Abstract:
A multi-window file editing system, and a multi-window presentation system and their methods are disclosed. The multi-window file editing system provides sessions with multiple windows to edit files among different program formats. The sessions, along with the windows and the files are combined to output a unique multi-window editing file or a multi-window presentation file. The multi-window editing file could be loaded into the multi-window file editing system for editing. The multi-window displaying file could be loaded into the multi-window presentation system for presenting.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a multi-window presentation system and a multi-window file editing system and their methods, and more particularly to a multi-window file editing system and its method that can display and edit files of different formats simultaneously. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    At present, computers have become indispensable to our life, and the Windows operating system provides a visual operating interface to enhance the convenience of operating a computer. As computer applications become popular, various Windows application programs such as Word program for word processing, Excel program for designing spreadsheets, PowerPoint program for conducing presentations and MultiMedia Player for playing audio/video files are introduced. These Window application programs play very important roles for a salesperson&#39;s presentation, a teacher&#39;s slides for lectures or speeches, and a presenter&#39;s data, forms and illustrations. 
         [0003]    As the presentation of data becomes increasingly complicated, a user may use more than one application program at a time. For instance, a professor may use PowerPoint for presentation while using Excel to show tables and data for assisting the description or play a documentary film to impress audiences in a speech. Although the Windows operating system can display the windows of several application programs simultaneously, a speaker has to control the position, size and operation focus of several windows, and thus it will affect the speaker&#39;s concentration on presenting the contents and lower the quality of the presentation. Further, the speaker usually needs to make a change to the content and sequence of presenting the data according to time, audience or current situation of the presentation. Since traditional presentation systems adopt linear sequence architecture and it is very common that speakers do not follow the originally planned sequence of their presentation, therefore speakers have to constantly change or switch different slides. As a result, the concentration of the speakers will be affected and the quality of their presentation will be lowered. The foregoing Windows application programs such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel can provide several windows to edit different contents simultaneously, but they can only edit files with different formats and save the content of a single window in a single file. Users have to maintain several files and thus such arrangement affect the operating efficiency. 
         [0004]    In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the area of Windows application programs provides a multi-window file editing system and its method and a multi-window presentation system and its method to overcome the foregoing shortcomings. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Therefore, the primary objective of the presentation is to provide a multi-window presentation system, and a multi-window file editing system and their methods to improve the efficiency of editing files and conducting presentations. 
         [0006]    To achieve the foregoing objective of the present invention, the invention provides a multi-window file editing system and its method that employ a multi-window template for generating at least one session with a plurality of windows, and each window could be used to load a file for displaying and editing the file. The session could contain a matrix of N×M windows, where N and M are integers greater than or equal to 1, and N×M is an integer greater than 1. 
         [0007]    The present invention further provides a multi-window file editing system and its method, and the system could be combined with at least one session, a plurality of windows and a plurality of files, for outputting a multi-window file according to a user&#39;s need. The multi-window file could be a multi-window editing file loaded to the multi-window file editing system for file editing. The multi-window file also could be a multi-window presentation file loaded to a multi-window presentation system of the invention for displaying and conducting a presentation. Further, the multi-window file editing system can be used for playbacks and presentations. 
         [0008]    The present invention further provides a multi-window file editing system and its method that can link different windows or different sessions. If the multi-window presentation system plays a multi-window presentation file, the operation focus is transferred from the currently operated window or session to a window or session with a link objective by a trigger signal. 
         [0009]    Further, the present invention provides a multi-window file editing system and its method that can set the presentation parameters such as the position, size and sequence of the sessions and windows for the presentation of the sessions and the windows. 
         [0010]    In view of the description above, the multi-window presentation system, and multi-window file editing system and their methods in accordance with the present invention have the following advantages: 
         [0011]    (1) This multi-window file editing system and its method can provide several sessions, and each session has several windows, and thus users can load several files with different formats and the operating window for displaying and editing the files, so as to display files with different formats simultaneously in different operating windows and improve the convenience of editing files. 
         [0012]    (2) This multi-window file editing system and its method can save the structure of several sessions and several windows into an editable multi-window file or a multi-window presentation file as needed, so as to improve the flexibility of utilizing the file. 
         [0013]    (3) This multi-window file editing system and its method can provide users a way of classifying a plurality of files, assigning different sessions to the files according to the corresponding technical area and linking several sessions in series, in parallel, or in a tree or network structure, so as to improve the performance of a knowledge database. 
         [0014]    (4) This multi-window presentation system and its method can display several files with different formats simultaneously, and the position, size and presentation sequence of the windows can be set in advance, so as to improve the efficiency of user&#39;s presentations. 
         [0015]    To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective of the invention, its structure, innovative features, and performance, we use a preferred embodiment together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the invention. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a multi-window file editing system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram of a multi-window display of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic diagram of a multi-window display of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of a multi-window file editing method of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a multi-window presentation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a multi-window display of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    In related figures of a preferred embodiment of a multi-window file editing system and its method, and a multi-window presentation system and its method in accordance with the present invention, the same numeral is used for labeling the same element in the embodiment to make it easier for our examiner to understand the present invention. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1  for the schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a multi-window file editing system of the present invention, the multi-window file editing system  1  is provided for editing a plurality of files  17 , and these systems comprise a window generating unit  10 , a file loading unit  11 , an editing unit  12  and an output unit  13 . The window generating unit  10  generates at least one session  15  according to a multi-window template  14 , and this session comprises a plurality of windows  16 . The file loading unit  11  is provided for loading one of the files  17  to one of the windows  16 . For example, a Word file can be loaded at the upper left corner of the window, and a PowerPoint file can be loaded at the upper right corner of the window. The multi-window template  14  is a commonly used window allocated data pre-designed for the session. 
         [0024]    The editing unit  12  provides an operating interface for editing the content of each file  17  through these windows  16 . The output unit  13  integrates the sessions  15 , the windows  16  and the files  17  to generate a multi-window file as needed. The multi-window file could be a multi-window editing file  18  provided for users to load the file to the multi-window file editing system  1  at a later time for editing the file again. Further, the multi-window file also could be a multi-window presentation file  19  provided for users to load the file to the multi-window presentation system for conducting presentations. Besides the multi-window file editing function, the multi-window file editing system  1  also provides a presentation function for the edited file, so that users can immediately check the effect of presenting the file. 
         [0025]    A plurality of files could be created with different file formats including a presentation file format (such as PowerPoint file format), a document file format (such as Word file format or Excel file format), a graphic file format (such as Bmp, Gif or Jpg file format), an audio/video file format (such as Wma, Wmv, Mpeg or Avi file format) or a browser file format (such as html file format), etc. The file loading unit  11  drags a file into a window by a mouse or inputs an instruction for opening and loading a file. 
         [0026]    Further, users can produce a plurality of sessions such as a session  15  and a session  151  as needed by different multi-window templates  14 , and each session includes a matrix of N×M windows, and N and M are integers greater than or equal to 1, and N×M is an integer greater than 1. For example, the session  15  having a 3×3 matrix comprised of nine windows  16 , the session  151  having a 2×2 matrix comprised of four windows  161 , or the multi-window template  51  as shown in  FIG. 5  having a 2×2 window matrix at the upper left corner of the multi-window template  51  fall within the scope of claims of the present invention. 
         [0027]    Each window can load different files. The multi-window file editing system  1  further comprises a setting unit for setting related parameters such as the position, size and sequence of the sessions and windows for the presentation of the sessions and the windows as shown in  FIG. 2A . If the window  21  receives a trigger signal, the display screen will be enlarged to cover other windows, such that the content of the window  21  can be displayed more clearly. In  FIG. 2B , if the window  23  receives a trigger signal, the display screen will be enlarged to cover other parts of the window, so as to improve the display of the content of the window  23  and maintain the top and the right side of the window for users to compare and view these two sections. By setting the window presentation parameters, users can optimize the settings for the display of several files. Further, users can set a plurality of window presentation parameters. For example, if the window receives a trigger signal for the first time, the display screen may be enlarged to cover other parts of the window (as shown in  FIG. 2B ), and if the window receives a trigger signal again, then the display screen may be enlarged to a full screen (as shown in FIG.  2  A), and if the window receives a trigger signal again, the original position and size of the window may be recovered. Users can set the window presentation parameters according to the required presentation content to improve the efficiency of conducting presentations. 
         [0028]    The multi-window file editing system  1  further comprises a link unit for setting a link of any combination of different windows or different sessions. The link receives a trigger signal for transferring an operation focus from the currently operated window or session to a window or session with linked objectives. The link between different windows or different sessions comprises a serial link, a parallel link, a tree-structured link or a network link. The foregoing trigger signal could be a signal inputted from a press key at a specific area of a mouse or a link instruction inputted from a keyboard. 
         [0029]    Referring  FIG. 3  for the flow chart of a method of editing a multi-window file according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method edits a multi-window file as shown in  FIG. 1  by a procedure comprising the steps of: 
         [0030]    Step  31 : using the window generating unit  10  to generate at least one session according to a multi-window template, and each session comprises a plurality of windows; 
         [0031]    Step  32 : using a file loading unit  11  to load one of the files to one of the windows; 
         [0032]    Step  33 : using an operating interface of an editing unit  12  to edit the content of each file through the windows; and 
         [0033]    Step  34 : using an output unit  13  to combine a session, several windows and several files to produce a multi-window file. 
         [0034]    The method of editing a multi-window file further comprises the step of setting a parameter related to the presentation of the sessions and windows, and this parameter comprises the position, size and sequence of the presentation of the sessions and the windows. The method of editing a multi-window file further comprises the step of setting a link for any combination of different windows or different sessions. The multi-window file could be a multi-window editing file, so that users can load the file to the multi-window file editing system  1  at a later time for editing the file again. The multi-window file also could be a multi-window presentation file, so that users can load the file to the multi-window presentation system at other time for the presentation. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 4  for the block diagram of a multi-window presentation system of the present invention, the multi-window presentation system  4  comprises a file loading unit  41  and a playing unit  43 . The file loading unit  41  is provided for loading a multi-window presentation file  42 , and the playing unit  43  is provided for displaying at least one session  45 , a plurality of windows  46  and a plurality of files contained in the multi-window presentation file  42 , and presenting the files according to the presentation parameters of the multi-window presentation file  42 . If the multi-window presentation file  42  comprises a plurality of sessions, then the playing unit  43  can simultaneously display several sessions and their windows such as session  45 , session  451 , window  46  and window  461  as shown in the figure. The foregoing presentation parameter comprises the position, size and sequence of presenting a session and a window. The playing unit  43  can transfer an operation focus from the currently presented window or session to a set window or session with linked objectives according to a trigger signal. 
         [0036]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.