Method and apparatus for providing access to and working with architectural drawings on the internet
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer implemented method for providing access to architectural documents comprising:
- (a) maintaining, on one or more servers, executing on a computer, accessible from the Internet, persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types;
(b) transferring, to a tool palette of a workspace application executing in an Internet browser window on a display, from the one or more servers via the Internet, a set of two or more different basic architectural virtual design tools, wherein;
(i) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools have persistent properties;
(ii) at least one of the basic architectural virtual design tools may be copied to create an additional basic architectural virtual design tool in the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window;
(iii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools are utilized to perform operations to modify and work with the architectural documents in a virtual workspace displayed in the Internet browser window by the workspace application;
(iv) each of the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools comprises a graphical icon resembling an architectural tool; and
(v) a virtual functionality of the graphical icon resembles a physical functionality of the architectural tool; and
(c) providing, via the workspace application, the virtual workspace in the Internet browser window for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents using the basic architectural virtual design tools.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide access to architectural documents in a network based on-line web based system. Servers that are accessible from the Internet maintain persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types. An online user is provided, from the servers via the Internet, a set of basic virtual design tools that have persistent properties and may be copied. The virtual design tools may also be utilized to work with the architectural documents. A workspace is also provided for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for providing access to architectural documents comprising:
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(a) maintaining, on one or more servers, executing on a computer, accessible from the Internet, persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types; (b) transferring, to a tool palette of a workspace application executing in an Internet browser window on a display, from the one or more servers via the Internet, a set of two or more different basic architectural virtual design tools, wherein; (i) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools have persistent properties; (ii) at least one of the basic architectural virtual design tools may be copied to create an additional basic architectural virtual design tool in the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window; (iii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools are utilized to perform operations to modify and work with the architectural documents in a virtual workspace displayed in the Internet browser window by the workspace application; (iv) each of the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools comprises a graphical icon resembling an architectural tool; and (v) a virtual functionality of the graphical icon resembles a physical functionality of the architectural tool; and (c) providing, via the workspace application, the virtual workspace in the Internet browser window for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents using the basic architectural virtual design tools. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 28, 31)
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10. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:
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(a) a computer having a memory; (b) a web based server, executing on the computer, accessible from the Internet configured to maintain persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types; (c) a set of two or more basic architectural virtual design tools, available to a user via a tool palette, on a display, of a workspace application executing in an Internet browser window through the server, wherein; (i) the two or more different basic architectural virtual design tools are transferred, from the server, to the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window; (ii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools have persistent properties; (iii) at least one of the basic architectural virtual design tools may be copied to create an additional basic architectural virtual design tool in the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window; (iv) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools are utilized to perform operations to modify and work with the architectural documents in a virtual workspace displayed in the Internet browser window by the workspace application; (v) each of the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools comprises a graphical icon resembling an architectural tool; and (vi) a virtual functionality of the graphical icon resembles a physical functionality of the architectural tool; and (d) the virtual workspace, available to a user via the Internet browser window through the server, for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents using the one or more basic architectural virtual design tools. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, 32)
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19. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of providing access to architectural documents, the method steps comprising:
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(a) maintaining, on an interactive web site hosted on a web server, persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types; (b) transferring, to a tool palette of a workspace application executing in an Internet browser window, a set of two or more different basic architectural virtual design tools, wherein; (i) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools have persistent properties; (ii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools may be copied to create an additional basic architectural virtual design tool in the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window; (iii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools are utilized to perform operations to modify and work with the architectural documents in a virtual workspace displayed in the Internet browser window by the workspace application; (iv) each of the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools comprises a graphical icon resembling an architectural tool; and (v) a virtual functionality of the graphical icon resembles a physical functionality of the architectural tool; and (c) providing, via the workspace application, the virtual workspace in the Internet browser window, for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents using the virtual architectural design tools. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 33)
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Specification