Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1994-10-05
2001-01-23
Hong, Stephen S. (Department: 2776)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178431
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to data processing methods and systems in general and in particular to methods and systems for word processing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Word processing systems allow the creation of textual documents in an electronic medium. Words can be electronically added to, deleted from, or modified within a document. In addition, the format of a document, such as character type and size and line spacing, can be electronically changed. Graphics or pictures can also be incorporated into the body of text in the document.
It is frequently desirable to add reference information or comments to a document, regardless of whether the document is created by word processing or in some other manner. Reference information can be included by the author of a document. A common manner for an author's reference information to be included is by footnotes. Reference information can also be included by one or more readers. A reader of the document may wish to edit the document or else to add comments thereto, for either the author's or the reader's benefit.
With prior art word processing systems, reference information can be added by footnotes. Alternatively, prior art word processing systems allow reference information to be added to the body of text making up the document. The reference information can be visible within the body text, wherein the reference information is separated from the text in the body by delimiters. The reference information can also be normally hidden. Viewing the reference information causes the reference information to appear in the body text and to obscure underlying portions of the body text from a user's view.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing reference information along the sides of a document.
The present invention provides annotation of a word processing object on a data processing system. The word processing object has a body with at least one side margin. The present invention locates a marker at a selected location in the body. An annotation is associated with the marker. The word processing object is provided to an output means with the annotation being located in the side margin and adjacent to the marker.
With the present invention, an author or reader of a word processing object can provide annotations in the side margins of the body of the word processing object. The side annotations can be used to add comments, and even provide a running commentary of the word processing object. Because the annotations appear in the side margins, they do not interfere with reading the body, as do footnotes, nor do they interrupt the flow of reading the body, as do annotations located in the body itself. The annotations can be saved and made a permanent part of the word processing document.
Each annotation is associated with a specific location in the body. Thus, no matter how much the body is revised, the annotation will maintain its adjacent relationship to the specified body location.
In one aspect of the present invention, the annotation can contain text, non-text objects, or both. Non-text objects include graphic objects, image objects, audio objects and video objects.
In another aspect, the annotations can be displayed and printed either by themselves or in context with respect to the body. When the annotations are displayed by themselves, they are displayed by way of a window. The annotations can be printed by themselves. When the annotations are displayed or printed in context, they appear in the side margins of the body text, so that a user can see the location of the annotations relative to the body text.
Once an annotation has been added in a side margin, it can be edited by deleting or modifying it. The annotations can be deleted one at a time, or can all be deleted at once.
The annotations can be formatted independently of the body text of the word processing object. Thus, the typeface, typesize, typestyle, line density and line spacing can either be the same as or different from the formatting of the body text. In addition, the annotations in the side margins can have their own paragraph indenting and alignment, and widow/orphan control independently of the body.
The annotations can be made to appear in alternating margins. This allows the annotations to appear in the outermost margin of a page. For example, on a left hand page, the annotation would appear in the left side margin. On a right page, the annotation would appear in the right side margin.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4984162 (1991-01-01), Torii et al.
patent: 5063600 (1991-11-01), Norwood
patent: 5146552 (1992-09-01), Cassorla et al.
patent: 5181255 (1993-01-01), Bloomberg
patent: 5297216 (1994-03-01), Sklarew
patent: 5309359 (1994-05-01), Katz et al.
patent: 0250176 (1987-12-01), None
patent: 2297156 (1990-12-01), None
English abstract of Japanese translation #2-297156.
Barker et al., Method for Creating Annotation Data, vol. 28, No. 4 Sep. 1985.
Barker et al., Footnoting in a Text Editor, vol. 27, No. 10B, Mar. 1985.
M.E. Payne et al., Naming an Excess Scheme for Annotation Text Segments, vol. 28, No.5, Oct. 1985.
E.R. Beck, Multiple Annotation Classes, vol. 28, No. 5, Oct. 1985.
Hong Stephen S.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Mantooth Geoffrey A.
Paula Cesar B
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