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US6026416A
Expired / Lapsed
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System and method for storing, viewing, editing, and processing ordered sections having different file formats
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1996-05-30
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Granted: 2000-02-15
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Expires: 2016-05-30
Abstract
Abstract Ordered binder document sections having different file formats stored within a binder file. The binder file maintains the order of binder document sections and the native file format of each section. The ordered sections can be viewed and edited through a viewport of a frame displayed by a binder program module. By selecting graphical images displayed in a selection area of the frame the content of a binder document section can be viewed and edited without viewing the content of other binder document sections. The graphical images can be icons or graphical images derived from the content of sections called thumbnail images. A thumbnail image can be derived from either the first page or from multiple pages of an individual section. The binder program module can also dispatch the underlying application program modules that created each binder document section to print, spell check, and grammar check the binder document sections as a single data processing task. In this manner, selected sections of a binder document can be printed as a single consecutively printed document without having other print jobs interrupting or intervening between printed sections of the binder document.
Inventors
- 👤 Heikki J. Kanerva
- 👤 Srinivasa R. Koppolu
- 👤 Richard J. Wolf
- 👤 Robert Marcus Girling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:58
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/93
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for viewing and editing ordered sections of a binder document, comprising the computer-implemented steps of: storing in memory a binder document comprising an index structure and a plurality of sections of the binder document, each of the sections created by a corresponding program module and having a format native thereto, the index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections and a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document; displaying a viewport for viewing and editing the contents of the sections; selecting one of the sections to view in the viewport; viewing the contents of the selected section in the viewport without viewing the contents of the unselected sections in the viewport; and editing the contents of the selected section directly in the viewport, without switching to or activating another viewport.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for viewing and editing ordered sections of a binder document, comprising the computer-implemented steps of: storing in memory a binder document comprising an index structure and a plurality of sections of the binder document, each of the sections created by a corresponding program module and having a format native thereto, the index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections and a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document; displaying a viewport for viewing and editing the contents of the sections; selecting one of the sections to view in the viewport; viewing the contents of the selected section in the viewport without viewing the contents of the unselected sections in the viewport; and editing the contents of the selected section directly in the viewport, without switching to or activating another viewport.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting one of the sections using a single user-interface operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sections are stored within a single binder file as a compound document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein each of the sections are stored in memory as separate existing files.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the editing step comprises: inputting a command for editing the contents of the selected section being viewed in the viewport; dispatching the command to the corresponding program module related to the selected section; without switching to or activating another viewport for the corresponding program module related to the selected section, processing the command with the corresponding program module so as to edit the contents of the selected section; and displaying the edited contents of the selected section in the viewport.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method steps of claim 5.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of, in the viewport, displaying a selection area containing graphical images in the user-definable order, each of the graphical images corresponding to one of the sections and wherein the selecting step comprises selecting one of the graphical images in the selection area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7, wherein each of the graphical images is an icon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7, wherein each of the graphical images is derived from the content of the selected section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9, wherein each of the graphical images is derived from the first page of the selected section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9, wherein each of the graphical images is derived from more than one page of the selected section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of adding a new section by: selecting a representation of an existing file; moving the representation of the existing file over the selection area; and releasing the representation of the existing file over the selection area to cause the existing file to be stored as the new section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of updating the user-definable order of the pointers in the index structure to include the new section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of selecting a representation of an existing file comprises displaying the contents of the existing file in a separate window and selecting a portion of the contents of the existing file as the representation of the existing file.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method steps of claim 12.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sections are stored within a single binder file as a compound document; wherein the viewport comprises a selection area containing graphical images, each of the graphical images corresponding to one of the sections; and wherein the method further comprises the step of adding a new section by: selecting a representation of an existing file; moving the representation of the existing file over the selection area; and releasing the representation of the existing file over the selection area to cause the existing file to be stored within the binder file as the new section while retaining the format of the existing file.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method steps of claim 16.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sections are stored within a single binder file as a compound document; wherein the viewport comprises a selection area containing graphical images, each of the graphical images corresponding to one of the sections; and wherein the method further comprises the step of removing one of the sections of the compound document by: selecting one of the graphical images corresponding to one of the sections; moving the selected graphical image external to the viewport; and releasing the selected graphical image to cause the section represented by the graphical image to be removed from the binder file and stored as an external file while retaining the format of the removed section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method steps of claim 1.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for editing a selected section of a binder document comprising an index structure and a plurality of sections of the binder document, each of the sections created by a corresponding program module and having a format native thereto, the index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections, and a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document, the method comprising: displaying the selected section in a viewport; receiving a command for editing the contents of the selected section; dispatching the command to the corresponding program module external to the viewport; without switching to or activating another viewport for the corresponding program module, processing the command with the corresponding program module so as to edit the contents of the selected section; and displaying the edited contents of the selected section in the viewport.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for editing a selected section of a binder document comprising an index structure and a plurality of sections of the binder document, each of the sections created by a corresponding program module and having a format native thereto, the index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections, and a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document, the method comprising: displaying the selected section in a viewport; receiving a command for editing the contents of the selected section; dispatching the command to the corresponding program module external to the viewport; without switching to or activating another viewport for the corresponding program module, processing the command with the corresponding program module so as to edit the contents of the selected section; and displaying the edited contents of the selected section in the viewport.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
157 words
A system for viewing and editing ordered sections of a binder document, the sections comprising document objects created by corresponding program modules, the system comprising: a memory for storing the binder document and the corresponding program modules, the binder document comprising an index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections, a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document; a display device for displaying a viewport for viewing and editing the contents of each of the sections; an input device for inputting a command for selecting one of the sections; an first application programming interface (API) for displaying the contents of the selected section in the viewport without displaying the contents of the unselected sections in the viewport; and a second API for editing the contents of the selected section directly in the viewport, without switching to or activating another viewport.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
157 words
A system for viewing and editing ordered sections of a binder document, the sections comprising document objects created by corresponding program modules, the system comprising: a memory for storing the binder document and the corresponding program modules, the binder document comprising an index structure comprising a plurality of pointers, each of the pointers pointing to one of the sections, a user-definable order of the pointers dictating the order of the sections within the binder document; a display device for displaying a viewport for viewing and editing the contents of each of the sections; an input device for inputting a command for selecting one of the sections; an first application programming interface (API) for displaying the contents of the selected section in the viewport without displaying the contents of the unselected sections in the viewport; and a second API for editing the contents of the selected section directly in the viewport, without switching to or activating another viewport.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the first API is operable to: create a view of the selected section, the view being a graphical representation of the contents of the selected section; and display the view in the viewport.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
74 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the second API is operable to: accept a command for editing the contents of the selected section; dispatch the command to the corresponding program module related to the selected section; wherein the corresponding program module is responsible for processing the command so as to edit the contents of the selected section and utilizing the first API to display the edited contents of the selected section in the viewport.
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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) | 2003-02-14 | 2003-08-16 | 2004-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-14 | 2007-08-16 | 2008-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-14 | 2011-08-16 | 2012-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |