Systems and methods for organizing data items

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software for organizing data are described. An organizational method is selected from one or more predetermined organizational methods, specified by a parameter, or determined from information about the data items. Data items are sorted based on the organizational method.

1 . A method of organizing a history of previously visited web pages, the method comprising the acts of:
 using one or more processors to analyze each of a plurality of web pages presented by an application by tracking a frequency of data within each of the plurality of web pages to determine subject matter of each of the plurality of web pages;   recording location information for each of the plurality of web pages, wherein the information is recorded on machine-readable media accessible to the one or more processors;   using one or more processors to organize the previously visited web pages into a plurality of subjects in accordance with the determined subject matter; and   presenting the history of previously visited web pages to a user by simultaneously presenting a plurality of stacks to a user, each stack associated with a respective subject of previously visited web pages, and including a thumbnail of each web page.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of presenting the history of previously visited web pages comprises presenting the plurality of stacks through a user interface comprising a scroll bar operable to scroll through the stack of web page thumbnails associated with a selected subject of the plurality of subjects. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the act of determining the relevance of the previously visited web pages to the subject with which they are associated. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one drawer associated with a browser window, and wherein the drawer can be hidden or viewed by a user, and wherein at least one stack of a plurality of thumbnails is contained in the drawer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one tab associated with a browser window, and wherein at least one stack of a plurality of thumbnails is located on the tab. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the act of determining when the web pages were accessed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the acts of:
 receiving an input moving the scroll bar: and   in response to the movement of the scroll bar making different thumbnails in a stack of thumbnails visible to a user.   
     
     
         8 . A machine readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
 analyzing each of a plurality of web pages presented by an application by tracking a frequency of data within each of the plurality of web pages to determine the subject matter of each of the plurality of web pages;   recording location information for each of the plurality of web pages, wherein the information is recorded on machine-readable media accessible to the one or more processors;   organizing the previously visited web pages into a plurality of subjects in accordance with the determined subject matter; and   presenting the history of previously visited web pages to a user by simultaneously presenting a plurality of stacks to a user, each stack associated with a respective subject of the previously visited web pages, and each stack including a thumbnail of each web page associated with the subject of that stack.   
     
     
         9 . The machine readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting the plurality of stacks through a user interface comprising a scroll bar operable to scroll through the web page thumbnails associated with a selected subject of the plurality of subjects. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the relevance of the previously visited web pages to the subject with which they are associated. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one drawer associated with a browser window, and wherein the drawer can be hidden or viewed by a user, and wherein at least one stack of a plurality of thumbnails is contained in the drawer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one tab associated with a browser window, and wherein at least one stack of a plurality of thumbnails is located on the tab. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise determining when the web pages were accessed. 
     
     
         14 . A method of navigating a plurality of data items, comprising:
 displaying a plurality of data items as a stack of thumbnail images;   displaying a scroll bar;   receiving an input moving the scroll bar; and   in response to the input displaying different items in the stack for viewing.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of data items comprises previously visited web pages. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of data items comprises media files. 
     
     
         17 . A machine readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform operations comprising:
 providing a user interface to a computing system, the user interface displaying a plurality of categories of information that can be used to organize data items, wherein a plurality of the categories can be used in combination, the user interface comprising,
 a selection object for each category of information to receive a user input as whether that category is to be used in organizing data items, and 
 for a plurality of the categories of information, providing an input mechanism for a level of consideration to be given to the category of information when organizing the items; 
   receiving user inputs through the user interface regarding the organization method to be used in organizing the data;   using at least one processor to organize the previously accessed data items into groups based on the organizational method as input by the user; and   displaying the organized data items to a user.   
     
     
         18 . The machine readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the input mechanism for a level of consideration be given to the category of information comprises a slide bar.