Abstract:
Apparatus, software and method for displaying line-formatted materials in multiple columns of a screen display and providing for scrolling through the materials such that lines spill from one column to another, are disclosed. The columns form a display area for display of contiguous lines of the line-formatted materials, wherein diagonally opposite ends of the rightmost and leftmost columns define the starting and ending lines of the display area, such that when scrolling through line-formatted materials the lines flow into and out of the display area at the starting and ending lines. In another embodiment, Scripting language encoded line-formatted materials are displayed under the control of a web browser using the scrollable columns. In another embodiment, line-formatted materials are encoded with one or more Scripting language codes that specify to a web browser that the line-formatted materials are to be displayed in scrollable columns.

Description:
This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/204,006, filed Dec. 1, 1998 now abandoned. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to display of data, and more particularly to displaying scrollable text or data on a computer display. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The large computer screen displays and high resolution pixel densities that are now in widespread use make it possible to display many more characters per line than was previously possible. For example, a 21″ monitor with 1280×1024 resolution can display upwards to 200 or more alphanumeric characters or other discrete language symbols per line using a visually acceptable size font, such as a 10 point font. 
   While such large screen displays have the capability to display a large number of alphanumeric characters per line, commonly used text-based documents have a form that is incompatible to a greater or lesser extent with displaying such a large number of characters on a single line. For example, source code rarely goes over 80 characters per line, so it inherently is unable to take advantage of such capacity. Also, the lines of text in printed media, such as newspapers or books, become more difficult or unwieldy to read if too long, such that the reader may be required to turn his or her head to read a line, and potentially lose track of what line of text they are on when traversing from the end of one line to the beginning of the next. As a result, most documents do not exceed approximately 100 characters per line. Thus, while a single line of text could extend from one side of a 200 character per line display to the other, such a display would not likely be preferred by most individuals. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for displaying line-formatted materials on a screen display in two or more adjacent columns, wherein lines spill from the bottom of one column to the top of an adjacent column when scrolling therethrough. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrates the display of source code on a screen display using a prior art technique; 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 L,  4 R,  5 L and  5 R illustrate the display of source code on a screen display according to one embodiment of the invention, wherein “L” denotes the left column and “R” denotes the right column; and 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a computer system including the display capabilities illustrated in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 L,  4 R,  5 L and  5 R according to one embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In the drawings, like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout the several views. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a prior art technique for displaying source code on a computer display device  10 . Display device  10  includes a screen display  12 , which may be, for example and without limitation, the display surface of a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display or a plasma display device. A display area  14  having border  16  defines a window  18  that is actively controlled by the display driver of a computing device (described below) for the purpose of displaying alphanumeric characters or other symbols in a sequence of descending lines (or, alternatively, ascending if desired). Window  18  may, for example, be presented on a 21″ (or equivalent metric size) size display with 1280×1024 resolution that can display upwards to 200 or more alphanumeric characters or other discrete language symbols per line using a visually acceptable size font, such as a 10 point font. While window  18  is shown with a visible border  16  for the sake of clarity, it is not necessary that the border  16  be visible. Such a visible border may be present, for example, where the window  18  is created and controlled by a windowing-type based display system, with scroll bar  17   a  and  17   b , such as that used by the Windows 95® operating system available from Microsoft Corporation. Other window may be displayed above, below or on top of window  18 , as is conventional. 
   In  FIG. 1 , a sequence of source code lines  20  is displayed, beginning with the line “#include “raster.h”, identified with the reference number  22 , and concluding with the line “GE_Void_t”, identified with the reference number  24 . In this example herein presented Source code  20  generically represents line formatted materials; thus, the invention is in no way limited to use in displaying source code. Source code  20  is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 2 . It is noted that less than approximately one-half (½) the width of window  18  is filled with source code  20 . In this mode of display, in order to read the line above line  22 , the source code needs to be scrolled down, such that line  22  moves to a line below its position in  FIG. 1 , and line  24  is pushed off of the display altogether. This is conventional scrolling operation. Scrolling may be accomplished by moving a cursor in the direction of the next line “above” or “below” the display area  14 , by use of the scroll bar  17   a  on the side of the window  18 , or by any other means. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , there is illustrated a system for displaying and scrolling line-formatted materials according to one embodiment of the invention. As used herein, the term “line-formatted materials” means any information which is organized as a sequence of lines to be displayed in a descending (or ascending) sequence on a screen display, wherein at least some of the lines are made up at least in part by discrete symbols, such as, but not limited to, alphanumeric characters or graphic icons or pictures. Furthermore, line-formatted materials may be displayed in conjunction with graphic elements that precede or follow the materials, or are displayed side by side therewith. For example, displayed text may wrap around a graphic element. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the sequence of source code  20  is displayed in two columns  30  and  32  within window  18 ′ in the same display  12 , which is the same size as it was shown in  FIG. 1 . Window  18 ′ is approximately ½ the height of window  18 , and includes a visible center dividing line  28  that visually separates each column  30  and  32 . However, line  28  may be omitted if desired. Line  22  of the source code is displayed at the top of column  30 , in the first or “starting” line of the display area  14 . Line  26 , now at the bottom of column  32 , is the last or “ending” line of the display area  14 . As illustrated, only about one-half (½) as many lines of the display  12  are needed to display the same number of lines of code as were required in the prior art display technique of  FIG. 1 . The source code shown in columns  30  and  32  in  FIG. 3A  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 4L and 4R , respectively, wherein “L” denotes the left column and “R” denotes the right column. 
     FIG. 3B  illustrates the effect of scrolling the source code illustrated in  FIG. 3A . By scrolling the source code  20  “down,” line  22  and the four lines below it are moved off the top of the display area of column  30 , five lines from the top of column  32  are moved to the bottom of column  30 , and five new lines are added to the display area  14  at the bottom of column  32 . Scrolling the source code  20  “up” produces the opposite effect. Thus, the line  36  at the top of column  32  is always the next sequential line following line  34  at the bottom of column  30 . This operation can be defined as spilling lines from the bottom of column  30  to the top of column  32 . The source code shown in columns  30  and  32  in  FIG. 3B  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 5L and 5R , respectively. 
   Although the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  is illustrated with two columns, the invention is no way limited in this respect. Three or more columns may be provided, side by side, with lines spilling from the bottom of the left-most column spilling to the top of the next column over, and so on from the bottom of this column to the top of the next, as the line-formatted material is scrolled. Line-formatted material is thus scrolled through the display area that begins with the starting line at the top end of the left-most column, and ends with the ending line at the bottom end of the right-most column. Of course, the starting and ending lines of the display can be defined differently, provided that these lines start and end at diagonally opposite ends of the display area  14 . 
   Moreover, although the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrates the display of source code, the invention is equally applicable to the display of any line-formatted materials, as defined above. To reiterate, such line-base materials include, for example, printed materials as may be found in books, magazines or web sites. 
   In respect of line-formatted materials found on the web, one example embodiment of the invention includes the provision of an internet scripting language, such as hyper-text mark-up language (HTML) or XML, formatting that is interpreted by a web browser (such as Netscape&#39;s Navigator® browser) to display line-formatted web content in the manner illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 3A and 3B . Thus, line-formatted web content is encoded with Scripting language codes that cause the browser to display content in scrollable multiple columns with line spill from one column to the next. Such a Scripting language encoded document  57  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Alternatively, in another embodiment a web browser  55  includes the capability to display line-formatted web content in line spilling, scrollable columns without any special Scripting language encoding in the content. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated a simplified block diagram of a computer system  40 . Computer system  40  includes a processing unit  42 , and a system bus  44  connecting the processing unit  42  to system memory or disk drive storage  46  and a video adapter  48  that in turn is connected to display device  10 . Storage  46  includes, for example, a ROM BIOS  50 , operating system  52 , application and other programs  54 , data  56 , a web browser  55 , and an HTLM document  57 . A user input device  58 , such as a mouse, keyboard or microphone for voice activation, provides a scrolling control signal to the system through port interface  59 . A remote computing device  60  is also connected to bus  44  through a network interface  62 . In one embodiment, the display methodology illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 3A and 3B  is implemented under software control, with the necessary software being either included in the ROM BIOS  50 , operating system  52 , application and other programs  54 , such as a line editor or web browser, or in any combination thereof. 
   Where the control is provided in software, the software may be encoded in any storage medium such as but not limited to RAM, magnetic or optical storage media, or in, for example, a computer system or network. Alternatively, such control may be provided in under hardware control, or a combination of hardware and software control. In either case, line-formatted materials obtained from the storage  46  (which may be, for example and without limitation, RAM, hard disk, flexible or floppy disk, optical disk) or the remote computing device  60 , or another source, are displayed in a scrollable, multicolumn, line-spilling mode under the control of a scrolling control signal received from a user. 
   Thus, the above-described embodiments of the invention provide for a more efficient and user-friendly manner of displaying line-formatted materials on large capacity displays. Embodiments of the invention take the form, for example, of a software product, such as an operating system, video display drive, or web browser, or the form of a computer system including a computer and display device programmed or configured with hardware to provide the scrolling mode of display of line-formatted materials as described above. An embodiment of the invention also takes the form of Scripting language codes that can be encoded into Scripting language encoded materials to direct a suitably programmed web browser to display the encoded materials as describe with respect to  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
   Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.