Xerox Corporation

International Business Machines Corporation

Thomas P Moran

William J Van Melle

Patrick Chiu

Eric Saund

Daniel Lynn Larner

Gordon P Kurtenbach

James V Mahoney

Kenneth P Fishkin

Karon A Weber

Todd A Cass

Polle Trescott Zellweger

Alex D Poon

Frank G Halasz

Beverly L Harrison

Scott L Minneman

Donald G Kimber

Roy Want

Michael Muller

Scott Alan Elrod

Lynn D Wilcox

Richard H Bruce

Richard J Goldstein

Thomas M Breuel

Steven R Harrison

Dallas R Grove

Steve R Harrison

David J Fleet

Michael K McCall

Craig D Becker

Malcolm S Smith

Andrew Lewis Schirmer

Dan S Bloomberg

Paul Brian Moody

Miguel A Estrada

Daniel M Gruen

John C Tang

Mark H Yim

Carl Kraenzel

Barton Allen Smith

Joann Ruvolo

Werner Geyer

Andreas Dieberger

Anuj Uday Gujar

Ian E Smith

James Lin

Ashok Chhabedia Popat

William C Janssen

Sara A Bly

Justin Thomas Lessler

Stephen Dill

L Charles Hebel

Suzanne O Minassian

Michael Chi Hung Wu

Edward Lank

Elin R Pederson

Elin R Pedersen

William J vanMelle

Ashok C Popat

A method and apparatus for evolving a shared to-do list into a business process is disclosed. A business process includes one or more business steps and zero or more action rules related to the business steps. Members of a workgroup participate in the business process and are able to view, modify, add and delete business steps and action rules as needed. An action rule is comprised of one or more business actions and one or more events that trigger the actions to be executed. A computer program keeps track of the business steps, interprets the set of rules, and updates states of the business process, notifies the members and validates and accepts modifications by the members to the action rules of a business steps.

Method for evolving shared to-do lists into business processes

A method, system and apparatus for placeholder management in a unified activity manager in a collaborative computing environment. A method for managing placeholders in a unified activity manager in a collaborative environment can include the step of inserting a placeholder in an activity in lieu of a specified collaborator, resource, or event. The inserting step can include describing a type of resource without specifying an identity of an actual resource; and, inserting the described type in the placeholder. The inserting step also can include describing a type of event without specifying an identity of an actual event; and, inserting the described type in the placeholder. The inserting step also can include describing a type of collaborator without specifying an identity of an actual collaborator; and, inserting the described type in the placeholder.

Placeholder management in an activity manager in a collaborative computing environment

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, disclosed is an image analysis and conversion method and system, where digital ink images are converted to structured object representations of the digital ink images, capable of being edited by a structured text/graphics editor.

Method and apparatus to convert digital ink images for use in a structured text/graphics editor

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to activity thread management and provide a method, system and computer program product for activity objectification for non-activity objects in an activity-centric collaboration tool. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for activity objectifying non-activity/task objects in an activity-centric collaboration tool can be provided. The method can include selecting a non-activity/task object in an activity thread for an activity map of the activity-centric collaboration tool, and associating an activity attribute with the selected non-activity/task object. The non-activity/task object further can be decorated with a user interface control corresponding to a value for the activity attribute, and a state for the user interface control can be changed responsive to changes in the value for the activity attribute.

Activity objectification for non-activity objects in an activity-centric collaboration

A partially collapsing hierarchical display system aids information navigation by providing a dynamic mechanism for labeling items with one or more states. In one embodiment, states comprise 'hidden', 'visible' and &#x201c;unmarked&#x201d;. An expanded list of items displays all items. A partially expanded list of items displays all visible and unmarked items, removing hidden items from the display. A further collapsed list of items displays all visible items. A completely collapsed list of items hides all items. Users customize the amount of detail displayed in a sub-tree, reducing the display size of the sub-tree. Expansion of a hierarchical structure is combined with filtering, allowing users to partially collapse or partially expand a sub-tree structure. Partially collapsed lists comprise one or more focus points, allowing users to view several relevant sections of a hierarchical structure concurrently. Displayed sizes or other visual characteristics of items within the hierarchical structure are automatically adjusted to reflect the states designated by the user.

System and method for partially collapsing a hierarchical structure for information navigation

A method of generating a context-inferenced search query and of sorting a result of the query is described. The method includes analyzing an event associated with the user to determine a contextual setting, dynamically generating a search query based on the contextual setting, and searching at least one information source using the search query to generate a search result. Additionally, the method includes calculating an importance value for each item of the search result, sorting the items of the search result according the importance value, and displaying the sorted search result to the user.

Method of generating a context-inferenced search query and of sorting a result of the query

An image analysis and conversion method and system. Bitmapped ink images are converted to structured object representations of the bitmapped images, which may be read and edited by a structured text/graphics editor. The structured object representations correlate to perceptually salient areas of the bitmapped images. The structured object representations are editable by the structured text/graphics editor to allow a user to generate alternative interpretations of the bitmapped images.

Method and apparatus to convert bitmapped images for use in a structured text/graphics editor

The systems and methods of this invention use an index and digital audio and/or video recordings of an activity to provide access to recently recorded material. For example, users initiate audio and/or video recordings. An index, e.g., an agenda, outlines the structure of the to be recorded event. The user selects an index item as an activity that corresponds to an index item is recorded. The recordings are then associated with the index. The user can then randomly access the recordings for playback, editing or further recording. The systems and methods of this invention additionally provide the means for correlating events and the corresponding index items with the recordings.

Systems and methods for using structured representations to index recordings of activity

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, disclosed is an image analysis and conversion method and system, where bitmapped ink images are converted to structured object representations of the bitmapped images, which may be read and edited by a structured text/graphics editor.

A graphical input and display system having a user interface for selecting and creating image object elements includes input devices permitting a user to manipulate elements of electronic images. A processor, connected to the system, receives requests for various image object selection operations and also accesses a memory structure. The system memory structure includes a user interaction module, which allows a user to select image objects, an image object selection module for interpreting imprecise image object selection paths, and data memory.

Method and system for interpreting imprecise object selection paths

A system and method for editing and transcribing using a structured freeform editor is provided. The method implemented in the system includes interpreting structure of freeform graphic elements and selectively editing the structure and/or selectively transcribing scribble elements to an editable format.

Method and system for transcribing and editing using a structured freeform editor

A graphical input and display system for creating and manipulating electronic images includes input devices permitting a user to manipulate elements of electronic images received from various image input sources. A processor, connected to the system, receives requests for various image editing operations and also accesses a memory structure. The system memory structure includes a user interaction module, which allows a user to enter new image material or select and modify existing image material to form primary image objects, as well as a grouping module, which maintains an unrestricted grouping structure, an output module, and data memory.

System and method for editing electronic images

A system features a data input scheme in which the nature of the entered data is irrelevant until the requirement made to perform a function with respect to that data. It is only when it becomes necessary to perform a function with respect to the data that the determination of the nature of the data become important. The desired function, which may include editing, rearranging, moving, etc., then results in a determination of the nature of the data in order to enable implementation of that specific function. The nature of the data can be determined to be in the form of a list, table, or diagram. To this end, a screen oriented display processing system is provided for the entry of informational data including a display means, a data entry means for entering informational data on the display means, a gesture entering means for entering handwritten gestural data on the display, the gestural data representing a gesture associated with at least a portion of the informational data on the display, an assignment means responsive to the entry of the gesture for assigning a function representative of the gesture to the portion of the informational data, and an implementing means responsive to the assignment means for implementing the function on the said portion of the informational data.

Apparatus and method for supporting the implicit structure of freeform lists, outlines, text, tables and diagrams in a gesture-based input system and editing system

Domain objects for use in a freeform graphics system. Domain objects are context specific representations of information that are used in a freeform graphics system. Domain objects are represented in a freeform graphics system by a graphic object (icon) representing an instance of the domain object. The icon representing a domain object may be manipulated like any other graphic object. Domain objects are defined by a domain object class which define attributes, a set of action rules and layouts. The attributes describe the information or data associated with the domain object. The set of action rules map user actions and system events to operations that may be performed on the domain object. The layouts define how domain object information is displayed as an icon.

Domain objects for use in a freeform graphics system

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Thomas P Moran