US 7,231,597 B1Granted

Method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for creating asides within an electronic document

AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation

InventorsOwen C. Braun, Christopher H. Pratley, Peter L. Engrav, Mark Yalovsky, Steven J. Sinofsky, Alex J. Simmons

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for creating asides within an electronic document are provided. The keystroke combination is defined for creating an aside with an electronic document. If the keystroke combination is received, a location is identified within the electronic document for an aside object. Once the location for the aside has been determined, an outline object is created at the location. The outline object holds text or other contents for the aside. An insertion point is then placed within the object. The user may then enter keystrokes or other data into the second object. If the keystroke combination is again entered, the insertion point is returned to its location immediately prior to moving the insertion point to the aside object. The keystroke combination for creating an aside and the keystroke combination for returning from the aside may be identical. Asides may also be created in various portions of an electronic document, such as a title portion, in a similar manner.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for creating an aside within an electronic document, the method comprising:

receiving a first input placing an insertion point in an outline object at a first location within a viewable portion of the electronic document;
receiving and displaying a second input at the insertion point;
determining whether the second input includes a key command requesting that the aside be created within the electronic document;
in response to determining that the second input includes the key command, identifying a second location within the viewable portion of the electronic document for a first new object such that the first new object is created in a non-overlapping fashion with respect to the outline object;
creating the first new object at the second location such that the first new object is viewable;
moving the insertion point to within the first new object;
receiving and displaying a third input at the insertion point;
determining that the third input received and displayed at the insertion point is greater than a predetermined size;
in response to determining that the third input received and displayed at the insertion point is greater than the predetermined size, identifying a third location within the viewable portion of the electronic document for a second new object such that the second new object is created in a non-overlapping fashion with respect to the outline object and the first new object;
creating the second new object at the third location such that the second new object is viewable;
moving the insertion point to within the second new object;
receiving and displaying a fourth input at the insertion point;
determining whether the fourth input includes the key command;
and
in response to determining that the fourth input includes the key command, returning the insertion point to the outline object.

12 more elements

A method for creating an aside within an electronic document, the method comprising:

receiving input placing an insertion point at a location within the viewable portion of the electronic document;
receiving and displaying input at the insertion point;
determining whether the input includes a key command requesting that an aside be created within a body area or a key command indicating that an aside be created in a title area of the electronic document;
in response to determining that the input includes a request to create an aside in the body area of the electronic document, identifying a location within the viewable portion of the body area of the electronic document for a new object such that the new object is created in a non-overlapping fashion, the location for the new object being different than the location of the insertion point, creating the new object at the identified location such that the new object is viewable and moving the insertion point to a location within the new object, receiving and displaying input at the insertion point, and applying formatting to the input displayed within the new object that distinguishes the input from data displayed in other portions of the electronic document, and creating an overflow object for a portion of the input received and displayed at the insertion point when the input received and displayed at the insertion point is greater than a predetermined size;
in response to determining that the input includes a request to create an aside in the title area of the electronic document, identifying a location within the title area of the electronic document for the new object, the location for the new object being different than the location of the insertion point, creating the new object at the identified location and moving the insertion point to a location within the new object, and receiving and displaying input at the insertion point, and applying formatting to the input displayed within the new object that distinguishes the input from data displayed in other portions of the electronic document;
determining whether the input includes the key command;
and
in response to determining that the input includes the identical key command, returning the insertion point to its location prior to moving the insertion point to the location within the new object.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.