CA2091339A1 - Computer apparatus and method for graphical flip book - Google Patents

Abstract

Computer apparatus and method replicates a book in screen views of a video display unit. A book representation is formed of a multiplicity of entities positioned in a series and successively overlapping each other. Data of only non-overlapped entities or portions thereof are viewable. Processor means changes display of the series such that desired entities are displayed non-overlapped in a respective position in the series. Each entity succeeding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective succeeding entity, if any, and each entity preceding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective preceding entity, if any, to display the desired entity non-overlapped in the series. Screen view position of viewable data in the series thus changes as a function of entity providing the data and corresponding serial position of the entity. A processor procedure adjusts position of user definable tabs coupled to entities to maximize viewability of tabs.
Page numbers and other markers are employed to provide indications of the positions of the entities in the series. Alternatively, entities nearest the non-overlapped entity are less overlapped by neighboring entities than entities farther away from the non-overlapped entity are overlapped by respective neighboring entities.

Description

2~1 33~
~92/08182 PCT/US91/~S6 CO~PUTER APPARATVS AND METHOD
_____________________________ FOR GRAPHICAL FLIP BOQK
_______________________ Back~round of the Invention ____ ____________ ___ _____ In a data processing system, a dlgital processor executes various programs and produces output to program designated destinations, such as a me~ory file, video display or printer to name a few.
In an interactive program, output is continuously generated and displayed on a video display for user viewing during program execution. Various icons and interface graphics are employed in output screen views for increased intuitiveness and ease of use.
One example of commonly used interface graphics is the case of a muleiplicity of items displayed in a screen view. The interface graphics and user interface therewith enable the user to co~bine the items into a colleceion and to represent the collection by an icon. The user is then able to act on the collection of items together by acting on the icon instead of acting on each item individually one at a time. Generally, the icon does not preclude the user from acting on individual items as desired.
Thus, the interface graphics and icons provide a certain smount of user friendliness in the handling of plural ieems in a data processing system.
One disadvantage of commonly used icons and interface graphics involves the two-dimensional geometry of such elements in a screen view of a video display. For example, a folder icon holding a -''. '' ' ' ' :, ' : ~, ' :':
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one page document typically appears to be the same shape and si~e as a folder icon holding several multi-page documen~s. That is, the folder icon does not show thickness and hence, volume of contents until "opened" or otherwise acted upon by the user.
More recently, some icons have been made to appear three-dimensional so as to provide a general indication that a number of items are associated with the icon.
Another disadvantage of com~only used interfac~
graphics and icons involves the functionslity thereo~ In particular, where an icon represents an everyday office ob~ect, such as a folder, address book or calendar, ehe functionality of the icon should mirror that of the corresponding object to truly provide user friendliness. Typically, some functions of sn icon mirror that of the corresponding ob;ect while other functions of the icon are dictated by protocol of the data processing system and/or consistency with other system operations. To satisfy this mixture of competing interests, user friendliness is ~ften compromised.
Thus, there is a need for improved interface graphics and icons in data processing systems.

Summary of the Invention ______ _________________ :
The present invention provides co~puter apparatus and method for mimicking a book in screen views of a vfdeo display. In particular, the ~ -present invention provides a multiplicity of data ... . , . , ~ .
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- .. : - - : ' C092/08~82 2 ~ ~ 1 3 3 ~ PCT/~J~9~ 6 bearing entities changeably positioned in a series and aligned with each o~her ~long an sxis. Each entity substantially overlaps one of a respective preceding and succeeding entity such that data of only non-overlapped portions of entities are viewable. Processor means of the present invention are employed to respond to user selection of a non-overlapped portion of a desired entity in the series, The processor means responds by displaying the desired entity non-overlapped in the series such that da~a of the desired entity is viewable. To accomplish this, the processor means changes display of the series such that each entity succeeding the desired entity in the series is displayed substantially overlapping a respective succeeding entity and each entity preceding the desired entity in the series is displayed substantially overlapping a respective preceding entity.
Further, as a function of serial position in the series, each entity has a different screen loc~tion or position between opposite sides of the screeD view. When an entity is displayed non-overlapped, it is displayed positioned at its respective screen location with the remaining portions of the series of entities overlapped and extending from opposite sides of the ~on-overlapped entity to the sides of the screen view. As a result, the screen view position of viewable data, i.e. from one non-overlapped enti~y to the next successively from one end of the series to an - : . ', . '' , - ::

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W09~/~818~ PCT/~JS~ 6 ln accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the entities bear respective serial numbers like pages in a book. Also, other indications of the position of each enti~y in the series are provided. One such indication includes markers at every certain number entity, e.g..every tenth or hundredth entity, in the series. For another such indication, low digit of a page number may be indica~ed in a non-overlapped corner of an entity.
Additionally, a computer procedure for reordering serial position of entities may be employed and/or computer means for displaying additional information corresponding to an entity upon user command may be employed. Also, a eomputer procedure for inserting and remo~ing entities from the series of entities is employed.

Brief Descriptio__of the_Drawin~s - The foregoing and other objects, features and advan~ages of the in~ention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to ehe same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the.
invention.

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2 0 ~ ~ ., 3 t~i 2tO8182 PCT/US91/0~56 Fi~ure l is a schematic view of a data processing syste~ enploying the present invention.
Figures 2a-2i are illustrations of screen views of one embodiment of the present invention.
Fi~ures 3a-3e ars illustrations of scre~n views from another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is sn illustration of a screen view of an alternative e~bodiment of the present invention.
Figures 5a-5b are flow diagrams of ~he software program that supports ambodiments of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a schematic dia~ram of a data structure employed in the software of Figures 5a-5b.

Detailed Descripeion of the Preferred Embodiment Generally speaking, the present invention discloses computer graphic apparatus which provides a representation of a thick book or large collection of entities in a series and user interface therewith. In particular, the invention co~puter apparatus displays a book representation in various states in response to user interaction therewith.
The various states of the book representation include, but are not limited to, "closed" with the front cover in full display, open to a certain page (or palr of facing pages), flipping through various pages in succession, and "closed" with the back cover in full display.
The book representation is conceptually structured as an ordered stack or succession of 2~`~133.9 WO92/08182 ~ PCT/~JS9~ 6 units called leaves. Each leaf comprises two sides, one which always faces toward the beginning of the succession ~or top of the stack) and one which always faces toward the end of the succession (or botto~ of the stack). Hence, each leaf is ma~ntained in both serial order and frontside-backside ori~ntation in ~he succession, like pages in a book or binder. Each leaf side provides a page o~ information or may be generally thought of as an entity bearing data ~esired to be displayed. The information/data includes images ~s well as text and graphics.
In a preferred embodiment, the first leaf and last leaf of the succession of leaves serve as a front cover and back cover, respectively, of the book representation. Optionally, as to the first and last leaves, only the front side of ~he first leaf and backside of the last leaf provide infor~ation as desired. For exa~ple, title, author/editor and date of the collection of information may appear on the front cover while "The End" appears on ehe back cover. Further the leaf at the top of the stack and in particular the frontside of that leaf (i.e. the side facing the beginning of the succession) is one of the pair of pages to which the book is open. Only the information-data of that pair of pages is displayed in full (i.e. is wholly viewable) in the book representation.
Accordingly, to "open" the book representation to a certain leaf side (page), the leaves with sides ' ' ' ''. ' ' -. .
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092/08~82 2 ~ ~ 1 3 ~ PCT/~S9~/0~56 preceding the desired leaf side are moved in serial order from the top of the stack, frontside facing up, to frontside facin~ down on a first stack half.
Hence, the first leaf of the succession of leaves is at the bottom of the first stack hslf frontside fscing down, and the moved succeeding leaves are, in succession, frontside facing down on top of the first leaf to form the first stack halE. The leaves succeeding the desired leaf remain in series order and in frontside facing up orientation in the initial stack, i.e~ the remsining stack half. The information/data of the upward facing leaf sides at the top of the two stack halves provide the pair of -facing psges to which the book representation is currently open.
The infornation/data of only these two pages is displayed in full in the book representation.
Subsequent changes in pages to which the book representation is open, are similarly accomplished by moving leaves between stack halves in serial order and in frontside facing beginning of the succession and backside facing the end of the succession orientation.
Pages preceding the pair of pages to which the book representation is open (i.e. leaves of the first stack half) are displayed overlapping one another in series extending from one side of the two "open" pages. And pages succeeding the pair of pages to which the book representation is open ~i.e.
leaves of the second stack half) are displayed , ............. .. . . .

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overlapping one another in series extending from an opposite side of the two "open" pages.
Further, to effect the three dimensional appearance and behavior of the book representation (i.e. so that the book representation is regarded by the user as being a large nu~ber of pages thick), Applicant provides the following. Each leaf side (page) of the book representation has a respective location or position in the screen view ae which the page is displayed iD f~ll view (i.e. when the book representation is displayed open to that page). In particular, screen view positions o~ the front sides of the leavas are, in serial order, incrementally spaced across the screen view from one side to an opposite side of the screen along an axis. And scseen view positions of the backsides of the leaves are, in serial order, incrementally spaced across the screen view fro~ the one side to the opposite side along the axis. In addition, the screen view positions of the leaf backsides are offset fro~ the leaf front~ides screen view positions, such that facing pages (i.e. a backside of one leaf and frontside of the succeeding leaf) of the open book representstion are displayed ad;acent eAch other.
To that end, screen view position of a pair of facing pages eo which the book representa~ion is open changes as a function of serial position of the pa~es (corresponding leaves) in the succession of leaves formin~ the book representation.

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O9~108182 2 ~ 3 3 ~ PCT/US91/~56 - Said another way, the succession of leaves forming the book representation lies along an axis of the screen ~iew. When the book representation is displayed open to a page at the beginnin~ of the succession of leaves forming the book representation, that page is displayed posieioned near one end of the axis, When the book representatiOn is displayed open to a page in the middle of the succession of leaves forming the book representation book, that page is displayed positioned at the middle of the axis in the screen view~ When the book representation is displayed open to a page toward the end of the succession of leaves forming the book representation, that page is displayed positioned near the opposite end of the axis, Thus, in the display of a series of pages being flipped in serial order from one page to a destination page, the screen view position of the viewable (in full view) page to which the book representation is momentarily open moves along the screen view axis in the direction of the screen position of the destination page.
Various tabs for flagging a particular page (leaf side) and various markers for indicating serial position of a page in the book representation are also employed by the presen~ invention as described next with reference to varlous embodiments of the present invention.
Preferably, an embodiment of the present invention is a software program employed in a data 2~33!~ ,., wO92~08a8~ PCT/US~/0~6 processing system such as the one illustrated in Figure 1. Generally, the data processing system includes a digital processor 15 which executes the invention softwars program 11 in an interactive task 13~ Various I/O devices of the data processing system provide user interfsce with the invention program 11 during execution thereof. In particular, a video display unit 25 coupled to the digital processor 15 displays in various screen views output of the invention program 11 during execution thereof, A keyboard 27, mouse 29, and/or stylus 31 and tablet coupled to the digital processor 15 generaee and relay user input to the invention program 11 during execution thereof.
The display unit 25, keyboard 27, mouse 29, stylus 31/tablet and other I/O de~ices form a user workstation terminal. One or more such user workstation terminals may be coupled to the digital processor 15 over a local area,network (LAN) or other buses in a network configuration. In the case of a network, a copy of the inven~ion software program 11 resides in each workstation and plural copies may be run at a ti~e in respective workstations, In the case of a single user workstation terminal, the digitsl processor 15 may be of the singie task type such that just one copy of the invention software program 11 is executed at a time.
A preferred user workstation ter~inal is disclosed in ~.S. Application Serial No. 245,419 - . . . . . .
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0~2/0818~ 2 ~ PCT/US91/~56 -l3-assigned to the Assignee of the present invention.
The details of that workstation and user interface using a s~ylus and tablet described therewith are herein incorporated by reference. Hereafter, references to "user selection" refers to a positioning of the screen view cursor on a desired displayed item ADd the activating of an input device (e.g. operation of a keyboard key, mouse button or stylus end). References to "user positioning of the screen view cursor" refers to movement of the cursor by keyboard keys, mouse movement over a working surface, or stylus movement with respect to a tablet surface.
Figures 2a-2i provide a series of screen views illustrating operation of one embodiment of the present in~ention. In Figure 2a, the book representation 35 is shown nclosedn with a cover 37 (front side of first leaf) bearing ~arious indicia.
A series of ~ertical stripes 39 adjacent one side of the cover 37 represents the succession of lea~es that form the bulk of the book representation 35.
In essence, each leaf is substantially overlapped by a preceding leaf such that only an edge portion (illustrated as a stripe) of each leaf is exposed.
The only ti~f a leaf is shown non-o~erlapped (i.e.
in full page view) in the book representation 35 is when the book representation 35 is open to one side (front or back) of that leaf. In that case, a pair of facing leaf sides (i.e. a backside of one leaf and a frontside of a succeeding leaf) are displayed .' .

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WO92/08182 P~T/US91/~56 -l4-non-overlapped. And each leaf preceding the non-overlapped leaf frontside is displayed substsntially overlapping a respective preceding leaf and each leaf succeeding the non-overlapped leaf backside is displayed substantially overlapping a respective s~cceeding leaf.
Illustrating the series of leaves 39 of the book representation 35 ln this way not only produces the thick appearance of the book representation 35 (i.e. produces the illusion of 8 third dimension in a two-dlmensional screen image), but also shows serial position of each leaf with respect to the ends of the book representation 35. That is, the closer the stripç 39 is displayed to the cover 37, the closer the corresponding leaf is to the be~inning of the succession of leaves forming the book representation 35; and the farther away the stripe 39 is displayed from the cover 37, the closer the corresponding leaf is to the end of the succession.
Accordingly, to open the book representation 35 to a desired page, the user selects the corrPsponding stripe 39 which represents the leaf comprising the desired page. To aid in this selection, ehe screen cursor 41 is preferably t-shaped ~such as the cross hairs of a sighting reference) or of similar geometry. Also, a thumb tab 43 is coupled to every certain nu~ber of stripes (leaves) 39, for example, every tenth leaf (or twentieth page). Thus, if the user wants to open .

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l092~08182 2 ~ 3 :~ PCT/US91/~S6 the book representation 35 to say Pages 54-55, the user positions the cursor 41 on a stripe two thirds of the way from the second thumb tab 43b to ~he third thumb tab 43c to the right of the cover 37 (correspondin~ to Pages 40 and 60 in the book representation) as illustrated in Figure 2a, and operates a pertinent input device ti.e. keyboard key, mouse button, stylus end). It is evident from the manner of display that alternative positions, sizes and labellings of the thumb tabs 43 is possible.
Upon the click of a nouse 29 button or pen down operation of the stylus 31 or operation of the keyboard 27 key, signals are generated from the input device to the inveneion program ll running in processor interactive task 13 (Figure 1~. The invention progra~ 11 interprets the signals using the bitmap 17 of the screen view of Figure 2a and cursor 41 position therein, and changes state of the book representation 35 to "open" to the user selected page. This is accomplished by the invention program ll changing bitmap 17 (Figure l) to display the cover 37 of the book representation 35 flipped open ~nd succeeding leaves 39 turning onto the backside of the open cover 37 in sequence, until the book representation 35 lay open to ~he page to which the cursor 41 points and, hence, to the page selected by the user. The resulting screen view is illustrated in Figure 2b with the book representation 35 open to Pages 54 and 55. As will be made obvious throughout Figures 2b-2i, each page nu~ber is preferably assigned to respective page 2~`3i~
WO92/08182 P~T/U~ 6 data, such that page data and corresponding page number are not displayed on different leaf sides.
Specifically, the invention program 11 operates on the premise th~t, in series order, each leaf frontside (i.e. pages facing the cover 37) has a respective screen position progress~vely furthe~
rightward of ~or closer to one end of a screen axis than) the screen position of the cover 37. And likewise, in backward serial order, each leaf backside (i.e. pages facing away from cover 37) has a respective screen position progressively further leftward of (or closer to an opposite end of the screen axis than~ the screen position of the back co~er (i.e. last leaf backside). And as mentioned previousl~, the screen view position of leaf backsides are offset from the positions of the leaf frontsides such that pairs of facing pages in the book representation 35 lie adjacent or nearly adjacent each other.
Hence, the invention program ll redraws the portion of the book representation 35 that lies to the }eft of the edge portion or representative stripe 39 of the user selected page in the illustrated example of Figure 2a. Or more generally, to display the book represeneation 35 change from a current state to ~ state "open" to a user selected page, the program 11 redraws the book portion between the cover 37 (if displayed) or page to which the book representation 35 is open in the current state and the edge portion of the user selected page.

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`092/08182 ~ ~v~ 3 3 3 P~T/US~ .56 In redrawing the subject book portion, the invention program ll sets bits of the bitmap 17 to display in full view the leaf side corresponding to the selected page ~t its respective screen view position in the book representation 35 (i.e. with a pertinent right hand or left hand edge along the corresponding stripe 39 selected by the user). The invention program ll also sets bits of the bit~ap 17 to display in full view the page (leaf side) facing the selected page at its respective screen view position adjacene the selected page in the book representation 35. In a preferred embodi~ent, a gap of predetermined width is left between the pair of facing pages. For the remaining part of the book portion being redrawn, the invention program ll sets bits of the bit~ap 17 to display a series of stripes 39 adjacent the outer facing edge of the newly displayed facing page. This series of stripes 39 continues from the series of stripes (if any) in the booX portion which is not being redrawn.
During user selection of a desirPd page, the user may maintain activation of the input device (by keeping the stylus 31 operated in the pen-down mode, or by keeping the mouse button 29 depre.ssed). This results in additional si~nals generated to the invention program ll to move the cursor 41 in the direction of user movement of the input device and subsequently cause further leavss 39 to flip to arrive at the page corresponding to cursor posieion.
For exa~ple, before or after arriving at the screen .
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WO92~'081~2 PCT/~S91/0~56 view of ~igure 2b and haviDg left the seylus 31 activated (or mouse button depressed), the user may move the cursor 41 an smount to the right (or left).
This causes a number of le~ves 39 succeeding (preceding) the currently displ~yed full view p~ge to flip. The number of leaves which arb turned equals the number of stripes 39 across which the user moves the cursor 41. The resulting book representation 35 stabilizes at ~i.e. lies open to) the page to which the cursor 41 currently points.
As illustrated in Figure 2c, the book representation 35 changes to Page 61 from Page 55 in Figure 2b in this example.
Hence in its state of opening to a selected page, the book representation 35 remains actively responsive to user movement of the cursor 41 (to the right or left across stripes 39) so long as the input device is maintained in active operation (i.e.
the stylus 31 is maintained in the pen-down mode or the mouse 29 button is maintained depressed).
To open the book to different psges distant from each other, the user need not actually maintain activation of the input device and move the cursor 41 across each leaf corresponding to the intervening pages until the desired page is reached. Instead, the user may operate the input device multiple times , for multiple selections. That is, the user may select and reselect different stripes 39 (leaf sides), one stripe at a tim~, in the book representation 35 as described in Figure 2a. In response, the invention program 11 flips the - . . ~ .
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,'092/OX182 ? ~ Q 1 ~ 3 ,!~ PCT/US91/~56 lntervening pages (leaves 39) between the current page to which the book representation 35 is opened and the newly selected pa~e ~leaf) as described previously.
Each page (leaf side) may have various data for different applications, In the illustrated figures, the pages of the book representation 35 have abstract designs which may have meanings for some particular user, These could as ~ell be menu icons of some computer program ~e.g. possible menu icons on one page of a pair of pages ~o which the book representation 35 is open and w`ords of description on the other page of the pair of facing pages). Or the data of the pages could be small pictures of documents, or representations of s~b-directories and files of a file system, or other sets of items to be scanned or browsed through.
Whatever the meanings of the page data of such a book representation 35, whenever a useful or interesting page is found, it can be examined or read, or arrangements can be provided to (i) display an enlargement of it or a set of related material,or (ii) enter an appropriate sub-program, depending on the nature of ths application in which the invention program ll is embedded. Those familiar with the state of the art of interactive program design will imagine A variety of possible excu.rsions tha~ can be taken, most of which will eventually revert to the visual display of the book representation 35 as described herein.

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In the preferred embodiment, there are basically two different modes of page flipping (leaf turnlng), fast and slow. Generally, the fast rate of flipping is used when the user has no interest in seeing intermediate material. The fast rate of flipping is achieved by showing blank full view pages 45 (Figure ~d) for the intervening pages between a current page to which the book representation 35 is open and a targeted page to which ~he book representation 35 is desired to be opened. To accomplish this, during the above described redrawing steps of the invention program 11, bits of the bitmap 17 are set to display blank full view intermediate pages to which the book is opened during flipping. Also, ~he present invention program 11 sets the bitmap 17 to display the series of stripes 39 on pertinent sides of the blank pages during flipping.
The slower rate of flipping causes all appropriate data/information ticons, text or graphics) to appear on pages (leaf sides) as the open book representation 35 is displayed to them.
This allows the user to look for something easily recogni~able by starting at one end of the book representation, choosing a slower flipping rate and requesting the book representation to be opened momentarily to each page in serial order to the other end of the book representation. The present ~nvention program 11 displays each page/leaf turning in serial order unless or until the user intervenes \

~92~08182 2 8 ~J 1 3 3 J PCT/US9~ 56 by selecting the page to which the book representation 35 is currently open. The input devices are operated as described previously to ~aXe the selection. If the selection is made a page or two late, the user continues to sctivate the input d~vice snd moves ehe curs,or 41 backward across the turned leaves 39 to the desired leaf to reverse the last few page turns as described previously.
In the preferred embodi~ent as illustra~ed in Fig~res 2a ~d, the flipping rate is user selectable through selection icons 47 labeled "high" to "low"
under the heading "slew speed". Each of the selection icons 47 produces a different signal to the invention program ll to define value of a flipping rate variable. If value of the flipping rate variable is above a predefined threshold, then the present invention program ll provides the fast rate of flipping using blank intermediate pages. If the flipping rate variable value is below the threshold by a certain amount, then the invention program ll displays the data on each intermediate page during flipping. For flipping rate variable values between the threshold and the value for slow rate of flippin~" the present invention program ll provides a range of intermediate rates. Each medium rate of flipping uses blank or graphic intermediate pages but provides page numbers and differen~
amounts of pause time between page flips. Further details are provided below with reference to another embodiment of the present invention.
Another feature of the present invention is a set of tabs which are removably connectable to - . .
.~ , 2~.'`' ~ 33~, W092/08182 PCTtUS91/~56 desired pages (leaf sides) of the book representatiOn 35. Fi~ure 2e illustra~es tabs 49 in use. A plurality of predefined tabs 49 are pro~ided in the screen view. The user may move a tab 49 from its original screen vlew position to or near the top of an open page (i.e. leaf side to which the book represent~tion 35 is open) through operation of an input device. Upon the tab 49 coming within a certain distance away from the open page, the invention program 11 attaches the tab 49 to the page as an extension of the page illustrated by tab "A"
~ttached to Page 164 in Figure 2e. Thereafter, the tab 49 while attached to the page (leaf side) flips with the page and has a frontside as well as a backside. To illustrate this feature, the tab's L, H, K and W 49 in Figure 2e are currently in use.
Tab L is displayed darkened to indicate that its backside is showing, and that it is attached to a leaf frontside (i.e. right hand page) which in Figure 2e is currently flipped over (i.e. face down). Tabs 49 coupled to respective pages are active in the sense that user selection of sueh a tab is equivalent to selection of the page coupled thereto, thus causing the book representation 35 to flip leaves successively until the book representation is opened to that page.
It is understood that tabs 49 may be made to connect to any outer edge of book pages as desired.
For ease of understanding and not by way of limitation, the figures illustrate and the discussion herein discribe tabs connected to the upper edge of pages.

:, ' ~ , o g2~0~l82 2 ~ 3 ~ 3 PCT/U~91/0~6 Although the illustrated tabs 49 are predefined single letters, other tab geometries and labelling schemes are suitsble. For example, the tabs could be sized to accommodaee more letters and their labellings could be user definable by keyboard input and the like. To that end, user-designed tabs containing several letters or even words may be provided.
In one embodiment, when a tab 49 is coupled to a page (leaf side), the ~ab is centered along the upper edge of the page. This has the disadvantage of some tabs obscuring the other tabs. This is particularly the case if the tabs 49 occur on nearby pages and/or if wider (multi-letter bearing) tabs are allowed.
The situation is relieved in another embodiment that allows tabs to slide horizontally along their respective page edges (upper edge) instead of only couplin~ tabs 4~ to the center of a page upper edge.
rO that and, for any particular book opening ~i.e.
position in the series of pages to which the boo~
representation 35 is open), tabs that conflict spatially are displayed optimally arranged according to a set of constraints and a placement procedure that mediates contention. The preferred embodiment of program ll employs the constraints and placement procedure dPscribed next. It is understood that the same procedure might be used for other one-dimensional placement problems where there is not enough space to display every item in its eneirety.

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W092~08~8~ PCT/US91/0~6 One constraint dictates that each tab never extends past either the left end, or the right end, of the upper edge of the page to wh~ch the tab is coupled. Consequently, no tab can be wider than a page width. Alternatively, one ~ight restrict the total width of the set of tabs 49 to the entire screen width, or to the entire horizontal span o~
the book representation 35.
To optimize visibility of tabs 49 of the book representatiOn 35 one of two premises is followed so far as possible. One premise provides equal display space to contending t~bs. The other premise provides displav of the same percentages of contending tabs (i.e. ~ives more space to the wider tabs). In other respects, it is desirable to preserve in the book representation 35 most of the physical-reality aspects of page-flipping in an actual book. That is, each tab is opaque, its caption does not chan~e as a function of page flipping nor the dispositions of other tabs, nor does its size change.
The placement procedure recaIculaees tab display positions after each significant change of the book representation 35. In particular, program ll calls the placement procedure (l) when ~he width of a tab in use is changed or when a tab is attached or removed from an open page and (2~ whenever a page (side of a leaf) holding one or more tabs is flipped. In the former case, the placement procedure repositions the tabs on the pages in the ' '' . ' -, ,. . - ~ :. . -- .
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: ' . :- ' - ' - :
. ~ . ': ' ~ g~,08,82 2 ~ u~ PCT/US91/0~6 same ha}f of the open book representation 35 that the subject open page lies. In the latter case, the placement procedure repos~tions tabs on the pages in both halves of ehe open book representation 35. For each half of the open book represen~ation 3S, t~bs are treated according to page to wh~ch they are coupled, in series order from ehe beginnlng/end of the book representAtion 35 toward the open pages.
Figure 2f illustrates the foregoing. The figure illustraees displayed screen views of the book representaeion 35 open to successive Pages 86-95 with tabs 49 automatically repositioned along the upper edge of respective pages. In eaçh in~tance, the tabs 49 are reposi~ioned for optimal visibility and non-occlusion of each other. The arrows indicate direction of sliding of a tab from one screen view to the next. For each tab, the extent of sliding along a page upper edge is constrained by the left and right side edges of the respective page. Reverse sides of tabs are shown with white text on dark background.
The following procedure describes p}acement of tabs on the right hand half 5l (Figure 2f) of the open book representation 35, i.e. from end 55 of the book representation 35 back to the open pages (e.g.
Page 87 of Figure 2f). It is understood that the left hand half 53 (Figure 2f) is treated symmetrically. As used herein, "placemene" means the calculation of tab position along the upper edge of a page, which is done for each tab 49 in use .

. ~ ~ .: . , :
- - ~ : ~ :

2~ 33.1 W092/08182 PCT/~S91/0~56 before any of the actual redisplay of the book representatiOn 35 with tabs 49 rearranged is performed. Preferably, for esch half of the open book representaeion 35, the tab placement procedure calculaees tab position on respectivs pnges in order (serial or backward serial order~ from an end most page (front co~er end or back cover end) to the open pages, as described next.
Two parameters are maintained throughout the process:

(l) RIGHT LOCK indicates the page which is closest to the open page of the right hand half 51 and which holds a tab flush to the right edge of the page. No tab coupled to a page nearer the open page can force the flush right tab farther right or change the calculated position of any tab coupled to a page succeeding the page of the flush right tab.
(2) PREV LEFT indicates in absolute screen coordinates, the left edge of the most recently added tab, where order of adding tabs is from the tab coupled to a page closest to an end of the book representation to the tab coupled to an open page.

Assuming that there is at least one tab in the right hand half 51 of the open book representation ., . . . . . - . ~ .
, . , . - .
'- : : ~ , ' . . ' - ' .- . .:
: . , ': ' : -- ' . - . : : ' .

.'092/08l8~ ~ ~ 9 ~ ? 3 '~J PCT/IJ~ 3 35, the process is started by finding the page closest to the end 55 of the book representation 35 with a tab 49. That tab 49 (ndormant" in Figure 2f) is placed flush right on its page, and RIG}IT LOCK i5 set equal to that page's number. PREV LEFT is se~
to the ~ab's left edge. Then for every tab in sequence backward to ~he open page of the book half 51 (i.e. "D", "URGENT", ~Fri", "E", ~ASAP", "todayn), the following loop of instructions is applied:

If the tab can be placed 1ush right on its page without overlapping PREV LEFT, then it is placed there, RIGHT LOCK i5 reset to this page's number, and PREV LEFT is set to this tab's left edge.
Else if the tab can be placed lef~ of and abutting PREV LEFT, and not extend farther left than its page's left edge, then:
it is placed there and PREV LEFT is set to this tab's left edge.

Else:
the tab is placed flush left on its page, tabs between it and the tab ~f RIGHT LOCK
are repositioned so as to ~ost equitably use the ava~lable space (ultimately leaving the new tab entirely visible but in general all tabs on succeeding pages to - . - - . . .- ~ . - . ~ .

- ~ .
- . . . . : .. : :

2~333 WO g2/OB182 PCI/IJ~

and including the page indicated by RIGHT LOCK will be overlapped to some de~ree by tab~ of previous pages), this is accomplished 85 follows:

(a) the widths (desired space) of tabs on succeeding pages to and including ~he page of RIGHT LOCK are summed;

(b) the available spaca from the new tab's right edge to the right edge of the page of RIGHT LOCK is compueed;

(c) the percentage that each tab can show (i.e. available space divided by sum of tab widths equals psrcent of each tab) is determined, and all tabs are positioned horizontally so that the calculated percentage of the horizontal span of each tab is displayed. Alternatively using the available space, some other algorith~.
for divvying up the space amongs~ the tabs is implemented, such as equal absolu~e amounts rather than percentage amoun~s. After all tabs involved have been positioned, if any tab extends to the left of the new tab's l~f~ edge (which can happen in the case of wide tabs~, the '' - . ` .' . , ' . . ' - ' ' , .
: : ~ - :- :, -: . . . - ~ ~ ., ' ' ' `0~2tO8182 PCT/US91/0~56 ~9 o~erextending tab is truncated at this left edge.

and PREV LEFT is set to this last tab's (the tab flush left) left edge.

The foregoing illustrates the placement of tabs associated with the righthand open pnge ~nd subsequent pages; a similar method is used to position contendin~ tabs associated with the lefthand open page and previous pages, starting at the fron~ of ~he book representation and ~orking forward into the book to the open page.
Another feature of the present invention is the '~soft ordering" of the book representation 35. That is, the ordering of the series of leaves 39 is changeable by the program 11 under the user's ~ontrol. Generally, the leaves of the book representatiOn 35.may be arranged page by page by the user's direct manip~lation. Specifically to create the series of leaves 39, the user initially obtains units of various tata and i~ages in a screen view by co~on means, i.e. menu selection and the like. Employing the user intexfacing discussed previously, the user orders and arranges the data units in a pile or stack as desired. ~pon user com~and, such as through an icon interface, the program 11 establishes a book representation 35 - having a series of leaves (pages) defined from the user defined stack of data units. Subsequent ., ; : : - -- -. . ' ' '- : " -- ' : ': .
.
: -- - - . . , - -. . . . , 2 ~ 3 ~
WOg~/08182 PCT/IJ591/~S6 addition to (or deletion from) the book representation 35 involves user sel0ction of a sub~ect data unit (or page), selection of destination position in the bo,ok representation 35, and user directives to accomplish the~t`a~k. Data structures and software for accomplishing such handling of dats units is described in U.S. Patent Application Serial Nos~ 245,419 and 200,091 herein incorporated by reference. Program 11 is responsive by assigning correct page ~umbers to added pages ~nd renumbering pages accordingly (in the case of deletion or addition of pages to the book representation 35).
Alternatively, ordering of leaves 39 of the book representation 35 (at creation of the book representation or subsequent thereto) ~ay be done automatically by program 11. In particular, user commands through the keyboard 27 or other input devices together with a graphic interface (e.g.
menus or icons) may be employed as illustrated in Figure 2g. A reorder.button (icon) 57 is selected through the above described user interface. Program 11 responds by reordering the serial position of leaves 39 of the book representation 35 according to a predetermined ordering or a user specified ordering such as nu~erical, alphabetical of corresponding data, author, and the like. Figure 2g shows a reordering in which the original page numbers are retained with the respective page data, but posieion of the leavès and, hence, pages are ~ .. . . . . . .
.

2 0 ~
. 0 92/08182 PCI'/lJ!~

obviously reordered as Pages 114 and 171 are now shown facing each other near the front co~er 37 of the book representation 35.
In ehe one embodimant, the invention program 11 employs a random number generator such that when the reorder icon 57 is selected by the user, the series of leaves 39 is reordered in random Benerated calculated order~ In preferred ambodim&nts, program 11 employs information associ~ted with individual pages as stored in memory, such as author, size, date of creation, etc, to reorder the series of leaves 39. Various routines common in the art may be employed to accomplish such reorderings.
Additional information that is in some way related to a particular page of the boo~
representation 35 may be caused to appear by the user selecting an appropriate portion of that page.
Figure 2h illustrates a portion 59 labelled "foldout~ on a page. Upon user selection of this foldout portion 59, the invention program 11 causes additional data 63 to appear. For example, if the page bearing a "foldout" portion 59 represents a cover page of a document, then the additional data 63 which appears may represent the individual pages of the document. If the "foldout" bearing page holds menu items, then the additional data 63 might contain descriptive informatioD about the menu items. Clearly the additional data 63 may be used for a variety of purposes with respect to the "foldout~ bearing page associated there~ith.

: - . - - . . - :

'- - ' . .

2~91~3Q ll W0~2/OXIX2 PCT/l]~ f>~Q

Further, a cross-reference member 61 such as the one saying "See ~lso Page 141" in Figure 2h may also appear either on the initial page or flS shown within ehe foldout data 63. The cross-reference me~ber 61 may be activatet by user selection thereof which in turn causes the invention program 11 to opan the book representation 35 to the referenc~d pa~e. Methods known in the art for accomplishing such cross-re~erencing are used.
Fold-out data 63 m~y be left visible as the book representation 35 flips to other pages or the data 63 may be caused to disappear (i.e "fold back in") when page flipping resumes. The foldout data 63 may be morP elaborate than shown in Figure 2h, expanding as required like a road map to cover much more of the scrsen view in order to display all of the related information.
Another item that folds or drops out of a selected page of the book represen~ation 35 is shown in Figure 2i. Here, another complete book representation 65 has appeared from one page in the original book representa~ion 35, furthermore, a third book representation 67 has appeared from the second book representation 65. Thus, a hierarchical structure represen~ing, for example, a computer directory structure of sub-directories (fold out book representations 65, 67) and files (leaves of a fold out book representation) can be explored using essentially the same visual metaphor. With appropriate mana~ement of sereen space, more than `~092/08182 ~ ~ ~') PCT/US91/~56 one path downward in such a hierarchical structure may be exhibited, and parts of the structure can be left displayed as book representations of higher levels flip open to other pag~s.
In a preferred embodiment, the pages to which the book representation 35 (Figures 2a-2i) is opened Are each 128 pixels wide~ The stripes or respecti~e edges of the leaves 39 of the book represen~ation are each three pixels wide (2 pixel width for ~he white portion and 1 pixel width for the black edge delineation portion). For a lK or 1024 pixel wide screen, up to about 500 pages on the front and back of 250 leaves with a three pixel wide leaf edge always exposed can be accommodated in the ~anner describsd above in Figures 2a-2i.
For book representations wi~h more than 250 leaves the embodiment of Figur-es 3a-3e may be employed. In that embodiment a computer simulated book of 1200 pages is provided by the present invention on A 1024 pixel wide display UDit screen.
The largest book representation able to be typically printed out across an 8~ inch wide piece of paper has 870 pages (435 leaves).
Such large books are useful for holding various information including randomly ordered material such as fron an In-box or electronic mailbox, partially ordered items such a~ entries of an address book, items in flux such as a computer directory, worX-in-- . : ...................... ,.: : :
- ' . : ' , . - ., .:
' . - : ' , ' ' - ~ : - -' : -.

- - . : .: :

2~1 33~
W~92/08~82 PCT/US91/0~56 progress or large document under editing, and elements intrinsically difficult to order such as real estate photos and ~ug shots.
In the embodiment of Figures 3a-3e, the leaves of the book representation are ordered in a series and positioned aligned and overlapping one another such that an edge of each leaf is always exposed as described for the embodiment of Figures 2a ~i.
However, instead of ths same amount of exposed edge for each leaf in the book representaeion a~ in the embodiment of Figures 2a-2i, the embodiment of Figures 3a 3e provides for a wider exposed portion of leaves neighboring the pages to which the book representation Ls currently open. Figure 3a illustrates this by showing the book representation 73 open to Pages 108 and 109. The eight leaves 71a preceding Page 108 have respective 8 pixel wide edges exposed, and the eight }eaves 71b succeeding Page 109 similarly have respective 8 pixel wide ed~es exposed. The remaining leaves 75 of the book representation 73 each have a 1 pixel ~ide etge exposed. Each 1 pixel ~ide edge is illustrated as a thin vertical line having alternating black and white pixels. Successive edges are of a}ternatin~
phases sf the blaok and white pixel pattsrn. To that end, the areas covered by the remaining leaves 75 h~ve a fine checkerboard pattern which provides certain advantages in displaying the book representation 73 from state to state.

. .

2 ~
~V92/08182 PCT/IJS~

Thus, the ~hree basic regions of the displayed - book representatLon 73 of Figures 3s-3e are (l) ~he open pages, consisting of, for example, an image on the front facin~ (right h~nd side) pa~e sn~
documentstion about the ima8e on the back facing (left hand side) page, (ii) the neighboring leaf edges 71 spread relatively wide enou~h to show various indicia described later, and (iii) remote leaves 75 that form a fine checkerboard of black and white alternating line segments.
As illustrated in Figure 3a, each page has a respective page number which appears centered on the page when the booX representation 73 is open to that page. In addition, the low diglt of a respective page number appesrs in the outer corner 77 of the open pages and corr¢sponding pages of the neighboring leaves 71. For each group of ten pages, the height of the low digit numeral in the corner 77 alternates to facilitate interpretation of the page number. The page numbers and low digit numbers may be handled as part of the bitmap ima8e of a page, or alternatively the numbers ~ay be computed for each page in the display o~ the book representation 73 as described later.
To further aid navi~ation in the book representation 73, thumb tabs of the previous embodi~ent appear as numeric indications 79 in the embodiment of Figures 3a-3e. The illustrated numeric indications 79 (Figure 3a) mark every hundredth page (or every 50th leaf) of the book ': ' . ' ',' . -' ' .-. :

. . ..

2~133~
WO92/08182 PCT/U~r~ 6 :' representation 73. The numeric indications 79 are positioned alon~ the top portion of the leaf ed~es in the remote leaves 75 region of the book representation 73. Thus to open the book representation 73 to Pages 108 and lO9,.a user selects a leaf edge between numeric lnd~cations "1"
and ~2~ (closer to the "1" indicating Page 100) and selects a leaf edge bearing a corner digit 77 of "~"
or ~9" in the first set of corner digits (for Pages 100-109) following the "1" numeric indicator.
Another feature of tbe embodi~ent of Figures 3a-3e are the tabs 81 which are user selectable at different predefi~ed positions along the outer (exposed) ed~e of a paga. Generally the tabs 81 are rectangular in shape and each tab may take on three different patterns such as white, black and striped as illustrated in Figure 3a. For each page, there may be one tab at each of the predefined positions, diffçrent tabs ha~ing differPnt or the same patterns.
Figure 3a illustrates the five different tab positions on a page selectable by a user in a preferred embodiment. A first position is illustrated by the black tab 81a near the upper corner 77 of Page 113 of the book representa~ion 73 of Figure 3a. The second, third and fourth tab positions are illustrated by tabs 81b, 81c and 81d on open Page 109 in Figure 3a. And the fifth tab position is illustrated by the white tab 81e near the lower corner of Page 102 in Figure 3a. It is 2 ~ 9 ~
rO92/08182 PCT/US91/0~S6 understood that other positions along the periphery of a page may be used for tabs 31.
Also in the preferred embodiment, the user selects a tab 81 by positioning the cursor near one of the five eab positions along the outer edge of an open page and operating the input device with the cursor at that position. Upon operation of the input device, the program 11 provides a tab 81 at the selected position in one of the three patterns.
Upon the user reselecting the tab 81 at that position, the tab 81 changes to the second pattern;
and upon a third selection of the tab at that position the tab 81 takes on the third pattern.
Upon a fourth selection of the tab 81 at that position, the tab is not displayed or is effectively removed. The user may thus cycle throu~h the tab patterns including removal of the tab 81 ae each of the tab positions along the page edge to provide the desired tabs 81 on the open page.
The tabs 81 are preferably 8 pixels wide such that they appear in full on pages corresponding to neighboring leaves 71 of the open pages of the book representation 73. On pages of the remote leaves 75, the tabs 81 appear as single pixel wide line segments, each the length of a tab and having a solid black, solid white or black and white stripe pattern. Hence, the different patterns of the tabs 81 are distinguishable in eith~r ehe remote pages or the neighboring pages of the book representation 73 - - ' , : . , -: : . ~ .
. . ~ . . ~ ..
- . - . . : . -2~t~1~3'~
WO92~08l82 PCT/US91/~56 l~ j as csn be s~en in the illustrations of Figures 3a-3e~
The user interface and program 11 response for openin~ of the book representation 73 to a desired page ~nd flipping through pages of the book is ns described above for the embodiment of Figures 2a-2i.
Also, in the embodiment of Figures 3a-3e, depend~n~
on the flipping rate chosen by the user, different levels of detail are provided on the pages to wh~ch the book representation 73 is momentarily opened during 1ipping. In particular, in a fast rate of flipping, each in~ermediate page or turned leaf of the book representation 73 appears as a blank open page when the book representation 73 is mo~entarily open to that page. And thereafter that leaf appears as a blank edge tsolid stripe or wide white stripe).
Such is illustrated in Figur~ 3b where the leaves turned im~ediately after Pages 108, 109 of the book representation 73 of Figure 3a are shown as solid dark lines 83 and the later turned leaves are shown as white (blank) neighboring leaf edges 85. The book representation 73 of Figure 3b is momentarily open to Pages 500 and 501 shown as blank open pages without page numbers and dsta images. Note that corner digits, tabs, hundreds indicators and other indicis are not displayed on the invol~ed leaves/
pages 83, 85 (Figure 3b) during the fast rate of page turning.
In a medium rate of flipping, only the page numbers, corner digits (i.e. low digit of the page ~ Q~
V092/0818~ PCT/~

numbers in the corner of the pages) and tabs are displayed on the involved leaves/pages during the flipping as illustrated in Figure 3c. That is, the book representation 73 of Figure 3c is the analog of the book representation of Figure 3b but at a medium rate of flipping. Hence, the slngle pixel wide edge of tabs and hundreds indicators 79 are drawn in for the first set of turned leaves at 83. And corner digits, tab and page numbers are drawn in for the later turned pages at 85 and the open pages. Note the open pages and neighboring leaf edges 85 are not displayed with respective data/images or portions thereof as displayed in the open state of the book representation 73 in Figure 3a. Also, program 11 may be caused to pause for a predet~rmined lengeh of time between leaves.
In a slow rate of flipping, all the detail of Figure 3c as well as the data/images on the open pages and portions of respective data/images on neighboring leaf edges 85 are displayed as illustrated in Figure 3d. Further, program 11 may utilize a longer pause time than that used for the medium rate of flipping. Flipping con~inues, stops or changes direction according to the user interface described above for the embodiment of Figures 2s-2i.
For any flipping rate, upon stopping at a user selected page, for example Pages 774, 775, the program 11 provides all details of ~he book representation 73 as illustrated in Figure 3e.

- . . .
.
.
- ' ' ~ ' ':, .. ' '' ' . ' . " ', '~ ' - ' ' - .- : , .: ~
.. . . .

~133~:3 ~VO 9~ 18~ PCI`/l.J~ f~ 6 -~,o -In order to avoid flicker of the displ~y throughout the embodiment of Figures 3a-3c, program 11 redraws subject portions of the book representation 73 in an off-screen staging buffer 19 (Figure 1). Preferably the staging buffer is a portion of a high speed random access memory. When the subject book portion is ready in the staging buffer 19, the area of staging buffer 19 holding the subject portion is transferred to the screen bitmap 17 (Figure 1~. The redrawn portion is transferred one pixel to the right or left of where the previous transfer went, depending on the direction of flipping (or to the same place in case it is a tab state that has changed).
For example, when flipping to a pair of pages succeeding (preceding) the current pair of open pages, say for example from Pages 108-109 to Pages 110-111 (106-107) of Figure 3a, program 11 shifts the white background area of Figure 3a (i.e. the area covered by the open pages plus the neighboring pages 71) one byte ~o the left (right) in the staging buffer 19 in RAM. Program 11 maintains page numbers, corner digits, tabs and peripheral material of each page except the left most (right most) neighboring page of the shifted area. Program 11 next fetches images for destination Pages 110-111 (106-107) from a disk 23 (Figure 1) or other memory storage of images or a cache. Program 11 then inserts the fetched images in the appropriate positions in the staging buffer 19 in RAM. Program . . .

2 ~
`~09~08~2 PCT/U~f~6 11 then fetches from disk or csche into working buffer 21 the ps~e image of the now added right most (left most) neighboring page, i.e. the pa~e whose outer edge is newly visible with extra width.
Program 11 then adds to this page ~mage tabs and corner digits. A byte wide edge of the page image in the workin~ buffer 21 is finally tr~nsferred to the pertinent position in the staging buffer 19 in RAM.
To provide display of the stlccessive view of the book representation from being opensd to Pages 108-109 to beinp~ opened to Pages 110-111 (106-107), program 11 block transfers the contents of the RAM
to the screen bitmap 17. The block transfer is to a bitmap position that is one pixel to the right (left) of the previous position of the subject wh~te background area (i.e. the area covered by the open pages plus neighboring Pages 71). This one pixel shifted block transfer causes the leftmost (ri~htmost) exposed extra wide edge of the starting pages to be changed to a single pixel wide edge by leaving for display the leftmos~ (rightmost) column of pix~ls of the page edge. Additionally, white tabs 81 in ~he preferred embodiment have an outer edge formed of a column of white pixels such ~hat display of white tabs on a newly made remote leaf page is automatically provided with the one pixel shifted block transfer, similar to the display of remote black or striped tabs.

- .,, ~ . . . . . .
. .
- : ' '' ~ -~3:13~
WO9~/08~82 PCT/US~Q~56 -4~-After the block transfer to bitmap 17, program 11 updates the screen view by adding hundreds indicators where now needed.
Further, in order to minimize disk feeches, picture update and byte alignment prob~ems such as shifting, nasking, ORing, etc., it is important that an integral number of bytes in width are employed for: thc area covered by each open page of the book representation 73 and the area covered by each neighboring leaf edge (i,e. the edges with ex~ra width viewable). In the preferred embodiment, each open page covers a 16 byte wide area, one set of ne~ghboring lea~ edges collectively covers 8 bytes, and each wide leaf edge covers l byte.
The preferred embodiment uses the following to further speed the fast rate of page flipping. Once the staging buffer 19 has been cleared by "fetching"
blank pages into it, repositioning of the blank pages in the bit~ap 17 is done two pixels at a time.
This leaves behind the appropriate matching checkerboard pattern for remote leaves 75 while making no changes to the staging buffer l9 in RAM.
Uhen within eight leaf flips of the destination (i.e. desired open pages), proper page image/data fetches (e.g. from disk 23) with page numbers, corner digits and pertinent tab construction are performed for each page of the close eight leaves.
This provides that the final display in the staging buffer l9 is appropriate and complete. Since hundreds indicators and tabs are omitted during fast ~o 9~/08182 2 0 9 ~ 3 3 ~ PCT/lJISg1~ 6 flipping, a recovery procedure is utilized, with display of ~he final staging buffer, tO provide hundreds indicators and edges of tabs of the remote turned leaves 83.
Also, a cache may be employed to hold a number of page images for pages/leaves ad~acent to or neighboring the current book opening. This a~oids in particular the double fetching of each pAge image/data, once for a bytewide edge portion to form the neighboring leaf ed~e and eight leaf flips later for its full image.
It is understood that the features of the embodiment of Figures 2a-2i may be implemented as alternative or additional features of the embodiment of Figures 3a-3e. Included are tabs or labels removably attachable to the top side of pages. The tabs could be of fixed or of various widths and could include the option of user specified content.
The tabs could be self adjusting to positions for maximum viewing. She leaves/pages may be reorderable, removable and/or insertable. There may be foldouts and active imbedded cross-references.
There might be a hierarchical implementation whereby an entire book representation could "drop out" of a page and open to a second book representation overlapping the first book representation, and from the second book representation migh~ come a third book representation, and so on. Such an implementation might serve for displaying and .. . . .
.
-- -- , , .. , . . : . ..
' . , ' : -.

W092/OB182 2 ~ 9 1 3 3 '~ Pc~/F1`~ fi~

browsing through a co~puter structure of directories, sub-directories and files.
In either or any embodiment of th~o present invention, another procedure of the program ll may provide the enlarged display of page i~formation and/or images of a page. Such enlarged display upon user selection at command is discussed in U.S.
Patent Application Serial Nos. 245,419 and 200,09l mentioned previously.
In addition to 8 user pointing to a page to select the page and automatic flipping through a series of pages, alternative or additional means may be employed for searchlng through pages of the book representation. For example, the user may provide a query using Boolean functions of properties of page data or words in context etc. Using the search query, the additional means searches from the current open pages for the next page which holds data satisfying the request. Upon satisfying the request, the additional means flips the book representation open to a page satisfying the query.
Additional, dis~inctive tabs might be made to associate with and app~r automatically on pages satisfying a search query.
Other functions and features for the book representation of the present invention in addition to the above features ~nd various combinations thereof are with ~he preview of one skilled in the art. Alternative appearances of the book representation may also be utilized. For example, ~9~/08182 ~ PC~/U~

if leaves are one-sided, the open page (leaf side) may appesr as if it were slid outward from the succession of leaves so as to be vislble, as illustrated in Figure 4. Variations of this arrangement may be made for the display of two-sided leaves, for example, by showing two such pa~es simultaneously, or by showin~ frontside and backside pages alternately in natural sequence. Hence, it is understood that the functions, features and appearances herein described or mentioned are by way of illustration and not limitation.
The preferred software program for the book representation of the present invention is described next. The program 11 utilizes a tabular data structure 87 illustrated in Figure 6 that maps so-called "book division~ to a particular leaf side including pa~e image, page nu~ber and tabs to be displayed with the page image. "Book division" is the serial position of a book opening. So the booX
representation in the closed s~ate with the front cover in full view has a book division of zero. The book representation open to the frontside of the leaf succeeding the cover and the cover leaf backside has a book division of one. A book representation open to a frontside of leaf n (where n is the number of leaves fro~ and including the cover leaf) has a book division of n-1, and the book representation open to a backside of leaf n has a book division of n.

- ' ' . ' ~- .

2 ~
~VO g~/Ot~82 pc~ J~
i -46~

In the cas~ of a book representation wlth the frontside of the leaf succeeding the cover leaf indicated as Page 1 and each leaf side of the followin~ leaves numbered in natural order to provide succeeding pages, indicated Page 1 is at book division 1, faclng Pages ~ and 3 are at book division 2, facing Pages 4 and 5 are at book division 3 and so forth. Thus for sequentially (natural) ordered pages, book division number -(page number + 2) 1 2, rounded down to the nearest int~ger, And the front cover (i.e. front side of the first l~af) is at book division 0, and the back cover (back~ids of the last leaf n) is at book division n. Program 11 uses the foregoing to obtain book division number of desired subject pages and thereafter uses the book division number as an index into table 87.
For each book division index in table 87, there are two entries 88a, 88b. The first entry 88a is preferably for the back facing (left hand side) page of the corresponding book opening and the second entry is for the front facing (right hand side) page. Each entry 88 provides a pointer to data or image to be displayed on the corresponding page as illustrated in Figure 6 by arrows. The arrow of the first entry 88a of book division O is illustrated as a null pointer lndicating that there is no leaf backside facing the cover (i.e. first leaf front side). Alternaeively, a first entry 88a of book division O may be omitted to save memosy space.

./Og2/081X2 2 ~ ~13 3 .~ PCT/~J~F.~Qfi'~

The second entry 88b of book division O
pro~ides data/image of the front cover of the book representat~on. The first entry 88a of book di~ision 1 provides a blank backside of the cover leaf which faces the indicated Page 1 on the frontside of the second leaf of the book representation in table 87. Thus as illustrated, table 87 provides tha book represeneation of the above example having natural ordered numbered pages beginning with the leaf succeeding the cover leaf.
Each entry 88 of table 87 also provides the page numeral to be displayed with the page data/~mage. In one embodiment, the page number does not change such that the corresponding page data~imsge is always displayed with the indicated page number. To that end, in the case of reordering pages of the book representation~ whole entries 8~
of table 87 are switched among book division indexes and the page image~data and the indicated page number are displayed on a different leaf side of the book representation than the original leaf side of the subject page information. Subsequently, program 11 does not determine book division by the abo~e equation for natural numerically ordered pages but by searching table X7 for the page number of the desired page information.
Further, each entry 88 provides an indication of tabs to be displayed on a corresponding page of the book representation. For the embodiment of Figures 2a-2i, the tab indication includes a pointer .. .. .

- - ' , :.

~ ,. - .

.

2~Q~3~
WO9~/08182 PC~/~J~

to a tab in a file of tab ima~es and an indi~ation of position along the top edge of a pa~e at which the tab is displsyed. Also, the indication provides display information of each side ~frontside, backside) of the tab. In the embodiment o~ Figures 3a-3e, the tab indication includes indications of position and pattern of activated tabs of a corresponding page.
In addition, there is a tab-to-page table indexed by tab designation, For a given tab designation the tab-to-page table enables the progr3m ll to determine to which pa~e, if any, the tab is attached. She tab-to-page table is utilized in program interpretation of user actions involving tabs.
Also included in each entry 88 of table 87 (Figure 6) is an indicatisn of foldouts and cross-references related to the entry data/images.
The foldout indication also flags two states of the - corresponding pa~e, actual display of foldout information and display of foldout icon unactiva~ed During formation of the book representation, a program procedure co~pletes table 87. That is, using input devicss and user interface ~iven, a user specifies desired page information and desired serial order of the page information. Upon user command to form a book representation from the user specificstions, a program procedure establishes an entry in table 87 for each user specified page in specified serial ordsr. That is, the information .

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3, 'O9~/0818~ P~T/~ if~'i6 ~49-pertaining to the frontside of the user specified first leaf of the series is used to complete the firse variable entry of table 87 (i.e. entry 88b of Book Division 0~. The information pert~ining to the backside of the ~ser specified firse leaf is used to complete table e~try 88a of Book Division l, and so on.
A sub-proc~dure similarly provides references and links to fold-out information in table 87.
Subsequent application access of the book representation is then supported by table 87 and disk files or other memory holding user specified page lnformation (data~images). A heading 86 of the book representation table 87 contains, amon~ other details, identific~tion of the cor.esponding book represent~tions and the disk files and memory addresses needed to suppor~ the book representation.
In the case of user insertion or removal of leaves of the book representation, a program procedure expands or collapses, respectively, table 87. Com~on means and methods for accomplishing such expansion or collapsing are employed and include the task of updating table 87 to reflect the desired series of leaves which currently form the book representation. TXe table update provides new page numbers as well as maintains tab information of respective page images.
In the preferred embodiment the program procedure accomplishes the insertion or removal of one leaf and is executable a plurality of times for - . . - .
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wo 92~08182 2 ~ 9 1 3 3 ~3 p~/~ r~

.

the repeated removable and reinsertion of leaves to reorder the seri0s of leaves RS discussed later.
Upon completion of the program procedure, program 11 or a sub-program updates dlsplay of the book representation by moving ant/or adding/deletin~
pereinent image pares, by provlding new page numbers and corner digit indicaeions of renumbered pages, and by ad~usting hundredth indications and/or thu~b tabs. Recalculation and update of corner diglts, hundredch indications and/or thumb tabs is by counting entries 88 of table 87 or similar counting schemes.
At the end of a session, the state of the book representation may be saved so that the next session ~ay begin where the prsvious one ended. In particular, tabs may be left attached to desired pages~
Referring to Figure 5al upon user log-on and access of the invention program 11, program initialization 89 occurs. Initialization 89 involves opening the disk file 23 of Figure 1 containing page images (such as the stamp file of U.S. Application Serial Nos. 245,419 and 200,091), dsfining graphics elements ~e.g. available tabs 49 of Figures 2a-2i, reorder icon 57, slew speed icon 47 and other menuing elements), fetching or constructing a book defining table such as table 87 illustrated in Figure 6, and initializing various parameters (e.g. flipping rate, a pause time per different intermediate flipping rates, divwant - the :.: , . -. . . . :, -.:
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JO 92/08~ PC11/~ J~

desired book division, and divhave - the current book division). In the preferred embodiment, divwant and divhave are initially set to the current book opening. In the embodiments of Figures 2a-2i, initialization 89 sets all 26 tabs 49 to be available.
Initialization 89 also initializes the display unit screen to show the book representation in a particular s~ate ~e.g. closed or open to certain pages. To accomplish this, initialization 89 declares che current booX division (divhave) to be 100 for example and then requests book division O
(divwant set to 0). To satisfy the requese, inieialization 89 calls subroutine sdjust 93 (described later) which t~rns one leaf in the book repre~entation in the direction of the requested book division i.e. the targeted divwant book opening, and which adjusts the screen view bitmap 17 accordingly. Initialization 89 calls subroutine adjust 93 as many ti~es as needed to satisfy the request of book division O (i.e. the book representation in its closed state~. To provide display of neigh~oring leaves and peripheral portions of page information thereof in the embodiments of Figures 3a-3e, initial~zation 89 next requests book division 3 for example ~resets divwant to 3) and calls subroutine adjust 93 accordingly.
To that end, in~tialization 89 provides initial display of the book representation open to certain pages.

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Subsequent to initiali~ation, pro~ram ll displays a cursor in the screen view in correspondence with user movement of the input device. Program 11 cycles through a main loop 91 until program ll detects user activation of the "quit" icon or a sign-off signal.
Main loop 91 begins by testing whether a slew speed selection icon (control button) is activated by the user (i.e. the user has positioned the cursor on the icon and is operating stylus eip or the mouse button). If so, program 11 checks if the user selected new speed is different from the current setting of the flipping rate parameter. If so, program 11 sets the parameter value and adjusts the pause time accordingly. Program 11 slso updates the screen view by re~erse videoing the newly selected speed icon and reverting previously illuminated speed icon to normal display ehereof.
Otherwise main loop 91 tests for user activation of the "reorder button". In the case of a predetermined reordering, for every other activation of the reorder button, program ll provides the predetermined reord~ring of leaf sides of the book representation as previously described.
Pro~ram 11 updates table 87 accordingly such thar table entries reflect the current ordering of the leaves of the book representation. For the other times that the reorder button is reactivated, program 11 provides normal (sequential) ordering of the leaf s~des. This is accomplished by soreing the 2 ~ '~l 1 3 ~ ~ I
VO9~/0~1B2 ~ )n,~

table eneries 88 according eo page number and respectively reassigning book divisio~ in natural serial order.
In the case of plural predetermined orderings, I
program 11 provides a menu listing ~he different orderin~s upon activation of the reordsred button.
Upon user selection of one of the orderings from the menu, program 11 provides the user selected reordering of leaf sides by common sort routines, (e.g. alphabetical by author data in respective table entries 88 of leaf sides, chronological by dste data in the table entries 88, and so on).
Program 11 also thereafter updates table 87 such that the table entries 88 reflect the cursent ordering of leaves of the book representation.
Preferably, one of the menu selections returns ordering to normal (sequential ordering of leafsides. Program 11 accomplishes the return by common methods as known in the art.
In any case, program 11 sets a parameter or flag to indicate which ordering ~normal or predetermined reordering) is the curren~ ordering.
Program 11 also displays rhe reorder button in reverse ~ideo for the times when the leaf sides are reordered. To make the displsy conform with the current ordering method, program 11 c~lls subroutine adjust 93 to dicplay the book represen~ation turned to the next pair of facing pages. Or in the embodiment of Figure 3, program 11 calls subroutine adjust 93 to flip 8 leaves of the book .
--- .
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~9~3~3~3 WO92~08182 PCT/IJ~Ql~r~" , ~
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representstion and reconstruct tabs and other indicia as necessary to make the display consistant with the new order.
As mentioned previou~ly, the s~me program procedure for inserting/xemoving ~ lea~ may be used to accomplish the reorderin~ task. Other program proced~res for reordering, inserting ~nd/or removin~
leAves are in the purview of one skilled in the art.
Otherwise, main loop 9l tests for user selection or activation of a tab. In the e~bodiment of Figures 2a-2i, eabs are handled as follows. The screen view is organized, for purposes of display, in three partitlons. As illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 2a, preferably the partitions are rectangular in shape with a first partition of the screen view holding the available tabs 49, a second partition holding the book representation 35 and a third partition holding all other icons snd graphics. Such.partitioning provides ease of interpretation and maneuvering.
Program ll determines whether-the user selected tab is currently in use (i.e. attached to a page of the book representation) according to position of the cursor with respect to the three screen partitions. If the cursor is in the second partition holding the book representation 35, the selectet tab is currently in use and program ll must determine to which page the tab is attached as several tabs 49 may be a~ (i.e. stacked at) the current cursor position. This is accomplished by .

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092/08182 PCT/V~ 96 program ll determining to which side of the book opening the cursor (selected tab) lies i.e. in the series of pa~es s~cceeding the open pages and including the front facin~ open pa~e or in the series of pages preceding the open pagas including the back facing open page. If the cursor lies on the side of the succeedin~ pages, then program ll f~r~t identifies those tabs which cover the cursor position and subsequently identl~ies from those tabs the tab whioh is coupled to the lowest book division of that side. The resultin~ tab is indicated to be the selected tab. If the cursor tab lies on the side of the preceding pages, then program ll first identifies those tabs which cover the cursor position and subsequently identifies from those tabs the tab which is coupled to the highest book division. The resulting tab is indicated to be the selected tab.
Program ll highlights (reverse videos) the identified tab to display to the user which tab was selected ~nd sets the divwant variable to indicate the book division of the identified tab. Upon release of the mouse button or stylus change to penup mode (~.e. user selection/aceivation of tab compleeed), program ll calls subroutine adjust 93 to turn lea~es of the book representation eo the divwant book division and return the selected tab to normal displRy. If ~he identified tab happens to be on a current open page, pro~ram ll returns the - . . . ..

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, 2~ 3~,;' WO9~/08182 ~C~ Ç~

selected tab to normal display attached to the open page and waits for further user action.
If the stylus remains in a pendown mode or if the mouse button is maintained depressed and the user moves the cursor, the user is removing the selected tab fr~n its page. Pro~ra~ ll returns the t~b to normal display and moves the tab in accord~nce with user movement of the cursor.
Program ll removes the link between the tab and page in table 87 and subsequently displays the tab redrawn in the first partition (the available tabs 49 area) of the scraen view. Program ll repairs d~splay of the page from which the tab was removed and may reposition all remaining tabs in use to maximize viewability. To accomplish the latter, pro~ram ll emplcys the tab view maximizing routine described previously.
If the user selected tab is an available ~ab, i.e. in the first partition of the screen view, then program ll checks for at least one open page without a tab. If there is such an open page, program ll highlights (reverse videos) the user selected tab, moves the tab to an area of the open page in accordance with user movement of the cursor, i.e. with the ~ouse button depressed or the stylus maintained in the pendown mode. Upon pen-up or mouse button release, program ll reverts the highlighting of the tab and identifies the receiving page sf the tab as follows. If the back facing open page has a tab 49, program ll identifies the frone : . . . . . - ~ : .

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YO 92/08182 P~i ~ r ~ ,".

facing open page as the receiving page, and vice Yersa. If neither opening page has a tab 49, then program 11 identifies the receiving page to be the open page on the sa~e side of the gap between the open papes at which the cursor was last positioned.
Program 11 then links the receiving page and tab to each other in the table 87, repairs che display of the t~b ateached to the receiving page, and may maximize ~iewabllity of all tabs in use by executing the previously described routine.
In ehe embodiment of Figures 3a-3e, tabs are handled as follows. The program 11 determines whether the cursor 11 lies in or near a position of one of the pos~ible tabs 81 in the outer edge portion of an open page. If so, for each user selection of tab 81, program 11 advances one step through the cycle of various tab entry values in table 87 for the open page to artivate and display the tab in its ~arious patterns. If the cursor position is not in the outer edge portion of an open page, then program 11 .determines that no tab processing is to be done at this time.
Referring back to Figure 5a, if no tab is to be processed, program 11 deter~ines whether the foldout area of an open page is being selected/activated by user interaction. In particular if the front facing ~or bsck facing) open page has a foldout button and the ~oldout is not deployed as indicated by the foldout flag in table 87 and the input device is operating on the foldout button, then program 11 .

2 ~ 3 WO9~/08182 pcT/~J,~ `ft`~

deletes any foldout deployed for the back facing (front facing) open page and updates this new state in table 87. Progrsm ll also sets foldout flag in table 87 for the front facing (back facing) open p~ge to declare that the foldo~t is deployed. For each foldout panel of the newly deployed foldout, program ll fetches the foldout information from the respective memory source indicated in table entry 88 for the front facing (back facing) open page and generates a display thereof. According to table entry 88 of the front facing ~back facing) open page, if the deployed foldout has a cross-reference then program ll generates and displays the cross-reference panel.
If a foldout area is not being activated, program ll tests for user activation of a displayed cross-reference area. Specifically, the book representation must be stable (not flipping pages) and the front facing (back facing) open page ~ust have a cross reference panel displayed. If program ll detects the cursor.in the displayed cross-reference panel and user activation thereof (i.e.
the mouse button is depressed or the stylus is bein~
operated on the cross reference panel, then program ll sets divwant to the book division of the page number indicated in the cross-reference panel.
Program ll obtains proper book division of the cross-reference page from table 87 or where normal ordering of the pages exist book division is calculated as previously described.

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~0~2t08182 PCT/~ 5 If none of the foregoing testing is determined in the positive and the cursor is positioned in the book representstion area, then upon operation of an input device, program ll assumes user activation of one of the leaves of the book representation. In particular, if the mouse button or stylus was previously unoperated, then progrsm ll computes a cursor pos~tion interpretation shift as 8 function of cursor position at the time of input device operation (i.e. mouse button depression or stylus pendown operation).
Specifically, input device operation with the cursor positioned on an open page without further user movement causes no page flipping until subsequent rursor movement with input device maintained in operation. Input device operation with the cursor positioned on a leaf edge of a page preceding or succeeding the open pages gets interpreted as user selection of that paga. Program ll sets divwant to the book division of the selected page. In a preferred.embodiment, program ll clips the book division divwant to a minimum of 0 and a maximum of an upper threshold based on the number of leaves of the book representation.
In addition, upon user command, throug~ a menu selection, keyboard input and the like, to insert (delete3 a user selected page, program ll processes leaves of the booX representation as follows.
Program ll updates table 87 to reflect the insertion (deletion) of the subject pa~e. This invoives 2 ~ ~ 1 t.l ~ r J
WO9~/08~82 P~T/I]~?t'~

rewrlting (deleting) a table entry 88 ln ths pertlnent book division and shifting succeeding entries 88. In rewritting respective entry 88 for the sub~ect inserted page, current entry informatian is saved, as opposad to being overwritten, and ultimately shifted. A pointer in the rewritten entry ~8 points to the memory location of the page data/image and thereby establishes a memory link to support display of the page. Further program 11 updates display of the book representation accordingly. Various techniques common in the art may be used to accomplish the foregoing insertion (deletion) of book pages.
Otherwise where pro~ram 11 does not detect operation of sn input device, program 11 declares that no user selection is being made.
After the foregoing determination and processing, program 11 compares divwant (the desired or targeted book opening), as established from the foregoing processing, to divhave which indicates the book division of the currently displayed open pages.
If the value of divwant is different than the value of divhave, then pro~ram 11 calls subroutine adjust 93 to flip one leaf in the desired direction.
Before flipping further leaves in the desired direction, program 11 traverses through main loop 91 such that user interaction is continuously monitored between leaf turns. Effectively subroutine adjust 93 is called as many times as needed until divwant equals divhave i.e. the currently displayed open ' :
' .

'- '- ' - ' . ' ' - , . ' ~ ' . ~' 2 ~ 3 3 `, 0~2/08182 PCT/~l~9~ /~A~
'61-pages are the desired target pages. And as long as the input device remains activated with the cursor positioned on or near the selec~ed page, progra~ ll reestablishes, possibly at an expanded scale, the targeted page as a function of possibly altered cursor position.
Subroutine ad~ust 93 is ou~lined in Figure 5b and described next. Generally, when the book representation i5 not open to the targot pages, subroutine adjust 93 flips one leaf in the direction of the targeted book opening and adjusts the screen view accordingly.
Subroueine adjust 93 begins by error checking the value of divwant which must be between predefined maximum and minimu~ valid values. If the valus of divwant equals the value of divha~e (i.e.
the book division of the currently displayed open pages), then subroutine adjust 93 returns control to main loop 9l.
Otherwise, if the flipping rate variable is set to the highest speed, then subroutine adjust 93 turns off the screen tursor to preYent cursor flickering and increase speed of display handling.
Subroutine adjust 93 next deletes any foldoues of the open pages and updates various parameters of the target pages according to table 87.
If there is to be a leaf frontside ~including front cover) displayed in full view (i.e. the book representation is not closed with just the back cover showing in full), subroutine adjust 93 acts 2~133;~
WO92/08182 PCT/~J~91'~

, depending on the parameter that dictates pausing inthe subroutine. If the book representation is stable or the subroutine is pausing at 95 in Figure 5b, subroutine adjust 93 fetches the new front facing psge image from the disk file 23, and determines fro~ eable 87 whether the fetched page has a foldout. If so, subroutine adjust 93 puts the foldout icon buteon on the fetched page image and also deter~ines whether there is an associated cross reference ~i.e. "SEE ALSO" icon) for the page.
Subroutine ad~ust 93 puts the page number on ehe fetched page i~a~e if the number is ~ot part of the i~age stored on disk 23. For the embodiment of Figure 3a-3e, subroutine ad~ust 93 provides new front facing page image as described pre~iously. In any case, the new front facing page image is held in staging buffer 19.
If the book representation is not stable and no pausing is to occur at 95 in Figure 5b, subroutine adjust 93 blanks out the stag~ng buffer 19.
If stagin~ buffer 19 holds the last front facing page (i.e. the frontside of the backcover leaf), subroutine adjust 93 makes ~he right and bottom border of book representation 35 extra thick to boldly outline the book representation as a whole Next subroutine adjust 93 transfers the contents of staging buffer 19 to screen bit map 17.
Otherwise, at 96 in Figure 5b where there is to be no front facin~ page, i.e. the book representation is closed and the back cover is :

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209~ 3~.~
IO~/0~182 ~ P~T/US~ ~56 I

visible in full, subroutine adjust 93 whites out the front facing page area by putting an all white receangle in the respective position in screen bit map 17.
If there is to be a leaf backside, subroutine adjust 93 acts according to the pausing parameter.
If the book representation is stable or the subroutine is pausing at 97 in Figure Sb, subroutine adjust 93 fetches the new back facing page image from the disk file 23. Subroutine adjust 93 determines from table 87 whether the fetched page has a foldout. If so, subroutine adjust 93 puts the foldout icon in the page image and determines whether there is sn associated cross reference for the page. Also subroutine ad~ust 93 puts the page number on the fetched page i~age as needed. For the embodiment of Figures 3a-3e, subroutine sdjust 93 provides new back facing page i~age as described previously. In any case, the new back facing page i~age is placed in staging buffer 19.
If the book representation is no~ stable and no pausing is to occur at 97 in Figure 5b, subroutine adjust 93 blanks out the staging buffer 19.
If staging buffer 19 holds the first back facing page (i.e. the backside of the frontcover le~f), subroutine adjust 93 makes the left and bottom border of the book representation 35 extra thick to boldly outline the book representation as a whole. Next subroutine adjust 93 transfers the contents of staging buffer 19 to screen bit map 17.

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WO92/081g2 P~T/IJ~92/0~56 Otherwise at 98 in Fi~ure 5b where there is to be no back facing page, i.e. the book representation is closed and the front cover is viewable in full, .subroutine adjust 93 whites out the back facing pa~e area by putting an ~11 white rec~an~le in the respective bit map position.
Next, if the subroutine is psusing or the book rspresentation is stsble, subroutine ad~ust 93 refines the display by providlng ~ g~p between the displayed open pages, book rings ~cross the gap a~d any other graphical refinements. Subroutine adjust 93 also provides rearrangment o the tabs for ~aximum viewability according to the previously described routine. Further, subroutine ad~ust 93 illuminates the cursor.
Also if ths flipping rate is not set to the top speed, subroutine adjust 93 pauses for the required predefined pause time before returning control to the main loop gl.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those sXilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

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Claims (30)

1. In a data processing system having a digital processor and a display unit for displaying screen views, computer apparatus comprising:
a multiplicity of entities displayable in a screen view, each entity providing data desired to be displayed, the entities changeably positionable in a series and aligned with each other, each entity substantially overlapping at least one of a respective succeeding entity and a respective preceding entity in at least one display of the series, such that only non-overlapped portions of entities are viewable; and processor means for displaying a desired entity non-overlapped in the series in response to user selection of a non-overlapped portion of the entity, the processor means changing display of the series such that each entity succeeding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective succeeding entity and each entity preceding the desired entity in the series overlaps a respective preceding entity, to display the desired entity non-overlapped in the series.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the series of entities forms a workable book representation, each entity being a leaf of the book representation and having a frontside providing a page of desired information and a backside providing a page of desired information, only one side of each leaf being viewable at a time and in a manner such that each leaf backside when viewable substantially overlaps a respective preceding leaf backside and each leaf frontside when viewable substantially overlaps a respective succeeding leaf frontside.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the processor means displays at a same time a backside of one leaf adjacent a frontside of a successive leaf both non-overlapped to display the book representation in an open book state in response to user selection of a non-overlapped portion of one of the backside of the one leaf and the frontside of the successive leaf, said book representation in the open state including each preceding leaf backside of the one leaf displayed substantially overlapping the leaf backside preceding it and each succeeding leaf frontside of the succeeding leaf displayed substantially overlapping the leaf frontside succeeding it.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein in response to user selection of a non-overlapped portion of a desired leaf side spaced from a leaf currently displayed non-overlapped, the processor means displays the book representation in a leaf turning state where each pair of a backside of one leaf and a frontside of a successive leaf, in series order, from the non-overlapped leaf to the desired leaf side is displayed one at a time, non-overlapped, each leaf backside preceding the one leaf positioned successively farther spaced from said successive leaf than the one leaf along a major axis of the book representation and substantially overlapping a respective preceding leaf backside, and each leaf frontside succeeding the successive leaf positioned successively farther spaced from said one leaf than the successive leaf and substantially overlapping a respective succeeding leaf frontside, such that the book representation is momentarily displayed open to each of the pairs of leaf sides.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 further comprising:
means for changing display of the book representation from a current state to a state in which a succession of pairs of a backside of one leaf and a frontside of a succeeding leaf is displayed, one pair at a time, in serial order, non-overlapped in the screen view, in accordance with user interaction with the book representation.

WO 92/08182 PCT/US91/?456

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each entity has a respective screen view position as a function of serial position in the series, such that the processor means displays successive entities having serial positions successively closer to the beginning of the series, at respective screen view positions successively closer to one end of the screen view, and displays successive entities having serial positions successively closer to the end of the series, at respective screen view positions successively closer to an opposite end of the screen view.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tabs removably coupled to desired entities.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the tabs are user designable.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the tabs have predetermined patterned designs.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the tabs have user selectable positions and states from a set of predefined tab positions and states.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 further comprising a procedure executed by the processor means, the procedure for adjusting position of tabs on respective entities during processor means changing of display of the series, to maximize viewability of the tabs.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein upon user selection of a tab, the processor means selects and displays the entity to which the tab is coupled, non-overlapped in the series, by changing display of the series such that each succeeding entity in the series overlaps a respective succeeding entity and each preceding entity overlaps a respective preceding entity.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein entities closer to a non-overlapped entity are less overlapped by one of respective preceding and succeeding entities than entities farther away from the non-overlapped entity are overlapped by one of respective preceding and succeeding entities.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising computer means for displaying additional information corresponding to an entity upon user command.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a computer procedure for reordering serial positions of entities.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising graphical means for indicating serial positions of entities in the series.

17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the series of entities is a first series; and further comprising computer means for displaying at least a secondary series of entities upon user command during display of a certain entity non-overlapped in the first series of entities.

18. Apparatuses claimed in Claim 1 further comprising computer means for inserting and removing entities from the series of entities.

19. In a data processing system having a digital processor and a display unit for displaying screen views, a method of providing a working representation of a book in screen views, comprising the steps of:
displaying in a screen view on the display unit, a series of entities forming a main book representation, each entity providing data desired to be displayed, the entities aligned with each other along an axis of the screen WO 92/08182 PCT/US91/044?

view, each entity substantially overlapping one of a respective succeeding entity and a respective preceding entity, such that data of only non-overlapped portions of entities are viewable, each entity having a respective screen view position along the axis as a function of serial position in the series; and changing display of the series by processor means displaying one entity at a time, in series order, non-overlapped in its respective screen view position along the axis, with each entity succeeding the non-overlapped entity overlapping a respective succeeding entity, and each entity preceding the non-overlapped entity overlapping a respective preceding entity, such that successive entities having serial positions successively closer to the beginning of the series are displayed at respective screen view positions successively closer to one end of the screen view axis, and successive entities having serial positions successively closer to the end of the series are displayed to respective screen view positions successively closer to the opposite end of the screen view axis.

20. A method as claimed in Claim 19 further comprising the step of providing indications of serial positions of entities in the series.

WO 92/08182 PCT/US91/044?

21. A method as claimed in Claim 20 wherein the indications include markers of every certain number of entities in the series.

22. A method as claimed in Claim 20 wherein the indications include a different page number for each entity.

23. A method as claimed in Claim 19 further comprising the step of removably coupling tabs to user desired entities, the tabs being user definable in at least one of size, shape, color and caption.

24. A method as claimed in Claim 23 wherein the step of changing display of a series includes processor means adjusting position of tabs on corresponding entities to maximize viewability of the tabs.

25. A method as claimed in Claim 23 further comprising the step of:
upon user selection of a tab, changing display of the series such that the entity to which the tab is coupled is displayed non-overlapped in its screen view position, and each succeeding entity in the series is displayed overlapping a respective succeeding entity and each preceding entity is displayed overlapping a respective preceding entity.

WO 92/08182 PCT/US?

26. A method as claimed in Claim 19 wherein the step of changing display of the series includes displaying entities nearest the non-overlapped entity less overlapped by one of respective preceding and succeeding entities than entities farther sway from the non-overlapped entity are overlapped by one of respective preceding and succeeding entities.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 19 wherein the step of changing display of the series includes for each display of a non-overlapped entity, displaying less than all of the respective data of the entity.

28. A method as claimed in Claim 19 further comprising the step of displaying at least a secondary book representation upon user command during display of a certain entity non-overlapped in the main book representation.

29. A method as claimed in Claim 19 further comprising the step of reordering serial position of entities in the main book representation.

30. A method as claimed in Claim 19 further comprising the step of changing series order of the entities by one of inserting a leaf, removing a leaf and a combination thereof according to user requests.