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US6658408B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Document information management system

Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2002-04-22
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Granted: 2003-12-02
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Expires: 2022-04-22
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Abstract

Abstract A document information management system in which a search-engine-compatible interface unit makes a word in a document displayed on the screen to be specified, transfers the specified word to a search engine as a keyword to be used in the search engine, receives a search result from the search engine, and displays the search result on the screen, while a browser-compatible interface unit performs a search (a keyword search and/or global search) by using the keyword transferred from a browser and transfers a search result to the browser.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takashi Yano
  • 👤 Yasuhiro Tabata
  • 👤 Hisashi Ishijima

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 12:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/957; G06F16/9577; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/332; G06F16/951; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/965; Y10S715/966; Y10S715/968

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 80
Claim 1
Independent Claim 89 words
An information management system, comprising: an identification unit that identifies a word displayed in an image on a display device to be a keyword and the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; a transfer unit that transfers the keyword to a search unit; and a receiver that receives a search result corresponding to the keyword, wherein the display device is configured to display information corresponding to the search result, and to display additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 89 words
An information management system, comprising: an identification unit that identifies a word displayed in an image on a display device to be a keyword and the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; a transfer unit that transfers the keyword to a search unit; and a receiver that receives a search result corresponding to the keyword, wherein the display device is configured to display information corresponding to the search result, and to display additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 45 words
An information management system according to claim 1 , further comprising: said search unit; a selection unit configured to receive an input from a user who selects a portion of the displayed information; and at least one database for storing therein at least one file.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 23 words
A system according to one of claims 1 and 2 , wherein: said search unit is a search engine accessible by a browser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A system according to claim 3 , wherein the search engine is included in a web server.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 26 words
A system according to one of claims 1 and 2 , wherein: said search unit is a separate device from a device including the identification unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
A system according to claim 1 , wherein: the identification unit identifies the word using a pointing device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
A system according to claim 6 , wherein: the identification unit identifies the word using a mouse.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 22 words
A system according to one of claims 1 and 6 , wherein: the identification unit identifies the word using a cursor position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A system according to claim 1 , wherein the additional information is displayed without altering a file corresponding to the image on the display device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system according to claim 1 , wherein the display device displays a pop-up menu prepared based on the search result.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system according to claim 1 , wherein the word identified by the identification unit is a non-linked word.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system according to claim 2 , wherein when a file comprising a hypertext file or a non-hypertext file is displayed on the display device, the identification unit identifies the word from the file as the keyword specified by the cursor on the display device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 64 words
The system according to claim 2 , further comprising: a search criteria specification unit which displays on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu for specifying search criteria for the search unit, the menu comprising menu items to be specified by a cursor, wherein the transfer unit transfers the keyword and the menu items specified to the search unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system according to claim 13 , wherein the menu is for specifying at least one search database.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 37 words
The system according to claim 1 , further comprising: an output criteria specification unit which displays on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu for specifying output criteria of the search result.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system according to claim 15 , wherein the menu is for specifying where to output the result of the search.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an interface having a browsing function.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 109 words
A information management apparatus, comprising: at least one database for storing therein at least one file; an interface configured to display on a display device a hypertext file prepared by a hypertext description language or a non-hypertext file prepared by a word processing application; an extraction unit that extracts a displayed word identified by a cursor on the display device as a keyword; a transfer unit that transfers the keyword to a search engine; and a receiver that receives a search result corresponding to the keyword from the search engine, wherein said display device is configured to display additional information upon selecting a portion of a displayed search result.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 109 words
A information management apparatus, comprising: at least one database for storing therein at least one file; an interface configured to display on a display device a hypertext file prepared by a hypertext description language or a non-hypertext file prepared by a word processing application; an extraction unit that extracts a displayed word identified by a cursor on the display device as a keyword; a transfer unit that transfers the keyword to a search engine; and a receiver that receives a search result corresponding to the keyword from the search engine, wherein said display device is configured to display additional information upon selecting a portion of a displayed search result.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 25 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein: said display device displays a pop-up menu, the pop-up menu is prepared based on the search result.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 19 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the word extracted by the extraction unit is a non-linked word.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 38 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein when the at least one file is displayed on the display device, the extraction unit extracts the displayed word as the keyword specified by the cursor on the display device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 64 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising: a search criteria specification unit which displays on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu for specifying search criteria for the search engine, the menu comprising menu items to be specified by the cursor, wherein the transfer unit transfers the keyword and the menu items specified to the search engine.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the menu is for specifying at least one search database.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 , further comprising: an output criteria specification unit which displays on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu for specifying output criteria of the search result.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the menu is for specifying where to output the result of the search.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 76 words
An information management method, comprising: identifying a word of an image displayed on a display device as a keyword and the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; transferring the keyword to a device configured to search; receiving, from the device configured to search, a search result corresponding to the keyword; displaying information corresponding to the search result; and displaying additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 76 words
An information management method, comprising: identifying a word of an image displayed on a display device as a keyword and the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; transferring the keyword to a device configured to search; receiving, from the device configured to search, a search result corresponding to the keyword; displaying information corresponding to the search result; and displaying additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein the step of displaying additional information is performed without altering a file corresponding to the image on the display device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method according to claim 26 , further comprising the step of: selecting, after the step of displaying information and before the step of displaying additional information, the portion of the displayed information.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein said device configured to search is a search engine accessible by a browser.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 29 , wherein the device configured to search is included in a web server.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein: the device configured to search is a different device from a device performing the identifying step.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein: the step of identifying a word is performed using a pointing device.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 32 , wherein: the step of identifying a word is performed using a mouse.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein: the step of identifying a word is performed using a cursor position.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 26 , further comprising: displaying on the display device a pop-up menu prepared based on the search result.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein the word extracted is a non-linked word.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method according to claim 26 , wherein when a file is displayed on the display device, the word from the file is extracted as the keyword specified by a cursor on the display device.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 56 words
The method according to claim 26 , further comprising: displaying on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu comprising menu items for specifying search criteria for a search engine; and specifying the menu items by a cursor, wherein the keyword and the menu items specified are transferred to the search engine.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method according to claim 38 , wherein the menu is for specifying at least one search database.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method according to claim 26 , further comprising: displaying on the display device, in a space adjacent to the keyword, a menu for specifying output criteria of the search result.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method according to claim 40 , wherein the menu is for specifying where to output the result of the search.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 127 words
In an information management system, a method of enabling user-requested information to be associated with information stored in at least one database, the method comprising: selecting a word or a character string displayed in a document displayed on a display device; recognizing and extracting the selected word or the character string so as to initiate a keyword search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device or a character string search; receiving a search result corresponding to the keyword or the character string; creating an association of the selected word or the character string with the search result; and displaying, within said document, the created association and additional information corresponding to the search result upon selection of a portion of the created association.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 127 words
In an information management system, a method of enabling user-requested information to be associated with information stored in at least one database, the method comprising: selecting a word or a character string displayed in a document displayed on a display device; recognizing and extracting the selected word or the character string so as to initiate a keyword search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device or a character string search; receiving a search result corresponding to the keyword or the character string; creating an association of the selected word or the character string with the search result; and displaying, within said document, the created association and additional information corresponding to the search result upon selection of a portion of the created association.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method as in claim 42 , wherein the displaying step is performed by displaying the association as a list in a pop-up menu in the document.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method as in claim 42 , wherein the displaying step is performed by displaying the association as a list as a pull-down menu in the document.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method as in claim 42 , wherein the association of the selected word or the character string is displayed in a pull-down menu adjacent to the selected word in the document.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method as in claim 42 , further comprising: communicatively coupling said one or more databases to a network.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method as in claim 42 , wherein the step of creating an association includes providing links to the related information.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method as in claim 42 , further comprising: enabling the user to access information related to the selected word directly from within said document.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method as in claim 48 , wherein the enabling step comprises: requesting a source code of the accessed information; transferring the source code to a browser; developing the source code into a hypertext file or a non-hypertext file; and displaying the developed file.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim 127 words
In an information management system, a method of enabling user-selected information to be associated with information stored in at least one database having a hypertext file prepared with a hypertext-description language or a non-hypertext file prepared with a word processing application, the method comprising: selecting a word displayed in a document displayed on a display device; recognizing and extracting the selected word as a keyword for initiating a search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; enabling a user to invoke a list of actions upon recognizing the selected word by displaying the list of actions in a menu adjacent to the selected word; and enabling a user to display additional information upon invoking an action from among the list of actions.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim 127 words
In an information management system, a method of enabling user-selected information to be associated with information stored in at least one database having a hypertext file prepared with a hypertext-description language or a non-hypertext file prepared with a word processing application, the method comprising: selecting a word displayed in a document displayed on a display device; recognizing and extracting the selected word as a keyword for initiating a search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; enabling a user to invoke a list of actions upon recognizing the selected word by displaying the list of actions in a menu adjacent to the selected word; and enabling a user to display additional information upon invoking an action from among the list of actions.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method as in claim 50 , further comprising: communicatively coupling said at least one database to a network.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method as in claim 50 , wherein the list of actions includes: launching a website in a new instance of a web-browser.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method as in claim 50 , further comprising: displaying the selected word in a form so as to distinguish the selected word from other displayed words.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method as in claim 50 , further comprising: displaying the selected word in a reverse video mode so as to distinguish the selected word from other displayed words.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method as in claim 50 , wherein the recognizing step is performed by comparing the selected word with a predetermined list of words by a search engine compatible interface unit.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim 72 words
A computer program product having a computer-usable medium, comprising: instructions for identifying a word displayed in an image on a display device as a keyword wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; instructions for transferring the keyword to a search unit; and instructions for displaying information corresponding to the search result, and to display additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim 72 words
A computer program product having a computer-usable medium, comprising: instructions for identifying a word displayed in an image on a display device as a keyword wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; instructions for transferring the keyword to a search unit; and instructions for displaying information corresponding to the search result, and to display additional information corresponding to a selection of a portion of the displayed information.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim 107 words
A computer program product having a computer-usable medium, comprising: instructions for storing at least one file in at least one database; instructions to display on a display device a hypertext file prepared by a hypertext description language or a non-hypertext file prepared by a word processing application; instructions for extracting a displayed word specified by a cursor on the display device as a keyword; instructions for transferring the keyword to a search engine; and instructions for receiving a search result corresponding to the keyword from the search engine, wherein said instructions to display include instructions to display additional information upon selecting a portion of displayed search result.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim 107 words
A computer program product having a computer-usable medium, comprising: instructions for storing at least one file in at least one database; instructions to display on a display device a hypertext file prepared by a hypertext description language or a non-hypertext file prepared by a word processing application; instructions for extracting a displayed word specified by a cursor on the display device as a keyword; instructions for transferring the keyword to a search engine; and instructions for receiving a search result corresponding to the keyword from the search engine, wherein said instructions to display include instructions to display additional information upon selecting a portion of displayed search result.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim 119 words
A document information management apparatus, comprising: a database unit storing a plurality of documents including at least a non-hypertext document; a display operation unit configured to display the non-hypertext document on a display device and to process the non-hypertext document; and a search unit configured to search in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched by the search unit, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim 119 words
A document information management apparatus, comprising: a database unit storing a plurality of documents including at least a non-hypertext document; a display operation unit configured to display the non-hypertext document on a display device and to process the non-hypertext document; and a search unit configured to search in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched by the search unit, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim 112 words
A document information management apparatus, comprising: a database unit storing a plurality of document files; a display operation unit configured to display a document on a display device and to process the document; and a search unit configured to search in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched by the search unit, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim 112 words
A document information management apparatus, comprising: a database unit storing a plurality of document files; a display operation unit configured to display a document on a display device and to process the document; and a search unit configured to search in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched by the search unit, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim 108 words
A document information management method, comprising: storing a plurality of documents, including at least a non-hypertext document, in a database unit; displaying the non-hypertext document on a display device and processing the non-hypertext document using a display operation unit; searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim 108 words
A document information management method, comprising: storing a plurality of documents, including at least a non-hypertext document, in a database unit; displaying the non-hypertext document on a display device and processing the non-hypertext document using a display operation unit; searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim 14 words
A web browser configured to execute the method steps recited in claim 60 .
Claim 72
Dependent Claim 102 words
A document information management method, comprising: storing a plurality of document files in a database unit; displaying a document on a display device and processing the document using a display operation unit; and searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim 102 words
A document information management method, comprising: storing a plurality of document files in a database unit; displaying a document on a display device and processing the document using a display operation unit; and searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim 14 words
A web browser configured to execute the method steps recited in claim 62 .
Claim 75
Dependent Claim 131 words
A computer program product storing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of: storing a plurality of documents, including at least a non-hypertext document, in a database unit; displaying the non-hypertext document on a display device and processing the non-hypertext document using a display operation unit; searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim 131 words
A computer program product storing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of: storing a plurality of documents, including at least a non-hypertext document, in a database unit; displaying the non-hypertext document on a display device and processing the non-hypertext document using a display operation unit; searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the non-hypertext document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a word in the document displayed on the display device is specified by the display operation unit as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim 125 words
A computer program product storing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of: storing a plurality of document files in a database unit; displaying a document on a display device and processing the document using a display operation unit; and searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim 125 words
A computer program product storing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps of: storing a plurality of document files in a database unit; displaying a document on a display device and processing the document using a display operation unit; and searching in the database unit for a document corresponding to a keyword specified in the document displayed on the display device, wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device, a non-hypertext word in the document displayed on the display device is specified, using the display operation unit, as the keyword to be searched, and a result of the search is displayed on the display device.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim 95 words
An information management apparatus comprising: means for selecting a word displayed in a document displayed on a display device; means for recognizing and extracting the selected word as a keyword for initiating a search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; means for enabling a user to invoke a list of actions upon recognizing the selected word by displaying the list of actions in a menu adjacent the selected word; and means for enabling a user to display additional information upon invoking an action from among the list of actions.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim 95 words
An information management apparatus comprising: means for selecting a word displayed in a document displayed on a display device; means for recognizing and extracting the selected word as a keyword for initiating a search wherein the keyword is specified by a cursor on the display device; means for enabling a user to invoke a list of actions upon recognizing the selected word by displaying the list of actions in a menu adjacent the selected word; and means for enabling a user to display additional information upon invoking an action from among the list of actions.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2006-12-01 2007-06-02 2007-12-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2010-12-01 2011-06-02 2011-12-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2014-12-01 2015-06-02 2015-12-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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