Method and system for accessing information
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a user interface, a display, and an information base source, a method for easily navigating through multiple paths of linked pages of information stored in the information base by displaying pages of information in a window on the display, the window having multiple panels, comprising the steps of:
- displaying a navigation panel within a first panel of the window, the navigation panel comprising an area for displaying a first page of information, wherein the first page of information contains data and links to other pages of information;
selecting a link being displayed in the navigation panel, the link providing an address to a second page of information;
retrieving the second page of information corresponding to the selected link;
displaying a preview panel within a second panel of the window;
displaying the second page of information in the preview panel;
receiving replacement user input indicating a replacement operation;
displaying the second page of information in the navigation panel if the user input indicated to perform the replacement operation.
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Abstract
An information accessing system and method enables users to easily navigate through and switch between multiple paths of linked pages of information stored in an information base of text, graphic, video, audio, and animation data. Linked pages of information are displayed in multiple panels on a window on the display. The system displays a navigation panel, a preview panel, a history panel and an expert path panel. The system allows users to preview different possible paths emanating from a specific page of information prior to selecting a specific path to explore.
71 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a user interface, a display, and an information base source, a method for easily navigating through multiple paths of linked pages of information stored in the information base by displaying pages of information in a window on the display, the window having multiple panels, comprising the steps of:
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displaying a navigation panel within a first panel of the window, the navigation panel comprising an area for displaying a first page of information, wherein the first page of information contains data and links to other pages of information;
selecting a link being displayed in the navigation panel, the link providing an address to a second page of information;
retrieving the second page of information corresponding to the selected link;
displaying a preview panel within a second panel of the window;
displaying the second page of information in the preview panel;
receiving replacement user input indicating a replacement operation;
displaying the second page of information in the navigation panel if the user input indicated to perform the replacement operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer system comprising:
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a source of pages of information, each page having an address, wherein a page may also contain a link to a different page of information;
a display device for displaying within a window a first page of information within a first, navigation panel and a second page of information within a second, preview panel. means for obtaining pages of information from the source of pages, each page located at an address specified by a corresponding link;
means for replacing the first page of information being displayed in the first navigation panel with the second page of information being displayed in the preview panel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification