System and method for interacting with visual surrogates for real world objects

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for facilitating the interaction with data using interactive data structures. The method of the present invention comprises generating one or more objects associated with one or more items of content. The one or more objects are combined to form an interactive data structure. The content associated with the one or more objects and the interactive data structure are delivered to a client device. One or more modifications may be made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure. The one or more modifications made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure may be propagated to the content associated with the one or more objects.

1 . A method for interacting with data using one or more objects comprising one or more interactive data structures, the method comprising:
 generating a first interactive data structure comprising one or more objects associated with one or more items of content;   generating a second interactive data structure comprising one or more objects associated with one or more real world objects;   receiving an indication of a combination of an object associated with the first interactive data structure and an object associated with the second interactive data structure;   determining an action associated with the combination of the object associated with the first interactive data structure and the object associated with the second interactive data structure; and   executing the action associated with the combination of the object associated with the first interactive data structure and the object associated with the second interactive data structure.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the first interactive data structure comprises generating an interactive data structure comprising one or more objects associated with one or more items of content in a document. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the first interactive data structure comprises generating an interactive data structure comprising one or more objects associated with one or more items of content in a web page. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the second interactive data structure comprises generating an interactive data structure comprising one or more objects associated with data maintained in one or more applications. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein data maintained in one or more applications comprises data associated with one or more address book entries maintained in an address book application. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a given real world object comprises a facsimile machine. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a given real world object comprises an email address. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a given real world object comprises an instant messaging screen name. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a given real world object comprises a telephone device. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving an indication of an object associated with the first interactive data structure coming into contact with an object associated with the second interactive data structure. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining an action associated with the combination of the object associated with the first interactive data structure and the object associated with the second interactive data structure comprises:
 identifying the item of content associated with the object of the first interactive data structure; and   identifying a type of real world object associated with the object of the second interactive data structure.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  comprising:
 selecting an application to perform the action associated with the combination of the object associated with the first interactive data structure and the object associated with the second interactive data structure on the basis of the identified item of content and the identified type of real world object; and   utilizing the selected application to perform the action associated with the combination of the object associated with the first interactive data structure and the object associated with the second interactive data structure.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein selecting an application comprises selecting an application to email the item of content associated with the object of the first interactive data structure to an email address specified by the object associated with the second interactive data structure. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein selecting an application comprises selecting an application to instant message the item of content associated with the object of the first interactive data structure to an instant messaging screen name specified by the object associated with the second interactive data structure. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein selecting an application comprises selecting an application to facsimile the item of content associated with the object of the first interactive data structure to a facsimile machine specified by the object associated with the second interactive data structure. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein selecting an application comprises selecting an application to deliver the item of content associated with the object of the first interactive data structure to a telephone device specified by the object associated with the second interactive data structure.