Method for non-linear document conversion and printing

• US 6,507,410 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Brook, John Charles, Robertson, Philip Keith, Bruce, Stephen Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLERSON, MARK E
• Application Number:
  US09/148,475
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/1.12, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/1.18, 707/512, 707/513, 707/514, 707/515
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

A document creation system and method in which electronic information intended for reproduction and including at least one hyperlink is accessed. The accesses information is formatted into a contiguous localized document in a reproducible format into which is incorporated at least one functional link related to a hyperlink. The functional link is reproducible in a material form in the localized document for replicating a function associated with the hyperlinks. The localized document can then be displayed to reveal the function links which are manually traversable. Display is typically by printing and the functional links may include printed lines, cutouts in the paper or tabs applied to the paper.

Claims

1. A method of creating a representation of information from at least one electronically accessible source of said information, said information including at least one referential link between first matter in said information and second matter in said information, said method comprising the steps of:

electronically extracting said information from said at least one source;

identifying said referential link to establish a corresponding referential path between the first matter and the second matter;

arranging the information as a document in a format suitable for hard copy reproduction in which each of said first matter and said second matter are individually identifiable; and

using said referential path to provide in said document, a user-manipulable functional link that refers a user from a first portion representative of the first matter to a second portion representative of the second matter on the hard copy reproduction.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second matter comprise corresponding first and second locations within said information.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second matter comprise corresponding first and second content within said information.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information at said source forms an electronically accessible non-linear document and said document comprises said matter arranged in a linear fashion, said method preserving original referential links in said document using said functional links to provide a non-linear means for accessing said matter within said document.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of creating a sequential document from said extracted information and inserting into said sequential document at least one non-sequential link between said first matter and said second matter.

6. A method according claim 1, wherein said information is from a nonlinear source and said arranging includes arranging said information to be linear within said document.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said referential path is updated and maintained whilst the information is being arranged into said format.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said format comprises at least one displayable page for reproducing the information and said referential path comprises a mapping between the first matter and the second matter as those matters are reproducible said at least one displayable page.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said referential link comprises a hyperlink between the two matters.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said information is sourced as data network and said hyperlink represents a virtual path interconnecting first matter with the second matter via the data network.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the functional link comprises an observable device that refers the user from the first matter to the second matter, said device being incorporated into said format in addition to said information.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein observable devices of one functional link are reproducible in a first colour scheme and observable devices of another functional link are reproducible in a second colour scheme different front the first colour scheme.

13. A method according to claim 11, comprising the further step of displaying said document upon a medium using a hard copy reproduction device.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the incorporation of said referential path comprises physical alteration to said medium.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said device imp comprises a rendered link coupling the two matters.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said device comprises a portion on a first display page that provides a link between the first matter on said first display page and the second matter on a second display page.

17. A method according to claims 16, wherein the information is arranged for display by printing said functional link onto said medium.

18. A method according to claim 16, comprising the further step of displaying said document on a display screen.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said functional link comprises selectable portions that emulate a hard copy reproduction of said document.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said portion comprises an icon incorporated in the display of said document manipulable to transverse the displayed document from the first matter to the second matter.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein said portion comprises a physical alteration of said medium.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said portion comprises a tab attached to the medium.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said portion comprises a cutout in the medium.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said document comprises a plurality of said cutouts, at least two of said cutouts being nested at corresponding locations on different pages of said document.

25. A displayable document comprising information for hard copy reproduction, said information including a identifiable first link between first matter within said document and second matter within said document, to provide in said document a user-manipulable functional second link that refers a user from a portion representative of the first matter to a portion representative of the second matter on the hard copy reproduction of said document.

26. A document according to claim 25, wherein said information is extracted from a non-linear source and said document comprises of linearly arranged information.

27. A document according to claim 25, wherein said functional second link visually and/or physically refers the user from the first matter to the second matter.

28. A document according to claim 27, wherein the visual reference comprises a rendered link in the hard copy reproduced document coupling the first matter with the second matter.

29. A document according to claim 28, wherein the visual reference comprises a physical alteration of the medium upon which the document is reproduced.

30. A computer readable medium having encoded thereon a linearly arranged physically reproducible document including at least one hyperlink between first matter and second matter, said link forming in said document as a user manipulable functional link that refers a user from a first portion representative of the first matter to a second portion representative of the second matter on a hard copy reproduction of said document.

31. A computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein said medium is selected from the group consisting of a magnetic disk device, an optical disk device, a tape device and a computer network.

32. A non-linear access method for a hard copy document, said hard copy document comprising linearly arranged information and at least one link which is physically incorporated in said hard copy document and coupling first matter in said information with second matter, said method comprising the steps of:

observing a reproduction of said first matter in said information distinguishable from other of said information; and

tracing a physical indicia in said hard copy document distinguishable from said information from said first matter to identify said second matter, to provide in said hard copy document a user-manipulable functional link that refers a user from a portion representative of the first matter to a portion representative of the second matter on the hard copy reproduction.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said physical indicia comprises a physical alteration of one of a plurality of pages of said hard copy document, and said tracing comprises using said alteration to traverse from said one page comprising said first matter to another page comprising said second matter.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein said linearly arranged information is extracted from a non-linear source.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein said physical indicia comprises a line printed on said hard copy document and coupling said first matter with said second matter;

and said tracing comprises following said line.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein said incorporation of said physical indicia comprises physical alteration to one of a plurality of said pages of said hard copy document.

37. A method of creating a representation of information from at least one electronically accessible source of said information, said information including at least one referential link between first matter in said information and second matter in said information, said method comprising the steps of:

deriving said information from said source;

identifying said at least one referential link to establish a respective referential path between the first matter and the second matter;

arranging the information as a document in a format suitable for hard copy reproduction in which each of said first matter and said second matter are identifiable; and

using said referential path to provide in said document a user-manipulable functional link that refers a user from a portion representative of the first matter to a portion representative of the second matter on the hard copy reproduction, the functional link including an observable device that refers the user from the first matter to the second matter, said device being incorporated into said format in addition to said information.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein said device comprises at least one of:

a rendered link coupling the two matters;

a portion of a first display page that provides a link between the first matter on said first display page and the second matter on a second display page; and

a portion on said second display page that provides a link between the first matter on said first display page and the second matter on the second display page.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein said deriving includes creating said information.

40. A method according to claim 37, wherein source of said information is non-linear and said arranging includes arranging the information linearly into the document.

41. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium incorporating a series of instructions interpretable by a computer for creating a document, said computer program product including:

a first module for accessing electronic information intended for reproduction, the information including at least one hyperlink;

a second module for formatting the accessed information as a contiguous localized document in a reproducible format;

a third module for incorporating into said localized document at least one functional link related to said at least one hyperlink, said at least one functional link being reproducible in said localized document for replicating a user-manipulable function associated with said at least one hyperlink; and

a fourth module for displaying the localized document.

42. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said localized document is configured for hard copy reproduction by printing and said fourth module includes instructions for controlling a printer for reproducing said localized document on a recording medium.

43. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said indicia are selected from the group consisting of a line printed on said medium, a symbol printed on said medium, a cut-out portion of said medium, and a tag applied to said medium.

44. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said third module includes instructions for converting referential links in said accessed information into physically reproducible links within said localized document.

45. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said first module includes instructions for accessing said information from a plurality of non-linear sources via a computer network, the sources including hyperlinks connecting one another, and said second module includes instructions for formatting said accessed information as said localized document according to predetermined hard copy reproduction criteria within which instructions of said third module are configured to create said functional links.

46. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said first module includes instructions for creating said information.

47. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein said information is from a non-linear source.

48. A computer program product according to claim 41, wherein each said functional link includes indicia, reproducible in a material form to replicate, upon interpretation of said localized document said at least one hyperlink.

49. A computer program product according to claim 48, wherein said fourth module including instructions for creating said indicia with said recording medium.

50. A computer program product according to claim 48, wherein said means for displaying comprises a video display upon which said localized document incorporating said indicia can be at least viewed and said fourth module includes instructions for traversing said localised document via said indicia to functionally replicate said at least one hyperlink.

51. A computer readable medium incorporating a series of instructions interpretable by a computer for creating a document, said computer readable medium including:

a first module for accessing electronic information intended for reproduction, the information including at least one hyperlink;

a second module for formatting the accessed information as a contiguous localized document in a reproducible format;

a third module for incorporating into said localized document at least one functional link related to said at least one hyperlink, said at least one functional link being reproducible in said localized document to provide in said localized document a user-manipulable functional link that refers a user from a first portion representative of the first matter to a second portion representative of the second matter on the hard copy reproduction; and

a fourth module for displaying the localized document.

52. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said localized document is configured for hard copy reproduction by printing and said fourth module includes instructions for controlling a printer for reproducing said localized document on a recording medium.

53. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said indicia are selected from the group consisting of a line printed on said medium, a symbol printed on said medium, a cut-out portion of said medium, and a tag applied to said medium.

54. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said third module includes instructions for converting referential links in said accessed information into physically reproducible links within said localized document.

55. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said first module includes instructions for accessing said information from a plurality of non-linear sources via a computer network the sources including hyperlinks connecting one another, and said second module includes instructions for formatting said accessed information as said localized document according to predetermined hard copy reproduction criteria within which instructions of said third module are configured to create said functional links.

56. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein said first module includes instructions for creating said information.

57. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein the electronic information is non-linear and said formatting includes formatting the extracted information linearly into the document.

58. A computer readable medium according to claim 51, wherein each said functional link includes indicia, reproducible in a material form to replicate, upon interpretation of said localized document, said at least one hyperlink.

59. A computer readable medium according to claim 58, wherein said fourth module including instructions for creating said indicia with said recording medium.

60. A computer readable medium according to claim 58, wherein said means for displaying comprises a video display upon which said localized document incorporating said indicia can be at least viewed and said fourth module includes instructions for traversing said localised document via said indicia to functionally replicate said at least one hyperlink.