Widget-Based Document Editing via Drag-and-Drop

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies do not provide a user-friendly experience for manipulating displayed documents created from remote components, lacking intuitive editing and updating capabilities.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves programmably editing displayed documents by selecting portions and associating them with widgets for functions like copying, deleting, or translating, while maintaining links to source components for dynamic updates, using a GUI-controlled approach that supports various media types like text, images, and RSS feeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional document manipulation methods are used, then document editing is possible, but user experience is not friendly and operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experienceVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses drag-and-drop copying mechanism where users can copy document portions by dragging them to widget containers. This allows intuitive manipulation without complex editing commands, improving ease of operation while maintaining system simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces widget containers as intermediary elements between the document and user actions. These containers provide a simplified interface for performing operations like copying, deleting, and translating document portions, reducing operation complexity while enhancing user experience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If document portions are copied and stored locally, then editing flexibility is improved, but synchronization with remote sources becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveediting flexibilityVSAvoidsynchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automatic feedback mechanisms where the system monitors changes in remote document sources and automatically updates local widget contents. This synchronization feedback loop maintains editing flexibility while eliminating manual synchronization complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the document system to self-synchronize by automatically detecting and applying updates from remote sources to local widget contents. This self-service approach maintains version consistency without requiring complex manual synchronization procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple widget functions are integrated, then content manipulation capabilities are enhanced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent manipulation capabilitiesVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universal widget containers that can perform multiple functions (copying, deleting, translating, etc.) through a consistent interface. This multi-functionality approach enhances content manipulation capabilities while maintaining system simplicity through interface unification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10013484B2User driven computerized selection, categorization, and layout of live content components
Publication Date: 2018.07.03 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US10013484B2 patent drawing
  • US10013484B2 patent drawing
  • US10013484B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer application displayed document such as a Web Page, is manipulated by dragging snippets to and from graphically depicted icons created by the application. The snippets preferably comprise links to the original content for communicating with the content source and/or restoring removed snippets to the displayed document. Preferably links are maintained semantically using RDF and DOM technology.