Method and system for generating a file containing graphical displays from content stored on a computing network location

• US 7,085,770 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boegelund, Flemming, Hicks, Steven Earl, Chatman, Bruce D., Bennett, Carl O. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US10/062,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/101, 707/102, 715/513, 715/501.1, 709/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A user compiling graphic slides for a presentation has the ability search or navigate through a presentation slide repository, select slides that the user desires, download the selected slides to a file at the location of the user and convert these slides into a slide presentation format using a slide program such as PowerPoint.RTM. In this method, the navigation and download slide steps can be performed in a browser on a computer network environment. The conversion and display function can be performed with software located in the user machine optionally in combination with server side software.

Claims

1. A method for creating a file containing graphical displays selected from a display repository on a computer network location comprising the steps of:

initially creating a bookmark file for the selected display addresses;

placing the address of selected display from the display repository in a bookmark file;

determining whether the bookmark file is complete, by detecting a close file command;

retrieving selected displays using the addresses contained in the bookmark file;

loading the retrieved displays into a display file; and

creating a custom slide display from the retrieved and loaded displays.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising before said planing addresses in bookmark file step, the step of displaying the hierarchical information of the display repository on a viewer screen, the hierarchical display containing directories, sub-directories, categories of graphical display sets and display groups within the display sets.

3. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the repository hierarchical information display step further comprises:

displaying a set of main folders in the display repository;

displaying the directory for a selected main folder; and

displaying a series of sub-directories in response to selections by a user until a desired display group is reached and selected.

4. The method as described in claim 3 further comprising displaying a selected display on a display screen.

5. The method as described in claim 4 further comprising the step of retrieving display address information contained in the selected display.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said display loading step further comprises:

creating a display file;

retrieving the designated bookmark file;

retrieving display address information from the designated bookmark file;

locating displays corresponding to the display addresses in the bookmark file;

retrieving a copy of each located display;

storing the copy of the located display in the display file;

repeating said display locating, copy retrieving and copy storing steps for each address in the bookmark file;

sending complete display file to local computing device; and

creating display presentation using graphical presentation tools.

7. The method as described in claim 6 further comprising alter said bookmark file retrieval step the steps of determining the number of address entries in the bookmark file and initially setting a display counter to zero.

8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said repeating step further comprises the steps of:

incrementing the display counter by one after storing each copy of a retrieved display;

comparing die current number in the display counter with the determined number of addresses in the bookmark file; and

returning to the locating the address for the next display in the bookmark file step, when the determined number addresses in the bookmark file is greater than the current number in the counter.

9. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said repeating step further comprises the steps of:

incrementing the display counter by one after storing each copy of a retrieved display, comparing the current number in the display counter with the determined number of addresses in the bookmark file; and

compiling displays in the display for transmission to a local computing device, when the determined number addresses in the bookmark file is not greater than the current number in the counter.

10. The method as described in claim 6 wherein said creating presentation step further comprises converting displays in the display from the format of the displays as stored in the repository to a format for display presentation.

11. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for creating a file containing graphical displays selected from a display repository on a computer network location comprising:

instructions for initially creating a bookmark file for the selected display addresses;

instructions for placing the address of selected display from the display repository in a bookmark file;

instructions for determining whether the bookmark file is complete by detecting a close file command;

instructions for retrieving selected displays using the addresses contained in the bookmark file;

instructions for loading the retrieved displays into a display file; and

instructions for creating a custom slide display from the retrieved and loaded displays.

12. The computer program product as described in claim 11 further comprising before said instructions for placing addresses in bookmark file, instructions for displaying the hierarchical information of the display repository on a viewer screen, the hierarchical display containing directories, sub-directories, categories of graphical display sets and display groups within the display sets.

13. The computer program product as described in claim 12 wherein the repository hierarchical information display instructions further comprise:

instructions for displaying a set of main folders in the display repository;

instructions for displaying the directory for a selected main folder; and

instructions for displaying a series of sub-directories in response to selections by a user until a desired display group is reached and selected.

14. The computer program product as described in claim 13 further comprising instructions for displaying a selected display on a screen for view by a user.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising instructions for retrieving display address information contained in the selected display.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 11 wherein said display loading instructions further comprise:

instructions for creating a display file;

instructions for retrieving the designated bookmark file;

instructions for retrieving display address information from the designated bookmark file;

instructions for locating displays corresponding to the display addresses in the bookmark file;

instructions for retrieving a copy of each located display;

instructions for storing the copy of the located display in the display file;

instructions for repeating said display locating, copy retrieving and copy storing instructions for each address in the bookmark file;

instructions for sending complete display file to local computing device; and

instructions for creating display presentation using graphical presentation tools.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 16 further comprising alter said bookmark file retrieval instructions, instructions for determining the number of address entries in the bookmark file and instructions for initially setting a display counter to zero.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein said repeating instructions further comprise:

instructions for incrementing the display counter by one after storing each copy of a retrieved display,

instructions for comparing the current number in the display counter with the determined number of addresses in the bookmark file; and

instructions for returning to the locating the address for the next display in the bookmark file instructions, when the determined number addresses in the bookmark file is greater than the current number in the counter.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 17 wherein said repeating instructions further comprise:

instructions for incrementing the display counter by one after storing each copy of a retrieved display;

instructions for comparing the current number in the display counter with the determined number of addresses in the bookmark file; and

instructions for compiling displays in the display for transmission to a local computing device, when the determined number addresses in the bookmark file is not greater than the current number in the counter.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 16 wherein said creating presentation step further comprises converting displays in the display from the format of the displays as stored in the repository to a format for display presentation.

21. A system for generating a display file containing graphical displays stored in a repository at a computing network location comprising:

a display repository housed in a containing graphical displays, said displays being arranged into sets of displays and stored in said repository in a directory hierarchical tree configuration containing a series of sub-directories that link to the location of a display in said repository;

a local computing machine having the capability to create a bookmark file for selected display addresses;

a software program contained in said local computing machine capable of detecting whether a bookmark file is completed by detecting a close file command;

a computer network for establishing communication between said local computer and said display repository; and

a display file generating program for assembling a display file from displays stored in a display file repository.

22. The system as described in claim 21 wherein said display repository resides in a server machine on said computer network.

23. The system as described in claim 21 further comprising a navigator program for maneuvering through the directories and sub-directories of graphical displays in the display repository.

24. The system as described in claim 23 further comprising a display presentation program for displaying the graphical displays in the generated display file on said local computer machine.

25. The system as described in claim 24 wherein said display presentation program further comprises a conversion program for converting displays from a format for staring the displays in the repository on the computing network to a format for displaying such displays on said local computing machine.

26. The system as described in claim 21 wherein said display file generating program further comprises:

a module for creating a book mark file and storing addresses corresponding to the locations in the repository of the graphical displays in the book mark file;

a module for creating a display file for storing copies of displays wit corresponding addresses stored in the book mark file; and

a module for transmitting a display file over the computing network to a local computing machine.