Newsroom user interface including multiple panel workspaces

• US 6,141,007 A
• Filed: 04/04/1997
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Lebling, P. David, Elterman, Arkady P.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/832,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339, 345/326, 345/340, 345/342, 345/346, 345/348, 345/349, 345/352, 345/353, 345/356, 345/357, 345/327, 345/335, 707/500, 707/530, 707/531
• US Class Current: 715/792
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A newsroom computer graphical user interface and method for displaying a workspace including non-overlapping, cooperating panels. A first of the panels displays a queue of news stories from a selected data file. A second panel displays the text of a news story selected from the queue. The workspace is displayed in a main application window on a display screen of a computer system that is coupled to a network. The first and second panels may share a common moveable border. A third panel may also be displayed that includes a directory tree of data files from which the selected data file is selected. The second panel may include sub-panels such as one that displays the text of the selected news story; a second that displays information about the news story; and a third that displays machine code for manipulating machines, such as a video playback device, during a broadcast. The machine code may be anchored to a predetermined point in the text displayed in the first sub-panel. The predetermined point is a location in the text at which the machines are controlled in response to the machine code.

Claims

1. A newsroom computer graphical user interface for viewing and editing news stories, comprising:

means for displaying at least one workspace in a main application window on a display screen of a computer system, the computer system being coupled to a network and having a processor, the display screen being coupled to the processor;

means for storing a plurality of news stories in a plurality of files;

means for delivering selected visual representations of the files from the means for storing to the display screen under control of the processor;

means for receiving user edits; and

user-controlled input means for controlling the means for storing, the means for delivering, and the means for receiving;

wherein said at least one workspace comprises a plurality of non-overlapping, cooperating, graphically adjustable panels, a first of said panels displaying a queue of said news stories of a selected one of the files, and a second of said panels displaying text of a news story selected in said first panel for viewing capable for editing by a user according to the received user edits.

2. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein said plurality of panels share a common moveable border.

3. The computer graphical user interface of claim 2, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with a third panel which displays a directory tree of said files.

4. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said first panel comprising a plurality of rows, each containing information about each of said plurality of news stories.

5. The computer graphical user interface of claim 4 wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said first panel further comprising a plurality of columns, each containing a different field of said information about each news story.

6. The computer graphical user interface of claim 3, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said second panel comprising at least one sub-panel capable of being equal to or less than a display area of the second panel.

7. The computer graphical user interface of claim 6 wherein the display screen displays the workspace with a first of said at least one sub-panel displaying text of said selected news story.

8. The computer graphical user interface of claim 7, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with a second of said at least one sub-panel displaying information about said selected news story.

9. The computer graphical user interface of claim 8, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with a third of said at least one sub-panel displaying machine code for manipulating machines during a broadcast.

10. The computer graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said third of said at least one sub-panel displaying machine code for manipulating video playback devices.

11. The computer graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein said machine code is anchored to a point in said text of said first sub-panel, said point being a location in said text where said machines are controlled in response to said machine code.

12. The computer graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein the user edits include any one or more edits of the group of edits comprising inserting one or more machine codes, moving one or more machine codes, or deleting one or more machine codes.

13. The computer graphical user interface of claim 3, wherein said at least one workspace is capable of toggling between displaying all of said first, second and third panels and displaying one of said first, second and third panels.

14. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said main application window comprising a tool bar.

15. The computer graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the display screen displays the workspace with said tool bar comprising a means for sending messages to and receiving messages from other users on said network.

16. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein said plurality of panels of said at least one workspace are automatically arranged to fit within said workspace without overlapping.

17. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the queue includes an identifier and timing information for each news story.

18. The computer graphical user interface of claim 17, wherein the timing information for one or more news stories includes any one or more of the group consisting of:

a run time of one or more stories, a length of time of reading of a text associated with a story, a total time of a story, a cumulative elapsed time of a broadcast of one or more stories, or a backtime calculated backwards from a point in the broadcast.

19. The computer graphical user interface of claim 18, wherein the user edits include an edit to change the order of one or more stories, and the elapsed time of the broadcast is automatically changed to correspond to the change in the order of the one or more stories.

20. The computer graphical user interface of claim 18, wherein the user edits include one or more edits to change any one or more timing information.

21. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the queue includes an identifier and timing information for one or more breaks.

22. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the news, stories are sorted based on an order in which they are to be broadcast.

23. The computer graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein the user edits include an edit to change the order of one or more stories.

24. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the news stories are sorted based on an order in which they have been broadcast.

25. The computer graphical user interface of claim 24, wherein the user edits include an edit to change the order of one or more stories.

26. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the queue further includes, for each news story, an indicator for any one or more of the group consisting of:

a location of the news story within a broadcast, a presenter of the story, a writer of the story, a title of the story, an approval status of the story, a format of the story, a video tape associated with the story, a ready status of a story, a date on which a story was updated, a person who updated a story, or notes regarding a story.

27. The computer graphical user interface of claim 26, wherein the user edits include one or more edits to change any one or more indicator.

28. The computer graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the user edits include an edit to change the text of a news story.

29. A computer implemented method for use in a newsroom, comprising:

displaying at least one workspace window on a display screen of a computer system, the computer system being coupled to a network and including a processor, the display screen being coupled to the processor;

storing files, each containing a plurality of news stories;

delivering visual representations of said files from said storing means to said display screen;

receiving a first input signal from the input means, which indicates a selection of one of said files;

displaying, in a first graphically adjustable panel of said workspace window, a queue of said plurality of news stories contained in said selected file in response to the step of receiving said first input signal;

receiving a second input signal from the input means, which indicates a selection of one of said plurality of stories contained in said selected file;

displaying, in a second graphically adjustable panel of said workspace window, text of said selected story in response to the step of receiving said second input signal; and

receiving a third input signal from the input means, which indicate user edits of the text in the second panel or the queue in the first panel;

wherein said first and second panels are non-overlapping.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising a step of displaying, in a third panel of said workspace, a directory tree of said files.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising a step of displaying, in said first panel, information about the selected story, in response to the step of receiving said first input signal.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising a step of receiving a fourth input signal from the input means, which comprises machine code for manipulating machines during a broadcast, and in response to said fourth input signal, displaying said machine code in said third panel.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising a step of anchoring said machine code to a location within said text of said selected story.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising a step of displaying a tool bar in said workspace.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said tool bar includes a means for sending messages to other users on said network.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising a step of displaying a plurality of workspaces on said display screen.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein, in said displaying a plurality of workspaces step, said plurality of workspaces are displayed in a non-overlapping, cooperating relationship with each other.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein, in said displaying a plurality of workspaces step, said plurality of workspaces are displayed in an overlapping relationship with each other.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein, if said location of said text is moved within said story, said anchored machine code is also moved to correspond with the movement of said location.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising a step of toggling between displaying all of said panels in said workspace and displaying only one of said panels in said workspace.

41. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of automatically arranging said panels to fit within said workspace window without overlapping.

42. A newsroom computer graphical user interface comprising:

means for displaying at least one workspace in a main application window on a display screen of a computer system, the computer system being coupled to a network and having a processor, the display screen being coupled to the processor;

means for storing a plurality of news stories in a plurality of files;

means for delivering selected visual representations of the files from the means for storing to the display screen under control of the processor; and

user-controlled input means for controlling the means for storing and the means for delivering;

wherein said at least one workspace comprises a plurality of non-overlapping, cooperating, graphically adjustable panels, a first of said panels displaying a queue of said news stories of a selected one of the files, and a second of said panels displaying text of a news story selected in said first panel;

wherein said plurality of panels share a common moveable border; and

wherein the display screen displays the workspace with a third panel which displays a directory tree of said files, with said second panel comprising at least one sub-panel, with a first of said at least one sub-panel displaying text of said selected news story, with a second of said at least one sub-panel displaying said information about said selected news story, and with a third of said at least one sub-panel displaying machine code for manipulating machines during a broadcast, wherein said machine code is anchored to a point in said text of said first sub-panel, said point being a location in said text where said machines are controlled in response to said machine code.

43. A computer implemented method for use in a newsroom, comprising:

displaying at least one workspace window on a display screen of a computer system, the computer system being coupled to a network and including a processor, the display screen being coupled to the processor;

storing files, each containing a plurality of news stories;

delivering visual representations of said files from said storing means to said display screen;

receiving a first input signal from the input means, which indicates a selection of one of said files;

displaying, in a first graphically adjustable panel of said workspace window, a queue of said plurality of news stories contained in said selected file in response to the step of receiving said first input signal;

receiving a second input signal from the input means, which indicates a selection of one of said plurality of stories contained in said selected file;

displaying, in a second graphically adjustable panel of said workspace window, text of said selected story in response to the step of receiving said second input signal;

displaying, in a third panel of said workspace, a directory tree of said files;

displaying, in said first panel, information about the selected story, in response to the step of receiving said first input signal;

receiving a third input signal from the input means, which comprises machine code for manipulating machines during a broadcast, and in response to said third input signal, displaying said machine code in said third panel; and

anchoring said machine code to a location within said text of said selected story;

wherein said first and second panels are non-overlapping.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising a step of displaying a plurality of workspaces on said display screen.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein, in said displaying a plurality of workspaces step, said plurality of workspaces are displayed in a non-overlapping, cooperating relationship with each other.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein, in said displaying a plurality of workspaces step, said plurality of workspaces are displayed in an overlapping relationship with each other.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein, if said location of said text is moved within said story, said anchored machine code is also moved to correspond with the movement of said location.

48. The method of claim 43, further comprising a step of toggling between displaying all of said panels in said workspace and displaying only one of said panels in said workspace.