U.S. patent application number 11/253528 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for selective sending of portions of electronic content.
Invention is credited to Leila Kaghazian.
Application Number | 20060129647 11/253528 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24577688 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060129647 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kaghazian; Leila |
June 15, 2006 |
Selective sending of portions of electronic content
Abstract
A user of a handheld communication device selects in a
foreground process portions of an electronic document. In a
background process a new document is prepared that comprises the
selected portions. The user selects the address for forwarding the
new document, and the new document gets sent in a background
process.
Inventors: |
Kaghazian; Leila; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY &
STANDARDS
1109 MCKAY DRIVE, M/S-41SJ
SAN JOSE
CA
95131
US
|
Family ID: |
24577688 |
Appl. No.: |
11/253528 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10393573 |
Mar 20, 2003 |
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11253528 |
Oct 18, 2005 |
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09642713 |
Aug 21, 2000 |
6563913 |
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10393573 |
Mar 20, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/206 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/01 20130101; G06Q
10/107 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/206 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A method for sending portions of a web page from a handheld
device via an electronic network, comprising: providing a handheld
device with a display, having the capability to communicate via the
electronic network; enabling a user to display a web page; enabling
a user to select a portion of the web page to send via the
electronic network; enabling, in a background process, the
preparation of an electronic document based on the selected
portion; and enabling a user to send the electronic document via
the electronic network based on the selected portion.
14. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of enabling
a user to select a portion of the web page includes collecting the
web page URL and pointers representative of the portion of the web
page, and the step of sending the electronic document includes
sending the URL and the pointers.
15. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of enabling
a user to select includes enabling the selection of html text.
16. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of enabling
a user to select includes enabling the selection of an image.
17. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of enabling
a user to select includes enabling the selection of a sound
file.
18. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the step of enabling
a user to select includes enabling the selection of a video
file.
19. A method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the electronic
document is an email message and the step of enabling a user to
select includes highlighting by positioning a pointer in corners
determining a rectangle to select text or graphics or a file.
20. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising:
providing a send menu to enable sending of the electronic document
to an email address.
21. A method for sending a graphic portions of a web page from a
client via an electronic network, comprising: providing a client,
having the capability to communicate via the electronic network and
a display; enabling a user to display a web page having a graphic;
enabling a user to use pointers to select the graphic; enabling the
display of a menu with a send option and enabling a user to
exercise the send option; enabling, in a background process, the
preparation of an electronic document in response to the exercise
of the send option; and enabling a user to send the pointers via
the electronic network.
22. A method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising displaying
a menu having email addresses and enabling a user to select an
email address to send the pointers.
23. A method for sending portions of a web page via an electronic
network, comprising: providing a client, having the capability to
communicate via the electronic network; enabling a user to display
a web page; enabling a user to select a portion of the web page;
enabling the collection of pointers in a background process, the
pointers being representative of the selected portion; enabling the
display of a menu with a send option and enabling a user to
exercise the send option; enabling, in a background process, the
preparation of an electronic document in response to the exercise
of the send option, and enabling sending of the electronic document
and the pointers via the electronic network.
24. A method as set forth in claim 23 further comprising enabling
the display of a menu having email addresses and enabling the
selection of an email address.
25. A method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the step of enabling
the sending of the pointers includes enabling the sending of a URL.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to processing of electronic content
information, and specifically to sending an email with portions of
content information selected from a previous email or from another
electronic document such as a Web page.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] As an example of electronic documents, consider an email
system. Email enables users to exchange computer messages via a
data network such as the public Internet and the private AOL. The
email protocol is a component of the Transport Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). All online services and
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer email, and most of them
also support gateways for exchanging mail with users of other
systems. Email messages typically comprise text, and can have text,
graphics, video, sound files, web pages, etc., as attachments to or
embedded within the email body.
[0003] As another example of electronic documents, consider Web
pages. A browser enables the user to access the information
available on the World Wide Web. Typically, this information
comprises HTML codes that via the browser control how the
information, i.e., the Web page, is being displayed for the
user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The inventor addresses the user-friendliness of handling
electronic documents, especially on handheld devices. For example,
emails received may need to be stored, or forwarded to another
person, but only portions thereof are considered relevant or
interesting enough to be stored or forwarded. As another example,
web pages are frequently downloaded and stored locally at the
user's PC for reading later on. The user may want to annotate the
page before storage, or store only certain portions or forward the
page to another person with annotations or indications.
[0005] To this end, the invention provides a software application
for enabling a user to operate on an electronic document, e.g., an
email received or a Web page. The application enables the user in a
foreground process to select a portion of information content of
the document. The application prepares in a background process a
new electronic document, e.g., a new email or an HTML document,
based on the selected portion, and enables the user in a foreground
process to specify a processing of the new document, e.g.,
forwarding in an email, storing locally, etc. The application then
processes the new document in a background process as specified by
the user.
[0006] For example, the electronic document on which the user wants
to operate comprises a Web page. The user identifies graphically
the interesting portions of this document, e.g., through a
highlighting feature. The new electronic document generated in the
background comprises a copy of this Web page with the selected
portion or portions identified through highlighting. The user may
then specify to sending the Web page with the highlighted portions
in an email message. The selected portion is distinguished in the
Web page when rendered upon receipt of the email message by the
addressee. Preferably, the user is enabled to add an annotation to
the selected portion. The annotation is rendered at the addressee's
receiver when a pointer is positioned over the selected portion in
the rendered Web page.
[0007] As to using the invention within an email context, partial
transferring of an email is relevant on mobile phones or palmtop
PCs with email capabilities. The invention enables creating and
sending a pruned email, in a background process, without forwarding
the entire original email.
[0008] As to partially forwarding or storing an image, image editor
software lets the user select a portion of the image and have the
portion stored or sent following a similar process as sending part
of a text as mentioned above. In order to send that portion of a
given image the email system opens a new email in a background
process, saves the specified portion of the image in a temp file
(which is similar to changing an attachment in known commercial
email systems), and attaches the file to a new email and sends it
to the addressee.
[0009] With regard to Web pages, currently available email systems
within browsers give the users the option to send either the URL of
a site or the whole page as an attachment. In the invention, the
email program enables the user to select a portion of the rendered
web page, e.g., through highlighting, and the highlighted part gets
added to the email. Alternatively, the pointer coordinates of the
start and finish of the highlighted portion, typically a rectangle,
get added to the email to be sent, together with the URL of the Web
page. In the receiver email system, the email opens with retrieving
the Web page, as indicated by the URL, from the Internet and
re-creates the highlighting based on the pointer coordinates sent
along.
[0010] Preferably, the user is enabled to add an annotation to the
Web page as stored or forwarded with the selected portions. For
example, a software module is provided that comprises an authoring
tool with a functionality similar to the one for creating "help"
labels in PC applications. A "help" label in the form of a small
cream rectangle, pops up on the screen when the user positions the
pointer over an annotated item. In a Netscape browser, for example,
positioning the pointer within the area of certain icons and images
in an HTML document triggers the appearance of these cream
rectangles with texts. Positioning the pointer over the "Reload"
icon causes a rectangle to appear with the text "reload this page
from the server". Positioning the pointer over an image in a CNN
web page causes the text to appear that briefly describes the
associated image in keywords. This authoring tool can be merged
with, or linked to, the software application in the invention for
storing and forwarding annotated HTML files.
[0011] With regard to sound files, it is also possible to add a
simple feature to the current play-out software to enable the user
to select a portion of a sound file. For example, the progress of
the play-out of a file is typically represented graphically by a
colored bar that gets longer with the play-out time. Alternatively,
a clock-like counter indicates numerically the moment in time
associated with the currently played out sound data, e.g., since
the playing out of the file from its begin. Selecting begin and end
positions of the portion the user intends to send in an email can
be achieved graphically by choosing two positions on the progress
bar, or by selecting the associated moments of play-out time. These
pointers determine the part of the file to be attached to the email
to be sent.
[0012] Accordingly, the inventor proposes to enhance email programs
and browsers with a functionality to label or tag portions of an
electronic document, e.g., by highlighting, for automatically
having the labeled or tagged portions further processed, e.g.,
stored or forwarded. The selective forwarding or storage requires
only a few user-interactions and the processing takes place largely
as a background process. The invention is particularly of interest
to mobile communication devices such as mobile phones or PDA's with
wireless modems. These devices have necessarily small screen real
estate that preferably is being used efficiently for information
exchange. Selecting relevant portions of a text in an authoring
mode of such device or receiving a text reduced to only what is
relevant increases user-friendliness of these devices.
[0013] Note that the invention is especially useful in email chats
that typically comprise long strings of messages in response upon
response.
[0014] With respect to a handheld with a wireless modem, see, e.g.,
U.S. Ser. No. 09/427,821 (attorney docket PHA 23,786) filed Oct.
27, 1999 for Joost Kemink and Rik Sagar for PDA HAS WIRELESS MODEM
FOR REMOTE CONTROL VIA THE INTERNET. This document relates to a
handheld data processing device, e.g., a PDA,(Personal Digital
Assistant) with a user-interface and a wireless modem coupled to
the handheld. The wireless modem enables communication with a
server via a data network such as the Internet. A control network
is coupled between the server and controllable equipment. The
handheld is now capable of functioning as a wireless remote control
device for the equipment via the Internet and the server. The
system may comprise a video camera together with hardware and
software to create a formatted still image suitable for being
displayed on the handheld device. The user can now instruct
retrieval of a still image from the server via the Internet. This
application serves as, e.g., a security system that enables the
remote user to monitor his/her front porch, or to monitor a child
by way of a remote (or fall-back) baby-sit. The user-accessibility
of equipment is guaranteed by the ubiquity of the Internet, thus
enabling to expand the range of control and monitoring capabilities
for a mobile user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0015] The invention is explained in further detail, by way of
example and with reference to the accompanying drawing,
wherein:
[0016] FIGS. 1-7 are diagrams illustrating the invention within the
context of forwarding or storing an email and/or a Web page.
[0017] Throughout the drawing, same reference numerals indicate
similar or corresponding features.
DETAILED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the graphical representation of an
email document 100 on a display of, e.g., a laptop or of a mobile
communication device. Document 100 comprises a header 102, a text
body 104 and attachments 106 and 108. Header 102 typically
indicates who the sender is, what the subject is and what time the
email got sent, etc. Text body 104 comprises text in alphanumerical
characters, and attachments 106 and 108 are graphical
representations of the files attached to email 100 when received by
the current user.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram of email 100, wherein are graphically
indicated portions 202 and 204 that the user believes are relevant
to another person to whom he/she would like to forward that
information but without the rest. Portion 202 is a part of text
body 104, and portion 204 is attachment 204 in this example. The
user has selected portions 202 and 204, e.g., through highlighting
similarly to the highlighting tool of a word processing program or
in a browser. This is done in a foreground process per portion by
positioning a cursor, left-clicking a mouse button and dragging the
cursor to a new position. Any content in a rectangle between the
two positions gets highlighted. Alternatively, the user chooses a
highlighting software tool that highlights portions of a text or of
another item when rendered on a display monitor. In software terms,
the portions get tagged. Tagging itself is known from, e.g., word
processing applications, wherein the control codes for rendering of
the text can get displayed (e.g., in "WordPerfect") or from HTML
and XML software tools.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrates a menu 302 that pops up when
the user right-clicks on the mouse. Menu 302 has an option "Send",
an option "Save", and possibly other options. It is known from
browser technology, e.g., Netscape, that right-clicking the mouse
lets appear a menu while the cursor is positioned within the
browser window. The menu has an option "send" which, when selected,
automatically opens up a new window for an email application. The
text body in the email window of the known browser automatically
includes the URL of the web page currently being displayed in the
browser window. In the invention, however, a new document is
created in a background process under the "Send" option of menu
302. The tagging controls the copying of the tagged portions into
the new document.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a window 400 that is created in the
foreground as a result of the user choosing the "Send" option of
menu 302. Window 400 has itself interactive items 402, 404, and
406. Item 402 is a window wherein the user can entering a name or
address of the intended addressee. Item 404 is a window for
scrolling up or down in an addressee book for selecting a
preprogrammed name or address. Item 406 is a window wherein the
user can add annotations through a keyboard of the laptop or a
virtual keyboard accommodated on the mobile device. When the user
has selected the addressee and added the annotations (if any), the
user clicks a "SEND" button 408. This combines the annotations in
window 406 with selected portions 202 and 204 in the background
document and sends the thus created document
[0022] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a Web page 500 with certain parts
that the user would like to store or forward in an email. Web page
500 is typically an HTML file. Page 500, when rendered, comprises
text sections 502, 504, and 506, and images 508 and 510. The user
selects text portion 504 and image 510, e.g., through highlighting
by positioning a pointer 512 in the corners determining a rectangle
that comprises the relevant portion. Three corners determine the
rectangle unambiguously. The highlighting can be represented in XML
tags for example. Upon a user's right-click, an email is prepared
in a background process that enables the receiver to retrieve the
highlighted portions as attachments. Alternatively, the receiver
gets the email with the URL of page 500 together with control
information that control the browser to highlight or otherwise
graphically identify portions 504 and 510 when the receiver
downloads page 500 from the Internet. When XML codes are being
used, the receiver preferably has a corresponding XSL style sheet
to properly enable the processing of the tags.
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates the case when the sender may want to
communicate or store annotations to portions 504 and 510 along with
page 500. The software on the user's PC or communication device
comprises an authoring tool to create annotation 602 that are
rendered when pointer 512 is positioned within the screen area of,
in this example, portion 510 of the processed Web page. Annotation
602 is created in a way similar to creating the "help" boxes in
known software applications or browsers that appear as cream boxes
when the pointer is positioned over the associated icon or image.
In the known applications, this annotating is done by professionals
using a professional authoring tool. In the invention, this tool is
made available to the consumer for the purpose discussed above.
Note that on a handheld, the annotation may occupy a substantive
portion of the screen real estate.
[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates another implementation of the invention
in the form of a distributed system 700. System 700 comprises
clients 702, 704 and 706 that are coupled to a server 708 via the
Internet 710 or an intranet. Client 702 sends an electronic
document 712 to client 704 via server 708. Server 708 keeps a local
copy of document 712, at least temporarily. The user of client 704
wants to forward document 712 to client 706 with annotations or
highlighted portions 714. The user of client 704 selects portions
714 as explained above. The background process at client 704
collects pointers 716 for highlighted portions 714 and sends
pointers 716 to server 708, together with a reference to identify
document 712 at server 708. At server 708, pointers 716 get
combined with the copy of electronic document 712 to create a new
electronic document 718, e.g., a partially highlighted or annotated
Web page. Server 708 then sends new document 718 to client 706. An
advantage of this distributed system is the reduction in traffic,
since only pointers 716 get sent from client 704 to server 708,
instead of the entire annotated document. A similar scenario is
feasible regarding pruned email messages using the invention as
described above.
[0025] For an example of a convenient virtual keyboard as mentioned
above, see U.S. Ser. No. 09/062,364/(Attorney docket PHA 23,387)
filed Apr. 17, 1998 for Jan van Ee and Sung Choi for GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACE TOUCH SCREEN WITH AUTO ZOOM FEATURE, herein incorporated
by reference. This document relates to a soft-keyboard implemented
on a touch screen, especially for a mobile device whose display has
limited screen real estate. The keyboard as displayed is too small
for the user to activate individual ones of the alphanumerical
keys. When the user touches the screen in the region where the
desired key resides, that region gets magnified so that the user
can select the desired key in an easy manner. Surprisingly fast
text entry is possible through this so-called 37 auto-zoom"
keyboard.
[0026] As an alternative implementations of a virtual keyboard, see
U.S. Ser. No. 09/251,682 (attorney docket PHA 23,375) filed Feb.
17, 1999 for Scott Vance et al., for MULTIPLE PRESSURE SENSORS PER
FINGER OF GLOVE FOR VIRTUAL FULL TYPING, herein incorporated by
reference. This document relates to a glove that has an array of
pressure sensors mounted longitudinally at the finger-tips. When
touching a rigid surface with the glove, different sensors are
being activated dependent on the orientation of the finger tip
relative to the surface. This configuration enables implementing a
virtual keyboard having multiple rows of keys.
[0027] For interacting with graphical information on a relatively
small display, see U.S. Ser. No. 09/619,426 (Attorney docket US
000173) filed Jul. 19, 2000 for Jan van Ee for HAND-HELD WITH
AUTO-ZOOM FOR GRAPHICAL DISPLAY OF WEB PAGE. This document relates
to a mobile phone that has a display with a touch screen. The
device has a browser and is capable of retrieving a Web page from
the Internet. The page is first displayed in its entirety. The user
can recognize the page's general lay-out and presence of
hyperlinks. When the user touches a particular location on the
touch screen that corresponds to a portion of the page's image, the
portion gets displayed so as to fill the display's area. Thus, the
user can browse the Web with a display of limited size.
* * * * *