Structured focused hypertext data structure
First Claim
1. A hypertexted data structure stored on a computer readable memory device and organized in a hierarchy of at least two levels, the data structure comprising:
- a plurality of data units positioned at different levels in the hierarchy, each containing at least some textual information;
a plurality of hypertext links each linking at least part of the textual information in a given source data unit to a target data unit;
wherein;
at least one of the hypertext links is linked to at least one hypertext node which contains information relating at least to both the given source data unit and the target data unit; and
said information enables a user of a display device connected to a computer reading the memory device to determine the relative positions in the hierarchy of the given source and target data units linked by the hypertext link; and
a plurality of hypertext node types each linked to a respective hypertext node, the hypertext node types including at least one of the following node types;
(a) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the relative positions of the given source data unit and target data unit;
(b) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of graphics in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units; and
(c) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of a utility application in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units.
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Abstract
A structured focused hypertext data structure in which hypertext nodes store identifying information about source and target documents or pages so that their relative positions in a hierarchy and other information can be determined by both a user and a quality control program. The invention facilitates search and navigation through a large multimedia database. The type of information (e.g., graphics, video, utility application) that is contained in a target document or page can also be denoted. A color coding scheme may be used to provide information related to a hyperlink. In a hierarchy, a page may be linked to two or more chapters, or a paragraph may be linked to two or more pages.
55 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A hypertexted data structure stored on a computer readable memory device and organized in a hierarchy of at least two levels, the data structure comprising:
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a plurality of data units positioned at different levels in the hierarchy, each containing at least some textual information;
a plurality of hypertext links each linking at least part of the textual information in a given source data unit to a target data unit;
wherein;
at least one of the hypertext links is linked to at least one hypertext node which contains information relating at least to both the given source data unit and the target data unit; and
said information enables a user of a display device connected to a computer reading the memory device to determine the relative positions in the hierarchy of the given source and target data units linked by the hypertext link; and
a plurality of hypertext node types each linked to a respective hypertext node, the hypertext node types including at least one of the following node types;
(a) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the relative positions of the given source data unit and target data unit;
(b) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of graphics in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units; and
(c) a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of a utility application in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
the at least one hypertext node comprises a data record in a database file.
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3. The data structure of claim 1, wherein:
each of the at least one hypertext nodes comprises a file.
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4. The data structure of claim 1, wherein:
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the hypertext node types comprise a set of visual indicators to be displayed on the display device; and
each visual indicator represents a different node type.
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5. The data structure of claim 4, wherein:
the visual indicators are different colors to be displayed in association with textual information to be displayed at least as part of the respective data unit.
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6. The data structure of claim 1, wherein:
the data units comprise pages and chapters, each chapter being linked to one or more of the pages.
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7. The data structure of claim 6, wherein:
at least one of the hypertext links links each chapter to each of the one or more pages linked to that chapter.
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8. The data structure of claim 6, wherein:
at least one of the pages is simultaneously linked to two or more of the chapters, one chapter of which is labeled as a default chapter for the at least one page.
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9. The data structure of claim 6, wherein:
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the data structure is organized in a hierarchy of at least three levels;
the data units further comprise paragraphs, each paragraph being linked to one or more of the pages; and
at least one paragraph is simultaneously linked to two or more pages.
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10. A hypertexted data structure stored on a computer readable memory device and organized in a hierarchy of at least two levels, the data structure comprising:
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a plurality of data units positioned at different levels in the hierarchy, each containing at least some textual information;
a plurality of hypertext links each linking at least part of the textual information in a given source data unit to a target data unit;
wherein;
at least one of the hypertext links is linked to at least one hypertext node which contains information relating at least to both the given source data unit and the target data unit; and
said information enables a user of a display device connected to a computer reading the memory device to determine the relative positions in the hierarchy of the given source and target data units linked by the hypertext link; and
a plurality of hypertext node types, each linked to a respective hypertext node, the hypertext node types including a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of graphics in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units. - View Dependent Claims (11)
the hypertext node types comprise a set of visual indicators to be displayed on the display device; and
each visual indicator represents a different node type.
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12. A hypertexted data structure stored on a computer readable memory device and organized in a hierarchy of at least two levels, the data structure comprising:
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a plurality of data units positioned at different levels in the hierarchy, each containing at least some textual information;
a plurality of hypertext links each linking at least part of the textual information in a given source data unit to a target data unit;
wherein;
at least one of the hypertext links is linked to at least one hypertext node which contains information relating at least to both the given source data unit and the target data unit; and
said information enables a user of a display device connected to a computer reading the memory device to determine the relative positions in the hierarchy of the given source and target data units linked by the hypertext link; and
a plurality of hypertext node types, each linked to a respective hypertext node, the hypertext node types including a node type linked to each hypertext node determined by the presence of a utility application in the given source data unit, in the given target data unit, or in both the given source and target data units. - View Dependent Claims (13)
the hypertext node types comprise a set of visual indicators to be displayed on the display device; and
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Specification