System, method, and computer program product for creating subnotes linked to portions of data objects after entering an annotation mode

• US 6,389,434 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aurigin (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahn, Don, Kurata, Deborah, Florio, Michael P., Rappaport, Irving S., Rivette, Kevin G., Jackson, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/057,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 707/512, 707/501.1, 707/530, 707/531, 345/776, 345/854
• US Class Current: 715/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/322 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for annotating documents are described herein, wherein in some embodiments the documents are immutable. The method operates by enabling a user to place an application in an annotation mode. An annotation is created, and then linked to a portion of an immutable data object. Location information is displayed proximate to the annotation mode location information indicates a location of the linked portion in the data object.

Claims

1. A method of electronically annotating data objects, comprising the steps of:

(1) placing an application in an annotation mode;

(2) automatically creating, responsive to at least step (1), an electronic annotation;

(3) automatically and permanently linking, responsive to at least step (2), said annotation to at least a portion of a data object, wherein said at least a portion is less than the entire said data object, wherein said data object itself remains unchanged by said annotation, and wherein said permanent link exists until deleted by a user; and

(4) creating a second annotation linked to said annotation, wherein said second annotation is linked to either at least a portion of said data object or at least a portion of a second data object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

viewing annotations using any combination of note views, link views, object views, and user defined views.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said user selected said at least a portion of said data object before step (1).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of enabling said user to select an annotation mode icon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one display attribute is associated with said selected annotation mode icon, wherein said at least a portion of said data object and said annotation are at least partially displayed using said at least one display attribute.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein step (1) comprises the step of enabling said user to select a pen icon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of enabling said user to select an appropriate menu option.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of said data object is one or more of at least a portion of a text object, at least a portion of a spreadsheet object, at least a portion of a database object, at least a portion of a financial object, at least a portion of a communication object, at least a portion of a multimedia object, at least a portion of a video object, at least a portion of a graphics object, at least a portion of a presentation object, at least a portion of a computer program object, at least a portion of an audio object, and at least a portion of a digital image object.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(4) displaying location information proximate to said annotation, said location information indicating a location of said at least a portion in said data object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an object proximate to said at least a portion of said immutable data object representative of a link to said annotation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a start of said at least a portion of said data object.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a first text line of said at least a portion of said data object.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(4) displaying a first graphical icon proximate to said annotation; and

(5) displaying a second graphical icon proximate to said at least a portion of said data object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first and second graphical icons are at least one of the same shape and the same color.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(4) preventing said data object from being modified while performing steps (1)-(3).

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said data object is immutable.

17. A system for electronically annotating data objects, comprising:

annotation mode enabling means for placing an application in an annotation mode;

annotation creating means, responsive to at least said annotation mode enabling means, for automatically creating an electronic annotation;

linking means, responsive to at least said annotation creating means, for automatically and permanently linking said annotation to at least a portion of a data object, wherein said at least a portion is less than the entire said data object, wherein said data object itself remains unchanged by said annotation, and wherein said permanent link exists until deleted by a user; and

second annotation creating means, responsive to at least said annotation creating means, for creating a second annotation linked to said annotation, wherein said second annotation is linked to either at least a portion of said data object or at least a portion of a second data object.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for viewing annotations using any combination of note views, link views, object views, and user defined views.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said user selected said at least a portion of said data object before operation of said annotation mode enabling means.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling said user to select an annotation mode icon.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one display attribute is associated with said selected annotation mode icon, wherein said at least a portion of said data object and said annotation are at least partially displayed using said at least one display attribute.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling said user to select a pen icon.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling said user to select an appropriate menu option.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least a portion of said data object is one or more of at least a portion of a text object, at least a portion of a spreadsheet object, at least a portion of a database object, at least a portion of a financial object, at least a portion of a communication object, at least a portion of a multimedia object, at least a portion of a video object, at least a portion of a graphics object, at least a portion of a presentation object, at least a portion of a computer program object, at least a portion of an audio object, and at least a portion of a digital image object.

25. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for displaying location information proximate to said annotation, said location information indicating a location of said at least a portion in said data object.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for displaying an object proximate to said at least a portion of said immutable data object representative of a link to said annotation.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a start of said at least a portion of said data object.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a first text line of said at least a portion of said data object.

29. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

first graphical icon displaying means for displaying a first graphical icon proximate to said annotation; and

second graphical icon displaying means for displaying a second graphical icon proximate to said at least a portion of said data object.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said first and second graphical icons are at least one of the same shape and the same color.

31. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

preventing means for preventing said data object from being modified by said annotation mode enabling means, said annotation creating means and said linking means.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein said data object is immutable.

33. A computer program product having control logic stored therein, said control logic, when executed, enabling a computer to electronically annotate data objects, said control logic comprising:

annotation mode enabling means for enabling the computer to place an application in an annotation mode;

annotation creating means, responsive to at least said annotation mode enabling means, for enabling the computer to automatically create an electronic annotation;

linking means, responsive to at least said annotation creating means, for enabling the computer to automatically and permanently link said annotation to at least a portion of a data object, wherein said at least a portion is less than the entire said data object, wherein said data object itself remains unchanged by said annotation, and wherein said permanent link exists until deleted by a user; and

second annotation creating means, responsive to at least said annotation creating means, for creating a second annotation linked to said annotation, wherein said second annotation is linked to either at least a portion of said data object or at least a portion of a second data object.

34. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein said control logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to display annotations using any combination of note views, link views, object views, and user defined views.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said user selected said at least a portion of said data object before operation of said annotation mode enabling means.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to enable said user to select an annotation mode icon.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein at least one display attribute is associated with said selected annotation mode icon, wherein said at least a portion of said data object and said annotation are at least partially displayed using said at least one display attribute.

38. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to enable said user to select a pen icon.

39. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said annotation mode enabling means comprises:

means for enabling the computer to enable said user to select an appropriate menu option.

40. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said at least a portion of said data object is one or more of at least a portion of a text object, at least a portion of a spreadsheet object, at least a portion of a database object, at least a portion of a financial object, at least a portion of a communication object, at least a portion of a multimedia object, at least a portion of a video object, at least a portion of a graphics object, at least a portion of a presentation object, at least a portion of a computer program object, at least a portion of an audio object, and at least a portion of a digital image object.

41. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein said control logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to display location information proximate to said annotation, said location information indicating a location of said at least a portion in said data object.

42. The computer program product of claim 33, said control logic further comprising:

means for enabling the computer to display an object proximate to said at least a portion of said immutable data object representative to said annotation.

43. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a start of said at least a portion of said data object.

44. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein said location information comprises at least one of column information and line information of a first text line of said at least a portion of said data object.

45. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said control logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to display a first graphical icon proximate to said annotation; and

means for enabling the computer to display a second graphical icon proximate to said at least a portion of said data object.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein said first and second graphical icons are at least one of the same shape and the same color.

47. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said control logic further comprises:

means for enabling the computer to prevent said data object from being modified by said annotation mode enabling means, said annotation creating means and said linking means.

48. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said data object is immutable.

49. A method of electronically annotating data objects comprising the steps of:

(1) creating, responsive to user command, an electronic annotation;

(2) automatically and permanently linking said annotation to at least a portion of a data object, wherein said at least a portion is less than the entire said data object, wherein said data object itself remains unchanged by said annotation, and wherein said permanent link exists until deleted by a user;

(3) displaying location information proximate to said annotation, said location information indicating a location of said at least a portion in said data object; and

(4) creating a second annotation linked to said annotation, wherein said second annotation is linked to either at least a portion of said data object or at least a portion of a second data object.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said location information indicates a page of said data object containing at least a part of said at least a portion.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said location information indicates a page and line of said data object containing at least a part of said at least a portion.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein said location information indicates a column and line of said data object containing at least a part of said at least a portion.

53. A method of electronically annotating data objects comprising the steps of:

(1) creating, responsive to user command, an electronic annotation;

(2) automatically and permanently linking said annotation to at least a portion of a data object, wherein said at least a portion is less than the entire said data object, wherein said data object itself remains unchanged by said annotation, and wherein said permanent link exists until deleted by a user;

(3) displaying location information proximate to said annotation, said location information indicating a location of said at least a portion in said data object; and

(4) creating a second annotation linked to said annotation, wherein said second annotation is linked to either at least a portion of said data object or at least a portion of a second data object.