Multi-document context aware annotation system

• US 20040216032A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Soroka, Vladimir, Ribak, Amnon, Ur, Sigalit, Amitay, Einat, Jacovi, Michal
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A method for document annotation includes providing a contextual framework extending over multiple electronic documents. Annotations are input to a computer by a user with respect to two or more of the documents, while the user views the documents on a computer screen. Each of the annotations is stored together with respective context information in a memory of the computer, the context information including multiple fields defined by the framework. The annotations are sorted with respect to the two or more documents according to one or more of the multiple fields of the respective context information, and the sorted annotations are output for viewing by the user.

Claims

1. A method for document annotation, comprising:

providing a contextual framework extending over multiple electronic documents;

receiving annotations input to a computer by a user with respect to two or more of the documents, while the user views the documents on a computer screen;

storing each of the annotations together with respective context information in a memory of the computer, the context information comprising multiple fields defined by the framework;

sorting the annotations with respect to the two or more documents according to one or more of the multiple fields of the respective context information; and

outputting the sorted annotations for viewing by the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the annotations comprises receiving first annotations with respect to a first document, which is viewed by the user using a first software application on the computer, and receiving second annotations with respect to a second document, which is viewed by the user using a second software application on the computer, wherein the contextual framework extends over at least the first and second software applications.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein storing each of the annotations comprises storing the first and second annotations together in a data structure that is substantially independent of the first and second applications.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data structure is a database comprising the multiple fields.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein storing each of the annotations comprises storing, together with each of at least some of the annotations, an image of at least a portion of the computer screen viewed by the user while inputting the annotations, in an image format that is substantially independent of the first and second software applications, and wherein outputting the stored annotations comprises displaying the image.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein outputting the sorted annotations comprises creating a unified view of the annotations received with respect to both the first and second software applications.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the annotations comprises receiving an input from the user selecting one of the documents and indicating a location in the one of the documents at which one of the annotations is to be, made, and wherein the multiple fields of the context information comprise a file name of the one of the documents and the location.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein receiving the annotations further comprises, in response to the input, opening a window on the computer screen in which the user is to enter the one of the annotations.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein sorting the annotations comprises sorting the annotations by the file name and location.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing each of the annotations comprises storing the annotations with respective time stamps.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein sorting the annotations comprises sorting the annotations, responsively to the time stamps, according to an order in which the annotations were input by the user.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein sorting the annotations comprises selecting for output, responsively to the context information, a subset of the annotations indicated by the user.

13. The method according to claim 1, and comprising performing a free text search of the annotations received with respect to the two or more documents, and sorting the annotations responsively to the free text search.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein sorting the annotations comprises merging the annotations created by multiple users into a single list, which is sorted according to the one or more of the multiple fields.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the contextual framework comprises receiving an agenda of a conference at which the two or more of the documents are to be presented, and defining at least some of the multiple fields in the framework based on the agenda.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein storing each of the annotations comprises prompting the user to input to the computer the context information to be stored in at least one of the multiple fields.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple fields comprise one or more context fields selected from a group of the context fields consisting of a file name of one of the documents, a software application type of one of the documents, a topic of one of the documents, a title of one of the documents, an author or presenter of one of the documents, an annotation location in one of the documents, a time stamp, and an identification of the user.

18. Apparatus for document annotation, comprising:

a workstation processor;

a memory;

a display, coupled to be driven by the workstation to display documents for viewing by a user; and

a user input device, which is coupled to receive annotations input by the user while viewing the documents on the display,

wherein the processor is arranged to provide a contextual framework extending over multiple electronic documents, such that upon receiving the annotations input by the user with respect to two or more of the documents, the processor stores each of the annotations in the memory together with respective context information comprising multiple fields defined by the framework, the processor being further arranged to sort the annotations with respect to the two or more documents according to one or more of the multiple fields of the respective context information, and to output the sorted annotations for viewing by the user.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the annotations comprise first annotations with respect to a first document, which is viewed by the user using a first software application running on the processor, and second annotations with respect to a second document, which is viewed by the user using a second software application running on the processor, wherein the contextual framework extends over at least the first and second software applications.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processor is arranged to store the first and second annotations together in a data structure that is substantially independent of the first and second applications.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the data structure is a database comprising the multiple fields.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processor is adapted to store, together with each of at least some of the annotations, an image of at least a portion of a computer screen viewed by the user on the display while inputting the annotations, in an image format that is substantially independent of the first and second software applications, and to display the image while outputting the stored annotations.

23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the processor is adapted to create a unified view of the annotations received with respect to both the first and second software applications.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged, upon receiving from the input device an input made by the user selecting one of the documents and indicating a location in the one of the documents at which one of the annotations is to be made, to store in the context information a file name of the one of the documents and the location.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the processor is arranged, in response to the input, to open a window on the display in which the user is to enter the one of the annotations.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the processor is arranged to sort the annotations by the file name and location.

27. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to store the annotations with respective time stamps.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processor is arranged to sort the annotations, responsively to the time stamps, according to an order in which the annotations were input by the user.

29. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to output, responsively to the context information, a subset of the annotations selected by the user.

30. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to perform a free text search of the annotations received with respect to the two or more documents, and to sort the annotations responsively to the free text search.

31. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to merge the annotations created by multiple users into a single list, which is sorted according to the one or more of the multiple fields.

32. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to receive an agenda of a conference at which the two or more of the documents are to be presented, and to define at least some of the multiple fields in the framework based on the agenda.

33. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the processor is arranged to prompt the user to input to the computer the context information to be stored in at least one of the multiple fields.

34. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the multiple fields comprise one or more context fields selected from a group of the context fields consisting of a file name of one of the documents, a software application type of one of the documents, a topic of one of the documents, a title of one of the documents, an author or presenter of one of the documents, an annotation location in one of the documents, a time stamp, and an identification of the user.

35. A computer software product, comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to provide a contextual framework extending over multiple electronic documents, to receive annotations input to the computer by a user with respect to two or more of the documents, while the user views the documents on a computer screen and to store each of the annotations together with respective context information in a memory of the computer, the context information comprising multiple fields defined by the framework, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to sort the annotations with respect to the two or more documents according to one or more of the multiple fields of the respective context information, and to output the sorted annotations for viewing by the user.

36. The product according to claim 35, wherein the annotations comprise first annotations with respect to a first document, which is viewed by the user using a first software application running on the computer, and second annotations with respect to a second document, which is viewed by the user using a second software application running on the computer, wherein the contextual framework extends over at least the first and second software applications.

37. The product according to claim 36, wherein the instructions cause the computer to store the first and second annotations together in a data structure that is substantially independent of the first and second applications.

38. The product according to claim 37, wherein the data structure is a database comprising the multiple fields.

39. The product according to claim 36, wherein the instructions cause the computer to store, together with each of at least some of the annotations, an image of at least a portion of the computer screen viewed by the user while inputting the annotations, in an image format that is substantially independent of the first and second software applications, and to display the image while outputting the stored annotations.

40. The product according to claim 36, wherein the instructions cause the computer to create a unified view of the annotations received with respect to both the first and second software applications.

41. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer, upon receiving from the input device an input made by the user selecting one of the documents and indicating a location in the one of the documents at which one of the annotations is to be made, to store in the context information a file name of the one of the documents and the location.

42. The product according to claim 41, wherein the instructions cause the computer, in response to the input, to open a window on the computer screen in which the user is to enter the one of the annotations.

43. The product according to claim 41, wherein the instructions cause the computer to sort the annotations by the file name and location.

44. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to store the annotations with respective time stamps.

45. The product according to claim 44, wherein the instructions cause the computer to sort the annotations, responsively to the time stamps, according to an order in which the annotations were input by the user.

46. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to output, responsively to the context information, a subset of the annotations selected by the user.

47. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to perform a free text search of the annotations received with respect to the two or more documents, and to sort the annotations responsively to the free text search.

48. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to merge the annotations created by multiple users into a single list, which is sorted according to the one or more of the multiple fields.

49. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to receive an agenda of a conference at which the two or more of the documents are to be presented, and to define at least some of the multiple fields in the framework based on the agenda.

50. The product according to claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the computer to prompt the user to input to the computer the context information to be stored in at least one of the multiple fields.

51. The product according to claim 35, wherein the multiple fields comprise one or more context fields selected from a group of the context fields consisting of a file name of one of the documents, a software application type of one of the documents, a topic of one of the documents, a title of one of the documents, an author or presenter of one of the documents, an annotation location in one of the documents, a time stamp, and an identification of the user.