Lingtweight reference user interface
First Claim
1. A method of providing information associated with a focused-on item in an electronic document, comprising:
- receiving a focus on an item contained in an electronic document;
passing data representing the focused-on item to an information source;
at the information source, parsing a data source for information associated with the focused-on item;
returning the information associated with the focused-on item; and
automatically displaying the returned information associated with the focused-on item in a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the focused-on item.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lightweight information user interface is provided for displaying information about a focused-on (e.g., mouse-over) text item, data item or other object in an electronic document that minimizes interruption of workflow with the electronic document. Upon focus on a word or other object in an electronic document a quick look-up function may be invoked for retrieving information from a local or remote information source about the focused-on item. Retrieved information, for example, translations, dictionary definitions and research information, is displayed in close proximity to the focused-on item in a lightweight information user interface. Information may be displayed according to a variety of media types including text, audio, video, pictures, bitmap images, etc.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of providing information associated with a focused-on item in an electronic document, comprising:
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receiving a focus on an item contained in an electronic document;
passing data representing the focused-on item to an information source;
at the information source, parsing a data source for information associated with the focused-on item;
returning the information associated with the focused-on item; and
automatically displaying the returned information associated with the focused-on item in a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the focused-on item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing information associated with a focused-on item in an electronic document, comprising:
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receiving a focus on an item contained in an electronic document;
passing data representing the focused-on item to a recognizer module for determining whether the focused-on item corresponds to a given data type;
if the focused-on item corresponds to a given data type, passing the data representing the focused-on item to an information source containing information associated with the given data type;
at the information source, parsing a data source for information associated with the focused-on item;
returning information associated with the focused-on item that is further associated with the given data type in a format associated with each of a plurality of media types;
displaying a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the focused-on item; and
providing access to the information associated with the focused-on item in the format associated with each of the plurality of media types via the displayed user interface.
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20. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing information associated with a focused-on item in an electronic document, comprising:
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receiving a focus on an item contained in an electronic document;
querying one or more data sources for information associated with the focused-on item;
displaying a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the focused-on item; and
if the information associated with the focused-on item is received from more than one source, displaying the information in the user interface in one or more sections where information from a first data source is displayed in a first section and where information from a second data source is displayed in a second section.
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Specification