SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING SCROLLING DISPLAY TO NON-SCROLLING COLUMNAR DISPLAY

• US 20010011364A1
• Filed: 01/07/1998
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: STOUB, EVERETT W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,389,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/114 Pagination

Abstract

A computer system for automatically converting a scrollable electronic document, including text, graphics, tables and combinations, from a scrollable format to a non-scrollable format, the system comprising a page-forming mechanism configured to operatively and automatically arrange the scrollable electronic information document into a plurality of non-scrollable pages, each having one or more columns wherein each of the columns has a width corresponding to a number of characters per line within a predetermined range of characters per line, a content formatter mechanism configured to be operatively responsive to embedded formatting commands, either common word-processing commands or html commands or both; a font-sizing mechanism configured to operatively permit a user to selectively alter the size of the characters comprising the non-scrollable pages; an image sizing mechanism configured either to automatically alter the widths of graphic images and tables in the electronic document to proportionately conform to the width of the columns, or to reduce the graphic images and tables to selectively expandable icons positioned in the display; a screen having a display window configured to entirely display a selected one of the non-scrollable pages; and a page-turning mechanism configured to selectively, sequentially and individually display the plurality of non-scrollable pages in the display window. A method is provided for practicing the system.

Claims

1. A computer system for converting a scrollable source document into a page display document, the source document having information in the form of text, graphics, tables, or combinations thereof, which source document is too large to be fully displayable without scrolling on a display window of a screen associated with the system, the system comprising:

(a) first formatting means for automatically formatting a screen page that is fully displayable in the display window and comprises at least one column, each having a column width corresponding to a number of characters per line within a predetermined range of characters per line;

(b) second formatting means for automatically reformatting the source document to conform with said column width to form a display document comprising a plurality of sequential display pages; and

(c) displaying means for automatically filling said at least one column of the display window with a selected one of said plurality of display pages, each said display page being separately and fully displayable in the display window; and

(d) paging means for selectively paging, without scrolling, through said plurality of display pages.

2. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein said first formatting means includes column determining means for automatically determining the quantity of said at least one column comprising each said display page.

3. The system according to

claim 2

, further comprising said column determining means configured to automatically determine the actual width of said at least one column.

4. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein said second formatting means and said display means are configured to automatically utilize a user selected font for said plurality of display pages.

5. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein said second formatting means and said display means are configured to automatically utilize a user selected size of font for said plurality of display pages.

6. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein said second formatting means is responsive to in-line formatting commands included in the source document.

7. The system according to

claim 5

, including:

(a) font changing means for selectively changing the size of the font utilized for said plurality of display pages; and

(b) said first formatting means, responsive to said font changing means, being operable to reformat said screen page such that said at least one column maintains said column width within said predetermined range of characters per line.

8. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein said second formatting means further comprises resizing means for automatically resizing a graphic image or table included in the source document to fit within said at least one column.

9. The system according to

claim 8

, wherein said resizing means includes icon forming means for automatically displaying the graphic image or table as an icon in said at least one column in a respective one of said plurality of display pages.

10. The system according to

claim 9

, wherein said resizing means further includes expanding means for selectively displaying the graphic image or table in the size anticipated by the source document by mouse clicking respective said icon.

11. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said resizing means is configured to automatically maintain the height-to-width ratio of the graphic image or table during said resizing and expanding.

12. A computer system for automatically converting a scrollable electronic document, including text, graphics, tables and combinations thereof, from a scrollable format to a non-scrollable format, the system comprising:

(a) a page-forming mechanism configured to operatively and automatically arrange the scrollable electronic information document into a plurality of non-scrollable pages, each having at least one column wherein each said column has a width corresponding to a number of characters per line within a predetermined range of characters per line;

(b) a screen having a display window configured to simultaneously display a selected one of said plurality of non-scrollable pages in its entirety; and

(c) a page-turning mechanism configured to selectively, sequentially and individually display said plurality of non-scrollable pages in said display window.

13. The system according to

claim 12

, wherein said page-forming mechanism includes a content formatter mechanism configured to be operatively responsive to formatting commands embedded in the electronic document.

14. The system according to

claim 13

, wherein said page-forming mechanism includes a font-sizing mechanism configured to operatively permit a user to selectively alter the size of the characters comprising said non-scrollable pages.

15. The system according to

claim 12

, further including an image sizing mechanism configured to automatically alter the widths of graphic images and tables in the electronic document to conform to the width of said at least one column.

16. The system according to

claim 12

, including an image sizing mechanism configured to automatically and proportionately alter the widths of graphic images and tables in the electronic information document to conform to the width of said at least one column.

17. The system according to

claim 15

, the means for reducing the size of a graphic image or table being operable to selectively display the graphic image or table in the size originally anticipated by the electronic information document.

18. A method for converting a scrollable source document into a page display document wherein the source document has information in the form of text, graphics, tables, or combinations thereof and wherein the source document is too large to be fully displayable without scrolling on a display window of a screen, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically formatting a screen page that is fully displayable in the display window wherein said screen page comprises at least one column, each having a column width corresponding to a number of characters per line within a predetermined range of characters per line;

(b) automatically reformatting the source document to conform with said column width to form a display document comprising a plurality of sequential display pages; and

(c) automatically filling said at least one column of the display window with a selected one of said plurality of display pages, each said display page being separately and fully displayable in the display window; and

(d) selectively paging, without scrolling, through said plurality of display pages.

19. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein said step of automatically formatting a screen page includes the step of automatically determining the quantity of said at least one column comprising each said display page.

20. The method according to

claim 19

, wherein said step of automatically formatting a screen page further includes automatically determining the actual width of each of said at least one column.

21. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein each of said step of automatically reformatting the source document and said step of automatically filling said at least one column includes automatically utilizing a user selected font for said plurality of display pages.

22. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein each of said step of automatically reformatting the source document and said step of automatically filling said at least one column includes automatically utilizing a user selected size of font for said plurality of display pages.

23. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein said step for automatically reformatting the source document includes automatically responding to in-line formatting commands included in the source document.

24. The method according to

claim 22

, further including the steps of:

(a) selectively changing the size of the font utilized for said plurality of display pages; and

(b) automatically reformatting said screen page such that said at least one column maintains said column width within said predetermined range of characters per line.

25. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein said step of automatically reformatting the source document includes automatically resizing a graphic image or table included in the source document to fit within said at least one column.

26. The method according to

claim 25

, wherein said step of automatically resizing a graphic image or table includes automatically displaying the graphic image or table as an icon in said at least one column in a respective one of said plurality of display pages.

27. The method according to

claim 26

, wherein said step of automatically resizing a graphic image or table further includes selectively expanding and displaying the graphic image or table in the size anticipated by the source document by mouse clicking respective said icon.

28. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein said step of automatically resizing a graphic image or table includes automatically maintaining the height-to-width ratio of the graphic image or table during said resizing and expanding.

29. A method for automatically converting a scrollable electronic document, including text, graphics, tables and combinations thereof, from a scrollable format to a non-scrollable format, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically arranging the scrollable electronic information document into a plurality of non-scrollable pages, each having at least one column wherein each said column has a width corresponding to a number of characters per line within a predetermined range of characters per line based on a user selected font size;

(b) simultaneously displaying a selected one of said plurality of non-scrollable pages in its entirety; and

(c) selectively, sequentially and individually displaying said plurality of non-scrollable pages in said display window.

30. The method according to

claim 29

, wherein said step of automatically arranging the scrollable electronic document includes automatically responding to formatting commands embedded in the electronic document.

31. The method according to

claim 30

, wherein said step of automatically arranging the scrollable electronic document includes selectively altering the size of the characters comprising said non-scrollable pages.

32. The method according to

claim 29

, wherein the step of automatically arranging the scrolling electronic document includes automatically altering the widths of graphic images and tables in the electronic document to conform to the width of said at least one column.

33. The method according to

claim 29

, wherein the steps of automatically arranging the scrolling electronic document includes automatically and proportionately altering the widths of graphic images and tables in the electronic document to conform to the width of said at least one column.

34. The method according to

claim 32

, wherein the step of altering the widths of graphic images and tables includes selectively displaying the graphic image or table in the size originally anticipated by the electronic document.