Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for a distributed data environment in which data can be seamlessly accessed from remote computing devices are disclosed. For a given user having multiple computing devices, a personal distributed data bank can be formed from data storage capacities resident at the multiple computing device. The given user can access data on any of the multiple computing devices without knowing on which of the multiple computing devices the data resides. In one embodiment, an index for the user's data within the personal distributed data bank can be provided to facilitate searching, browsing and accessing of user data by the given user.

Abstract: A customizable Web portal service comprises a server that hosts a master Web site. The master Web site serves as a Web portal. Users of a first class can establish accounts on the server. For each account holder, the server hosts a separate copy of the master Web site. Each account holder can customize its copy of the master Web site in accordance with a first level of customizability. In addition, users of a second class can create customized copies of the master Web site and of the account holder copies thereof in accordance with a second level of customizability.

Abstract: A dynamic services infrastructure accepts data describing data resources and stores that data in a relational database from which it may be retrieved to handle service requests issued by application programs. The database stores Service Definition data which is initially supplied in the form of XML Service Descriptor documents which are then mapped into the database from which they may be accessed. Each Service Definition includes an input specification which identifies the address of a resource as well as the nature of the input data to be supplied to the resource with the request, and further includes an output specification which describes the nature of the output information which is supplied by the resource in response to the request.

Abstract: A system for storing and dynamically updating data represented in the Extensible Markup Language (XML) which separates the data values in at least some of the elements of an XML document and places those data values in relational database tables where they may be processed using conventional RDBMS techniques. The hierarchical structure of the XML document is saved separately in an XML skeleton object from which element data other than primary key values has been removed. The XML documents document type definition (DTD) is stored, along with additional property data used the RDBMS, in an XML Definition object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a theme property sheet system that supports presentation themes by coordinating values provided to elements used in a user interface. When an interface user expresses a preference for a particular presentation theme, that theme's property sheet is given precedence over other mechanisms for setting property values. By appropriately setting these values in the interface, the theme property sheet enhances the coherence of the interface. The theme property sheet allows an interface designer to add new presentation elements to a user interface without being concerned about presentation themes. The default for each property as set by the designer is overridden, when necessary, by the theme sheet. In a few particular cases, an application designer needs to override even the user's theme preferences. A mechanism is provided to support these exceptional cases.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and article of manufacture for detecting a reader's interest in a particular external document through their markings and annotations, and processing the marks in various ways, is provided. By detecting anchors proximal to annotations made by a reader, a collection of the annotated anchors and the related documents may be organized and generated for a reader to process according to their desires.

Abstract: A publishing system includes a database that is adapted to store a plurality of documents, a plurality of computers, each of which is adapted to be coupled to the database; a network connecting the plurality of computers together for communication of data relating to the plurality of documents among the plurality of computers and the database, means for submitting a new document to the database, means for reviewing the new document, means for relating the new document to the plurality of documents, and means for publishing a journal of a selected portion of the plurality of documents. The plurality of computers includes a server and a plurality of clients, and the server is a web server with the plurality of clients each further including a browser.

Abstract: A system for and method of enhancing web page delivery. The invention provides the ability to control redirection of Web traffic of humans and search engine spiders. It can differentiate between these types of visitors to a Web page, track their movements, log critical information, and analyze the Web traffic in order to judge the success in driving quality traffic to some known goal on a Web site, such as a sale. The system may generate dynamically optimized web pages targeted to specific search engines, in order to optimize the search engine ranking and visibility of a Web site, such as an online marketer's Web site.

Abstract: A method for processing a portion of a computer document in a computer system, the content of the computer document being represented by a markup language, each tag of which having a name and a value, the computer document being associated with a second computer document, referred to as a “schema document”, the content of which is represented in a schema type markup language, the schema document defining the structure of the portion under consideration of the computer document. This processing method comprises the steps of: selection (S13) of a tag, referred to as the “current tag”, in the portion of the computer document; searching (S15-S21) in the schema document for at least one declarative tag of a function associated with the selected tag of the computer document; creation (S23, S25) of a list of functions applicable to the current tag of the computer document from at least one declarative tag of a function, found in the schema document.

Abstract: A method and computer program for managing and presenting a visual history of web pages accessed by a user. This method and computer program is able to create a screen of thumbnail snapshots of web pages for presentation to a user. These thumbnail snapshots are reduced images of the actual web pages themselves that the user has visited. Associated with each thumbnail snapshot is a universal resource locator for the web page. The history of the web pages visited may be displayed in a toolbar which is scrollable.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for processing a formatted computer-readable source document to create a style sheet. The techniques include partitioning the formatted text into multiple groups of words; deriving an element style for a predefined element that is assigned to two or more groups of words; and creating an electronic document including a style sheet defining the element style.

Abstract: A system and methods for simultaneous editing of a document by two or more users are disclosed. The document is divided into a number of sections. Each section is stored in a separate data container, which is part of a document tree. A master copy of the document tree is accessible to a server which transmits all or part of the document tree to two or more clients, each of which is operated by a user. The clients can independently lock different sections, allowing the users to simultaneously edit different sections. When a user completes editing a section, the modified section is stored on the master server and broadcast to other users. The document tree is headed by an independently lockable and editable parent container which is used to store summary information and other information, such as default formatting and other document wide information.

Abstract: A system for displaying, on a computer screen, information concerning the interrelationships of documents. A system employing the present invention also allows for the efficient research of documents that cite a document shown on the computer screen. In one embodiment, the present invention involves displaying at least a portion of a first document and simultaneously displaying a representation of one or more citing documents. The citing documents cite some portion of the displayed document. In another embodiment, the invention involves displaying at least a portion of a first document, and displaying a representation of one or more citing documents, wherein the displayed citing documents cite the displayed portion of the first document.

Abstract: The present invention relates to document formatting using input trees. A method (30) and apparatus (200) for creating a split tree is provided. Marks are assigned to an input tree, removing the need to split the input tree and allowing the input tree structure to remain intact. The advantage of preserving the original structure of the input tree is that it allows interactive formatting. A method (40) of creating tree fragments from the split tree is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention can allow an electronic catalog or other set of items to be searched and compared interactively. In one embodiment, the invention includes displaying a list of items in an electronic catalog, each item corresponding to a row of the display, each row having values corresponding to attributes of the corresponding items arranged into attribute columns, grouping some of the displayed items based on a selected attribute upon receiving a grouping command so that the grouped items are displayed in a single row, and expanding the grouped items upon receiving an expand command so that the grouped items are each displayed in a separate row. The embodiment further includes removing a row corresponding to an item or to grouped items from the display upon receiving a row remove command and removing a column corresponding to an attribute of the items from the display upon receiving a column remove command.

Abstract: A egocentric network including an author, a document created by the author, the document for dissemination over a computer network, a recipient for receiving the document from the author, a first egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of the author for the document and a point of involvement for the document, a second egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of the recipient for the document and a point of involvement for the document, and a point of involvement for said document. In addition, methods and apparatuses for sharing and communicating information over a computer network are included.

Abstract: An XML schema and a set of user customization rules are utilized to produce a set of components that interact to provide a user-specific, document specific, multi-modal interface for an XML document. Each generated component provides a specific input and output mode. For example, one component could be an HTML component, which produces a HTML rendering of the XML tree while another component may be a speech component, which produces a speech-based rendering of the XML tree. A series of these components work together to produce a multi-modal view of the XML tree.

Abstract: An external storage medium storing a computer readable access control program and a plurality of files. The access control program performs a first accessing process permitting a computer to access only the access control program when the computer attempts to access any of the files. A file view process is performed so as to display a view of the files when the computer accesses the information via the access control program. A second accessing process is performed when the computer accesses the information via the access control program while a user designates a prescribed file from the file view. The access control program stores information related to accessing executed by the second accessing process in the storage medium as access usage information.

Abstract: A partial document defined in advance as an operating unit composed of at least one element, which is coincident with or is contained in a structural document, includes at least information representing that the partial document is an operating unit. Based on this information, at least the partial document and parts data by parts data containing position information on the partial document are created. Structured documents are stored in storage means as a set of parts data. The stored structured document is edited by updating parts data corresponding to the partial document targeted for operation, according to the contents of operation for the partial document selected as an operating target.

Abstract: In a source file for a server, a Web display control division, a CGI script division and a processing program division are separated. The server has a Web server division, a CGI script control division and a processing program division and constitutes an interactive system together with an operation terminal unit in which inputs are made through a Web browser. A display control file describing Web page control information is provided for each Web page to be displayed, and the CGI script control division analyzes the description of the said display control file designated by said Web browser, executes said processing program following the description and outputs the result of the processing from Web server division to said Web browser. The name of processing programs activated for collection of information for the display of a Web page and control of the system and a method for displaying the result of such processing on the Web page are described in a script format in the display control file.