Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1996-03-05
2001-02-27
Feild, Joseph H. (Department: 2776)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195665
ABSTRACT:
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Appendix A, which is a part of the present disclosure, is a microfiche appendix consisting of 5 sheets of microfiche having a total of 429 frames. Microfiche appendix A is a computer program listing.
I. TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention concerns a digital electric computer and a data processing system (apparatus), and methods for making and using the apparatus, and articles produced thereby. Preferably these are applied to the fields of finance and accounting. More particularly, this invention relates to a computer system for generating computer-based briefing books which assist in the effective visual and acoustic communication of numerical and textual data. The invention further concerns the computer-assisted creation of templates to match the specific reporting needs. The invention can be implemented in hardware, by programming a programmable device, or some combination thereof. One approach is to use a template builder program to make a template program, a template viewer program to view the template and load it with data, to generate a presentation, a show, and/or a report. The show can be run in combination with a viewer program. Any of these can separately be stored in memory (diskette, ROM, etc.) to form an article of manufacture.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
If there was ever a single word that describes the mental state of, or the perspective of, an industry, it is “multimedia.” It is impossible to imagine a new personal computer being announced without multimedia capability. Few retail sales of personal computers are believed to be made without at least minimum multimedia capabilities. The computer science industry is always looking for a new concept upon which the next product of the decade can be built. This decade it could be “Multimedia.” There are at least two types of multimedia—emotional and intellectual.
Emotional Multimedia concentrates on those media that activate the emotional characteristics of the brain. The most recognizable use of Emotional Multimedia is motion pictures. Films utilize graphics, movement, human or humanoids, sound, light, and trick photography to involve a passive viewer in an emotional roller coaster.
In this regard, Applicant has published the following texts:
Financial Reporting Using Computer Graphics,
John Wiley & Sons, N.Y., 1993, and its 1995 supplement (both of which are incorporated by reference herein). The supplement defines “Intellectual Multimedia” as “a concentrated and specific effort to activate all four parts of the brain about a set of information with appropriate media that results in understanding.” The effort reflects research into how the brain functions, as discussed in references cited therein.
Intellectual Multimedia requires tabular, written, graphic and voice or sound to activate all four parts of the brain. If all of the media is aimed at getting the same information into the brain, improved learning occurs. The best use is to include interactivity so that a “learner” moves at his or her own pace.
Implementating intellectual multimedia requires a substantial understanding of how the human brain processes information and how a large amount of information can be successfully communicated at one time.
Executives, managers, employees and their families who do not understand accounting or the financial reports prepared by accountants would benefit from a multimedia approach to help them understand. However, Accountants are once again unprepared for the technological revolution that surrounds us. Thus, financial statements in the prior art are not at all known for their wide range of understanding.
One of the most critical success factors in communication is to get information to those involved as soon as possible after the events occur. When the events that created the data, such as operating results, are fresh in the mind of those involved, the information becomes more relevant.
What is needed, therefore, is a system which truly explains what the data means by combining such information with the vast multimedia power of present day systems. The system must be fast—e.g., real time. And the system should make use of developments in brain research, so as to effeciently communicate such information as financial data.
III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof in which an electrical signal processing system processes and modifies electrical signals representing data so as to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of prior art systems and construct and manipulate data signals by electrical means.
Another object of this invention is to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof in which a computerized system is capable of building a template for organizing data.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof in which a computerized system is capable of viewing the template and loading data in the template.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof in which a computerized system is capable of generating, real time, reports constructed by the system.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof in which a computerized system is capable of making a show program.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine, manufacture, process, and improvement thereof which can be implemented in a variety of embodiments, including hardware, a hard coded computer program, objects, applets, or the like, and can be stored in volitile memory or in a Read Only Memory (ROM).
Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
Accordingly, the present invention involves an apparatus for doing real time, structured data presentations, using developments in brain research. The apparatus presents data in tables and in exact replica of the data in graphic form; plus a detailed written analysis to describe the importance of the numbers; and, voice or sound can be added. The media is organized so the same information gets into all four parts of the brain quickly and at the same time. The result is a more effective and relevant understanding and eventually, learning.
Intellectual Multimedia is a highly structured computer system or series of systems having several critical components. A straight forward way to understand Intellectual Multimedia is by the output of the computer system, a “Briefing Book.” A Briefing Book is comprised of a series of “Pages” that together present data in an efficient structure, based on brain research. An example of a Briefing Book can be one used to characterized business' performance from the corporate level to the lowest level operating component (see the sample Page at FIG.
53
. For example, one Briefing Book could include financial statements that describe the overall corporate performance. A second Briefing Book might be a “shift” report describing the results of the 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. shift for a manufacturing production line or for a fast food restaurant.
The structure for each Briefing Book is defined in a set of words, formulas, and definitions called a Template. The Template includes a number of Pages. For the above-mentioned examples, the financial statement Template could be eight Pages and the shift Template could be three Pages. There can be as many Templates as desired for business functions with measurable tasks and/or results. Operating results can be analyzed and presented in Intellectual Multimedia, such as analyzing production mix formulas using heat, pressure, materials mix, etc. This example, however, focusses on the analysis of financial results. In any data case, the Briefing Book must be available soon after the events occur for distribution throughout the organization—pr
Feild Joseph H.
McManus Kajane
Tomorrow's Software, L.L.C.
Trzyna Peter K.
LandOfFree
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