WO2002088996A1

WO2002088996A1 - An information entity and a method for creating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2002088996A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000781
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gunnar Petersson
Original assignee: Netsticker Technologies Ab
Priority date: 2001-04-27
Filing date: 2002-04-23
Publication date: 2002-11-07
Also published as: SE0101518D0

Abstract

An information entity (1,1',1'') for handling electronic information in an electronic apparatus, such as a computer system, or a portable communication device, such as a mobile phone, wherein the information entity (1,1',1'') comprises a uniform package of a set of information fields (2-14) for storage in the electronic apparatus, and each information field is configured to be activated individually.

Description

AN INFORMATION ENTITY AND A METHOD FOR CREATING THE SAME

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information entity for handling electronic information in an electronic apparatus and a method of creating the same.

Description of the Prior Art

Data and electronic information handled by computer systems are organised and packaged in different data for- mats for different applications. The GIF format (Graphics Interchange Format) is an example of a well-known format for image data storage and image data compression in connection with web page design. A number of image editors are capable of processing the image data of GIF images . Web browsers such as Internet Explorer™ and

Netscape™ provide a, function for storage of an address to a particular web page or a local file, a so-called favourite or bookmark. In the Internet Explorer™ browser from Microsoft®, favourite web pages are stored in a list of for example web page titles, which are accessed by means of a pull down menu in the browser.

A new page is added to the list by entering a web page address and activating the particular web page. Then, the user selects "add to favourites" in the favourite menu in the browser. It is also possible for example to change the name of the page if the proposed title of the page is not representative for the page.

In order to select and open the particular web page represented by an entry in the favourite list, the user clicks on the favourite button in the tool bar and then he clicks on the text string representing the page. Further, the favourite list can be organized as a usual hierarchical file system and it also provides similar functions, such as a drag-and-drop facilities between different maps in the list. Nevertheless, several problems are associated with these text-based lists of frequently used web pages. As the volume of interesting links grows, the favourite lists or file systems become very difficult to handle and organize for a user. One proposed solution to the problems that favourite lists with titles that are hard to recognize, that visually oriented users have to scan large lists of text, and that, for example, young children using computers and the Internet may not be able to read the list at all is disclosed by US-A-5 963 964. This document describes a method and system for creating, displaying, selecting, updating, and using visual bookmarks. When a user decides to bookmark a web page in the system, a screen dump is taken of the visual appearance of the web page in the browser . The screen dump is then graphically reduced in size, and stored as the representation of the destination of the bookmark. The browser also stores the URL for the page, as well as the title.

With this prior art system and other similar prior art systems known to the applicant, there is a problem of for example moving or exporting a list of favourite bookmarks from one computer to another. No such functionality is available in these known systems.

Another problem associated with modern computer sys- terns connected to the Internet is the lack of handling advertisement - both distribution and reception.

Banners are another information unit for accessing a web site by activation of the banner. Activation of different .parts of the banner may lead to access of different web sites. Usually, banners are published on a web page for attracting users to click on the banner and be linked to a certain web page. The linking is controlled by HTML code surrounding the banner .

Further, it is well known how to send GIF images attached to email and that the web browser can display these images. The GIF Animator™ is a software tool for design and creation of GIF format units including a number of images forming a kind of multislide presentation.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a general information entity or information format for handling electronic information in an electronic apparatus, such as a computer system or network as well as in a port- able communication device, such as a mobile phone and network.

This object is achieved by an information entity according to the invention, comprising a uniform package of a set of information and/or data fields for storage in said electronic apparatus, wherein each information field is configured to be activated individually.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method for creating the information entity according to the invention. The method comprises the step of creating a uniform package of a set of information fields for storage in said electronic apparatus, wherein each information field is configured to be activated individually.

A specific object of the present invention is to pro- vide an improved visual bookmark, and a bookmark or favourite list, which can be exported and published.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a visual bookmark for handling different records, such as web site addresses and e-mail addresses in an efficient and user friendly way. An advantage of the information entity according to the invention is the concise and uniform description of a set of information for storage in a computer.

Further advantages of the information entity is an improved visual association with the information on a web page, and an easy way of exporting visual bookmarks or lists of visual bookmarks to other computers. The invention also improves the possibility of distributing correct and compact information in a uniform way to a receiver.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Illustrative embodiments, advantages and features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG 1A is schematical view of a first embodiment of an information entity according to the invention,

FIG IB is schematical view of a second embodiment of an information entity according to the invention,

FIG 1C is schematical view of a third embodiment of an information entity according to the invention,

FIG 2 illustrates an embodiment of an information entity editor according to the invention,

FIG 3 illustrates an embodiment of an information entity browser according to the invention, FIG 4 is a flowchart of a method for creating an information entity according to the invention,

FIG 5 is a flowchart of a method for creating a collection of associated information entities according to the invention, and FIG 6 illustrates an example of a collection of associated information entities according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

With reference to FIG 1A, there is shown a first embodiment of an information entity 1 according to the invention. The information entity has two main information or data fields: a front image field 2 and a text information field 3. The image field 2 is based on the prior art GIF graphics format, wherein the text information field 3 forms an extension of the GIF graphics format. Thus, the image field 2 and the text information field 3 form a uniform package of a set of information fields for storage in an electronic apparatus, such as a computer system or network as well as in a portable communication device, such as a mobile phone and network, wherein each information field is configured to be activated individually by a user of the electronic apparatus .

The front image field 2 comprises an image for display in a display window in an information entity browser according to the invention, which will be described below. The text information field 3 comprises one or a number of different sub-text fields associated with the information entity.

This information field 3 may include an e-mail address, mailing address, telephone number, the creator of the information entity, information classification, an identification number, and an information entity identity etc. Since the information entity is based on the graphics format GIF, this new graphics format or uniform package can be published on an Internet or Intranet web page, which can be attached to an e-mail or just copied from the web page by means of common browser functions in the information entity browser, described below.

A second embodiment of the information entity 1' is shown in FIG IB. Except for the main graphics format field including the image field 2 and the text information field 3, this embodiment of the graphics format also includes a link image field 4, an included image field 5, a pointer field 6, an attached file field 7, and a timer field 7' .

The link image 4 includes information for creating a window including a number of clickable links to files or web sites on the display of the computer, when the link image is activated. The included image 5 comprises a characterizing image of the information entity 1 and/or an image of a web page associated with the entity. The pointer field 6 comprises information forming a pointer pointing on a collection of information entities 1 according to the invention. Additionally, the pointer field 6 comprises information pointing out one or a number of the information entities in the collection, wherein each information entity is represented by its name and co-ordinates. The coordinates are the X, Y position in the included image 5. Further, the attached file field 7 comprises one or a number of binary files. These files can be activated by means of functional buttons on the browser or from function menus in the browser. The timer field 7' indicates how long and when the information entity should be activated in the browser .

A third embodiment of the information entity 1" is shown in FIG 1C. This embodiment comprises a number of additional fields to be activated.

A location indicator field 8 is provided which includes an URL-address of a web page configured to access the web page. This location indicator field 8 can be a part of alternative embodiments of the first and second embodi- ments of the information entity. In this embodiment and the alternative embodiments of the information entity, the text information field 3 also includes selected information from the represented web page, such as a short description of the text and information on the web page. An information identity 9 to be controlled by an information entity browser, described later, is included. A first address field 10 includes two addresses of two addressable electronic apparatuses in the network and a password for transmission of at least one information entity between the apparatuses. A second address field 11 includes an address to an updated information entity for replacement. An attached ID file 12 includes a representation of the web page of the location indicator for display. An attached ID sound file 13, such as wav or mp3 format etc., for repro- duction is provided. Finally, a file pointer 14 includes an address to at least one file to be activated.

Other embodiments of the information entity according to the invention include one or a number of these additional fields or other possible information and/or data fields.

Information entities according to the invention are created by means of an information entity editor illustrated in FIG 2. The editor is implemented as a computer program for execution on a general purpose computer includ- ing a display, for example a PC running an operating system like Microsoft Windows™ '95, '98, 2000, NT, or another similar operating system.

One embodiment of the editor 15 is illustrated in FIG 2. The editor 15 comprises several fields for entering data and/or "tabs" for different editor functions. The main functions provided by the editor are an image creator 16 and a text creator 17. The image creator 16 allows a creator to incorporate an optional part of a screen image into a display window 18. The size can be adapted and the image can be moved around to a desired location in the window. The method can be repeated in order to obtain the desired design for illustration of the file or web page to be represented. The text creator 17 includes a positioning of two text fields in optional fonts, size, and colour in the information entity display window 18. Of course, the text fields can be moved around for optional location in the display window. An information source function 19 is also provided in this embodiment of the editor. The information source 19 stores information such as a file address, an e-mail address, a postal address, a telephone number, comments to the file, the language of the file, the author of the particular information entity, a classification of the file, a ticker text, etc. A link creator 20 is a function for handling texts and links to an arbitrary number of files. This information is stored in the information entity and when it is activated a window is created with this information including clickable links. This is achieved by rearrangement of information to a temporary HTML document, which is deleted after usage. As described above, the information entity includes attached files in one embodiment. Therefore, the editor 15 comprises an attached file or attachment editor function 21 for attachment of one or several binary files to the information entity. An attached file is handled as an attached unit, and when it is activated, the file is opened with its respective file association. For example, a Word™ document is opened with Word™ and so on.

Additionally, the browser provides a self or auto update function 22, whereby an address pointer is stored in the second address field 11 of the information entity for replacement of an updated information entity. The address pointer contains an address to the site location for the updated information entity. The updated or "new" information entity has an identical design and it may include an additional address pointer in its own second address field 11. If the auto update function 22 is activated the information entity is replaced by the updated information entity. The function 22 is, however, not performed if the second address field 11 is empty or if the updated informa- tion entity is identical with the current information entity.

When the self-update function 22 is activated the update is performed for every one of the information entities available to the browser, in this embodiment of the invention. Further, the update function can be activ- ated either manually by the user or automatically at a preset time.

The editor 15 has also a save function 23 which causes image modification such as antialiasingof the text in the display window etc. Further, a stamp function 24 is provided for location of a unique information entity symbol in an image, which illustrates that the particular image is an information entity according to the invention. The third embodiment of the information entity has a field for an in- formation identity 9 to be controlled by the information entity browser. The information identity 9 is an encrypted identity to secure that the editor 15 has created each information entity handled by the browser according to the invention. Further, the editor provides common editor functions in the main bar 25, for example File, Edit, Mode, Help etc.

An additional function for entering two addresses of two addressable electronic apparatuses or computers in the network and a password for transmission of at least one in- formation entity between the apparatuses into the first address field 10 is also provided by the editor. This function facilitates computer-to-computer transmission of information entities.

As mentioned above, an information entity browser 26 according to the invention is necessary to activate and display information entities and its included information fields. One embodiment of the information entity browser 26 of the invention is illustrated in FIG 3. In this embodiment of the browser, it comprises function menus 27 and a display window 28. A user can display information entities with this browser. The image of a particular information entity selected, for example by drag and drop, for display by the browser appears in the display window 27. Further, a number of buttons 29 are located in the main window of the browser adjacent to the display window 21. By selection or a click on the buttons 29, a given text associated with the button appears in the window if the corresponding information has been entered when the information entity was created. Further, the browser 19 has a ticker field 30 for displaying a ticker, and browser buttons 31 for browsing the information entities in the display window 28.

The different fields of an information entity, which is displayed in the display window 28 in the browser 26, are activated by a click on a mouse or another similar con- trol device in different parts of the window 28. A click on the left side of the display window or on a particular button 31 activates the email function with the email address stored in the text information field 3 in the information entity 1 in this embodiment of the information entity and the browser. Another field, the pointer field 6, is activated by a mouse click in the upper part of the display window 28, causing a popup window including every information entity of the same group to appear on the display. In other embodiments of the invention, the different fields are located and activated in other locations in the display window 28.

Further, the browser provides a function for auto- show, which is associated with a number of additional program select buttons in a particular schematic remote con- trol 32 associated with the browser. One or a number of lists of information entities according to the invention are connected to each select button. The information entities of each list are activatedwithin a selectable time interval controlled by the time set in the timer field 7' . Thus, all or some of the fields in each entity are activated with the functionality provided by the field (s) . The autoshow function is suspended by pressing a key on the keyboard or activating the mouse etc. After a certain delay, the function is activated again. A first embodiment of the method for creating an information entity 1 according to the invention is described with reference to FIG 4. An image and text are incorporated into an information entity 1 and forms a unit of a graphics format or a uniform package of a set of information, including an image field 1 and a text field 2 in step 41 and 42. The information entity is created by means of the information entity editor described above with reference to FIG 2. Further, the second embodiment of the information entity l¹ in FIG IB is created by means of the editor 8, wherein a link image 4 is incorporated into said information entity 1 in step 43, an included image 5 is incorporated in step 44, an information entity pointer 6 is incorp- orated in step 45, at least an attached file 7 is incorporated into the information entity in step 46.

The third embodiment of the information entity 1" in FIG 1C is created in a similar way by means of the editor 8. An information entity including a uniform package of a set of information fields for storage in the electronic apparatus or computer can also be "created" by selecting and copying, by drag and drop, an information entity, forming a part of a web page displayed in a web browser window on a computer display, into the information entity browser for display. The front image of an information entity, which is displayed in the display window 28 of the browser, is created for example by one or more consecutive screen captures of selected parts of for example a web page into the information entity display window 18. The save function 23 in the editor 15 is activated, which causes image modification such as antialiasing of the caputered parts.

As mentioned above an information entity comprises a pointer field 6 for information forming a pointer pointing on a collection of information entities 1 according to the invention. Additionally, the pointer field 6 comprises information pointing out one or a number of the information entities in the collection, wherein each information entity is represented by its name and coordinates. The co- ordinates are the X, Y position in the included image 5. This collection of associated entities representing individual web pages for activation is also created within the scope of the invention. The method of creating the collection is described with reference to the flowchart in FIG 5. An empty collection is created with the editor in step 51. At least one existing information entity 1,1', 1" from for example an information entity published on a web page is incorporated into the collection by drag and drop, or copy in step 52. The resulting collection of associated and selectable entities is stored in the memory of the computer. When the collection is activated in step 53 it appears on the display of the computer as shown in FIG 6.

This collection is adapted to be transmitted by email or ftp or to be published on a web page on the Internet, i . e an information entity for remote use.

The method of creating an information entity and a collection of selectable entities, i.e the editor 15, and the method of handling the entities, i.e the browser 26, are implemented as a computer program product . The computer program product or element comprises a computer readable medium such as a floppy disc, a CD-ROM disc, or DVD disc etc or is stored in a computer memory or a memory in a portable electronic apparatus with computer capabilities, having thereon a computer program code means for making a computer perform the steps of the method, i.e in response of receiving an image and text including a location indicator for a web page, create an information entity forming a unit of a graphics format, including the image and text, for. use as a visual bookmark representing for example a web page. A computer program product for creating the informa- tion entities 1' and 1" according to the second and third embodiment of the invention and a collection of entities are also provided within the scope of the invention.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the configuration and functionality of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of computerO language for the implementation and arrangement of function blocks and other parts within the scope of the invention indicated by the broad general meaning of the claims.

For example, an information entity browser and editor according to the invention are provided for portable elec- tronic apparatuses such as mobile phones, PDAs etc.

The invention has been described in connection with the GIF graphics format. The information entity can however be based on other industry graphic standards, such as JPEG 2000 etc., within the scope of the invention, forming an extension of the JPEG 2000 etc.

In an alternative embodiment, the information entity 1 according to the invention forms a visual bookmark representing a web page.

Claims

1. An information entity for handling electronic information in an electronic apparatus, such as a computer system, or a portable communication device, such as a mo- bile phone, characterized in that said information entity (1,1* ,1") comprises a uniform package of a set of information and/or data fields (2-14) for storage in said electronic apparatus, wherein each information field (2-14) is configured to be activated individually in the electronic apparatus.

2. An information entity according to claim 1, characterized in that said set of information and/or data fields comprises : an image field (2) configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or a text field (3) including text information configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or a link image field (4) configured to create a window including a number of clickable links to files or web sites on a display of said electronic apparatus, and/or an included image field (5) comprising a characterising image of the information entity and/or an image of a web page configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or an information entity pointer (6) pointing on a collection of information entities to be displayed, and/or an attached file (7) for activation, and/or a timer field (7') including data for controlling how long and when the information entity should be activated in the browser, and/or a location indicator field (8) of a web page configured to access said web page, and/or a first address field (10), including two addresses of two addressable electronic apparatuses in said network and a password for transmission of at least one information entity between said apparatuses, and/or a second address field (11), including an address to an updated information entity for replacement, and/or an attached ID file (12) including a representation of said web page for display, and/or an attached ID sound file (13) for reproduction, and/or a file pointer (14) , including an address to at least one file to be activated, when said field or fields are activated, and/or an information identity (9) to be controlled by an information entity browser.

3. An information entity according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein said information entity forms an extended Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), or JPEG 2000, or another similar industry graphic standard.

4. A method for creating an information entity for handling electronic information in an electronic apparatus, such as a computer system, or a portable communication device, such as a mobile phone, characterized by the steps of: creating a uniform package (1,1',1") of a set of information and/or data fields (2-14) for storage in said electronic apparatus, wherein each information field (2-14) is configured to be activated individually in the electronic apparatus .

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized by the further steps of incorporating: an image field (2) configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or a text field (3) including text information configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or a link image field (4) configured to create a window including a number of clickable links to files or web sites on a display of said electronic apparatus, and/or an included image field (5) comprising a characterising image of the information entity and/or an image of a web page configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, and/or an information entity pointer (6) pointing on a collection of information entities to be displayed, and/or an attached file (7) for activation, and/or a time field (7') including data for controlling how long and when the information entity should be activated in the browser, and/or a location indicator field (8) of a web page configured to access said web page, and/or a first address field (10) , including two addresses of two addressable electronic apparatuses in said network and a password for transmission of at least one information entity between said apparatuses, and/or a second address field (11), including an address to an updated information entity for replacement, and/or an attached ID file (12) including a representation of said web page for said location indicator for display, and/or an attached ID sound file (13) for reproduction, and/or a file pointer (14) , including an address to at least one file to be activated, when any of said fields is activated, and an information identity (9) to be controlled by an information entity browser, into said information entity (1,1',1") for forming a uniform package of information and/or data fields.

6. A method according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein said information entity forms an extended Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) .

7. A method according to any of the claims 4-5, characterized by the further steps of : creating a collection of associated information entities for activation, and incorporating at least one existing information entity into said collection of associated and selectable entities for activation.

8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the step of incorporating an existing information entity into said collection of associated and selectable entities comprises the steps of: selecting an information entity forming a part of a web page displayed in a browser window on said computer display, and copying said entity into said collection displayed in another window on said display.

9. A method according to any of the claims 4-8, char- acterized in that the step of creating a uniform package of a set of information fields for storage in said electronic apparatus comprises the further steps of : selecting an information entity forming a part of a web page displayed in a browser window on said computer display, and copying said entity into an information entity browser for display.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, having thereon a computer program code means for making a computer perform the steps of : in response of receiving a set of information and/or fields (2-14), creating a uniform package (1,1',1" ) of said set of information and/or fields for storage in said computer, wherein each information field (2-14) is configured to be activated individually.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, having thereon a computer program code means for making a computer perform the further steps of : in response of receiving at least one of an image field (2) configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, a text field (3) including text information configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, a link image field (4) configured to create a- window including a number of clickable links to files or web sites on a display of said electronic apparatus, an included image field (5) comprising a characterising image of the information entity and/or an image of a web page configured to be displayed on said electronic apparatus, an information entity pointer (6) pointing on a collection of information entities to be displayed, an attached file (7) for activation, a time field (7'), including data for controlling how long and when the information entity should be activated in the browser, a location indicator (8) field of a web page configured to access said web page, a first address field (10), including two addresses of two addressable electronic apparatuses in said network and a password for transmission of at least one information entity between said apparatuses, a second address field (11), including an address to an updated information entity for replacement, an attached ID file (12) including a representation of said web page for said location indicator for display, an attached ID sound file (13) for reproduction, a file pointer (14) , including an address to at least one file to be activated, when any of said fields is activated, and/or an information identity (9) to be controlled by an information entity browser, incorporate said field or fields (2-14) into said information entity for forming a uniform package of at least two of said information and/or fields for storage in said electronic apparatus, wherein each information field is configured to be activated individually.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, having thereon a computer program code means for making a computer perform the further steps of : in response of user activation creating a collection for associated entities representing individual web pages for activation, in response of receiving at least one existing information entity, incorporating said at least one existing information entity into said collection of associated and selectable entities for activation.