Apparatus, method and system for a temporal interface, interpretive help, directed searches, and dynamic association mapping
First Claim
1. A method of using a computer system to graphically display search results, comprising:
- sending a search request to a search engine, wherein the search request includes a navigation location processed into a format required by the search engine;
receiving search results from the search engine, wherein the search results are proximal links related to the navigation location, wherein the proximal links are related to the search request;
displaying the search results in a display area, wherein the search results are represented as graphical shapes drawn in the display area and at any given time represent data for a time quantum, and wherein the graphical shapes reference data and respond to user selections allowing a user to access referenced data.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method, apparatus, and system for improving the ability to access, map, search, navigate, and visualize complicated bodies of related information, for example, bodies such as the World Wide Web. A temporal user interface allows users to visualize complex data sets. In one embodiment, this is done by viewing data set representations as raindrops in a pool of water across the time span of a rain storm. Also, the present invention dynamically analyzes and maps information to provide relevant information for a user to view. In one embodiment, the dynamic analysis mapping of information is displayed over time in the temporal user interface. The present invention further provides a mechanism allowing a user to perform directed searches. This allows the user to provide a relevant starting point, subject matter, and a number of other criteria to the search facility that results in search results that are more meaningful. Finally, the present invention provides an interpretive help facility. The interpretive help facility can analyze the users history of actions and provide relevant help based on those actions. The interpretive help facility also allows the user correct mistakes.
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Citations
133 Claims
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1. A method of using a computer system to graphically display search results, comprising:
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sending a search request to a search engine, wherein the search request includes a navigation location processed into a format required by the search engine;
receiving search results from the search engine, wherein the search results are proximal links related to the navigation location, wherein the proximal links are related to the search request;
displaying the search results in a display area, wherein the search results are represented as graphical shapes drawn in the display area and at any given time represent data for a time quantum, and wherein the graphical shapes reference data and respond to user selections allowing a user to access referenced data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system of using a computer to graphically display search results, comprising:
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means to send a search request to a search engine, wherein the search request includes a navigation location processed into a format required by the search engine;
means to receive search results from the search engine, wherein the search results are proximal links related to the navigation location, wherein the proximal links are related to the search request;
means to display the search results in a display area, wherein the search results are represented as graphical shapes drawn in the display area and at any given time represent data for a time quantum, and wherein the graphical shapes reference data and respond to user selections allowing a user to access referenced data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of using a computer system for searching for relevant data, comprising:
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receiving a search request from a user, wherein the search request includes a search subject and navigation location;
processing the search request into a format required by a search engine;
sending the processed search request to the search engine, wherein the processed search request is processed for the search engine;
receiving search results, which are proximal links, wherein the proximal links are related to the navigation location from the search request;
determining which proximal links are relevant, wherein relevant links are those that are related to the search subject of the search request; and
transmitting the search results to the user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system of using a computer to search for information, comprising:
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means to obtain a query, wherein the query includes a search subject and navigation location;
means to process the navigation location into a format required by a search engine;
means to provide the search engine with a location request, wherein the location request is the processed navigation location;
means to obtain navigation location related proximal links, wherein the location proximal links are related to the location request;
means to process the location proximal links for relevance; and
means to identify subject links related to the search subject from the processed location proximal links. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of using a computer to display help information, comprising:
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monitoring function execution;
storing a current system state;
determining what functions have been executed by examining latest stored system states if a request for help has been made;
displaying help information based on the functions that have been last executed. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An interaction computer interface invocable by an application program responsive to user selections to invoke application module commands, comprising:
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an information pool;
information clouds, wherein the information clouds are data structures referencing information;
information crystals, wherein the information crystals reference information in information clouds and form at a passing of a temporal quantum;
information raindrops, wherein the information raindrops are information crystals that form in an information pool. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method of using a computer to display data, comprising:
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displaying an information pool;
receiving information from a data source;
generating information clouds, wherein the information clouds are data structures referencing information obtained from the data source;
generating information crystals, wherein the information crystals reference information in information clouds and form at a passing of a temporal quantum; and
displaying information raindrops, wherein the information raindrops are information crystals that form in an information pool. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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98. In memory, an interaction interface invocable by an application program responsive to user selections to invoke application module commands, comprising:
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a graphical shape to represent temporal information;
a display area to display the graphical shapes, wherein the graphical shapes drawn in the display area at any given time represent data for a time quantum, wherein the graphical shapes reference data and respond to user selections allowing a user to access referenced data;
a temporal selection facility to specify any given time quantum in a chronological data set responsive to user selections, wherein the temporal selection facility is disposed in communication with the display area such that user selections specifying a time quantum instruct the display area to display temporal information for a specified time quantum from a chronological data set. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133)
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Specification