Method and apparatus for displaying information on a computer controlled display device

Claim 2

A computer controlled method for automatically displaying structured information on a computer controlled display device to a user; said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information; said method comprising the steps of: (a) determining that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user; said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; (b) locating said supplemental information within said structured information; and (c) displaying a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device; said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge; said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information; and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 3

The computer controlled method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises the step of detecting a supplemental information designation explicitly identifying said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 4

The computer controlled method of claim 2 wherein said supplemental information designation is specified according to a document markup language.

Claim 5

The computer controlled method of claim 1 wherein step (c) comprises the step of heuristically locating said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 6

The computer controlled method of claim 4 wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of: (c1) distinguishing a boundary cell of a table from a plurality of body cell of said table; and (c2) classifying said boundary cell as supplemental information.

Claim 7

The computer controlled method of claim 4 wherein step (c) further comprises the steps of: (c1) identifying an axis of a graph; (c2) determining an axis related information; and (c3) classifying said axis related information as supplemental information.

Claim 8

The computer controlled method of claim 1 wherein said drawing area is within a context and step (c) further comprises the step of scrolling said selection of primary information within said drawing area without scrolling said context.

Claim 9

The computer controlled method of claim 1 wherein said drawing area is within a context and step (d) further comprises the steps of: (d1) detecting a relevant edge of said primary information; (d2) adjusting positions of said selection of primary information and said supplemental information within said drawing area; and (d3) scrolling said drawing area together with said context.

Claim 10

An information display system for automatically displaying structured information on a computer controlled display device to a user; said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information; said system comprising: a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user; said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device; said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge; said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information; and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 11

An information display system for automatically displaying structured information on a computer controlled display device to a user; said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information; said system comprising: a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user; said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device; said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge; said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information; and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 12

The information display system of claim 9 wherein said detection mechanism comprises an explicit specification detection mechanism configured to detect a supplemental information designation explicitly identifying said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 13

The information display system of claim 10 wherein said supplemental information designation is specified according to a document markup language.

Claim 14

The information display system of claim 9 wherein said detection mechanism comprises a heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism configured to heuristically locate said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 15

The information display system of claim 12 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: a comparison mechanism configured to distinguish a boundary cell of a table from a plurality of body cells of said table; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said boundary cell as supplemental information.

Claim 16

The information display system of claim 12 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: an axis location mechanism configured to locate an axis of a graph; a determination mechanism configured to determine an axis related information associated with said axis; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said axis related information as supplemental information.

Claim 17

The information display system of claim 9 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises a scrolling mechanism configured to scroll said selection of primary information within said drawing area without scrolling said context.

Claim 18

The information display system of claim 9 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises: a detection mechanism configured to detect a relevant edge of said primary information; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust positions of said selection of primary information and said supplemental information within said drawing area dependent on said relevant edge; and a scroll mechanism configured to scroll said drawing area together with said context.

Claim 19

An information display apparatus for automatically displaying structured information on a display device to a user; said information display apparatus having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and said display device; said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information; said display apparatus comprising: a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user; said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device; said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge; said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information; and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 20

An information display apparatus for automatically displaying structured information on a display device to a user; said information display apparatus having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and said display device; said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information; said display apparatus comprising: a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user; said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device; said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge; said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information; and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 21

The information display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said detection mechanism comprises an explicit specification detection mechanism configured to detect a supplemental information designation explicitly identifying said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 22

The information display apparatus of claim 18 wherein said supplemental information designation is specified according to a document markup language.

Claim 23

The information display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said detection mechanism comprises a heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism configured to heuristically locate said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 24

The information display apparatus of claim 20 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: a comparison mechanism configured to distinguish a boundary cell of a table from a plurality of body cells of said table; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said boundary cell as supplemental information.

Claim 25

The information display apparatus of claim 20 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: an axis location mechanism configured to locate an axis of a graph; a determination mechanism configured to determine an axis related information associated with said axis; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said axis related information as supplemental information.

Claim 26

The information display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises a scrolling mechanism configured to scroll said selection of primary information within said drawing area without scrolling said context.

Claim 27

The information display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises: a detection mechanism configured to detect a relevant edge of said primary information; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust positions of said selection of primary information and said supplemental information within said drawing area dependent on said relevant edge; and a scroll mechanism configured to scroll said drawing area together with said context.

Claim 28

A computer program product for causing a computer to automatically display structured information of a display device to a user, said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information, comprising: a computer usable storage medium; computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user, said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device, said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge, said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information, and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 29

A computer program product for causing a computer to automatically display structured information of a display device to a user, said structured information including a plurality of primary information and a supplemental information, comprising: a computer usable storage medium; computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a determination mechanism configured to determine that one or more but not all of said plurality of primary information is to be presented on said display device to said user, said plurality of primary information having an attached edge relating to said supplemental information; computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a detection mechanism configured to locate said supplemental information within said structured information; and computer controlling instructions, stored on said storage medium, to cause said computer to effect a display mechanism configured to display a selection of primary information and said supplemental information within a drawing area on said display device, said supplemental information positioned within said drawing area dependent on said attached edge, said supplemental information corresponding to said selection of primary information, and said selection of primary information comprising one or more of said plurality of primary information.

Claim 30

The computer program product of claim 25 wherein said detection mechanism comprises an explicit specification detection mechanism configured to detect a supplemental information designation explicitly identifying said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 31

The computer program product of claim 26 wherein said supplemental information designation is specified according to a document markup language.

Claim 32

The computer program product of claim 25 wherein said detection mechanism comprises a heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism configured to heuristically locate said supplemental information within said structured information.

Claim 33

The computer program product of claim 28 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: a comparison mechanism configured to distinguish a boundary cell of a table from a plurality of body cells of said table; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said boundary cell as supplemental information.

Claim 34

The computer program product of claim 28 wherein said heuristic supplemental information detection mechanism further comprises: an axis location mechanism configured to locate an axis of a graph; a determination mechanism configured to determine an axis related information associated with said axis; and a classification mechanism configured to classify said axis related information as supplemental information.

Claim 35

The computer program product of claim 25 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises a scrolling mechanism configured to scroll said selection of primary information within said drawing area without scrolling said context.

Claim 36

The computer program product of claim 25 wherein said drawing area is within a context and said display mechanism further comprises: a detection mechanism configured to detect a relevant edge of said primary information; an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust positions of said selection of primary information and said supplemental information within said drawing area dependent on said relevant edge; and a scroll mechanism configured to scroll said drawing area together with said context.