Patent ID: 6263351
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of displaying information on a computer screen for a person operating a computer, the method comprising the acts of:(a) displaying an application window on the computer screen, wherein the application window has associated with it both a document display area and a secondary area;(b) retrieving a first document over a wide area network, wherein the first document is retrieved over the wide area network from a remote location that is not local to the computer;(c) displaying the first document in the document display area associated with the application window so that at least a portion of the first document is visible in the document display area;(d) displaying in the secondary area associated with the application window a plurality of representations of related documents that are relevant to the subject matter of the first document that is displayed in the document display area, wherein the representations of the related documents are each separately selectable within the secondary area, and wherein each of the related documents is an independent document that is not part of the first document;(e) monitoring the person's selection of one of the representations in the secondary area;(f) upon detecting the person's selection of one of the representations displayed within the secondary area in act (e), retrieving a second document over the wide area network, wherein the second document is the document that corresponds to the representation in the secondary area that was selected by the person operating the computer in act (e), and wherein the second document is retrieved over the wide area network from a remote location that is not local to the computer;(g) displaying the second document in the document display area by replacing the first document in the document display area with the second document, wherein the second document is displayed so that at least a portion of the second document is visible in the document display area;(h) automatically updating, without requiring further input from the person operating the computer, the representations of related documents displayed in the secondary area when the second document is displayed in the document display area, wherein the representations are updated so that they comprise a plurality of representations of related documents that are relevant to the subject matter of the second document that is displayed in the document display area, and wherein each of the related documents that are relevant to the subject matter of the second document is an independent document that is not part of the second document;(i) monitoring input from the person operating the computer;(j) upon receiving input from the person operating the computer in act (i), retrieving a third document over the wide area network, and wherein the third document is retrieved over the wide area network from a remote location that is not local to the computer;(k) displaying the third document in the document display area by replacing a document displayed in the document display area with the third document, wherein the third document is displayed so that at least a portion of the third document is visible in the document display area; and(l) automatically updating, without requiring further input from the person operating the computer, the representations of related documents displayed in the secondary area when the third document is displayed in the document display area, wherein the representations are updated so that they comprise a plurality of representations of related documents that are relevant to the subject matter of the third document that is displayed in the document display area, and wherein each of the related documents that are relevant to the subject matter of the third document is an independent document that is not part of the third document.