Computer controlled display system for displaying a three-dimensional document workspace having a means for prefetching linked documents
First Claim
1. In a computer controlled display system for controlling the display of document objects in a three-dimensional document workspace, said three dimensional document workspace having a focus area for interacting with a document object, a method for retrieving document objects for display in said three-dimensional document workspace comprising the steps of:
- a) detecting that a user has indicated that they would like to prefetch document objects linked to a document object in said focus area;
b) displaying said document object in a fetch window in said focus area, said fetch window having a plurality of means for a user to specify fetching options, said fetching options indicating a relationship between said document object in said focus area and said linked document objects;
c) detecting that said user has initiated prefetching of document objects;
d) determining what fetching options said user has specified;
e) retrieving said linked document objects based on said user specified fetching options; and
f) displaying said linked document objects in said fetch window so that they indicate their link relationship with said document object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A means for prefetching linked document objects in a document workspace. A document object may be a document or a document collection. Such document objects have links to other document objects. The prefetching process of the present invention enables a user to obtain document objects linked to a document that they are interacting with before they are needed. Typically, such linked document objects are related so it is likely that they would be needed. The retrieved document objects are displayed so that their linking is indicated using a cone tree visualization. Various controls are provided which enable the user to stop and start the retrieval process, specify the scope and depth of retrieval, and to specify documents for which linked documents should not be retrieved. A history stack area is provided in the document workspace to place prior instances of cone tree visualizations of retrieved document objects.
337 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a computer controlled display system for controlling the display of document objects in a three-dimensional document workspace, said three dimensional document workspace having a focus area for interacting with a document object, a method for retrieving document objects for display in said three-dimensional document workspace comprising the steps of:
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a) detecting that a user has indicated that they would like to prefetch document objects linked to a document object in said focus area; b) displaying said document object in a fetch window in said focus area, said fetch window having a plurality of means for a user to specify fetching options, said fetching options indicating a relationship between said document object in said focus area and said linked document objects; c) detecting that said user has initiated prefetching of document objects; d) determining what fetching options said user has specified; e) retrieving said linked document objects based on said user specified fetching options; and f) displaying said linked document objects in said fetch window so that they indicate their link relationship with said document object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 9, 10)
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5. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for retrieving document objects for a three-dimensional document workspace, said three dimensional document workspace having a focus area for interacting with a document object, said method steps comprising:
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a) detecting that a user has indicated that they would like to prefetch document objects linked to a document object in said focus area; b) displaying said document object in a fetch window in said focus area, said fetch window having a plurality of means for a user to specify fetching options, said fetching options indicating a relationship between said document object in said focus area and said linked document objects; c) detecting that said user has initiated prefetching of document objects; d) determining what fetching options said user has specified e) retrieving said linked document objects based on said user specified fetching options; and f) displaying said linked document objects in said fetch window so that they indicate their link relationship with said document object. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 11, 12)
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13. A computer controlled display system for displaying document objects in a three-dimensional document workspace on a display, said three dimensional document workspace having a focus area for interacting with a document object, said computer controlled display system including a document object retrieval element, said document object retrieval element comprising:
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a first detecting element for detecting a user has requested that documents associated with a document object displayed in said focus area be retrieved; a fetch window display element responsive to said first detecting element, said fetch window display element for causing the display of said document object in a fetch window in said focus area, said fetch window having a plurality of means for a user to specify fetching options, said fetching options indicating a relationship between said document object in said focus area and said linked document objects; a retrieval element for causing the retrieval of document objects responsive to fetching options specified by said user; and a document object display element for causing retrieved documents to be displayed in said fetch window so that they indicate their link relationship with said document object. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for document retrieval from a collection of linked documents based on a currently viewed document having links to other documents in said collection, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) detecting a user request to retrieve linked documents; b) displaying retrieval scope options to said user; c) displaying a retrieval object showing a representation of said currently viewed document; d) retrieving linked documents based on said retrieval scope; and e) displaying a modified retrieval object showing said representation of said currently viewed document and said retrieved linked documents in a manner indicating the link relationship between said currently viewed document and said retrieved linked documents. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification