Method and apparatus for addressing data objects in virtual space

• US 20020075331A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: Buffalo Patents, LLC
• Inventors: Guzman, Adriana, Orbanes, Julian
• Application Number:
  US09/783,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075331A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The invention provides method and apparatus for viewing information. In one embodiment, the system of the invention enables the user to view displayed information in a way that is comparable to a selected physical paradigm. Example physical paradigms include, but are not limited to, financial, educational, governmental, sports, media, retail, travel, geographic, real estate, medical, physiological, mechanical, surveillance, agricultural, industrial, infrastructure, scientific and other like paradigms. By presenting information to the user in a way that more closely mimics physical paradigms, the system provides an intuitive mechanism for the user to view, search through and interact with displayed information in an unrestricted manner. In another embodiment, the appearance is a graphical representation of one or more data objects, related to other data objects through hierarchical relationships defined by one or more templates. As the user adjusts the viewing perspective, the appearance changes in a seemingly continuous, non-discrete manner.

Claims

1. A method of mapping information to a virtual space, the method comprising,

employing a first plurality of data objects contained within a first data source,

employing a first spatial paradigm for defining a first plurality of hierarchical relationships between said first plurality of data objects, and

virtually locating said first plurality of data objects in a first portion of said virtual space through which a user can navigate in a substantially unrestricted fashion.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a first address with said first portion of said virtual display space.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying a subset of said first plurality of said data objects to said user in response to receiving said first address.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of associating further comprises,

associating a first portion of said first address with a server, and

associating a second portion of said first address with said first plurality of hierarchical relationships.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said server is at least one of a virtual server, a physical server, an Internet server, an intranet server and a remote server.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to view from an adjustable viewing perspective an appearance of a subset of said first plurality of data objects.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising enabling said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially and unrestricted fashion.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising,

employing a second plurality of data objects contained within a second data source,

employing a second spatial paradigm for defining a second plurality of hierarchical relationships between said second plurality of data objects, and

virtually locating said second plurality of data objects in a second portion of said virtual space.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising defining a hierarchical relationship in said virtual space between said first plurality of hierarchical relationships and said second plurality of hierarchical relationships.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising associating a second address with said second position of said virtual space.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising enabling a user to display from an adjustable viewing perspective an appearance of a subset of any of said first and said second plurality of data objects.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising leasing portions of said virtual space.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising selling portions of said virtual space.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein said first address is associated with a universal resource locator (“

URL”

).

16. The system of claim 15 further adapted to associate a first address with said first portion of said virtual display space.

17. The system of claim 16 further adapted to displaying a subset of said first plurality of said data objects to said user in response to receiving said first address.

18. The system of claim 16 further adapted to associate a first portion of said first address with a server, and to associate a second portion of said first address with said first plurality of hierarchical relationships.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said server is at least one of a virtual server, a physical server, an Internet server, an intranet server and a remote server.

20. The system of claim 15 further adapted to enable a user to view from an adjustable viewing perspective an appearance of a subset of said first plurality of data objects.

21. The system of claim 20 further adapted to enable said user to navigate said data objects in a substantially and unrestricted fashion.

22. The system of claim 15 further adapted to employ a second plurality of data objects contained within a second data source and a second spatial paradigm for defining a second plurality of hierarchical relationships between said second plurality of data objects, and to virtually locate said second plurality of data objects in a second portion of said virtual space.

23. The system of claim 22 further adapted to define a hierarchical relationship in said virtual space between said first plurality of hierarchical relationships and said second plurality of hierarchical relationships.

24. The system of claim 22 further adapted to associate a second address with said second position of said virtual space.

25. The system of claim 24 further adapted to enable a user to display from an adjustable viewing perspective an appearance of a subset of any of said first and said second plurality of data objects.

26. The system of claim 15 further adapted to lease portions of said virtual space.

27. The system of claim 15 further adapted to sell portions of said virtual space.

28. The system of claim 15 wherein said first address is associated with a universal resource locator (“

CURL”

).

15. A system for mapping information to a virtual display space, the system comprising,

a computing device adapted to employ a first plurality of data objects contained within a first data source, and a first spatial paradigm for defining a first plurality of hierarchical relationships between said first plurality of data objects, and to virtually locate said first plurality of data objects in a first portion of said virtual space through which a user can navigate in a substantially unrestricted fashion.

29. A method of mapping information to a virtual space, the method comprising,

employing a data object contained within a data source, and

virtually locating said data object in a first portion of said virtual space through which a user can navigate in a substantially unrestricted fashion.