Patent US6044385A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6044385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and system for efficiently managing the manipulation of large documents displayed within a computer screen
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-09-10
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Granted: 2000-03-28
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Expires: 2017-09-10
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for efficiently managing the manipulation of documents too large to be legibly displayed within a computer screen. Initially, a window is provided within which only a portion of an entire document may be displayed legibly. A graphic representation of the entire document is then exhibited within the window. A portion of the graphic representation of the entire document is displayed as a human discernable representation. A remaining portion of the graphic representation of the entire document is displayed as a compressed representation of a portion of the document. The compressed representation is iconic in nature such that a representation nearest the bottom and the top of the document, and furthest away from the human discernable portion, appears as increasingly iconic characters or graphics. The graphic representation itself is composed of a lens bar that allows a user to interpret an entire document displayed within a computer screen at one time on a global scale, while providing the user with an enlarged view of a local area of interest.
Inventors
- 👤 Dave Henry Gross
- 👤 Robert Stephen Kemmetmueller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/34; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of a data processing system, said method comprising: displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; and displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of a data processing system, said method comprising: displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; and displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: said document comprises contents having predetermined relative horizontal positions; said first magnification level and said second magnification level each comprise a vertical magnification factor and a horizontal magnification factor; and said method further comprises utilizing substantially equal horizontal magnification factors for said first magnification level and said second magnification level, such that said predetermined relative horizontal positions of said contents are maintained throughout said window.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said primary portion of said document is an original primary portion, said method further comprising: in response to operator input moving said elevator box from a first position to a second position, displaying a new primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing said first magnification level, and displaying all of said original primary portion that is not in said new primary portion utilizing said second magnification level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said second magnification level comprises a range of vertical magnification levels that decrease in proportion to vertical distance from said lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 4, further comprising: when said vertical magnification level would cause corresponding contents of said document to be displayed illegibly, displaying in said window, in lieu of said corresponding contents, textual characters that are less complex than said corresponding contents.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said remaining portion is displayed within said window above said lens and below said lens.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
168 words
A data processing system for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of said data processing system, said data processing system comprising: a graphical user interface for displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and for displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; a lens generator for displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; and a document presenter for displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
168 words
A data processing system for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of said data processing system, said data processing system comprising: a graphical user interface for displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and for displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; a lens generator for displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; and a document presenter for displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A data processing system according to claim 7, wherein: said document comprises contents having predetermined relative horizontal positions; said first magnification level and said second magnification level each comprise a vertical magnification factor and a horizontal magnification factor; and said document presenter maintains said predetermined relative horizontal positions of said contents throughout said window by utilizing substantially equal horizontal magnification factors for said first magnification level and said second magnification level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
A data processing system according to claim 8, wherein: said primary portion of said document is an original primary portion; and said document presenter responds to operator input moving said elevator box from a first position to a second position by displaying a new primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing said first magnification level and displaying all of said original primary portion that is not in said new primary portion utilizing said second magnification level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein said second magnification level comprises a range of vertical magnification levels that decrease in proportion to vertical distance from said lens.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A data processing system according to claim 10, wherein, when said vertical magnification level would cause corresponding contents of said document to be displayed illegibly, said document presenter displays textual characters that are less complex than said corresponding contents in said window, in lieu of said corresponding contents.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A data processing system according to claim 11, wherein said document presenter displays said remaining portion within said window above said lens and below said lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
182 words
A program product for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of a data processing system, said program product comprising: a graphical user interface for displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and for displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; a lens generator for displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; a document presenter for displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window; and a computer usable medium encoding said graphical user interface, said lens generator, and said document presenter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
182 words
A program product for displaying a document that is too large to be legibly displayed in its entirety in a display device of a data processing system, said program product comprising: a graphical user interface for displaying a window in a display device of a data processing system and for displaying a vertical scroll bar for said window, said vertical scroll bar including an elevator box having a height; a lens generator for displaying a lens in said window in vertical alignment with said elevator box, said lens having a height that substantially equals the height of said elevator box; a document presenter for displaying a two-dimensional representation of a document in said window by: displaying a primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing a first magnification level that makes said primary portion legible; and displaying a remaining portion of said document within said window utilizing a different second magnification level that allows all of said document to fit entirely within said window; and a computer usable medium encoding said graphical user interface, said lens generator, and said document presenter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A program product according to claim 13, wherein: said document comprises contents having predetermined relative horizontal positions; said first magnification level and said second magnification level each comprise a vertical magnification factor and a horizontal magnification factor; and said document presenter maintains said predetermined relative horizontal positions of said contents throughout said window by utilizing substantially equal horizontal magnification factors for said first magnification level and said second magnification level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A program product according to claim 14, wherein: said primary portion of said document is an original primary portion; and said document presenter responds to operator input moving said elevator box from a first position to a second position by displaying a new primary portion of said document within said lens utilizing said first magnification level and displaying all of said original primary portion that is not in said new primary portion utilizing said second magnification level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A program product according to claim 15, wherein said second magnification level comprises a range of vertical magnification levels that decrease in proportion to vertical distance from said lens.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
A program product according to claim 16, wherein, when said vertical magnification level would cause corresponding contents of said document to be displayed illegibly, said document presenter displays textual characters that are less complex than said corresponding contents in said window, in lieu of said corresponding contents.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A program product according to claim 17, wherein said document presenter displays said remaining portion within said window above said lens and below said lens.
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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) | 2003-03-28 | 2003-09-27 | 2004-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-28 | 2007-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-28 | 2011-09-27 | 2012-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |