CONSTRAINED DIGITAL TEXT READER

• US 20140143664A1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quillsoft Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Quillsoft Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsang, Vivian, Jacob, David, Shein, Fraser
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/256
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A text display system provides a restricted copy-and-paste operation such that only a limited percentage less than 100% of a source text can be copied. The strategy assumes that a document contains a plurality of words and sentences that a restriction can be placed upon. While it is possible to highlight any amount of text via a typical select function (e.g., mouse drag over text), depending on the number of words at the sentence, paragraph or document level, the present invention limits how much of the selected text can be copied. The system provides the user with instant feedback via visual, tactile or other means, when a selection exceeds the system-imposed limit. The restriction permits the copy-and-paste operation of key ideas from the source text, potentially for further elaboration upon in future writing, and yet discourages indiscriminant copying leading to plagiarism.

Claims

1. A method of modifying a digital text reader to constrain text copying, the digital text reader being a system comprising a processor running software for displaying digital text to a user, the method comprising incorporating additional software in the digital text reader to:

(a) receive a set of rules limiting the amount of text that may be copied;

(b) receive requests from the user to select portions of the text that is being displayed;

(c) if the selected text conforms to the rules, highlight the selected text in a first manner; and

(d) if the selected text does not conform to the rules, highlight a portion of the selected text that conforms to the rules in the first manner and provide feedback to the user indicating that the selected text violates the rules,

wherein the text highlighted in the first manner comprises a plurality of noncontiguous blocks wherein the blocks are separated from each other in the copied text by separation markers.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) further comprises receiving requests from the user to deselect previously selected portions of the text and step (c) further comprises removing highlighting from previously highlighted text that is deselected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises selecting a single text character and steps (b), (c) and (d) are repeated so that the selected text conforming to the rules is highlighted as it is selected and feedback to the user is provided when the selection of an additional character causes the selected text not to conform to the rules.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step (e) to copy the text highlighted in the first manner to a computer-readable memory if the user makes a copy request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing feedback to the user comprises highlighting in a second manner selected text that is not highlighted in the first manner.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing feedback to the user comprises generating a sound.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein one rule specifies a maximum number of adjacent selected words.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per sentence.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per paragraph.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per document.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein the processor runs an operating system that provides a clipboard and the computer-readable memory is the clipboard.

7. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A text-reading system comprising:

(a) a computer processor;

(b) a non-transitory memory readable by the processor;

(c) a browser comprising software stored in the memory and running on the processor;

d) a browser plug-in comprising software adapted to modify the operation of the browser by;

i. receiving a set of rules limiting the amount of text that may be copied;

ii. receiving requests from the user to select portions of the text;

iii. if the selected text conforms to the rules, highlighting the selected text in a first manner;

iv. if the selected text violates the rules, highlighting a portion of the selected text that conforms to the rules in the first manner and providing feedback to the user; and

v. if the user makes a copy request, copying the text highlighted in the first manner to a computer-readable memory,

wherein the text highlighted in the first manner comprises a plurality of noncontiguous blocks wherein the blocks are separated from each other in the copied text by separation markers.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein providing feedback to the user comprises highlighting in a second manner selected text that is not highlighted in the first manner.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein providing feedback to the user comprises generating a sound.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein one rule specifies a maximum number of adjacent selected words.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per sentence.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per paragraph.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein one rule specifies a maximum percentage of selected words per document.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor runs an operating system that provides a clipboard and the computer-readable memory is the clipboard.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein a portion of the selected text highlighted in the first manner may be de-selected by the user and the highlighting removed.

17. (canceled)

24-27. -27. (canceled)