Generation of chunks of a long document for an electronic book system

• US 5,893,109 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enigma Information Systems Ltd (PTC Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inso Providence Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, William C., DeRose, Steven J., Braca, Michael J., Gaffney, Jeremy, Maden, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US08/616,930
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 395/615, 707/104, 707/10, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A subset of markup elements used in an electronically published document can be defined as being, "significant." For example, all titled elements may be called significant elements. The structure of the document defined by only the significant elements can be determined in the same manner as the structure of the document defined by all markup elements. For example titled elements define a table of contents. A first representation of the document structure defined by all of the markup elements may be used in combination with a second representation of the document structure defined by only the significant elements to control selection of portions of the document such that previous and subsequent portions can be selected and rendered in a consistent and intuitive manner. In particular, given a selected leaf element in the second representation, elements adjacent to the selected leaf element may be selected and rendered according to a relationship of these elements, as defined in the first representation, to both the selected leaf element and to other significant elements in the second representation.

Claims

1. A computer system for producing an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, the computer system comprising:

means for accessing a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document;

means for accessing a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document;

means, operative in response to a request for a portion of the document, for selecting as a defining element a significant element from the second representation which defines the requested portion;

means for selecting elements, including means for selecting elements adjacent in the first representation both to the defining element according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation to the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

means for producing an electronic form of the requested portion comprising the defining element and selected elements.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting the defining element includes means for selecting only a leaf element of the second representation.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting elements in the first representation includes:

means for selecting elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and wherein the means for selecting elements further recursively selects elements in the first representation between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and wherein the means for selecting selects no elements after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the means for selecting recursively selects all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

8. A process for making a digital information product comprising computer data signals defining an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, the process comprising:

accessing a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document;

accessing a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document;

in response to a request for a portion of the document, selecting as a defining element a significant element from the second representation which defines the requested portion;

selecting elements, including selecting elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element according both to a relationship of the selected elements in the first representation to the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

producing an electronic form of the requested portion comprising the defining element and selected elements, and encoding the electronic form in a computer data signal.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein selecting the defining element includes selecting only a leaf element of the second representation.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

11. The process of claim 8, wherein selecting elements in the first representation includes:

selecting elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and wherein the selecting elements further recursively selects elements in the first representation between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and wherein selecting selects no elements after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein selecting recursively selects all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

57. The process of claim 8 wherein the computer data signals are encoded on a computer readable medium.

15. A computer system for producing an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, and having a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document and a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document, the computer system comprising:

a first data selection component which receives as an input a request for a portion of the document and produces as an output a defining element, wherein the defining element is a significant element from the second representation which defines the requested portion;

a second data selection component which receives as an input the defining element and produces as outputs selected elements, wherein the selected elements are elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element, selected according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation to both the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

a data structuring component which receives as inputs the defining element and selected elements and produces as an output an electronic form of the requested portion.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the defining element is a leaf element of the second representation.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the selected elements are elements between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and the selected elements further include elements selected recursively from the first representation, the elements being between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and no selected elements are from after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the selected elements include elements selected recursively from all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element, if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

22. A process for producing an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, the process comprising:

accessing a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document;

accessing a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document;

in response to a request for a portion of the document, selecting as a defining element a significant element from the second representation which defines the requested portion;

selecting elements, including selecting elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element according to a relationship of the selected elements in the first representation both to the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

producing an electronic form of the requested portion comprising the defining element and selected elements.

23. The process of claim 22, wherein selecting the defining element includes selecting only a leaf element of the second representation.

24. The process of claim 22, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

25. The process of claim 22, wherein selecting elements in the first representation includes:

selecting elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

26. The process of claim 25, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and wherein the selecting elements further recursively selects elements in the first representation between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

27. The process of claim 25, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and wherein selecting selects no elements after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein selecting recursively selects all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

29. A computer system for requesting, receiving and performing operations on an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, and having a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document and a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document, the computer system comprising:

means for requesting a portion of the document by sending an electronic signal on an electronic medium, wherein the signal is indicative of an element in the document;

means for receiving an electronic form of the requested portion comprising a defining element and selected elements, wherein;

the defining element is a significant element from the second representation related to the element indicated by the means for requesting and which defines the requested portion; and

the selected elements are elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element, selected according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation to both the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

means for performing operations on the received electronic form of the requested portion.

30. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the defining element is a leaf element of the second representation.

31. The computer system of claim 29, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

32. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the selected elements are elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and the selected elements further include elements selected recursively from the first representation, the elements being between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

34. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and no selected elements are from after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the selected elements include elements selected recursively from all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element, if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

36. A computer system for requesting and receiving an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, and having a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document and a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document, the computer system comprising:

a data processing unit which generates as an output a request for a portion of a document, the output being a signal indicative of an element in the document, and receives as an input an electronic form of the requested portion comprising a defining element and selected elements, wherein;

the defining element is a significant element from the second representation related to the element indicated by the means for requesting and which defines the requested portion; and

the selected elements are elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element, selected according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation to both the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element.

37. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the defining element is a leaf element of the second representation.

38. The computer system of claim 36, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

39. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the selected elements are elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

40. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and the selected elements further include elements selected recursively from the first representation, the elements being between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

41. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and wherein no selected elements are from after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

42. The computer system of claim 41, wherein the selected elements include elements selected recursively from all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element, if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

43. A process of requesting, receiving and performing operations on an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, having a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document and a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document, the process comprising:

requesting a portion of the document by sending an electronic signal on an electronic medium, wherein the signal is indicative of an element in the document;

receiving an electronic form of the requested portion comprising a defining element and selected elements, wherein;

the defining element is a significant element from the second representation related to the element indicated by the means for requesting and which defines the requested portion; and

the selected elements are elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element, selected according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation both to the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

performing operations on the received electronic form of the requested portion.

44. The process of claim 43, wherein the defining element is a leaf element of the second representation.

45. The process of claim 43, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

46. The process of claim 43, wherein the selected elements are elements in the first representation which are between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

47. The process of claim 46, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and the selected elements further include elements selected recursively from the first representation, the elements being between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

48. The process of claim 46, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and wherein no selected elements are from after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

49. The process of claim 48, wherein the selected elements include elements selected recursively from all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element, if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.

50. A computer program product for producing an electronic form of an electronic document having descriptive markup defining hierarchical elements, and having a first representation of a hierarchy of all elements in the electronic document and a second representation of the hierarchy of only significant elements in the electronic document, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer program logic stored thereon, wherein the computer program logic defines;

a first data selection component which receives as an input a request for a portion of the document and produces as an output a defining element, wherein the defining element is a significant element from the second representation which defines the requested portion;

a second data selection component which receives as an input the defining element and produces as outputs selected elements, wherein the selected elements are elements adjacent in the first representation to the defining element, selected according to a relationship of the adjacent elements in the first representation to both the defining element and to a sibling in the second representation of the defining element; and

a data structuring component which receives as inputs the defining element and selected elements and produces as an output an electronic form of the requested portion.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the defining element is a leaf element of the second representation.

52. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein a significant element is an element having a title element.

53. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the selected elements are elements between the defining element as represented in the first representation and the sibling as represented in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation.

54. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein the sibling is a left sibling and the selected elements further include elements selected recursively from the first representation, the elements being between the defining element and any left sibling in the second representation of any ancestor element in the second representation of the defining element, according to a depth-first ordering of elements of the first representation, when the defining element is a first child element in the second representation of the ancestor element.

55. The computer program product of claim 53, wherein the sibling is a right sibling and no selected elements are from after the defining element in the first representation if the defining element is not a last child element in the second representation.

56. The computer program product of claim 55, wherein the selected elements include elements selected recursively from all elements which are after the defining element in the first representation according to a depth-first ordering of elements in the first representation and which are child elements in the first representation of the ancestors in the second representation of the defining element, if the defining element is a last child element in the second representation.