Patent · US Expired

Data processing method to provide a generalized link from a reference point in an on-line book to an arbitrary multimedia object which can be dynamically updated

US5367621A · kind A · utility

276Cited by
14References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 1991
Grant dateNov 22, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 6, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F40/137
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A generalized link is provided in a data processing system to enable referencing from a point within an organized hierarchy of an on-line softcopy text, to an arbitrary multimedia object. The multimedia object may be represented by data which is also contained within the softcopy book or alternately which may be separate from the book as a separate file or a separate data base. This enables an author at the time of writing the softcopy book, to specify specific multimedia hardware and software support for the display of multimedia presentations accompanying the text in the book. Provision is made for the author to specify alternate forms of multimedia presentation, where a particular specified multimedia apparatus or supporting software is not present at a workstation. An improved method for dynamically updating a softcopy book to a new edition is also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.