Virtual navigator that produces virtual links at run time for identifying links in an electronic file
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for identifying links in an electronic file that is expressed as a data structure having a plurality of components and base links that define a structural relationship between the components, the method comprising:
- traversing a data structure using a plurality of base links; and
producing at run time, a virtual link between a first component and a second component in the data structure by recognizing a characteristic shared by the first component and the second component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for identifying links in an electronic document provides an electronic file as a data structure having components and having base links that define the structural relationship between the components, traverses the data structure using the base links, and produces a virtual link between two components by recognizing a characteristic shared by the components. The virtual link is identified when needed at run-time. A function may be performed using the components as components are identified.
16 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for identifying links in an electronic file that is expressed as a data structure having a plurality of components and base links that define a structural relationship between the components, the method comprising:
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traversing a data structure using a plurality of base links; and producing at run time, a virtual link between a first component and a second component in the data structure by recognizing a characteristic shared by the first component and the second component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-implemented method for identifying links in an electronic file at run time, comprising:
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providing an electronic file as a hierarchical data structure having a plurality of components and a plurality of base links that define a structural relationship between the components; traversing the hierarchical data structure using a plurality of traversal routines that use the base links; defining the traversal routines as classes that inherit features from other traversal routine classes; using each traversal routine to identify a plurality of links between a plurality of components in the hierarchical data structure by recognizing a characteristic shared by the components; and performing a function using each identified component at the time the component is identified.
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14. A computer program operating on an electronic file arranged as a data structure having a plurality of components and a plurality of base links that define a structural relationship between the components, the computer program residing on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions causing a computer to:
provide at least one traversal routine, with the traversal routine identifying, at run time, a link between a first component and a second component in a data structure by traversing the data structure using the base links. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Specification