AU3019900A - Stored best perspectives and attributes for editing and manipulating documents - Google Patents

Description

S&FRef: 500421

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD

PATENT

ORIGINAL

0 00** *r Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha 30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku Tokyo Japan Peter Anthony Bruderlin Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 Stored Best Perspectives and Attributes for Editing and Manipulating Documents to 0 0 0 0 0* ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION

DETAILS

[33] Country [31] Applic. No(s) AU PQ0138 AU PQ0139 [32] Application Date 04 May 1999 04 May 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815c -1- STORED BEST PERSPECTIVES AND ATTRIBUTES FOR EDITING

AND

MANIPULATING

DOCUMENTS

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the interactive editing of electronic data and, in particular, to the editing of documents where it is advantageous for the user to be able to move to different areas of the document in order to modify details.

Background Conventional computer based document editing applications, or modelling tools, allow a user to edit a computer based document that will be rendered in some fashion.

10 Such electronic documents can include pixel based images, object based artwork, text based documents like those produced by word processors or HTML or Internet page S editors, two and three dimensional models or animation based documents. In order to edit •go• a model in a computer based document the user must select small sections of the model to edit in isolation. For example, a scene in a three dimensional model may be composed of 0. 15 the objects in a room, as shown in Fig. 6. The user may elect to concentrate on a lamp 0 0.

600 upon a table 610, and will want to specify within the modelling tool a perspective or view appropriate for dealing only with that object. Typically this will involve the user manipulating facilities within the modelling tool to zoom in toward the object, change the direction from which they are viewing the object, or rotate the view to an angle convenient for them to manipulate it. Once the user has finished manipulating the object, they will move to a different part of the model to continue the editing process.

Problems arise with conventional computer document editing applications, or modelling tools if the user at a later stage decides to return to particular parts of the document even to move to an original object. The user must manually use the zoom, scroll and perhaps rotate controls within an editing application to once again achieve the 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTE3MP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentemnpr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD -2desired view or a new view. This situation is made more difficult by the fact that often a user wants to quickly move back and forward between alternate positions of the document, perhaps to compare detail, or to achieve an overview of a localized change.

The problem is that the necessary manipulations of zoom, scroll and rotate controls to return to the desired view, or to a new view, can be tedious, time consuming and even error prone. One known computer application allows a user to store editing positions, and also allows the user to name the stored editing positions in order to retrieve the stored position by name for use. However, this method is still tedious, and non intuitive.

Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or ameliorate, one or more of the deficiencies of the above mentioned methods by the provision of a method for editing documents and computer based data models.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of °editing an electronic document, said method comprising the steps of: presenting a first view of said electronic document; S. selecting a current portion of said electronic document; presenting a second view of said current portion, wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; tagging said second view for storage; and editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for editing an electronic document, said appatatus comprising: display means for presenting a first view of said electronic document; 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD -3selection means for selecting a current portion of said electronic document, wherein a second view of said current portion is presented on said display means, and wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; tag means for tagging said second view for storage; and edit means for editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical object-based ooooo model, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a portion of said object-based model; determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; ~storing said desired perspective; and editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired *oo* perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an o..

apparatus for editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical objectbased model, said apparatus comprising: selection means for selecting a portion of said object-based model and determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; storage means for storing said desired perspective; and edit means for editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

500421 CFP170IAU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD -4- According to another aspect of the present invention there is computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said program comprising: code for presenting a view of said electronic document; code for selecting a portion of said electronic document; code for determining at least one desired view of said portion; code for storing said desired view; and code for editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored "desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

o 10 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method S°of editing an electronic document, said method comprising the steps of: •°presenting a view of said electronic document; selecting a portion of said electronic document using said view; determining at least one desired view of said portion; °ooo storing said desired view; and editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for editing an electronic document, said apparatus comprising: display means for presenting a view of said electronic document; selection means for selecting a portion of said electronic document and determining at least one desired view of said portion; storage means for storing said desired view; and 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02104 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD edit means for editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said program comprising: code for presenting a first view of said electronic document; code for selecting a current portion of said electronic document; code for presenting a second view of said current portion, wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; code for tagging said second view for storage; and code for editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing.

A computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which

S.

processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical object-based model, said program comprising: code for selecting a portion of said object-based model; code for determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; code for storing said desired perspective; and code for editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

Preferably, a plurality of desired perspectives are associated with said portion of said document.

500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentcmp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD -6- Advantageously, a selected subset of a plurality of attributes are associated with said portion of said document.

Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of editing a computer based document, including a model, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a first view of an electronic document displayed in accordance with the method of Fig. 1; 10 Fig. 3 shows a second view of an electronic document displayed in accordance with the method of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an apparatus suitable for implementing the embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of editing a computer based document, including a model, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of a computer model of a coffee table, lamp and book; and Fig. 7 shows a diagrammatic representation of a possible binary tree structure of the model of Fig. 6.

Detailed Description Where reference is made in any one or more of the drawings to steps and/or features, which have the same reference numerals, those steps and/or features are for the purposes of the description the same, unless the contrary appears.

The embodiments of the invention are preferably practiced using a conventional general-purpose computer system 400, such as that shown in Fig. 4 wherein the processes 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&41 500421 Aoc:IAD -7of Figs. 1 and 5 may be implemented as software, such as an application program executing within the computer system 400. In particular, the steps of preferred methods are effected by instructions in the software that are carried out by the computer. The software may be divided into two separate parts; one part for carrying out the preferred methods; and another part to manage the user interface between the latter and the user.

The software may be stored in a computer readable medium, including the storage devices described below, for example. The software is loaded into the computer from the computer readable medium, and then executed by the computer. A computer readable °medium having such software or computer program recorded on it is a computer program 10 product. The use of the computer program product in the computer preferably effects an advantageous apparatus for performing the methods in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.

*aa.

The embodiments of the present invention are described below as a computer application program hosted on the WindowsTM operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation. However, those skilled in the art will recognise that the embodiments can be implemented on computer systems hosted by other operating systems. For example, the embodiments of the invention can be performed on computer systems running

UNIX'TM,

OS/2TM, DOSTM. The application program has a user interface which includes menu items and controls that respond to mouse and keyboard operations.

The first embodiment of the present invention addresses the problem of repeated movement between regularly visited sections of an electronic computer based document within a computer program that is used to edit electronic documents. As described above, such electronic documents can include pixel based images, object based artwork, text based documents like those produced by word processors or HTML or Internet page editors, two and three dimensional models or animation based documents. The first 500421 CFPI701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opcntemp2& 4 500421 .doc:IAD I I -8embodiment is a method used to edit an electronic document, whereby a particular view chosen by the user is remembered, associated with that selected section of the document, and can be used again when the user returns to edit that section of the document.

When a user of an electronic document editing application on a computer (e.g.

the computer system 400) elects to edit a section of a document, the user will use zoom, scroll and rotate facilities within the application to create a view that is effective for manipulating that section of the document. The first embodiment allows users to interactively edit electronic documents including object-based models that can be used to render a picture, scene or other image. The remembered views, associated with their e, 10 respective sections of the document, can be saved within the document, to be used again a later editing session when the document is reloaded. The first embodiment can be included in a computer-based document editing program.

The method according to the first embodiment retains and manages views that are important to the user for a particular document, and presents these views to the user in o.5 15 a manner that allows the user to intuitively select the desired view. The first embodiment *5 *5allows the user to specify any view that the user deems important and potentially reusable.

The user is provided with the ability to tag such a view, so that at a later stage, the user can activate a control within the program that will retrieve the selected stored view and use it to present that section of the document to the user.

In accordance with the first embodiment, an editing application displays a detail view (Detail View) 200 of a section of a current page or local region used for performing modifications by the user, as seen in Fig. 2. The first embodiment also displays an overview (Overview) 210 of the current page or local region on which the current view can be displayed and makes use of the overview to present to the user the stored views as rectangles 220 on the view. Further, the first embodiment can allow the user to select a 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4 500421 .doc:IAD -9stored view by interactively selecting the corresponding rectangle. Still further, the editing application on which the first embodiment is implemented preferably combines objects in various ways to form more complicated shapes. Attributes of the objects can also be preferably set to allow the objects to be stroked or filled by colour or opacity as selected by the user. Objects can also preferably be composited together to achieve other effects.

The Detail View 200, in accordance with the first embodiment, allows the user to interactively perform modifications to the viewed section of the document. The Detail View 200 can show the entire current page, or any part thereof. The user is preferably o oo 10 provided with editing controls that allow the user to be able to zoom or magnify the *current Detail View, scroll or move the Detail View on the page, and rotate the Detail View.

o The Over View 210, in accordance with the first embodiment, is a small •thumbnail view of the entire current page in an upright orientation. The Over View 210 ••go always shows a rectangle 230 superimposed on the current page that shows the position

S..

and orientation of the Detail View on the page. The rectangle 230 is preferably a colour red) which highlights the position of the Detail View to the user. Thus, the Over View 210 is an aid to the user in terms of navigation of the Detail View 200.

The method in accordance with the first embodiment will now be described with reference to the following example. Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing an example using the method of editing an electronic document in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. The process begins at step 100, where the user has found that the view 200 as shown in Fig. 2 is useful and wants to return to it at a later stage. Accordingly, the user can activate a control in a user interface that tags that view. At the next step 120, the current view is stored for later retrieval. The storage of the current view is preferably 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD automatically performed by the application program, upon which the first embodiment is implemented, when that view has been tagged. The process continues at step 130, where the user uses the editing controls to move the current Detail View 200 to position B 310 as shown in Fig. 3, leaving the stored view 200 highlighted. At the next step 140, when the user is finished their work at position B 310 and they wish to return to position A 200, rather than having to use the editing controls to zoom, scroll and rotate the Detail View to position A 200, the user selects the rectangle in the Over View corresponding to view A 200, and the stored view A 200 will be retrieved for use as the Detail View. The retrieval of the stored view A 200 is preferably automatically performed by the 10 application program upon which the first embodiment is implemented. Many such views can be stored in this fashion, each indicated by a separate rectangle of the same colour B.o.

(eg. blue) which is a different colour to the one which is highlighting the current view to the user.

The user can preferably interactively change the stored views as needed, in oo accordance with the first embodiment. For example, the user can interactively drag or rotate a stored view rectangle within the Over View 210.

While the description above allows for the user to automatically reuse a stored view within an editing session, in accordance with the first embodiment, the stored views can be saved in or with the document file, so that they are available when the user again loads the document file into the document editing application.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention a perspective chosen by the user is remembered, associated with that selected section of the document, and used again when the user returns to edit that section of the document. For example, when a user of an electronic document editing application on a computer selects a section of a model for editing, the user can use zoom, scroll and rotate facilities within the 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4 500421 .doc:IAD 'a -11application to create a perspective that is effective for them to manipulate that section of the model. The second embodiment has application for models that are two, three or more dimensional. The remembered perspectives, associated with their respective sections of the model, can be saved within the model, to be used again in a later editing session when the model is reloaded. The user can preferably tag a desired perspective, so that at a later stage, the user can activate a control within the program that will retreive the desired perspective and use it to present that section of the model to the user.

~The method in accordance with the second embodiment will now be described with reference to the following example, whereby Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic 4*ome.

10 representation of a three dimensional model of a coffee table 610; Fig. 7 shows a diagrammatic representation of the structure of the coffee table model, implemented as a .;°binary tree data structure 700; and Fig. 5 shows a flow chart illustrating the steps to be performed if the user wishes to modify the lamp 600, then the book 620 and return to the lamp 600 for further editing, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present 444* o oo •go• invention.

The process begins at step 500 where the user selects the lamp 600 for editing, by .:.4selecting the lamp 600, or by selecting node C in Fig. 7. In accordance with the second embodiment, the binary tree data structure 700 is preferably displayed along with an image of the three dimensional model being edited. Preferably, a detail view (not illustrated) of a section of the model is displayed together with an overview of the model and the binary tree structure 700. At the next step 510, the user manipulates editor controls to zoom, scroll and rotate the view to that which is convenient for perfornning modifications on the lamp. The perspective is shown in Fig. 6 as a dotted rectangle 640 around the lamp 600 with the corresponding view 640 being shown to the upper right.

The process continues at step 520, where the perspective 640 is stored and associated with 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 41 500421 .doc:IAD -12the lamp 600. The storage of the perspective 640 and association of the stored perspective 640 with the lamp 600 is preferably automatically performed by the application in accordance with the method of the second embodiment. As seen in Fig. 7, the perspective 640 can be stored within, or associated with, node C in the model.

Preferably, the user can tag the perspective 640 for later use. Multiple best perspectives, of the lamp 600, can preferably be stored in this fashion with each of the stored perspectives being associated with node C in the model 700. At the next step 530, the user performs editing modifications on the lamp 600. At the next step 540, the user has 00* °.finished modifying the lamp and selects the book 620 for modification, by selecting the *:ego: 10 book 620 itself or by selecting node P in Fig. 7. The process continues at step 550, where the user zooms, scrolls or rotates the view to that which is most convenient to modify the 9*oo book. The perspective 650 is shown in Fig. 6 as a dotted rectangle looking down from *too 0000 above the book 620, this being the desired perspective chosen by the user to make °ooo me0. modifications to the book 620. At the next step 560, the perspective 650 is stored, in accordance with the second embodiment, and associated with the book 620. The storage of the perspective 650 and association of the stored perspective 650 with the book is Strdprpcie60wt h oki preferably automatically performed by the application in the method of the second embodiment. As seen in Fig. 7, the perspective 650 is stored at, or associated with, node P. Again, multiple best perspectives, of the book 620, can preferably be stored in this fashion with each of the stored perspectives being associated with node P in the model 700. The process continues at step 570, where the user finishes modifying the book 620 and elects to return to the lamp 600 to perform more modifications. The user selects the lamp 600 by either selecting the lamp itself, or selecting node C in the binary tree data structure 700. At the next step 580 the stored perspective 640 that is associated with the lamp 600, that is, the perspective 640 stored in, or associated with, node C, is 500421 CFPI701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4 500421 doc:IAD -13automatically retrieved. The retreival of the stored perspective 640 is preferably automatically performed by the application in the method of the second embodiment.

Alternatively, the user can select another stored perspective of the lamp 600 if multiple best perspectives of the lamp 600 were stored at step 560. The process can conclude at the next step 590, where the application uses the perspective 640 when it presents a view of the lamp 600 to the user.

In the instance that a three dimensional model is being edited using the method of the second embodiment, a stored perspective of an object being edited can preferably include a three dimensional observer position, a three dimensional direction of view, and 10 an angle of view. Thus, as the perspective view is altered by the user, the three dimensional observer position, the three dimensional direction of view, and an angle of view will be dynamically updated. Preferably, the observer position, direction of view and angle of view are displayed to the user in a detailed view of the perspective when the perspective is being edited by the user.

In the instance that a two dimensional model is being edited using the method of the second embodiment, such as a drawing composed of objects, a stored perspective can preferably include a two dimensional centre of view, a height and width of the view and a two dimensional orientation. Again, as the perspective view is altered by the user, the two dimensional centre of view, height and width of the view and a two dimensional orientation can be dynamically updated. Preferably, the centre of view, height, width and orientation are displayed to the user in a detail view of the perspective view.

As described above, if the user selects another section of the model after editing a different section, and selects a perspective for use in viewing the new section, the application remembers the perspective as well and associates it with the new section of the model. Further, if the user returns to the original section of the model, the stored 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp 2 4 500421 .doc:IAD -14perspective associated with that original section of the model, is used, preferably automatically, to generate the view presented to the user of the original section of the model. Alternatively, the user can select another stored perspective if multiple best perspectives have been stored for that original section of the model.

As described above, the second embodiment can preferably store multiple best perspectives for a single section of the model. The second embodiment can preferably allow the user to choose any of the multiple pre-existing best perspectives in order to have a desired section of the model presented. When the user selects a section of the model to edit for the first time, and a previously stored perspective is not available for that section 10 of the model, a best perspective for viewing that section of the model can be approximated, in accordance with the second embodiment, by automatically creating a **perspective that provides a view of that section of the model which is limited to a °o°0 bounding box of that section.

While the description above allows for the user to automatically reuse a perspective within an editing session, the second embodiment can also save the stored perspectives in or with the model or document file, so that they are available when the user again loads the model file into the model editing application.

The second embodiment can preferably save other information concerning the user's selected attributes of sections of the document. The editing program upon which the embodiments of the invention are implemented can allow the user to select which attributes of a section of the document are important. For example, the user can select an object within a two dimensional object based model and choose to examine or modify the stroke or line attributes of that object, and not examine or modify the fill attributes of the object. The second embodiment preferably remembers and saves the set of attributes that the user deemed important, in this case the stroke or line attributes, and notes that the user 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentemnpr\opentemp2&4] 500421 doc:IAD is not interested in the fill attributes for the object. When the user returns to the object after editing a different section of the model, and the user gets the editing program to display the attributes of the object, the editing program, having remembered which set of attributes the user last examined out of the entire set of attributes for the object, displays in this case only the stroke attributes.

The computer system 400 comprises a computer module 410, input devices such as a keyboard 420 and mouse 430, output devices including a printer 440 and a display device 450. A Modulator-Demodulator (Modem) transceiver device 460 is used by the computer module 410 for communicating to and from a communications network, for 10 example connectable via a telephone line or other functional medium. The modem 460 can be used to obtain access to the Internet, and other network systems.

The computer module 410 typically includes at least one processor unit 480, a memory unit 490, for example formed from semiconductor random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM), input/output (VO) interfaces including a video interface 475, and an I/O interface 485 for the keyboard 420 a mouse 430 and optionally a joystick (not illustrated). A storage device 495 is provided and typically includes a hard disk drive 455 and a floppy disk drive 445. A CD-ROM drive 435 is typically provided as a non-volatile source of data. The components of the computer module 410, typically communicate via an interconnected bus 415 and in a manner which results in a conventional mode of operation of the computer system 400 known to those in the relevant art. Examples of computers on which the embodiments can be practised include IBM-PC's and compatibles, Sun Sparcstations or alike computer systems evolved therefrom. Typically, the application program of the preferred embodiment is resident on a hard disk drive 455 and read and controlled using the processor 480. Intermediate storage of the program and the print list and any data fetched from the network may be 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:lAD 16accomplished using the semiconductor memory 425, possibly in concert with the hard disk drive 755. In some instances, the application program may be supplied to the user encoded on a CD-ROM or floppy disk, or alternatively could be read by the user from the network via the modem device 470.

The embodiments of the invention can alternatively be implemented in dedicated hardware such as one or more integrated circuits performing the functions or sub functions of the steps of the method. Such dedicated hardware can include graphic processors, digital signal processors, or one or more microprocessors and associated memories.

10 The foregoing only describes a small number of embodiments of the present invention, however, modifications and/or changes can be made thereto by a person skilled t Sin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

In the context of this specification, the word "comprising" means "including p. principally but not necessarily solely" or "having" or "including" and not "consisting only of'. Variations of the word comprising, such as "comprise" and "comprises" have corresponding meanings.

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Claims (10)

1. A method of editing an electronic document, said method comprising the steps of: presenting a view of said electronic document; selecting a portion of said electronic document utilising said view; determining at least one desired view of said portion; storing said desired view; and editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an outline of said desired view is highlighted in a document review of said electronic document.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said desired view is tagged for storage.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said desired view is automatically retrieved upon selecting said highlighted outline.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a position of said desired view can be altered by moving said highlighted outline in said view of said electronic document.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said desired view can show an entire current page of said document, or any part thereof. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4

500421.doc:IAD

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said desired view can be magnified.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said view of said electronic document is a view of an entire current page of said document.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said view of said electronic document is smaller than said desired view. 0. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said 0*00 document includes a graphical object-based model. 0*0 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said portion is a portion of said graphical object-based model. '2 12. A method according to claim 11, including the further step of associating said desired view with said portion of said object-based model. 13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said object-based model includes a plurality of nodes. 14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein said desired view is stored at, or associated with, a node of said graphical object-based model. 500421 CFPI701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD -19- The method according to claim 14, wherein said node is associated with said portion of said object-based model. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said portion of said object based model is selected by selecting said associated node of said graphical object-based model. 17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of desired views are associated with said portion of said object-based model. a 10 18. An apparatus for editing an electronic document, said apparatus comprising: display means for presenting a view of said electronic document; selection means for selecting a portion of said electronic document and determining at least one desired view of said portion; storage means for storing said desired view; and .too 15 edit means for editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein an outline of said desired view is highlighted in said view of said electronic document. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said desired view is tagged for storage. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4 500421 doc:IAD 21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said desired view is automatically retrieved upon selecting said highlighted outline. 22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein a position of said desired view can be altered by moving said highlighted outline in said view of said electronic document. 23. A method of editing an electronic document, said method comprising the steps of: a presenting a first view of said electronic document; selecting a current portion of said electronic document; presenting a second view of said current portion, wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; tagging said second view for storage; and editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said second view is automatically retrieved upon selecting said highlighted outline. The method according to any one of claims 23 or 24, wherein a position of said second view can be altered by moving said highlighted outline in said first view. 500421 CFP170AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4 500421 .doc:IAD -21 26. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 25, wherein said second view can show an entire current page of said document, or any part thereof. 27. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 26, wherein said second view can be magnified. 28. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 27, wherein said first view is a view of an entire current page of said document.

10 29. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 28, wherein said first view is smaller than said second view. S. The method according to any one of claims 28 or 29, wherein said outline shows r the position of said second view relative to said page. 31. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 30, wherein said highlighted outline is a rectangle. 32. The method according to any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein a plurality of views representing different portions of said document can be separately tagged for storage. 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said plurality of views are displayed as separately highlighted outlines in said first view 500421 CP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD -22- 34. The method according to claim 32, wherein said highlighted outlines are a rectangle. The method according to any one of claims 33 or 34, wherein said separately highlighted outlines are the same colour. 36. The method according to any one of claims 33 to 35, wherein a currently selected view is highlighted as a different colour to other highlighted outlines. 10 37. The method according to any one of claims 33 to 36, wherein any one of said plurality of views can be selected to edit said document by selecting a corresponding 9 highlighted outline. 38. The method according to any one of claims 33 to 37, wherein said plurality of 15 views overlap. S* 9. 39. The method according to any one of claim 33 to 36, wherein a position of any one of said plurality of views can be altered by moving a corresponding outline in said first view. An apparatus for editing an electronic document, said apparatus comprising: display means for presenting a first view of said electronic document; selection means for selecting a current portion of said electronic document, wherein a second view of said current portion is presented on said display means, and wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; 500421 CFP'1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opcntempr\opentemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD -23- tag means for tagging said second view for storage; and edit means for editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing. 41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said second view is automatically retrieved upon selecting said highlighted outline. 42. The apparatus according to any one of claims 40 or 41, wherein a position of said second view can be altered by moving said highlighted outline in said first view. 43. The apparatus according to any one of claims 40 to 42, wherein said second view can show an entire current page of said document, or any part thereof. 15 44. The apparatus according to any one of claims 40 to 43, wherein said second view can be magnified. A method of editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical object-based model, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a portion of said object-based model; determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; storing said desired perspective; and editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\ci sra\opentempr\open temp2 &4J 50042 1 .doc:IAD -24- 46. A method according to claim 45, including the further step of associating said perspective with said portion of said object-based model. 47. The method according to claim 45 or 46, wherein said object-based model includes a plurality of nodes. 48. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 47, wherein said desired perspective is stored at, or associated with, a node of said graphical object-based model. 10 49. The method according to claim 48, wherein said node is associated with said portion. o The method according to claim 49, wherein said portion is selected by selecting said associated node of said graphical object-based model. 51. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 50, wherein a plurality of desired perspectives are associated with said portion. 52. The method according to claim 51, wherein said plurality of desired perspectives are stored with said associated node. 53. The method according to any one of claims 51 or 52, wherein any one of said plurality of desired perspectives can be selected upon re-selecting said portion for further editing. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD 54. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 53, wherein a selected subset of a plurality of attributes are associated with said portion. The method according to claim 54, wherein said attributes include colour, fill and stroke. 56. The method according to claims 54 or 55, wherein said selected subset of attributes are displayed upon request. S 0 10 57. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 56, wherein a desired perspective of said portion is automatically approximated upon selecting said portion for o S editing if a desired perspective has not been previously stored. 58. The method according to any one of claims 48 to 57, wherein said desired 15 perspective is retrieved and used upon selecting said associated node. S 59. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 58, wherein said graphical object-based model is rendered to as an image. 60. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 59, wherein said perspective is two-dimensional. 61. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 59, wherein said graphical object-based model is two dimensional. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opeiitemp 2 4 500421.doc:IADI 1 P -26- 62. The method according to claim 61, wherein said stored desired perspective includes a two-dimensional centre of view. 63. The method according to any one of claims 61 or 62, wherein said stored desired perspective includes dimensions of said perspective of said graphical object. 64. The method according to any one of claims 61 to 63, wherein said stored desired perspective includes a two dimensional orientation. a 65. The method according to claim 64, wherein said two-dimensional orientation indicates a rotated position of said stored desired perspective. a 66. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 59, wherein said perspective is three-dimensional. 67. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 59, wherein said graphical object-based model is three-dimensional. 68. The method according to claim 67, wherein said stored desired perspective includes a three-dimensional observer position. 69. The method according to any one of claims 67 or 68, wherein said stored desired perspective includes an angle of view. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02104 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opcntemp2&4] 500421 .doc:IAD S. t -27- The method according to any one of claims 67 to 69, wherein said stored perspective includes a view orientation. 71. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 59, wherein said graphical object-based model is multi-dimensional. 72. The method according to any of claims 45 to 71, wherein said graphical object- based model is a hierarchical structure. SO* 0 10 73. The method according to any of claims 45 to 72, wherein said desired perspective is stored automatically upon being determined. 0 74. The method according to any of claims 45 to 73, wherein said selection of a portion is carried out manually. The method according to any of claims 45 to 74, wherein said determination of said at least a desired perspective is carried out manually. 76. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 75, wherein said document includes at least one graphical object. 77. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 75, wherein said document is a text based document. 500421 CFP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4 500421 .doc:IAD 2* -28- 78. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 75, wherein said document is animation based. 79. The method according to any one of claims 45 to 75, wherein said portion is a graphical object. Apparatus for editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical object-based model, said apparatus comprising: selection means for selecting a portion of said object-based model and determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; storage means for storing said desired perspective; and a edit means for editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion to** .for further editing. 81. The apparatus according to claim 80, wherein said selection means is used for associating said perspective with said portion of said object-based model. 82. The apparatus according to claim 80 or 81, wherein said object-based model includes a plurality of nodes. 83. The apparatus according to any one of claims 80 to 82, wherein said desired perspective is stored at, or associated with, a node of said graphical object-based model. 500421 CF;P1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD 29- 84. The apparatus according to claim 83, wherein said node is associated with said portion. The appartus according to claim 84, wherein said portion is selected by selecting said associated node of said graphical object-based model. 86. A computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said program comprising: 10 code for presenting a view of said electronic document; 0 code for selecting a portion of said electronic document; code for determining at least one desired view of said portion; code for storing said desired view; and S* code for editing said portion utilising said desired view, wherein said stored 15 desired view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing. 87. A computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said program comprising: code for presenting a first view of said electronic document; code for selecting a current portion of said electronic document; code for presenting a second view of said current portion, wherein an outline of said second view is highlighted in said first view; code for tagging said second view for storage; and 500421 CFPP1701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2&4] 500421.doc:IAD code for editing said current portion utilising said second view, wherein said tagged second view is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said current portion for further editing. 88. A computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus which processes data, said processing comprising a process for editing an electronic document, said document including a graphical object-based model, said program comprising: code for selecting a portion of said object-based model; code for determining at least a desired perspective of said portion; 10 code for storing said desired perspective; and code for editing said portion utilising said desired perspective, wherein said stored desired perspective is automatically retrieved upon re-selecting said portion for further editing. S o. 15 89. A method of editing an electronic document, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7. An apparatus for editing an electronic document, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7. DATED this twenty-eighth Day of April, 2000 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON 500421 CFPI701AU OPENTEMP 02/04 [Q:\cisra\opentempr\opentemp2& 4 500421 .doc:IAD