How Digital Sticky Notes Work Inside Computer Programs
A 1993 Apple patent for attaching digital sticky notes to documents so they move and behave like regular text or images within an application.
Original patent title: “Method and apparatus for providing a note for an application program”
A 1993 Apple patent for attaching digital sticky notes to documents so they move and behave like regular text or images within an application. Granted to Apple Computer Inc in 1996 with 54 claims and 244 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to attach a digital note to a specific spot in a document. The note is represented by an 'anchor object' that the application treats just like any other piece of data, such as a paragraph or a photo. Because the anchor is treated as data, you can move, delete, or copy the note along with the text around it. When you interact with the anchor, a separate 'note slip' window appears, allowing you to write notes using a stylus.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover general text annotation tools that are not tied to a specific manipulable anchor object.
- Does not cover notes that exist independently of the application data (i.e., screen overlays that don't move with the document).
- Does not cover cloud-based collaboration or multi-user commenting systems.
- Does not cover voice-based notes or audio attachments.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in treating the note anchor as standard application data rather than a separate layer, allowing the note to 'stick' to the content even when the user edits or reformats the document.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Comments in Microsoft Word
Sticky note features in PDF editors like Adobe Acrobat
Annotation tools in tablet-based note-taking apps
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology was a precursor to the modern digital annotation features found in everything from PDF readers to word processors. It solved the problem of how to keep comments tethered to specific document locations even when the document structure changes. It reflects the early 1990s push by Apple to make pen-based computing feel as natural as using paper and pen.
Filed
May 10, 1993
Granted
September 24, 1996
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Apple continues to refine these concepts in its iWork suite and Notes application. Major software companies like Microsoft and Adobe have built extensive document-collaboration ecosystems that rely on the fundamental principle of anchoring metadata to specific document coordinates.
Market impact
This patent helped establish the standard for how digital documents handle user feedback and annotations. It enabled a transition from static digital files to interactive documents, which is now a baseline expectation for any professional office or creative software.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to attach a digital note to a specific spot in a document. The note is represented by an 'anchor object' that the application treats just like any other piece of data, such as a paragraph or a photo. Because the anchor is treated as data, you can move, delete, or copy the note along with the text around it. When you interact with the anchor, a separate 'note slip' window appears, allowing you to write notes using a stylus.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in treating the note anchor as standard application data rather than a separate layer, allowing the note to 'stick' to the content even when the user edits or reformats the document.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover general text annotation tools that are not tied to a specific manipulable anchor object.
- Does not cover notes that exist independently of the application data (i.e., screen overlays that don't move with the document).
- Does not cover cloud-based collaboration or multi-user commenting systems.
- Does not cover voice-based notes or audio attachments.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
High impact
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$115K – $369K
Midpoint $230K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
54 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gough, M. L., & Holloway, B. V. (1996). How Digital Sticky Notes Work Inside Computer Programs (U.S. Patent No. 5,559,942). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5559942/mac-os-menu-bar
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Digital Sticky Notes Work Inside Computer Programs cover?
A 1993 Apple patent for attaching digital sticky notes to documents so they move and behave like regular text or images within an application.
Who owns patent US 5559942?
Apple Computer Inc owns this patent, granted in 1996.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 5559942 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 244 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology was a precursor to the modern digital annotation features found in everything from PDF readers to word processors. It solved the problem of how to keep comments tethered to specific document locations even when the document structure changes. It reflects the early 1990s push by Apple to make pen-based computing feel as natural as using paper and pen.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover general text annotation tools that are not tied to a specific manipulable anchor object.
Same assignee
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