Computer user interface system and method

Abstract

A computer user interface system and method arranges a set of information hosted on a computer into a set of books, where each book includes a subset of the set of information, labels each book with a respective portion of the subset of the set of information, and selects a book from the set of books. Selecting the book from the set of books includes steps of displaying the respective portions of the books as a book document image that includes pages which correspond to the respective portions of the books, generating a command for moving through the pages, displaying an animated image of the pages of the book document being at least one of flipped, scrolled, slid and flashed images, and selecting the book when a selected one of the pages containing a selection portion of the book is earlier displayed.

Description

[0001] This application is related to copending patent application, serial No.______, filed herewith and copending patent application, Ser. No. 08 / 311,454, filed Sep. 26, 1994, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a computer user interface system and method for the purpose of browsing through documents stored in a computer. Specifically, the present invention facilitates the browsing of a document stored in a computer in such a way that it allows a rapid view of what contents are present and the organization of the material in the document, as well as rapid access to the items in the document involved. [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0005] Currently, the method for viewing documents stored in a computer is through a computer monitor screen. For documents that are longer / larger than can be contained within one screen, a means is provided to scroll the document u...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025] In view of the aforementioned short-comings of presently available schemes for browsing through documents stored in a computer, one objective of the present invention is to provide a browsing device that exploits the use of finger operations normally involved in browsing through a book, namely, the change

Problems solved by technology

However, most people do not find this a particularly convenient way to view a document, as compared with a book.

What is involved when one interacts with the printed material in a book is a subtle and complicated process.

Interestingly, a book/magazine with soft and flexible pages is harder to handle because more finger and hand movements are needed to browse through it, while books with stiff pages can be browsed with almost no movement of the hand.

The process is both lengthy and clumsy.

The lengthiness of the process taxes the human short term memory's ability to remember items encountered in the recent past for the purpose of establishing the relationships between items and the clumsiness of the process creates distraction and interferes with the short term memory process, a well known effect in perceptual psychology.

Also, unlike the process of scrolling through a document on a screen like what is no

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