System and method for adaptive document layout via manifold content

• US 20050102628A1
• Filed: 12/04/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Salesin, David, Jacobs, Charles, Li, Wilmot
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/904 Display with fail/safe testing feature

Abstract

A system and method for improving document layout on arbitrary devices of different resolutions and size using manifold representations of content. Manifold representations of content are: multiple versions of anything that might appear in a document, from text, to images, to even such things as stylistic conventions. The specific content is selected and formatted dynamically, on the fly, by a layout engine in order to best adapt to a given viewing situation. A user interface for authoring and editing such manifold content is disclosed.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

16. A graphic user interface for authoring an electronic document viewed on a display device, comprising a user interface for authoring alternate versions of document content.

17. The graphic user interface of claim 16 further comprising

an edit view pane for displaying a linear version of document content;

and

an alternate version view pane for displaying alternate versions of document content.

18. The graphic user interface of claim 16 wherein alternate versions of document content are indicated by an indicator associated with that portion of document content.

19. The graphic user interface of claim 18 wherein said indicator is a line beneath that portion of document content.

20. The graphic user interface of claim 16 wherein hovering with an input device cursor over a region of document content configurable into alternate document content further comprises bringing up a menu with editing choices.

21. The graphic user interface of claim 20 wherein said menu of editing choices comprises at least one of the following user options:

select version, which when activated highlights selected content in said alternate version view pane along with other unhighlighted versions of document content;

pop selection, which when activated displays the highest level of alternate version content if nested versions of alternate content exist;

create version, which when activated to creates a version of alternate content; and

freeze version, which when activated to prevent a version of alternate content from being changed.

22. The graphic user interface of claim 19 wherein alternate versions of document content are nested, and wherein only the outermost level of alternate content is indicated with a line underneath.

23. The graphic user interface of claim 22 wherein overlapping versions of alternate content are not underlined twice and wherein:

only the outermost shell of alternate content is displayed with an underline for alternate content that is selected;

alternate content outside the selected version of alternate content is displayed with an underline; and

the user can display change a currently selected region of alternate content by selecting another region of alternate content that is displayed.

24. The graphic user interface of claim 17 wherein the user can change a first version of alternate content that is displayed in the edit view pane by selecting a second version of alternate content displayed in alternate version view pane, said second version of alternate content then replacing said first version in the edit view pane.

25. The graphic user interface of claim 17 wherein an indicator is drawn to the left margin of the beginning of each piece of alternate version content in the alternate version view pane to indicate a start of an alternate version of document content.

26. The graphic user interface of claim 17 wherein a user can add alternate versions of document content by copying document content or by entering the alternate version in the alternate version view pane.

27. The graphic user interface of claim 17 wherein an image version of alternate content is identified by an icon.

28. The graphic user interface of claim 27 wherein backspacing over said icon removes said image file.

29. The graphic user interface of claim 27 wherein a user can view an image file in a separate view pane by clicking on the menu with an input device to bring up a menu and choosing an option that allows image viewing.

30. The graphic user interface of claim 17 wherein hovering over a portion of alternate content with an input device cursor in the alternate version pane provides a menu of user options.

31. The graphic user interface of claim 30 wherein said menu comprises at least one of the following user options:

add version, to add a new version of alternate content;

delete version, to delete a version of alternate content; and

copy version, to copy a version of alternate content.

32. The graphic user interface of claim 17 further comprising text editing functionality of at least one of:

selecting font type;

selecting font size; and

selecting font style.