US6023715A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for creating and organizing a document from a plurality of local or external documents represented as objects in a hierarchical tree
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-04-24
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Granted: 2000-02-08
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Expires: 2016-04-24
Abstract
Abstract An authoring tool allows users to create complex documents from a base division model, the model includes a plurality of pointers allowing the divisions to be interconnected to one another dynamically to create a complex hierarchy of divisions, including nested divisions. The content of a division may be located externally to the actual document and authoring tool system. A display mechanism is further disclosed for instantaneously determining the division name and page number within a document from a graphic user display.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel F. Burkes
- 👤 William H. Jones
- 👤 John W. Kish
- 👤 Paul B. Moody
- 👤 Eliza H. Royal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/12; G06F40/131; G06F40/166
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A computer program product for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having program code embodied in the medium for allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents, the program code including: program code for creating a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; program code which responds to user commands by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and program code for traversing the hierarchy and loading into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A computer program product for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having program code embodied in the medium for allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents, the program code including: program code for creating a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; program code which responds to user commands by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and program code for traversing the hierarchy and loading into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising program code for displaying on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer program product of claim 2 wherein each division container has associated therewith a graphic element which uniquely identifies the division container in an iconic manner and wherein program code for displaying further comprises program code for displaying such graphic elements in a manner which represents relationships among the division containers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising program code for continuously scrolling on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer program product of claim 4 further comprising program code for dynamically displaying during the scrolling, identification information for a division object which has document content information displayed on the display.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the identification in formation comprises information identifying the division object which has document content information displayed on the display and information identifying a location within the document content information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
The computer program product of claim 1 where in the program code for loading into the local storage a copy of document content information comprises linker/loader program code which retrieves a copy of document content information from the local storage when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in the computer system and which retrieves a copy of document content information over the network into the computer system when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in a computer system other than the computer system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising program code which responds to user commands for reconfiguring the arbitrary hierarchy by changing the pointer in at least one of the division containers to reference another of the plurality of division containers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer program product of claim 1 wherein each division object includes formatting information and the program code further includes program code which is responsive to the formatting information in a division object for formatting for display the document content information referenced by the division object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising program code which combines a plurality of division containers by merging the content information in each of the plurality of documents referenced by the plurality of division containers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising program code for deleting a division object by manipulating the pointers in the hierarchy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
177 words
Apparatus for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the apparatus allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents and comprising: a container mechanism which creates a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; a configuration mechanism which responds to user commands by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and a linker/loader which traverses the hierarchy and loads into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
177 words
Apparatus for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the apparatus allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents and comprising: a container mechanism which creates a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; a configuration mechanism which responds to user commands by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and a linker/loader which traverses the hierarchy and loads into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising renderer for displaying on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein each division container has associated therewith a graphic element which uniquely identifies the division container in an iconic manner and wherein the renderer further comprises a mechanism for displaying such graphic elements in a manner which represents relationships among the division containers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a scroller for continuously scrolling on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a mechanism for dynamically displaying during the scrolling, identification information for a division object which has document content information displayed on the display.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the identification information comprises information identifying the division object which has document content information displayed on the display and information identifying a location within the document content information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
82 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the linker/loader comprises a loader which retrieves a copy of document content information from the local storage when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in the computer system and which retrieves a copy of document content information over the network into the computer system when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in a computer system other than the computer system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a reconfiguration mechanism which responds to user commands for reconfiguring the arbitrary hierarchy by changing the pointer in at least one of the division containers to reference another of the plurality of division containers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each division object includes formatting information and the apparatus further includes a formatter which is responsive to the formatting information in a division object for formatting for display the document content information referenced by the division object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a document manipulation mechanism which combines a plurality of division containers by merging the content information in each of the plurality of documents referenced by the plurality of division containers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a document deletion mechanism for deleting a division object by manipulating the pointers in the hierarchy.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the method allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents and comprising the steps of: (a) creating a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; (b) forming, in response to user commands, the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and (c) traversing the hierarchy and loading into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for use with a computer system, the computer system having local storage and a visual display and being connected, via a computer network, to other computer systems, the method allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents and comprising the steps of: (a) creating a plurality of division containers, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; (b) forming, in response to user commands, the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and (c) traversing the hierarchy and loading into the local storage a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of: (d) displaying on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 24 wherein each division container has associated therewith a graphic element which uniquely identifies the division container in an iconic manner and wherein step (d) comprises the step of: (d1) program code for visually displaying further comprises program code for displaying such graphic elements in a manner which represents relationships among the division containers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of: (e) continuously scrolling on the display the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of: (f) dynamically displaying during the scrolling, identification information for a division object which has document content information displayed on the display.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the identification information comprises information identifying the division object which has document content information displayed on the display and information identifying a location within the document content information.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 23 wherein step (c) comprises the steps of: (c1) retrieving a copy of document content information from the local storage when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in the computer system; and (c2) retrieving a copy of document content information over the network into the computer system when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in a computer system other than the computer system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of: (g) reconfiguring the arbitrary hierarchy in response to user commands by changing the pointer in at least one of the division containers to reference another of the plurality of division containers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 23 wherein each division object includes formatting information and the method further includes the step of: (h) formatting for display the document content information referenced by the division object using the formatting information in a division object.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of: (i) combining a plurality of division containers by merging the content information in each of the plurality of documents referenced by the plurality of division containers.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of: (j) deleting a division object by manipulating the pointers in the hierarchy.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
169 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents comprising: program code for creating a plurality of division containers in the memory of a computer system, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; program code which responds to user commands entered into the computer system by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and program code for traversing the hierarchy and loading into local storage of the computer system a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
169 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for allowing users to create a single virtual document from a plurality of independently-created and edited documents comprising: program code for creating a plurality of division containers in the memory of a computer system, at least one of the division containers including a content pointer which references document content information in one of the plurality of documents; program code which responds to user commands entered into the computer system by forming the plurality of division containers into an arbitrary hierarchy by inserting at least one pointer into each of the division containers which pointer references another of the plurality of division containers; and program code for traversing the hierarchy and loading into local storage of the computer system a copy of document content information referenced by each division container encountered in the traversed hierarchy portion so that the document content information from all referenced documents can be manipulated as if it were the document content information of a single document.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 further comprising program code for displaying on a display associated with the computer system the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer data signal of claim 35 wherein each division container has associated therewith a graphic element which uniquely identifies the division container in an iconic manner and wherein program code for visually displaying further comprises program code for displaying such graphic elements in a manner which represents relationships among the division containers.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 further comprising program code for continuously scrolling on a display associated with the computer system the document content information from all referenced documents.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer data signal of claim 37 further comprising program code for dynamically displaying during the scrolling, identification information for a division object which has document content information displayed on a display associated with the computer system.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer data signal of claim 38 wherein the identification information comprises information identifying the division object which has document content information displayed on the display and information identifying a location within the document content information.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
98 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 wherein the program code for loading into the local storage a copy of document content information comprises linker/loader program code which retrieves a copy of document content information from the local storage when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in the computer system and which retrieves a copy of document content information over the network into the computer system when a content pointer in a division object traversed in the hierarchy references content information in a computer system other than the computer system.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 further comprising program code which responds to user commands for reconfiguring the arbitrary hierarchy by changing the pointer in at least one of the division containers to reference another of the plurality of division containers.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 wherein each division object includes formatting information and the program code further includes program code which is responsive to the formatting information in a division object for formatting for display the document content information referenced by the division object.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 further comprising program code which combines a plurality of division containers by merging the content information in each of the plurality of documents referenced by the plurality of division containers.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer data signal of claim 34 further comprising program code for deleting a division object by manipulating the pointers in the hierarchy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-07 | 2003-08-09 | 2004-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-07 | 2007-08-09 | 2008-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-07 | 2011-08-09 | 2012-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |