Systems and methods for displaying contextual revision history

Abstract

A user may want to view the revision history of a particular section or context of an electronic document. The user selects a context by selecting a section of the electronic document in a document editing application. Based on the selected context, the application filters and displays only information about revisions associated with the selected section of the electronic document. The application omits information about revisions made to other unselected sections of the electronic document from display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of presenting revision history information of an electronic document, comprising:
 detecting a selection of a section of the electronic document by a user;   in response to detecting the selection of the section of the electronic document, displaying a first menu having a command to display a subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, the subset including revision history information corresponding to the selected section of the electronic document and omitting revision history information unassociated with the selected section of the electronic document;   detecting a selection by the user of the command to display the subset of the revision history information of the electronic document; and   in response to detecting the selection by the user of the command to display the subset of the revision history information of the electronic document, displaying via a second menu a list having a revision entry associated with a revision to the selected section of the electronic document, wherein the revision entry includes:   identification information identifying an editor having made the revision to the selected section of the electronic document, and   timestamp information indicating the time that the revision was made.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information includes a name corresponding to the editor and an image corresponding to the editor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification information is displayed in a color associated with the editor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 displaying, in the electronic document, text corresponding to the revision entry in the color associated with the editor identified in the revision entry.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the displaying text includes displaying text added to the electronic document and not displaying text removed from the electronic document. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising:
 displaying, in a vertical margin of a visual display of the electronic document, a vertical line having a segment, wherein:   a first end of the segment is aligned vertically with a beginning of the text corresponding to the revision entry,   a second end of the segment is aligned vertically with an end of the text, and   the segment is displayed in the color of the text.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first end of the segment comprises a user interface configured to be selected by the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 detecting a selection by the user of the first end of the segment; and   in response to detecting the selection of the first end of the segment, displaying the revision entry next to the first end of the segment.   
     
     
         9 . A system for presenting revision history information of an electronic document, the system comprising an electronic document editing application comprising:
 a model process for managing application data associated with the electronic document;   a context revision history process for receiving commands from a user, the context revision history process configured to detect a selection of a section of the electronic document by a user;   a revision database for storing revision history information of the electronic document; and   a view process for displaying the electronic document in a visual display, the view process configured to display a menu including a list having a revision entry associated with a revision to the selected section of the electronic document, wherein the revision entry is retrieved from the revision database, and the revision entry includes:
 identification information identifying an editor having made the revision to the selected section of the electronic document, and 
 timestamp information indicating the time that the revision was made. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the identification information includes a name corresponding to the editor and an image corresponding to the editor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the identification information is displayed in a color associated with the editor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the view process is further configured to display text corresponding to the revision entry in the color associated with the editor identified in the revision entry. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the view process is further configured to display text added to the electronic document and not text removed from the electronic document. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the view process is further configured to display, in a vertical margin of a visual display of the electronic document, a vertical line comprising a segment, wherein:
 a first end of the segment is aligned vertically with a beginning of the text corresponding to the revision entry,   a second end of the segment is aligned vertically with an end of the text, and   the segment is displayed in the color of the text.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first end of the segment comprises a user interface element configured to be selectable by the user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the controller process is further configured to detect a selection by the user via the controller logic of the first end of the segment; and   in response to detecting the selection of the first end of the segment, the view process is configured to display the revision entry next to the first end of the segment.