The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 06, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 20, 1995
William N Schilit, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Michael M Tso, Beaverton, OR (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A method for accessing members of an ordered data set includes a procedure for dividing an ordered data set into multiple ordered subsets, designating at least one member of each ordered subset as a bracket member, referencing those members of each ordered subset not identified as bracket members with a collective data member symbol, and displaying an ordered set of bracket members, with a collective data member symbol such as an ellipsis displayed between those bracket members separated from each other by two or more members in the ordered data set. Upon user selection of the ellipsis, this procedure is repeated, with those members of each ordered subset not identified as bracket members, and arranged between a respective pair of bracket members, constituting a new ordered data set capable of being divided into multiple ordered subsets. In effect, this method references data not shown on a display screen through designation with an ellipsis, and advantageously allows access to large sets of ordered data even with a physically small display device or computer.