Method and apparatus for utilizing an extensible markup language schema for managing specific types of content in an electronic document

• US 20060080590A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Little, Robert A., Jones, Brian M., Davis, Tristan A., Sawicki, Marcin, Sunderland, E. Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

An extensible markup language (“XML”) schema is provided for defining a content region which displays specific types of content in an electronic document created in a word processing application program. The schema includes structural elements for defining the content region in the electronic document. The structural elements include a properties element for defining properties associated with the content to be displayed in the content region and a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties. The properties element and the content element define the content region in the electronic document.

Claims

1. An extensible markup language schema comprising structural elements for defining a content region for displaying content in an electronic document created in a word processing application program, comprising:

a properties element for defining properties associated with the content to be displayed; and

a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties, wherein the properties element and the content element define the content region in the electronic document.

2. The extensible markup language schema of claim 1, wherein the properties element comprises:

a first property for defining a title associated with the content region;

a second property for restricting the content inserted in the content region;

a third property for defining insertion text to be associated with the content region; and

a fourth property for defining the validity of a blank content region.

3. The extensible markup language schema of claim 1, wherein the properties element comprises a plurality of mutually exclusive properties, the mutually exclusive properties comprising:

a first property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a date;

a second property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a picture;

a third property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a dropdown list.

a fourth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a table;

a fifth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a document part;

a sixth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with rich text;

a seventh property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with text comprising a single paragraph; and

an eighth property for defining the content region to display and receive a plurality of content types.

4. The extensible markup language schema of claim 1, wherein the content element comprises a plurality of elements for receiving content in the content region in the electronic document, the plurality of elements comprising:

a paragraph element for receiving a paragraph of text in the electronic document;

a run element for receiving a region of text, the region of text comprising a contiguous run of characters with identical formatting;

a table element for receiving a table;

a table row element for receiving a row of table cells; and

a table cell element for receiving a single table cell.

5. A method for utilizing an extensible markup language schema comprising structural elements for defining a content region for displaying content in an electronic document created in a word processing application program, comprising:

defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed; and

defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties, wherein the properties element and the content element define the content region in the electronic document.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed comprises:

assigning a name value for a label to be associated with the content region in a first property in the properties element;

assigning a restriction value for setting restrictions for content inserted in the content region in a second property in the properties element;

inserting text for a placeholder to be associated with the content region in a third property in the properties element; and

assigning a validity value for setting the validity of a blank content region in a fourth property in the properties element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed comprises selecting a mutually exclusive property defining the type of content to be displayed in the content region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the mutually exclusive property comprises selecting a property from the group consisting of:

a first property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a date;

a second property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a picture;

a third property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a dropdown list.

a fourth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a table;

a fifth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a document part;

a sixth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with rich text;

a seventh property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with text comprising a single paragraph; and

an eighth property for defining the content region to display and receive a plurality of content types.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a paragraph element for receiving a paragraph of text.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a run element for receiving a region of text, the region of text comprising a contiguous run of characters with identical formatting.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a table element for receiving a table.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a table row element for receiving a row of table cells.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a table cell element for receiving a single table cell.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a plurality of elements comprising a paragraph element, a run element, a table element, a table row element, and a table cell element in any order.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which when executed on a computer perform a method for utilizing an extensible markup language schema comprising structural elements for defining a content region for displaying content in an electronic document created in a word processing application program, the method comprising:

defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed; and

defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties, wherein the properties element and the content element define the content region in the electronic document.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed comprises:

assigning a name value for a label to be associated with the content region in a first property in the properties element;

assigning a restriction value for setting restrictions for content inserted in the content region in a second property in the properties element;

inserting text for a placeholder to be associated with the content region in a third property in the properties element; and

assigning a validity value for setting the validity of a blank content region in a fourth property in the properties element.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the defining a properties element for receiving a plurality of properties associated with the content to be displayed comprises selecting a mutually exclusive property defining the type of content to be displayed in the content region.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selecting the mutually exclusive property comprises selecting a property from the group consisting of:

a first property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a date;

a second property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a picture;

a third property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a dropdown list.

a fourth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a table;

a fifth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with a document part;

a sixth property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with rich text;

a seventh property for defining the content region to display and receive content associated with text comprising a single paragraph; and

an eighth property for defining the content region to display and receive a plurality of content types.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a paragraph element for receiving a paragraph of text.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a run element for receiving a region of text, the region of text comprising a contiguous run of characters with identical formatting.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a table element for receiving a table.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein defining a content element for receiving the content to be displayed according to the defined properties comprises inserting a plurality of elements comprising a paragraph element, a run element, a table element, a table row element, and a table cell element in any order.