prompting a user for a user response; and    (b.2) removing said icon representing said file in response to said user response.    
     
     
         11 . The program storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein a user may set a first property associated with a specific file to prevent said first set of criteria from being satisfied for said specific file.  
     
     
         12 . The program storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein a user may set said first property for a group of files.  
     
     
         13 . A graphical user interface (GUI) that is implemented on a computer, comprising: 
 (a) means for automatically selecting a file having an icon representing said file displayed on a computer screen wherein said file satisfies a first set of criteria, said first set of criteria defining when said file has not been used recently;    (b) means for automatically removing said icon representing said file from said computer screen;    (c) means for automatically placing said icon into a first graphical object wherein said icon may be re-displayed when a user opens said first graphical object.    
     
     
         14 . The graphical user interface of  claim 13 , wherein said first set of criteria is satisfied when said file has been selected fewer than a specified number of times in more than a specified amount of time.  
     
     
         15 . The graphical user interface of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 (d) means for keeping a log of files selected in a desktop event log, wherein said files selected include program files selected to be executed and data files selected to perform other operations using those files and wherein said files selected comprise files whose selection is initiated by said graphical user interface (GUI).    
     
     
         16 . The graphical user interface of  claim 14 , wherein said means for removing includes: 
 (b.1) prompting a user for a user response; and    (b.2) removing said icon representing said file in response to said user response.    
     
     
         17 . The graphical user interface of  claim 14 , wherein a user may set a first property associated with a specific file to prevent said first set of criteria from being satisfied for said specific file.  
     
     
         18 . The graphical user interface of  claim 17 , wherein a user may set said first property for a group of files.