Michael Scherotter

US Patent:

8103703, Jan 24, 2012

Filed:

Jun 29, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/478220

Inventors:

Michael B. Jetter - Greenbrae CA, US
Richard Barber - Berkeley CA, US
Michael S. Scherotter - Fairfax CA, US
Stefan Funk - Larkspur CA, US
Andrew Mochalskyy - San Francisco CA, US
Peter Hizalev - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Mindjet LLC - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707805

Abstract:

The present invention provides a mind mapping system that supports at least two types of topics: (1) topics that primarily provide a blank space in which text and graphic elements can be inserted by the user and (2) topics that operate as components with predefined behavior for the display of a certain kind of content. The first type of topic is well-known in the art, but the second type is novel. The second type of topic enables users to easily display, view and/or manipulate certain kinds of content within a topic. Examples of the second type of topic include topics that operate as video players for the display of video data, topics that operate as spreadsheet applications for the display of spreadsheet data, topics that operate as calculators for performing mathematical functions, and topics that act as interfaces to external systems, such as email systems, CAD systems, inventory/purchase order systems, and contact-management systems.

US Patent:

20060005164, Jan 5, 2006

Filed:

Jul 1, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/882556

Inventors:

Michael Jetter - Greenbrae CA, US
Michael Scherotter - San Rafael CA, US
Christopher Holmes - Menlo Park CA, US
Stefan Funk - Larkspur CA, US
Petro Hizalev - San Francisco CA, US
Steven Bashford - Breunsberg, DE

International Classification:

G06F 9/44

US Classification:

717113000, 717110000, 717111000

Abstract:

A system and method enable automatic importation of data from an external data source into an electronic workspace in the form of a visual hierarchy. To display data from a data source, data is retrieved from the external data source, and a visual presentation format for the data is created based on characteristics of the data (e.g., the field to which the data is assigned in the data source, the type of data, the value of the data, etc), where the visual presentation format is hierarchical. The data is then displayed in an electronic workspace in the form of visual hierarchy that is accordance with such visual presentation format. In the electronic workspace, a user can manipulate and supplement the data without affecting the data source, unless there is a trigger event that causes modifications to the data to be written back to the data source. A further embodiment of the present invention enables modifications to the data in the workspace to be written back to the data source upon the occurrence of one or more select events. When such an event occurs, rules, which are essentially the inverse of the rules applied to create the visual presentation format, are used to convert the visual presentation format back to the data source format. The modified data is then written back to the data source.

US Patent:

20080208885, Aug 28, 2008

Filed:

Feb 23, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/710204

Inventors:

Richard Barber - Berkeley CA, US
Michael S. Scherotter - Fairfax CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

707102, 707E17005

Abstract:

A mind mapping system uploads mind map data to an external system and tracks changes to such data in the external system through the mind map. The invention enables a user to create data objects in an external system through the mind map by classifying topics in a mind map, where the mind map is generated through a mind mapping system. The mind mapping system presents the user with classification categories that correspond to data types in the external system. By classifying a topic in accordance with such classification categories, a user is essentially mapping the topic to a data type in the external system. The mind mapping system interfaces with the external system to upload data in classified topics to the external system. At a later point, the user can then track any changes made to the data in the external system through the mind map.