User interface management through view depth
First Claim
1. A method for presenting a hierarchical structure, comprising:
- receiving the hierarchical structure expressed in a first digital format, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
forming a tree model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node of the tree model and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
using the tree model to produce an original script expressed in a second digital format, wherein the original script includes the presentation properties of the elements represented by nodes in;
(i) the same level as an original focus node, and wherein the original focus node is the node representing the element having focus, and (ii) a selected number of levels higher than the level of the original focus node; and
providing the original script.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Several different methods for presenting (e.g., displaying) a hierarchical structure are presented. The hierarchical structure includes multiple elements, and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements. The hierarchical structure may be embodied within an electronic document such as a Web document, an interactive application program, or a map divided into sections. Each element has a “presentation property” which may be a value or a function. A single one of the elements has “focus” (e.g., in accordance with the coding of the document by an author, by default, etc.). A “view depth” method includes forming a model (e.g., a tree structure) of the hierarchical structure. The model includes multiple levels ranked with respect to one another, multiple nodes representing elements, and at least one branch.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for presenting a hierarchical structure, comprising:
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receiving the hierarchical structure expressed in a first digital format, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
forming a tree model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node of the tree model and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
using the tree model to produce an original script expressed in a second digital format, wherein the original script includes the presentation properties of the elements represented by nodes in;
(i) the same level as an original focus node, and wherein the original focus node is the node representing the element having focus, and (ii) a selected number of levels higher than the level of the original focus node; and
providing the original script. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
receiving an event, wherein the event signals a change in the element having focus, using the tree model to produce a now script in response to the event and expressed in the second digital format, wherein the new script includes the presentation properties of the elements represented by nodes in;
(i) the same level as a new focus node, wherein the new focus node is the node representing the element having focus as a result of the change in focus signaled by the event, and (ii) the selected number of levels higher than the level of the new focus node; and
providing the new script.
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9. A method for presenting a hierarchical structure, comprising:
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receiving an original script expressed in a digital format, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus, and wherein the original script is derived from a tree model of the hierarchical structure having a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another and a plurality of nodes, and wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein the original script includes the presentation properties of elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level of the tree model as an original focus node, wherein the original focus node is the node representing the element having focus, and (ii) a selected number of levels higher than the level of the original focus node; and
presenting the presentation properties within the original script. - View Dependent Claims (10)
generating an event in response to user input, wherein the event signals a change in the element having focus;
providing the event;
receiving a new script expressed in the digital format and derived from the tree model, wherein the now script includes the presentation properties of elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level of the tree model as a new focus node, wherein the new focus node is the node representing the element having focus as a result of the change in focus signaled by the event, and (ii) in the selected number of levels higher than the level of the new; and
presenting the presentation properties within the new script.
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11. A method for presenting a hierarchical structure, comprising:
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receiving the hierarchical structure expressed in a first digital format, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
forming a tree model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node of the tree model and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
using the tree model to produce an original script expressed in a second digital format, wherein the original script includes the presentation properties of the elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level as an original focus node, and wherein the original focus node is the node representing the element having focus, and (ii) in a selected number of levels higher than the level of the original focus node;
presenting the presentation properties within the original script;
generating an event in response to user input, wherein the event signals a change in the element having focus;
using the tree model to produce a new script in response to the event and expressed in the second digital format, wherein the new script includes the presentation properties of elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level as a new focus node, wherein the new focus node is the node representing the element having focus as a result of the change in focus signaled by the event, and (ii) in the selected number of levels higher than the level of the new focus node; and
presenting the presentation properties within the new script.
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12. A system for delivering a hierarchical structure, comprising:
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a transcoder proxy configured to;
receive the hierarchical structure expressed in a first digital format, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
form a tree model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node of the tree model and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
use the tree model to produce an original script expressed in a second digital format, wherein the original script includes the presentation properties of the elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level as an original focus node, and wherein the original focus node is the node representing the element having focus, and (ii) in a selected number of levels higher than the level of the original focus node; and
provide the original script; and
a client machine coupled to the transcoder proxy, wherein the client machine comprises;
an output device; and
a user agent coupled to the output device and configured to;
receive the original script;
form presentation information in response to the original script, wherein the presentation information includes the presentation properties within the original script;
use the presentation information to produce output commands; and
provide the output commands to the output device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
generate an event in response to user input, wherein the event signals a change in the element having focus; and
provide the event.
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14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the transcoder proxy is further configured to:
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receive the event;
use the tree model to produce a new script in response to the event and expressed in the second digital format, wherein the new script includes the presentation properties of elements represented by nodes;
(i) in the same level as a new focus node, wherein the new focus node is the node representing the element having focus as a result of the change in focus signaled by the event, and (ii) in the selected number of levels higher than the level of the new; and
provide the new script.
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15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the user agent of the client machine is further configured to:
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receive the new script; and
modify the presentation information in response to the new script.
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16. A method for presenting a hierarchical structure, comprising:
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receiving the hierarchical structure, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, and wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
forming a model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, and wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch, selecting a first portion of the model, comprising;
nodes in the same level as a focus node, wherein the focus node is the node representing the element having focus; and
nodes in a selected number of levels higher than the level of the focus node; and
selecting a second portion of the model, comprising;
nodes along a path in the model from the root node to the focus node; and
nodes in a level higher than the level of the focus node and coupled to the focus node by one or more branches; and
presenting the presentation properties of elements represented by nodes within both the first and second portions of the model.- View Dependent Claims (18)
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- 17. The method as recited in claim, wherein the path is a route from the root node to the focus node formed along branches.
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19. A computer system, comprising:
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a host application configured to;
access a hierarchical structure, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements, expressed in a first digital format and defines hierarchical relationship between the elements, wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
form a model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node and occupies a highest level, wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
a client application coupled to the host application and configured to;
access the model of the hierarchical structure;
generate a set of presentation properties, wherein the set of presentation properties comprises the property or each element represented by a node in the same level as a focus node, wherein the focus node is the node representing the element having focus; and
provide the set of presentation properties, as an original script expressed in a second digital an output device; and
a user agent coupled to the output device to receive the set of presentation properties, wherein the user agent is configured to;
use the set of presentation properties to produce output commands; and
provide the output commands to the output device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer system, comprising:
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a host application;
a client application coupled to the host application and configured to;
access a hierarchical structure via the host application, wherein the hierarchical structure includes a plurality of elements, expressed in a first digital format and defines hierarchical relationships between the elements, wherein each element has a presentation property, and wherein a single one of the elements has focus;
form a model of the hierarchical structure comprising a plurality of levels ranked with respect to one another, a plurality of nodes, and at least one branch, wherein each node represents a single one of the elements, wherein a single one of the nodes is a root node and occupies a highest level, and wherein a given branch connects a first node in a first level to a second node in a level directly below the first level, and wherein each branch represents a hierarchical relationship between the nodes connected by the branch;
generate a set of presentation properties, wherein the set of presentation properties comprises the property of each element represented by a node in the same level as a focus node, wherein the focus node is the node representing the element having focus; and
provide the set of presentation properties as an original script expressed in a second digital format;
an output device; and
a user agent coupled to the output device to receive the set of presentation properties, wherein the user agent is configured to;
Use the set of presentation properties to produce output commands; and
provide the output commands to the output device.
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Specification