Patent attributes
A computer based, digital image management system that visually presents an entire archive in a manner that facilitates easy, non-textual, searching for specific images. In one embodiment, the system includes two elements: a file management methodology and a graphical user interface. The file management method utilizes reference files that contain multiple properties (metadata) relating to each image file. Image files are grouped into a multiplicity of collections based on user-defined associations of the properties. The graphical user interface visually represents the groups of image files on 2-dimentional or 3-dimensional graphic metaphors. In addition, the graphical interface uses multiple display variables such as icons, mnemonics, size, movement, color, and luminance to signify relationships between groups, and/or communicate key properties of individual or groups of images.
