Computer apparatus and method for graphical flip book
First Claim
1. In a data processing system having a digital processor and a display unit for displaying screen views, computer apparatus comprising:
- means, coupled to said display unit, for displaying a multiplicity of entities in a screen view, each entity providing data desired to be displayed, the entities being displayed simultaneously and ordered in a series and aligned with each other, each entity displayed partially overlapping at least one of a respective succeeding entity and a respective preceding entity in at least one display of the series, such that edge portions of entities are non-overlapped and viewable, said edge portions serving as non-overlapped portions of the entities and displaying non-overlapped contents of the entities, entities in the series having a currently displayed entity which is non-overlapped and which has a predetermined number of immediate succeeding and preceding entities having wider exposed edge portions than edge portions of entities beyond the predetermined number of succeeding and preceding entities in the ordered series;
means for indicating a user-desired entity, by user selection of a non-overlapped portion of the desired entity; and
processor means for controlling said displaying means to display the user-desired entity non-overlapped in the series by changing display of the series from a screen view of the currently displayed entity in the series having the user-desired entity partially overlapped by at least one of a preceding and succeeding entity, through intermediate screen views of entities in the series to a screen view the user-desired entity in of the series having each entity succeeding the user-desired entity in the series partially overlapping a respective succeeding entity and each entity preceding the user-desired entity in the series partially overlapping a respective preceding entity.
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Abstract
Computer apparatus and method replicates a book in screen views of a video display unit. A book representation is formed of a multiplicity of entities positioned in a series and successively overlapping each other. Data of only non-overlapped entities or portions thereof are viewable. Processor means changes display of the series such that desired entities are displayed non-overlapped in a respective position in the series. Each entity succeeding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective succeeding entity, if any, and each entity preceding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective preceding entity, if any, to display the desired entity non-overlapped in the series. Screen view position of viewable data in the series thus changes as a function of entity providing the data and corresponding serial position of the entity. A processor procedure adjusts position of user definable tabs coupled to entities to maximize viewability of tabs. Page numbers and other markers are employed to provide indications of the positions of the entities in the series. Alternatively, entities nearest the non-overlapped entity are less overlapped by neighboring entities than entities farther away from the non-overlapped entity are overlapped by respective neighboring entities.
165 Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a data processing system having a digital processor and a display unit for displaying screen views, computer apparatus comprising:
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means, coupled to said display unit, for displaying a multiplicity of entities in a screen view, each entity providing data desired to be displayed, the entities being displayed simultaneously and ordered in a series and aligned with each other, each entity displayed partially overlapping at least one of a respective succeeding entity and a respective preceding entity in at least one display of the series, such that edge portions of entities are non-overlapped and viewable, said edge portions serving as non-overlapped portions of the entities and displaying non-overlapped contents of the entities, entities in the series having a currently displayed entity which is non-overlapped and which has a predetermined number of immediate succeeding and preceding entities having wider exposed edge portions than edge portions of entities beyond the predetermined number of succeeding and preceding entities in the ordered series; means for indicating a user-desired entity, by user selection of a non-overlapped portion of the desired entity; and processor means for controlling said displaying means to display the user-desired entity non-overlapped in the series by changing display of the series from a screen view of the currently displayed entity in the series having the user-desired entity partially overlapped by at least one of a preceding and succeeding entity, through intermediate screen views of entities in the series to a screen view the user-desired entity in of the series having each entity succeeding the user-desired entity in the series partially overlapping a respective succeeding entity and each entity preceding the user-desired entity in the series partially overlapping a respective preceding entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In a data processing system having a digital processor and a display unit for displaying screen views, a method of providing a working representation of a book in screen views, comprising the steps of:
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displaying in a screen view on the display unit, a series of entities forming a book representation having (a) a front cover at a beginning of the series of entities and (b) a back cover at an end of the series of entities, each entity providing data desired to be displayed, the entities displayed aligned with each other along an axis extending from the front cover to the back cover, each entity displayed partially overlapping one of a respective succeeding entity and a respective preceding entity, such that data of only non-overlapped portions of entities are viewable, each entity displayed having a respective screen view position along the axis such that entities having serial positions closer to a beginning of the series are displayed at respective screen view positions closer to the front cover end of the axis, and entities having serial positions closer to the end of the series are displayed at respective screen view positions closer to the back cover end of the axis, entities in the series having a currently displayed entity which is non-overlapped and which has a predetermined number of immediate succeeding and preceding entities having a wider exposed area than the entities beyond the predetermined number of succeeding and preceding entities in the series; and changing display of the series from a screen view of the currently displayed entity in the series having a desired entity partially overlapped by at least one of a preceding entity and a succeeding entity, through intermediate screen views of entities in the series, to a screen view the desired entity in of the series having each entity succeeding the desired entity partially overlapping a respective succeeding entity and each entity preceding the desired entity partially overlapping a respective preceding entity, said changing accomplished by the digital processor displaying one working entity at a time, in series order, non-overlapped in its respective screen view position along the axis, with each entity succeeding the working entity partially overlapping a respective succeeding entity, and each entity preceding the working entity partially overlapping a respective preceding entity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification