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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to software techniques for marking,
decorating and organizing data within a computer system, and more
particularly, to a user interface system having a collection of different
user interface elements, each having a unique identity and programmed
functional characteristic that allows each element to be used to mark,
find, organize and process data in documents within a computer system.
RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to
which a claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no
objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document
or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office
patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
A user interface is something which bridges the gap between a user who
seeks to control a device and the software and/or hardware that actually
controls that device. A user interface for a phone may be a set of keys.
The user interface for a computer is typically a software program running
on the computer's central processing unit (CPU) which responds to certain
user-typed commands. As computers have increased in popularity and
availability amongst less computer educated users, the quality of the user
interface has become an ever more important consideration in the
development of a computer, since many of these users are not familiar with
and/or comfortable with many of the typed commands that are required to
operate the computer. One popular type of user interface, which simplifies
the operation of a computer, is available on Macintosh computers sold by
Apple Computer, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.
The Macintosh computer user interface employs what is referred to as a
desktop metaphor for the basis of its user interface. Through use of a
mouse or trackball in communication with the computer, the user can select
and/or move certain iconic objects on the screen of the computer to
control its operation. The desktop metaphor refers to the face that: (1)
the screen of the Macintosh computer often looks somewhat like the blotter
of a desktop, with a menu bar across the top of the blotter from which the
user can select various control features; (2) there is a trash can icon in
the lower right hand corner of the blotter which can be used to remove
items from the computer; and (3) programs and documents created with the
programs are represented by iconic images of pages which can be placed in
iconic images of folders and arranged on the blotter for easy access and
organization, like the files of a filling cabinet in an office. These
icons can be arranged on the screen in a number of different manners, such
as according to their type, size and color, and the user can search for
files by searching for words listed in the title bar associated with each
icon, but the user cannot search for a specific iconic image itself.
Another popular portion of the Macintosh user interface is the window
feature. When a user selects an icon of a floppy disk or hard disk in a
certain manner, a window (a rectangular shaped box which allows the user
to "see" the information stored in the drive) appears on the screen of the
computer. This window typically contains a number of folder, program and
document icons and other images which represent the information stored in
the drive. If a user selects a folder icon in a certain manner, the folder
will "open" into another window representing the information within that
folder. As previously stated, document and program icons can be placed in
folder icons, but not vice versa, and no icon can be placed directly on a
document.
Iconic images have become an important features of many user interfaces
because they can be used to represent different types of data in a form
which is readily understandable to the user. Icons, however, have had
little functionality associated with them because they are typically only
used to represent stored information that a user can access fairly
directly, i.e., by selecting the icon. But some icon-like images have had
some functionality associated with them, such as the button-like images
that can be created with the HyperCard software application sold by Claris
Corporation of Mountain View, Calif. The HyperCard application allows
users to create card-like images that can have various images and features
associated with them.
One of these features is the button, which can, to a limited extent, be
created by the user and given a specific function defined by the user.
Each button has an image and a small program or script associated with it
which is run each time the button is selected by a user. These scripts can
be written by the user using a special language called HyperTalk, which
can only be used with the HyperCard program. Buttons are typically only
used for mundane tasks, i.e., an image of an arrow may be used to cause
the application to flip from one card to another card in response to the
arrow being selected by the user. Some buttons are also used to perform
some action which is associated with the informational content of the card
on which the button appears, i.e., a button on a card displaying a number
of musical notes may cause the computer to make sounds representing those
notes when the button is selected. A button is limited to representing a
task which is to be performed wile viewing an associated card in the
HyperCard application, and not at some later point in time as directed by
the user. For example, a user could not create a "To be printed" button
and have the computer latter print every card which contained a "To be
printed" button. In addition, buttons are not designed to be used to mark
the cards or the data on the cards in any meaningful way to the user.
Another type of functional image is the "Post-it" note used in the
FullWrite Professional word processing application by Ashton-Tate
Corporation. By choosing the "note" option from the menu bar while writing
a document, a small window can be created within which a small amount of
text can be entered. When the user closes the window, the window is
reduced to a small, generic, symbol which appears at the left-hand margin
of the document. The position of the "note" symbol on the page is based on
and corresponds to the position of an invisible command, which is entered
into the text of the primary document when the user closes the note
window. A "note" symbol cannot be moved to a different position along the
left margin without moving the position of the invisible command in the
text. "Note" symbols can be given names and dates like icons to identify
the creator of the note so that notes can be passed to different users and
still maintain some level of identity. The name attached to each note,
however, cannot be easily customized because the name is taken from the
registration information used when the FullWrite application is run the
first time. This name can be changed by selecting the "preferences" menu
and typing a new name in, but this would not be a desirable manner in
which to separately identify each note.
The HyperCard application also allows users to decorate various cards and
other documents with special graphic images that can be cut from a card in
the HyperCard application and pasted to a different card or a document in
a different application. These images, however, are only fanciful
bit-mapped designs which have no functionality associated with them. A
similar concept is utilized in the KidsPix drawing application for
children by Broderbund Software, Inc., of San Farael, Calif., which
provides a palette of different colored "stamps" (bit-mapped graphic
designs), which can be selected by a user and stamped (pasted) all over an
open document to enhance a picture or drawing. When a stamp is a applied
to a document, a noise is issued by the computer to help make the
application more entertaining. The same noise is generated for each
different stamp. In fact, noises are generally associated with every
action performed in the KidsPix application, whether a stamp is selected
or a line is drawn. The user cannot program the desired noise the stamp
will make when utilized.
One final type of application image which is associated with the same type
of function, is the macro program that is often attached to a spreadsheet
cell (a bordered area within an electronic document). Spreadsheet
applications, such as Microsoft's Excel application, allow the user to
create rows and columns of cells within which information can be entered.
Separate macro programs can be written to perform certain calculations
using the spreadsheet's macro programming language and then associated
with a cell so that a series of calculations will be performed and the
result will be entered into the cell when that cell is selected. Neither
icons, cells, stamps, buttons, nor other types of known graphic images can
be used to mark, find, organize and process data in documents within a
computer system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a user interface
system having a plurality of user interface elements for marking, finding,
organizing, and processing data within documents stored in an associated
computer system. Each element typically has an appearance which is
uniquely related to the data or the function the element is designed to
represent or perform, respectively. In their simplest form, these elements
are only used to mark data within a document. Each element, however, can
also be programmed to cause the computer to perform some function in
association with the marked data, such as printing the data or mailing the
data to someone. A user can select particular data within a document using
an element and have that data associated with the element in memory. Data
marked with common elements can be found by searching for a particular
representative element in memory. Users can create their own elements,
program elements with their own desired functionality, and modify existing
elements. Elements can also be compounded together so as to cause a
combination of tasks to be performed by simply activating one element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the function elements of a notebook computer
for use in connection with the user interface elements of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the notebook computer of FIG. 1 illustrating a
collection of user interface element on the display screen of the computer
in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a number of additional types of user interface elements,
as they would appear on a display screen, in addition to those shown in
FIG. 2;
FIG. 4a illustrates the operation of a mail element and how this element
would appear on a display screen during different levels of operation;
FIG. 4b illustrates the operation of the print element and how this element
would appear on a display screen during different levels of operation;
FIG. 5a and 5b illustrate two different techniques for attaching data on a
display screen to a user interface element for subsequent processing;
FIG. 6a illustrates a technique for marking a page of data on a display
screen with one or more user interface elements;
FIG. 6b illustrates a technique for marking portions of data on a display
screen with one or more user interface elements;
FIG. 6c illustrates a technique for labeling a folder of data on a display
screen with one or more user interface elements;
FIG. 7a illustrates a technique for finding user interface elements in a
computer system;
FIG. 7b illustrates the results of the find operation performed in
accordance with FIG. 7a;
FIG. 8a illustrates a series of user interface elements which can be used
to create lists of associated elements without performing a find
operation;
FIG. 8b illustrates the results of a list operation performed by one of the
user interface elements illustrated in FIG. 8a;
FIG. 8c illustrates a technique for cataloging a list of user interface
elements and their attached data;
FIG. 9a illustrates the operation of a dialog box generated by activation
of a print element;
FIG. 9b illustrates the operation of a dialog box generated by activation
of a mail element;
FIG. 10a illustrates the operation of a write-on it element and a dialog
box generated by activation of the write-on it element;
FIG. 10b illustrates the operation of a link element and a dialog box
generated by activation of the link element;
FIG. 11 illustrates the operation of a dialog box generated by activation
of a sound element;
FIG. 12a illustrates the operation of a table-of-contents element and a
dialog box generated by activation of the table-of-contents element;
FIG. 12b illustrates the results of a table-of-contents list operation as
performed by a table-of-contents list element;
FIGS. 13a through 13d are flow charts illustrating the operation of the
user interface elements of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 14a illustrates the operation of a blank element and an element maker
dialog box generated by activation of a blank element;
FIG. 14b illustrates the operation of a cutter element as an alternative
embodiment to the element maker illustrated in FIG. 14a;
FIG. 14c illustrates a modified version of the element maker dialog box of
FIG. 14a;
FIG. 15a illustrates the operation of a meeting element;
FIG. 15b further illustrates the operation of the meeting element of FIG.
15a and a technique for compounding a series of user interface elements
together to perform more complex functions than could normally be carried
out by a single user interface element;
FIG. 15c illustrates a compounded series of elements relating to the
meeting element of FIG. 15a; and
FIG. 15d illustrates the operation of a participants element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A physically small computer, such as the notebook-sized computer 2
illustrated in FIG. 1, is highly dependent on its user interface for its
general operation. In computer 2, the input 4 is generally only a touch or
stylus sensitive panel through which the user can enter information,
although the computer 2 may be adapted to receive additional information
through different peripheral devices or through connection to a larger
computer. The processor can range from being very small and simple to
extremely powerful and complex. The memory 8 is generally as small as is
reasonable for the types of applications to be operated and the amount of
information to be stored in order to save space and power. The output 10
is usually just a display screen coupled to the input panel 4.
Although the user interface is an important part of any computer system,
the user interface takes on special import in small computers, like
computer 2, which have input device limitations that prohibit entry of
text, such as through a keyboard or through handwriting recognition.
Nevertheless, an interface, and elements thereof, which has been designed
for a small computer can also be readily used in larger computing
environments, ranging from standard desktop to mainframe computers, which
do not have input device limitations. The user interface elements of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention are accordingly intended for
use in both types of computer systems, small and large, even though these
interface elements are primarily described herein in terms of their
application to smaller systems.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, these user interface
elements, shown generally in FIG. 2 as elements 12 on the display screen
14 of computer 2, have a fanciful stamp-like appearance. Although many
other appearances could be utilized, some of which are illustrated with
reference to FIG. 3, the stamp-like appearance is preferred because this
appearance can be readily associated by the user to part of the operation
of the interface elements. For example, since a user will have most likely
previously used an ink stamp to mark a document or a postage stamp to mail
a letter, the user should have little trouble understanding that elements
12 are to be applied to documents displayed on the display screen 14 of
the computer 2. Like the desktop metaphor described with reference to the
prior art previously described, the user interface elements of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention create a stamp metaphor
which enhances the intuitiveness of the individual user interface elements
to the user. Once the user understands that elements 12 are to be applied
to displayed documents in order to perform some function, the user can
readily move on to understanding and utilizing that function.
A collection of these elements is shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, each element has a fanciful
appearance and a programmed functional characteristic that allows that
element to be used to mark, find, organize and process data within
documents stored within the computer 2 in a manner which is unique to the
appearance of that element. It should noted, however, that the association
between the unique appearance of an element and its programmed function is
not necessary, and that the elements need not have any appearance at all,
i.e., aural representations could be used instead of visual
representations to communicate the different types of elements to a user
who may not be able to see the display screen 14.
In FIG. 1, a sectioned off portion of the display screen 14 is designated
as an element well 16, within which a number of elements are displayed and
made available to the user when the user is creating, viewing or editing
any type of document or image displayed in the remaining portion of the
display screen 14. The element well 16 could be enlarged by the user to
display additional elements by selecting the well definition line 18 and
pulling the line 18 up toward the top of the display screen 14, thereby
revealing additional elements hidden below the level of the first line of
elements 12 shown. Likewise, the user could hide all of the elements 12 by
selecting and moving the well definition line 18 down to the bottom of the
display screen 14, thereby freeing up additional screen space on the
display screen 14.
Because the system described herein is that of a notebook computer with a
touch-sensitive display, the act of selecting objects and moving them on
the display screen is presumed to be performed with the user's finger. The
same acts could, however, be performed with a stylus or pointing device,
such as a mouse or trackball. In addition, whenever the user is described
as selecting an object, such as well definition line 18, on the display
throughout this specification, it is to be understood that the selection
act could be performed in numerous different manners, such as touching the
object once, or twice, or three times, or touching the object once and the
performing some gesture command, or touching the object once and pulling
down a menu from a header bar and selecting a command.
To implement an element well 16 on a present computer system, such as the
Macintosh computer system produced by Apple Computer, Inc., the user need
only create a display window, a technique which is well known in the art,
which has had its appearance modified through use of a custom WDEF
defProc. The function of this custom window would be modified in two ways:
(1) the title bar would look and work differently so that only the well
definition line 18 was visible; and (2) when the window size is changed,
it changes the size of the window directly rather than as an outline of
the window as is normally done on the Macintosh computer. For more
information about creating and modifying windows and the appearance of
other computer generated objects, which are well known in the art and need
not be described here for an enabling disclosure of the present invention,
see, Apple Computer, Inc., Inside Macintosh, Vols. I, II, III, and IV
(1985), Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.
As described above, the appearance of each element is designed to impart
some meaning about the particularly unique function of that element to the
user. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, the To Do element 20 can be
taken from the well 16 and applied to something on the display screen 14
that the user wants to remember to do herself, i.e., the handwritten
sentence "Finish the application by Tuesday", or that the user wants the
computer 10 to do at a later time, i.e., the handwritten instruction
"Review my mail from today". Other elements, such as Remember element 22,
Meeting element 24, Calendar element 26, Mail element 28, Print element
30, Phone element 32, and Table-of-Contents element 34, would likewise
each have some special function which uniquely pertains to its particular
appearance on the display screen 14.
Although the special functions of elements 22 through 34 will be explained
in further detail below, it should be noted, however, that elements have a
number of general functions which are common to all elements: (1) elements
have a visible representation which enables them to serve as pictorial
markers or labels; (2) elements may be applied to or associated with
particular pieces of data; and (3) elements may be used as targets for a
search. In addition, there are a number of functions which could be
selectively applied to an element, such as: (1) elements could have and
reflect states or actions; (2) elements could specify actions to be
automatically done by the computer in the future; (3) elements could
partially specify actions such that the user will have the choice, when
either applying the element to a document or when the action is to be
carried out, of completing the action specification at a later time; and
(4) elements could be moved, reassociated with different objects, removed,
and have their appearances and functions changed at any time, as desired
by the user.
As is illustrated in FIG. 3, the different types of elements and, in fact,
the appearances of the same types of element, are unlimited. For example,
an element could be very simple, both in terms of its appearance and its
function, such as the Administration element 36, which could be a used to
mark items which are to be distributed to only a limited group of
administrative people on a computer network. Likewise, the appearance of
the Mail element 38 could be used in place of the appearance of the Mail
element 28, and the appearance of the To Do element 40 could be used in
place of the appearance of the To Do element 20. Alternatively, the user
could use different appearing elements, such as both Mail element 28 and
Mail element 38, to designate similar but different types of functions.
For example, Mail element 28 could be programmed to cause mail to be sent
to one group of people, while Mail element 38 could be programmed to cause
mail to be sent to a different group of people.
Although all of the user interface elements referred to so far are
generically described as elements, it should be noted that an element
actually is comprised of two different parts. One part is the element base
and the other part is the element instance. The element base resides in
the well 16. When it is selected by a user, the element instance is
created as a bit-mapped duplicate of the element base. The element
instance, not the base, can then be taken from the well 16 by the user and
dropped on a page of the display screen. Alternatively, the element base
could be moved from the well 16 after being selected by the user, and the
element instance could be created when the element base is applied to a
document. Once the instance is created, the base would return to its
former position in the well. Many other techniques for using the bases and
instances could also be readily developed.
Element bases could be presupplied with software installed on a computer 2
when purchased by the user, supplied with subsequently purchased software
run on the computer 2, supplied by vendors who specialize in creating the
elements 12, and even created by the user, as will be further explained
below. Some of these element bases would be cloneable, meaning they could
be duplicated and modified slightly to create a new element base. For
example, Project element 42 could be originally supplied or created to
only say "Project ", and then be cloned by the user whenever desired
to create a special element base, such as "Project Twin Peaks". In the
same vein, an existing element base could be used as a template with which
to create other element bases that look and act differently from the
original.
With element bases being produced at a number of different sources, many
uniquely pleasing and functional element bases and element instances could
be created. For example, Project element 42 was designed to impart a
leather-based, ink-stamped look, with its speckled rectangular boarder.
Other interesting elements are the Rush element 44 and the Lightbulb
element 46. The Rush element 44 could be singularly used to mark a
computer generated document as a rush document, or it could be combined
with another element, such as To Do element 40, to indicate that something
that is to be done, is to be done immediately. The Lightbulb element 46
could likewise be used to decorate the appearance of a document, such as
to indicate a good idea, or it could be used to indicate that something is
to be remembered. It should be noted that within the context of the
present invention, a "document" includes any electronically generated
image for creating and editing data displayed therein, such as a page of
text, a spreadsheet page, an electronic mail message screen, a video image
or photo, and a folder of the type illustrated in FIG. 6c, but does not
include a standard window within which typical iconic images are stored
and organized, such as the program, folder and document icons mentioned in
the discussion of the prior art above.
FIG. 3 also includes the Confidential element 48, which could be used to
restrict access to documents. For example, when a document was marked with
the confidential element, only users who entered a password would be able
to read the document. Other examples of how the various elements of FIG. 3
could be utilized include: (1) documents marked with the Sent element 50
could cause the document to be automatically dated when sent to somebody;
(2) documents marked with the Received element 52 could cause the document
to be automatically dated when it was received by somebody; (3) documents
marked with the Internal Report element 54 could be restricted to
distribution only within a company or an office; (4) documents marked with
the Draft element 56 would only print with the word "draft" written across
each page; and (5) documents marked with the Link element 58 could be
automatically linked to another document or another element located
somewhere else in the memory of the computer 2.
An element instance, as briefly described above, is quite different from
the element base from which its bit-mapped appearance is derived. Each
element instance has one or more element attributes which help to identify
the element instance to the system and which may be either system, element
base, or user defined. Examples of system defined attributes are the name
and type of the element instance and the date and time when the element
instance was created. An example of an element base defined attribute is
the message "Sent " of element 50 depicted in FIG. 3 and the program
which performs that function. Examples of user defined attributes would
include the name "Priority" used to fill in the blank in "Sent ", or a
telephone number, a name, or even some notation. By using these element
attributes, the computer 2 can store the element instances in a database
in its memory, which can then be queries to find and retrieve the elements
as desired. Another type of element attribute of a element instance can be
its association with other data stored in the computer 2. As will be
further described below, an element instance can be associated with either
a whole page of a document or a particular features of a page displayed on
the display screen 14. For example, an element instance could be
associated with a piece of text in a mail message, or a scribbled phone
number on a page.
User defined element attributes are generally established through use of a
dialog box or attribute sheet, which will be further explained below with
reference to FIGS. 9a and FIGS. 9b. Each type of element could have its
own dialog box which, if desired, would be particularly designed for use
with that element. For example, the Phone element 32 could have a number
of user definable attributes, such as the telephone number and the
person's name. If the computer system with which the elements were being
used did not have a keyboard or handwriting recognition capability, the
dialog box for the Phone element 32 could be designed to include a keypad
for entering numbers and names, or some other means for entering such
data. Other element attributes for each type of element could also be
developed as is appropriate for each type of element utilized in the
computer 2. Additional features and element attributes of the various
types of elements will be further explained below.
An additional feature of an element instance is that an instance can be
modified internally by the computer 2, without disturbing any previously
stored element attribute information, as the element passes through
different levels of operation. FIG. 4a illustrates how Mail element 28
operates and how the appearance of the element instance for the Mail
element 28 changes during its various levels of operation. When first
pulled from the well 16 and marked on a document, the Mail element 28
appears the same as in FIG. 2. After the user has entered attribute
information about the Mail instance, the appearance of the element
instance may be modified accordingly. In addition, the Mail instance may
change as the status of the operation which it is to perform changes. Mail
element instance 60 has been modified to let the user know that the user
has already commanded the document to which the instance 60 is attached to
be sent to someone. Mail element instance 62 performs the same function,
but also includes element attribute information about who will be mailed
the document. After the document has been sent, the element instance could
again be modified to indicate that the document has been sent as commanded
through use of Mail element instance 64, instance 66, or instance 68.
Element instances could also be modified to indicate other functions or
operations of the element. For example, if the dialog box for Mail element
28 included a print element attribute and allowed the user to specify the
number of printed copies, Mail element instance 70 might be displayed on
display screen 14. Likewise, Mail element 28 could be combined with Print
element 30, as will be explained below, so that attributes of the Print
element 30 carried over the Mail element 28, resulting in the creation of
Mail element instance 70.
FIG. 4b similarly illustrates how Print element 30 operates and how the
appearance of the element instance for the Print element 30 changes during
its various levels of operation. For example, after the user has entered
attribute information about the Print instance, the appearance of the
element instance would be modified to reflect this information. If a user
indicates that she desires to print three copies of the document, Print
element instance 72 might be created. Alternatively, the modification
could simply reflect that the document is to be printed, as is illustrated
by Print element instance 74, rather than include information in the
element instance about the number of copies to be printed. After the
document has been printed, the Print element 30 could be modified like
Print element instance 76, to indicate that the document, and perhaps a
certain number of copies, had been printed.
As previously discussed, the ability to associate data stored in the
computer 2 with an element instance is an important element attribute of
many elements. FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate two different techniques for
attaching data on a display screen to an element. A first technique is
illustrated in FIG. 5a. Element instance, such as Notice element instance
78, is removed from the well 16 and marked on the document 80, which
consists of a number of handwritten notes, and then dragged across the
document 80 in such a manner that the data to be associated with the
element instance is enclosed by a framing box 82 issued from instance 78.
The action of enclosing data within a framing box 82 to select that data
on a display screen 14 is essentially the same action which is performed
by selection tools of many publicly available drawing and painting
software programs. In FIG. 5a, the user has attached the note "call Joy
immediately!" 84 to the Notice element instance 78, by placing instance 78
behind the word "immediately!" and then dragging instance 78 across note
84 to the front of the word "call". Had the user also wanted to enclose
the notes above note 84, the user could have simply continued to drag
instance 78 to the top of the document 80, thereby enclosing the
additional data. When the user had enclosed all of the desired data, the
user would release instance 84, which would in turn cause framing box 82
to disappear and cause instance 78 to stay at its last position on
document 80. Although framing box 82 would disappear once instance 78 had
been released, an element attribute defining the enclosed data would be
entered in the database of computer 2 so that the attached data could be
found and displayed when collected through use of the proper query at a
later time.
FIG. 5b illustrates a second technique or associating data in a document
with an element instance. In this technique, when Lightbulb element
instance 86, the appearance of which is inversed to indicate that it is in
its association mode, is marked on document 88, a set of pointers 90
appear, one on each side and one on each corner of instance 86, which
indicate the direction instance 86 can be moved to enclose data. If
instance 86 had been marked in the bottom left-hand corner of document 88,
and then moved up and over to the right of document 88, it would end up
where presently located on document 88, and enclose the notes 92 in
framing box 94. Releasing instance 86 from its association mode would then
cause the pointers 90 and framing box 94 to disappear from document 88,
and instance 86 to revert to its standard appearance, a black element and
lightbulb outline with a white background.
Element instances can also be associated with entire pages of data in a
computer, as is illustrated in FIG. 6a, distinguishable portions of data
on a page of data, as is illustrated in FIG. 6b, or folders containing
multiple pages of data and other types of information, as is illustrated
in FIG. 6c. FIG. 6a illustrates a technique whereby different pages of
data on display screen 14 are marked with elements, thereby associating
each page with any element marking that page. Mark element instances 96
could be placed at any position desired on page 98, but would preferably
be placed on page 98 so that they would still be somewhat visible if page
98 was covered by another page at a later time, as is demonstrated by the
other visible portions of Mark element instance 96 on pages behind page
98. As shown in FIG. 6a, all of the Mark element instances 96 have
identical element attributes, they are all numbered "10", but could also
be assigned different numbers, as desire | | |
