Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-17
2003-03-25
Hong, Stephen S. (Department: 2178)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06539405
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to informational documents, whether hard copy or computerized, and more specifically to a system of cross referencing information contained in such a document for ease of reference. The present invention provides a self-referential reference system which can work forward and backward through the material, and that is adaptable for use in virtually any type of informational document. The present system is particularly valuable in instructional manuals for teaching the use of various types of computer programs, such as word processing programs, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
The process of learning a new skill, the use of a new article of equipment, computer program, etc., can be one of the more difficult tasks faced by a person in everyday life. Fortunately, there are generally a number of instructional materials available for learning most new skills and for dealing with most forms of equipment, computer programs, etc. However, such instructional materials are often difficult to use and difficult to access specific information from, in their own right.
One of the primary reasons such manuals can be difficult to use is the fact that in most cases where instruction in a new skill is involved, a relatively large number of steps is required to accomplish some given task. Many times these steps must be accomplished in close succession, or perhaps even simultaneously for a few of the steps. Also, in many cases the procedure for accomplishing different tasks requires many of the same steps, and/or same order, as that required for accomplishing other related tasks, with the differences amounting to relatively small variations in a few of the steps, and/or their order of accomplishment.
Typically, most instructional works describe the steps involved in a given process only once, with the student then being required to work back and forth through the instructional work to find those steps required for related processes, even if the student knows the basic process for which each of the steps is described in detail. This results in the person learning the skill, being required to review back and forth in the instructional material in an attempt to find each of the perhaps many steps involved in a given process. It is of course impossible for the new user of the equipment or program to learn all of the steps of a given procedure at one time, and hence it becomes necessary to work back and forth through the instructional work, either turning to the appropriate pages in a hard copy manual or reviewing a number of menus in a computer program, in order to find the single piece of information required for the next step in a procedure.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for an information cross referencing system, which enables a user of the system to quickly and easily find specific sections or instructions in a relatively complex and lengthy reference or instructional work. The present system responds to this need by providing an easily learned system for cross referencing various areas of text, reference figures, shortcut steps, and/or other aspects of a hard copy or computerized reference source or instructional work. The present system is self-referential, in that a work incorporating the present system uses the system in text and other references throughout, to refer to other areas of the work which are related to the specific function cross referenced by the system. Thus, a process involving a step A, but which also involves steps B and C, will refer to steps B and C and their location in the reference work in the discussion of step A, with the discussion of steps B and C likewise referring back to step A and to one another, in order to simplify the search for the required information to carry out the process.
As will be understood from the preceding discussion, the present system also works both forward and backward through the reference work or text, depending upon the relative locations of the various steps involved. The present system is particularly valuable in indicating a specific option in a computer menu, with its generally wide number of options.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,938 issued on Aug. 29, 1978 to James A. H. Mitchell et al., titled “System For Arranging And Retrieving Information,” describes a redundant system including text, illustrations, diagrams, and marginal cross referencing notes to refer to different, but related, articles. The Mitchell et al. system is adapted for use in encyclopedia type publications and references, where a series of not necessarily related articles is arranged in alphabetical order. The Mitchell et al. system differs further from the present system in that the text, illustrations, diagrams, etc. are somewhat redundant, with a person seeking information about a given subject being able to review either the primary text, an ancillary text, a primary illustration, all of the illustrations, or some combination thereof, to gain the desired information. In contrast, the present system provides a series of mnemonic alphanumeric reference codes in order to enable a user of the work incorporating the system, to easily refer back and forth to related steps and procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,515 issued on Mar. 5, 1985 to Victor Cuan et al., titled “Footnote Assembly Management,” describes a computer program for editing and formatting text and associated footnotes. The Cuan et al. system is not self-referential, as it does not refer back and forth throughout the entire document as can the present system. As the Cuan et al. system is directed only to assembly of footnotes in a document, it thus involves only a forwardly directed reference system (from text to following footnote), and does not refer back, as can the present system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,648,067 and 4,648,071, both issued on Mar. 3, 1987 to James T. Repass et al., respectively titled “Footnote Management For Display And Printing” and “Designation Of Footnotes And Footnote Reference,” both describe additional systems for installing footnotes with associated text at the time of document assembly or printing. The Repass et al. footnote assembly systems are more closely related to the system of the Cuan et al. '515 U.S. Patent, discussed immediately above, than to the present cross referencing system. As footnotes only follow closely adjacent text, there is no disclosure of any form of forward cross referencing or mnemonic code for locating related information in other areas of the work, as is provided by the present system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,491 issued on Sep. 29, 1987 to Barbara J. Stenger, titled “Information Reference Book And Indexing System,” describes a recipe reference book, in which two types of preprinted abstract pages are provided. The user must enter data relating to specific magazine articles, books, page numbers, etc. for any recipes desired. The Stenger system enables the user to quickly look up the specific cookbook, magazine, etc. where a specific recipe may be located. However, the Stenger book essentially serves as an index for other works, rather than serving as an instructional work per se, as it does not contain the actual recipes, but rather serves as a reference guide for locating those recipes in other books and works. Stenger makes no suggestion regarding any forward and backward cross referencing in her book, as there is no motivation for such a system in her book per se.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,374 issued on May 23, 1989 to Kenneth W. Prest Jr., titled “System For Indexing Textual Material,” describes an indexing system incorporating a series of dividers, each having an outwardly extending tab. The tabs are marked with an alphanumeric indicator to indicate the subject matter (different legal codes or regulations, etc.) following that particular tab and divider. The Prest, Jr. system is thus not a self-referential cross refe
Hong Stephen S.
Litman Richard C.
LandOfFree
Information cross referencing system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information cross referencing system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information cross referencing system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3026810