Navigating content hierarchies and persisting content item collections

Abstract

Navigation of multiple information item hierarchies within a same application display pane or view is provided. Information items may be displayed in a customized collection of information items, for example, a “favorites” collection, that may be assembled from a variety of content sources and that may be persisted across a variety of information item views.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for displaying a user-designated collection, comprising:
 receiving user-identification of a plurality of items, wherein the plurality of items have been created by a least two different types of applications;   establishing a collection of the plurality of items;   associating a user-selected graphical representation with collection, wherein the user-selected graphical representation is selectable to open the collection; and   displaying the user-selected graphical representation of the collection persistently within a portion of a file browser display while another portion of the file browser display changes responsive to file browser display criteria.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of items are stored in two or more different locations. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the two or more different locations include local storage and cloud storage. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising arranging the plurality of items within the collection according to user-preferences. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the file browser display criteria includes: display by date, display by type, and display according to most recently accessed. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user-selected graphical representation is invariable regardless of a zoom-level of the file browser display. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed user-selected graphical representation is scrollable off-screen to reveal additional items in the another portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an indication of the types of items within the collection is displayed along with user-selected graphical representation of the collection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein an indication of the number of each type of item within the collection is displayed along with user-selected graphical representation of the collection. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising adding an item to the collection from within a user interface of the application used to create the item. 
     
     
         11 . A system to display a user-designated collection, comprising:
 a memory storing executable instructions; and   a processor, executing the executable instructions, wherein the processor is caused to:
 receive user-identification of a plurality of items, wherein the plurality of items have been created by a least two different types of applications; 
 establish a collection of the plurality of items; 
 associate a user-selected graphical representation with collection, wherein the user-selected graphical representation is selectable to open the collection; 
 display the user-selected graphical representation of the collection persistently within a portion of a file browser display while another portion of the file browser display changes responsive to file browser display criteria. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of items are stored in two or more different locations. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to arrange the plurality of items within the collection according to user-preferences. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the file browser display criteria includes: display by date, display by type, and display according to most recently accessed. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user-selected graphical representation is invariable regardless of a zoom-level of the file browser display. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed user-selected graphical representation of the collection is scrollable off-screen to reveal additional items in the another portion. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein an indication of the types of items within the collection is displayed along with user-selected graphical representation of the collection. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein an indication of the number of each type of item within the collection is displayed along with user-selected graphical representation of the collection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further caused to add an item to the collection from within a user interface of the application used to create the item. 
     
     
         20 . A media storage device storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
 receive user-identification of a plurality of items, wherein the plurality of items have been created by a least two different types of applications;   establish a collection of the plurality of items;   associate a user-selected graphical representation with collection, wherein the user-selected graphical representation is selectable to open the collection;   display the user-selected graphical representation of the collection persistently within a portion of a file browser display while another portion of the file browser display changes responsive to file browser display criteria.