Documents notation tool and method

A computer-readable medium having computer executable components is disclosed, the components comprising a plurality of staff lines and intervening spaces adapted to display a plurality of documents positioned along the plurality of staffs and intervening spaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a notation tool and method for organizing documents and specifically relates to classifying documents with a computerized system.

2. Description of Related Art

The availability of computer systems and networks has multiplied access to information. Given the always-increasing number of documents of all kinds computer systems' users have difficulties keeping organized. Emails, word processing documents, web pages, digital pictures, digital music and spreadsheets therefore flood users with digital information. We even reached a level where there is so much documents to be managed the current tools are not working adequately anymore.

Document classification and management systems that are available on the market have difficulties presenting documents in an intuitive manner. Mostly, users of computer systems have to rely on listings of document names and titles. Sometimes a preview of the document is provided although it is not included in a contextual environment that can provide the user of the computer system some perspective about the document.

It is even more difficult to manage a large number of documents. One reason is that listings cannot be made too small without loosing the ability to read them. That means the amount of information that can be displayed at the same time is quite limited with current displays.

The large volume of information raises a structural issue. There is no real method or standard how to organize and structure large quantities of documents with a computerized tool. As mentioned above, we still need to rely on lists of documents although they provide documents renderings that have been developed in accordance with what the computer industry was capable of doing a while ago and are still not providing the information in an intuitive manner for a human.

Modern taxonomy, or text categorization, is generated by manually defining a set of rules, which encode expert knowledge on how to classify documents in a predetermined set of categories. This is a complicated burden and does hardly assist a computer user to quickly get a big picture of the documents. We are missing a simple and intuitive way to present a large amount of documents.

More precisely, a “document management grammar” that provides a set of rules that defines the structure of document management is still missing in this new field of massive information management. Also, a “document management syntax” enabling a connected or orderly information organization system presenting documents in a harmonious arrangement has yet to be developed.

Another way of seeing it is to refer to the universal language of written music. The juxtaposed five staff lines and intervening spaces provide a universal musical syntax that is used across the world to communicate any kind of music and it did so for ages. In a simple look a musician can appreciate and understand what should be played. We stand nowhere close to this efficient music communication tool when we come back to our clogged email inbox or our hard drive.

Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved manner for organizing documents with a computer system. There is a need in the art for such a document management tool that would provide sort of a document organization “grammar and syntax”. And, there is a need in the art for such a document organizing tool which can be easily and intuitively understood.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an exhaustive or limiting overview of the disclosure. The summary is not provided to identify key and, or critical elements of the invention, delineate the scope of the invention, or limit the scope of the invention in any way. Its sole purpose is to present some of the objects and aspects disclosed in a simplified form, as an introduction to the more detailed description that is presented later.

It is one object of the present invention to alleviate one or more of the drawbacks of the background art by addressing one or more of the existing needs in the art.

Accordingly, one object of one or more embodiments of this invention provides a tool to organize documents on a computerized machine.

According to one other object of the present invention is provided a tool and a method for managing documents that is inspired from the fundamental latticework of a musical score, upon which documents are positioned.

Another object of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a graphical tool enabling classification and organization of documents in a virtual environment.

Another object of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a document management tool and method for graphically representing groups of documents in a virtual environment.

Another object of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a tool and a method for displaying groups of documents using visible and/or transparent staffs and spaces analogous to music notation.

According to a further object of one or more of these embodiments is provided a tool and a method for displaying graphical representations of documents along a series of visible and/or transparent staffs along a timeline.

According to a further aspect of one or more of these embodiments, the graphical representation of the documents can use a variety of shapes, colors, alignments and sizes.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions enabling a grammar for organizing documents, the grammar comprising a plurality of staff lines defining a timeline, at least one staff line being associated with a document attribute, a plurality of documents, each documents being associated with at least one document attribute, wherein some documents from the plurality of documents are disposed about a staff line associated with a common document attribute; and a link between two documents having a commonality.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions enabling a method for organizing documents, the method comprising associating a first staff line with a first document attribute; enabling a plurality of documents to be displayed along the first staff line, each document displayed along the first staff line having the first document attribute in common; associating a second staff line with a second document attribute; and enabling a plurality of documents to be displayed along the second staff line, each document displayed along the second staff line having the second document attribute in common, wherein the first staff line and the second staff line are parallel one to the other and define a timeline.

Another aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a computer-readable medium having computer executable components comprising a plurality of staff lines and intervening spaces adapted to display a plurality of documents positioned along one of the plurality of staff lines and intervening spaces.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method for organizing documents comprising enabling a plurality of staff lines and intervening spaces, and displaying a plurality of documents positioned about the plurality of staff lines and intervening spaces. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions enabling a syntax for organizing documents, the syntax comprising:

An aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions enabling a plurality of staff lines, at least one staff line being associable with a document attribute and adapted to display a plurality of documents associated with the document attribute.

Additional and/or alternative advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, disclose preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

Staff Based Notation Applied to Music

Modern musical notation includes symbols and marks that are widely used in musical scores of all styles and instruments today. The musical notation is an efficient and universal way to transmit knowledge about music in a unified visual fashion.

Referring toFIG. 1, the musical notation includes a music staff10with five staff lines12,14,16,18,20equally disposed from one another. The staff10is the fundamental latticework of a musical score, upon which symbols (not shown) are placed. The five staff lines12,14,16,18,20and intervening spaces22,24,26,28, each correspond to the seven repeating pitches of the diatonic scale, as defined by the clef. For example, on a staff with a treble clef, the bottom staff line is assigned to E above middle C (E4 in note-octave notation). The space above it is F4, and so on. A common use of the staff is the grand staff (not shown), which combines bass and treble into one system, joined by a brace, and used or keyboard music notation (also called a Stave).

Leger lines30are used to extend the staff10if any pitches fall above or below it. Such leger lines are placed behind the note heads, and extend a small distance to each side. Four superposed leger lines30is the practical limit for most situations.

Bar lines32are used to separate two measures34,36on a staff10. Bar lines32are extended to connect the upper and lower staffs10of a grand staff (not shown).

Notes and rests values (not shown) are not absolutely defined, but are proportional in duration to all other note and rest values. Notes are disposed on the staff on the right place to correspond to the desired frequency. Notes and silence have various duration known under the following names: longa (6R), breve (8R), semibreve (4R), minim (2R), crotchet (1R), quaver (½R), semiquaver (¼R), demisemiquaver (⅛R), hemidemisemiquaver ( 1/16R), quasihemidemisemiquaver ( 1/32R), beamed notes and dotted note.

Staff Based Notation Applied to Documents

The present invention uses a staff like environment and disposes documents on it as opposed to notes and rests values. Similarly with music, the documents are most commonly longitudinally disposed on the staff according to time although the longitudinal direction can be associated with other criterion that will be discussed later.

As shown onFIG. 2, each document50is associated with a number of categories52, states54, values56, numbers58, dates60, flags62, groups64and/or users66that are collectively called document attributes70. In other words, a document attribute70helps to further define the meaning and the relationships of a particular document. Each document50can be associated with one or more document attributes70. The list of document attributes70can vary from one application to another so the list of document attributes70is not exhaustive.

Some document attributes70are considered intrinsic attributes72because they do not require the user to be involved into the association of the attributes70that are already associated in some ways with the document70file. The association between the document attribute72and the document50can be made with the form of metadata or other. For example, intrinsic attributes72can be the last saved date60, the last visualized date76, the size of the file/document78, the type of the file80, the native name of the file82. . . Conversely, extrinsic document attributes74require the user to associate the document attribute74with the document50. This is because extrinsic attributes74are created and developed separately to draw a relationship between the document50and something external to the document50. For example, a category52, a project number84, a client name86, a client number88, a mechanical system90, a part number92, an patent application number94, a delay96, a status98, a condition100, a task100, an event102and so on. They are all extrinsic document attributes74drawing more relations between the document50and the meaning it has for its creator/owner/company i.e. the person recording it, the office file numbers, the client's files number, the patent office numbering system, etc. More details about document attributes can be found in United States patent application published number US 2007/0214169A1 and published on Sep. 13, 2007. This published patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIGS. 3 and 4presents schematic diagrams providing more information about how, at a computer program level, the documents attributes70interact with the rest of the computer tool. These illustrative figures are depicting an exemplary computer application architecture among other adapted to carry on embodiments of the present invention. Alternate architectures are also suitable and will become apparent to people skilled in the art of computer architecture design. Therefore, the illustrative architecture will not be discussed in further details in the present application.

Referring toFIG. 5, the staff108is the base on which documents50are disposed (please note the staff lines110and intervening spaces120applied to the document staff108will use a different numeral identification to prevent any confusion but, nonetheless, remain conceptually analogous to the music staff110and its associated staff lines110.1-110.6and intervening spaces120.1-120.5). It creates an intuitive “base template” over which are disposed documents50. As illustrated onFIG. 5, and as opposed to the musical notation, documents management does not limit or restrict the number of staff lines110and intervening spaces120between the staff lines110. Documents might be disposed along only one line110or about twenty or more lines and corresponding intervening spaces (not shown, however illustratively, six staff lines110.1through110.6and five intervening spaces120.1through120.5are shown). The intervening spaces120between staff lines110might vary depending on the desired visual effect. For instance, intervening space120.1is larger than intervening space120.4thus allowing more room to present documents50and providing a vertically visually distinctive location on the staff108. Staff lines110are respectively associated with one or more document attributes70to determine which documents50will appear on a specific staff line110. The same logic is applicable for intervening spaces120between staff lines110. This way a discriminative distribution of documents on the document staff108visually infers some meaning to the position of each document.

Once document attributes70are associated with the respective staff lines110and intervening spaces120. The number of staff lines110and corresponding intervening spaces120are defined. The documents50are disposed along the staff line(s)110and/or intervening space(s)120that have a similar document attribute(s)70associated therewith. The number of staff lines110can be automatically determined by the selection of document attributes70or predetermined groups of document attributes70. For instance, a predetermined staff line110may be pre-associated with the document attributes “email”, “inbox” and “not read yet”. The selection of this predetermined group of document attributes will display a staff line to display the documents50having these document attributes70in common. Boolean logic can also be applied to document attributes70. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 6, the first staff line110.1is associated with document attribute “user A”, “file number B” and “>Jan. 1, 2000”114. The first staff line will therefore display a group130.1of documents from user A, with file number B viewed between Jan. 1, 2000 and today. A comparable process happens with the second staff line110.2that displays a group130.2that is associated with a desired set of document attributes to display a group130.2of email documents received from user A between the same time periods. On the third staff line110.3will be displayed all communication130.3sent to clients in relation with file number B. Many other variations can be made depending on the desired object of the query. Many other additional staff lines might be added to provide a user more documents50, each sorted in a particular manner. The result is a matrix of documents50disposed chronologically116on a series of staff lines110.1,110.2,110.3. In the illustrative example shown onFIG. 6, no documents are intentionally displayed in intervening spaces between staff lines110.1,110.2and110.3.

The space124varies between two juxtaposed documents50to better represent the time at which the document50must be shown on the staff line110to provide an accurate chronological ordering on the staff line110. Using this document notation tool, a user can figure out very fast how many documents are related with each “staff line query”, where they stand in time and draw links between documents50on two staff lines110. It has to be noted the staff lines110onFIG. 6are represented by a line112helping a user to see the position of the staff line110guiding the disposition of the documents50. The line112is visible onFIG. 6but could also be transparent if the number of documents50aligned on the staff line is sufficient to figure out the position of the staff line110without creating confusion. Alternatively, a staff line could be a combination of two staff lines bordering a row of documents. In fact, at least one embodiment of the present invention relates to a substantially longitudinal alignment of documents inferring a staff line when viewed by a viewer. A series of substantially longitudinal alignment of documents, each inferring a staff line, is also encompassed by the present application.

Time units, like days, weeks, months and years are separated with a bar date134visually separating the documents50on a staff line110. The bar date110can cross many staff lines110to better separate documents50disposed on each staff line110. The bar date134will be straight if all staff lines110are parallel and chronologically even. Otherwise, and for illustrative example only, the bar date134will be either separated in different sections135, each section135separating documents on one staff line, or have a non-linear shape136accommodating the uneven chronology of different staff lines110. The latter being an option if the staff lines110are non-parallel to one another, which is encompassed by the present invention as seen onFIG. 10.

Each document50can be found on more than one staff line110and/or intervening space120if their associated document attribute(s)70are associated with more than one staff line110and/or intervening space120. Each staff line110and/or intervening space120therefore provides a “graphical vector” displaying the documents having the same document attribute(s)70associated therewith.

Many staff lines230, each one depicting a subset grouping of documents based on different combinations of document attribute(s), represented adjacent to one another, provides a useful way to represent a plurality of documents150and draw links between them that are perceivable by a user. The three staff lines110.1,110.2,110.3are juxtaposed to each other to allow a user to see at least a portion of at least two of each staff lines110.1,110.2,110.3at the same time. Seeing many staff lines110at a glance gives valuable information to the user by giving a view on many related documents50disposed in a logical order. In this illustrative example, more or less staff lines110can be juxtaposed to fulfill the request of a user without departing from the scope of the present invention. In the present situation we have three staff lines110.1,110.2,110.3to better accommodate the following illustrative example that does not intend to be limitative.

Real Life Examples

Patent practitioners in law firms conventionally use a three-parts file for keeping good record of a patent prosecution matter. The first part, physically on the left side of the file, is used for communications with the patent office; the second part, physically on the center of the physical file, is used to hold a copy of the specification as filed with the figures and the right side, used for communications with the client, is on the right side of the physical file. In the present illustrative example inFIG. 7, the first part is displayed on staff line110.1associated with document attributes (“communication with patent office” AND NOT (“specification” or “figures”)), the second part is displayed on staff line110.2associated with the document attribute “specification documents” and the third part is displayed on staff line110.3associated with the document attribute “communication with the patent office”. More precisely, to give a better example, the document136is illustratively the declaration signed by the inventor filed with the patent office, document138is the power of attorney and document140is the filling receipt received from the patent office. On staff line110.2, document144is the specification as filed and document142is the figures as filed. On the client side, staff line110.3displays an invention disclosure146received from the client, document148is an acknowledgement letter sent to the client and document150is additional invention related information received from the client. Only the beginning of the prosecution history is detailed however the remaining of the prosecution documents is illustratively shown onFIG. 6. Each new document50entered in the document notation tool is associated with a number of document attributes70that will be used to position the document50at the right position on the appropriate staff line(s)110.

Now referring toFIG. 8, where the same three staff lines110.1,110.2,110.3fromFIG. 7can be appreciated. Staff line110.1, which represents communications with the patent office because it is associated with the document attribute “Patent office”, has been further divided into two sub-document attributes. The first sub-document attribute is “communications to the patent office”, having a distinctive visual feature “above staff line” associated therewith putting these documents slightly above110.1.1the center of the staff line110.1. The second sub-document attribute is “communications from the patent office” having a distinctive visual feature “below staff line” associated therewith putting these documents slightly below110.1.3the center of the staff line110.1. These distinctive visual features improve the understanding of what happened (on this part of the former paper file) with the patent office by using various visual differentiators. In other words, the vertical alignment, or the indentation in respect of the staff line, of documents136about the staff line110.1are distinctive visual differentiators that are easily recognizable by a viewer like it is the case for music notation. The documents aligned on staff lines110with their associated distinctive visual features can be “read” by a viewer.

Staff line110.2, that displays the original specification144and its appended figures142filed with the patent office, has been further divided into three sub-document attributes. The first document attribute “specification” has a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents slightly above110.2.1the center of the staff line110.2, sub-document attribute “figures” having a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents centered110.2.2on the staff line110.2and sub-document attribute, for example, “preliminary amendment” having a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents slightly lower110.2.3on the staff line110.2. But, since there are no documents associated with the latter document attribute, this sub-document attribute remains empty and no document is shown below the staff line110.2. The distinctive visual features improve the graphical understanding of what happened on this part of the file with the patent office.

Document attribute “communications with the client” associated with staff line110.3has been further divided into three sub-document attributes. The first sub-document attribute “communications to the client” having a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents slightly above110.3.1the center of the staff line110.3, sub-document attribute “communications with other law firms” having a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents at the center110.3.2of the staff line110.3and sub-document attribute “communication from the client” having a distinctive visual feature associated therewith locates these documents slightly lower110.3.3on the staff line110.3. These distinctive visual features improve the understanding of what happened (on this part of the former physical file) with the patent office.

Additional visual distinctive features are shown onFIG. 9. All documents50being PDF documents are shaded160thus improving the visual meaning of the documents50in the notation tool. Shading162illustratively depicts ownership transfer (document163being an assignment filed with the patent office). Shading161illustratively depicts a debit note sent to the client. Color filling164illustratively represents litigation related documents. Heavier frame166illustratively means this document has been filed with the patent office and something is awaited in return from the patent office but hasn't been received yet (a delay and a condition is associated with the visual distinctive feature applied on this document). Other distinctive visual features are within the scope of the present invention; namely, but not limited to: color, shape, size, alignment with the axis, frame size, frame thickness, frame color, icon, printed character(s) and movement. In other words, a distinctive visual feature graphically distinguishes a document from another when a document is associated with a document attribute so that a user could quickly draw links between documents by associating documents associated with similar visual features.

Now referring toFIG. 10, which is substantially identical toFIG. 9with the exception that too much e-mails to and from the client110.3.1,110.2.3have been reduced in size170to minimize their effect on the visual of the staff line110.3. The document having the heavier frame166(inFIG. 9) has received the awaited document172from patent office and the heavier frame166is now replaced by lighter frame167meaning the condition (receiving a document from the patent office) has been fulfilled. Element junction mark180ensures the user sees the connection between the two related documents167,172.

Another difference betweenFIG. 9andFIG. 10is the additional staff line110.4added on staff line110.1showing communications with the patent office. As it has been previously described, the staff line110.4represented along timeline116.4displays the different versions of document165(V4) and is represented non-parallel with the staff line110.1displaying various versions of a communication with the patent office. Version1(V1) through version7(V7) are shown respectively distributed on their own timeline116.4on each side of document165version4(V4), that is actually timely placed on the timeline116of the staff line110.1, displaying the communications with the patent office800.

The staff line110.3displaying the communications with the client has an intersecting staff line110.5displayed along timeline116.5that represents documents from a larger group of documents having a common document attribute “E” (the larger group of documents can be selected from all the documents or from any document subset). Staff line110.5has been generated based on document164already present on the staff line110.3displaying the communications with the client. A different document attribute, or a combination of document attributes (i.e. (E AND J) OR A) after Jun. 4, 2001), could have been selected and provides another subset of documents related to document164and disposed along staff line110.5. To continue with the illustrative example, if document164is a litigation document then, if “E” is a document attribute meaning “ongoing litigation documents” (or “litigation document” with the status “active”) then all documents presented along timeline116.5(staff line110.5) are related to litigation documents of ongoing litigation matters. The staff line110.5could also be shaded accordingly if such is the desire of the user as reflected in the document attribute setup window.

The multiple parallel staff lines230.1,230.2,230.3are not limitative of the actions that can be done on each individual document on any staff lines, parallel or not. For the illustrating purpose of the present example only two non-parallel vectors230.1.1,230.3.1are displayed but any other actions previously described in the present specification can be applied and generate an infinity of variations. Only parallel staff lines can be displayed and a non-parallel vector could be discretionally built and displayed simultaneously to show or put more emphasis on a specific topic identified by a corresponding attribute.

Work Management Staff Lines

Lets focus on the first actions performed in the prosecution of this illustrative prosecution file by looking atFIGS. 11 and 12. The element junction mark182associates the documents136,138(declaration and power of attorney, respectively) with an expected document184to be received from the patent office. The expected document184will be received in the future; past the present moment line200intersecting the staff lines showing where “now” is on the timeline. The filing receipt184is expected later (lets assume four months) in time and is aligned with sub-document attribute “received from the patent office”110.1.3and has a dotted frame indicating the document has yet to be received. A delay, a condition and an action are associated with the junction mark182. The delay is the normal expected delay for receiving the filing receipt, the condition is to enter the filing receipt in the notation tool and the action is to flag the user of the notation tool that the expected filing receipt184was not received within the delay. The action uses multiple strategies like changing the visual distinctive feature185of the expected document184, adding the delay into a “past due” list and sending an e-mail to the user when the present moment200passes the due date for receiving the expected document184. These delays, conditions, tasks and actions allow the notation tool to be used as a workflow management tool.

A series of tasks and actions can be predetermined in a specific order given, associated with conditions and delays, to replicate in the notation tool a desired chain of actions. The notation tool interconnects documents with associated actions, delays, tasks and conditions. This provides an easy to follow workflow since everything can be managed from a single system. If we continue with our patent prosecution example we can use a few example to illustrate a concrete application of a workflow management notation tool. A provisional application (multiple documents) is filed (action) in the United States patent office, a non-provisional application (multiple documents) filing (action) and other foreign filings (actions) must be done before (condition) a year from the filing date (delay based on past action) of the provisional application. Additionally, an information disclosure statement IDS must be filed before (condition and delay based on an estimated time for receiving the first office action given the estimated backlog of this Art Unit) the first office action (foreseen action receiving an document) to avoid paying the official fee (action if the previous condition is not met). If (condition) an international application PCT is filed (multiple documents associated with an action), a copy of the International Search Report ISR (document) must be filed (action) in a IDS with the United States patent office. The ISR is normally received by the sixteenth month from earliest priority date (expected delay based on the filing date of the provisional application) and a fee must be paid (action), and so on so forth. A patent agent using the notation tool could add on top of this a rule requesting to be warned of any condition not met two weeks before the due date.

FIG. 13depicts the action of the user postponing the expected date by placing further in time expected document184.1. Document184now has a different visual distinctive feature still showing a lighter flag distinctive visual feature185and a lighter frame meaning this is passed due and is replaced by a new expected date on which is aligned expected document184.1.

FIG. 14depicts the action of the user postponing the expected date by placing further in time expected document184.2, sending a status inquiry190to the patent office to know why there is an unusual delay, sending a letter to the client188explaining there is a delay. The letter to the client188and the letter to the patent office190are related since they are both dealing with the same issue and are therefore showing the same visual distinctive feature189with a junction mark178. A non-parallel staff line (not shown onFIG. 14but like staff line110.5but like staff line110.5) could have been used to search letter models to prepare the letter (document185sent to the patent office while keeping an eye on staff line110.1.

Now referring toFIG. 15illustrating an embodiment where document attributes950are presented along with a portion of their possible visual distinctive features, namely the document color960, the document shading962, the document size964, the document frame966, the document animation968and the document alignment970on the staff line. Each document attribute can also be selectively visible or invisible954on the display such that only a desired group of documents, with accordingly selected document attributes, are visible.FIG. 15illustrates what could look like a setup window on a computer for dealing with patent prosecution related documents. “Available to client” means the documents associated with the document attribute will be made available to the client's notation tool when the client logs in its own notation tool via Internet or other client-server networks. The client will access the documents in a read only mode to prevent any alteration of the information. When the document attribute is “shared” then the other user or the group or other users will benefit of a deeper access providing access to more functions like adding notes or creating a new version. Other access related functions have been discusses earlier and still be applicable here. Each information attribute950is also associated with a specific staff line952in the case many vectors are used at the same time like in the illustrative example ofFIG. 8. Communications to patent office will be associated with “staff line #1” with the visual distinctive feature “above”. Similarly, all document attributes depending from the document attribute “communications to the patent office” will be automatically put on the same staff line. The same logic applies to the document attribute “communications from the patent office” is associated with “staff line #1” with the visual distinctive feature “below” and so on so forth. A dot “.” before a document attribute means this document attribute is part of a larger regrouping document attribute (i.e. declaration falls under communications to the patent office). Although it is not shown onFIG. 15, more functions and visual differentiators will become apparent to skilled readers by applying the notation tool to their particular needs. The example disclosed herein are for illustrative purpose only to show possible applications of the general inventive concepts and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The grey zones indicate no choice is available either because there are none or because it would conflict with another selection already made (i.e. you can't have the same document aligned above and below at the same time without risking creating confusion).

FIG. 16illustrates the application of the notation tool for car engine technology mapping by separating the main document attributes into mechanical systems (i.e. engine, transmission, exhaust system . . . ), patent related attributes and other insightful attributes (i.e. type of file, accessed lately, viewed by . . . ). For a technology mapping the fist staff line would present all engine related patents in green when they are expired and flashing if they can still be reinstated. Transmission patents will appear on staff line #2, parallel to staff line #1, and displays only large CVT related documents. The client's patent will be displayed on staff line #3. Expired and reinstatable patents will receive the same visual treatment. PDF documents will appear with shading. Patents will be limited to US patents and blue frames will indicate which patents have been seen by another from the “shared”. All notation tool functions previously described are applicable. Zooming in will provide a larger view of a portion of one vector and selecting a specific document will call the entire document with the related application to open it. Patents from Honda will be displayed above the staff lines so that they can easily be distinguished. This illustrative example shows how it becomes possible with the notation tool to easily see where are expired Honda patents related to engine, CVT transmission in relation with our client's patent. All this is done about a timeline to provide a clear distribution of all patents/documents. Many other variations can be done and are within the scope of the present invention.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments and elements, but, to the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications, combinations of features, equivalent arrangements, and equivalent elements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the dimensions of features of various components that may appear on the drawings are not meant to be limiting, and the size of the components therein can vary from the size that may be portrayed in the figures herein. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of the invention, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.