System and method for storing and displaying information

• US 20020122063A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hifreqecon.Com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hifreqecon.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Ondes, Valencia L., Hobbs, Christopher Robert, Shepherdson, Ian Charles, Weinberg, Carl B., Worden, Carisa Anne
• Application Number:
  US09/750,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20020122063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• 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 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a method and system for electronically displaying information, comprising the steps of: (1) displaying a grid to a user, wherein each column and each row of the grid represents a category of data, wherein each column-row element of the grid corresponds to column-row data, and wherein each column-row element of the grid comprises a visual indicator relating to the column-row data; (2) receiving a request from the user to have selected column-row data displayed; and (3) displaying the selected column-row data to the user. Preferably, the color of the visual indicator relates to a quality of said column-row data, such as how important the data is. Also, the size of the visual indicator preferably relates to the quantity of the column-row data.

Claims

1. A method for electronically displaying information, comprising the steps of:

providing a grid display, wherein each column and each row of the grid represents a category of data, wherein each column-row element of the grid corresponds to column-row data, defined as data that is both in the corresponding column category of data and in the corresponding row category of data, and wherein each column-row element of the grid comprises a visual indicator relating to said column-row data;

receiving a request from a user to have selected column-row data displayed; and

displaying said column-row data to said user.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the color of said visual indicator relates to a quality of said column-row data.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said quality of said column-row data is the relative importance of the data.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the size of said visual indicator relates to the quantity of said column-row data.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least one column of said grid corresponds to a day of the week.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said day of the week is selected from the group consisting of:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least one row of said grid corresponds to a country or area of the world.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said country or area of the world is selected from the group consisting of:

United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, and Europe.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least one column of said grid corresponds to a day of the week, and wherein at least one row of said grid corresponds to a country or area of the world.

10. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying tabs along a first side and an adjacent second side of a rectangular viewing area, wherein at least one tab along said first side corresponds to a column of said grid and at least one tab along said adjacent second side corresponds to a row of said grid.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a request from said user to have selected column-row data displayed comprises receiving data indicating that a mouse cursor was placed over a displayed area corresponding to the column-row element corresponding to said column-row data and that a mouse button was clicked while the mouse cursor was over said area.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein the step of receiving a request from said user to have selected column-row data displayed comprises:

receiving data indicating that a mouse cursor was placed over a first tab corresponding to the column in the column and row corresponding to said column-row data and that a mouse was clicked while said mouse cursor was over said first tab; and

receiving data indicating that a mouse cursor was placed over a second tab corresponding to the row in the column and row corresponding to said column-row data and that a mouse was clicked while said mouse cursor was over said second tab.

13. A method as in claim 9, wherein said column-row data comprises textual information relating to an event that:

(a) is expected to occur or has occurred on a day corresponding to the column in the column and row corresponding to said column-row data; and

(b) relates to a country corresponding to the row in the column and row corresponding to said column-row data.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said column-row data displayed to said user further comprises a visual indicator providing a summary of said textual information.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said visual indicator is an icon.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein said textual information relating to an event comprises a forecast of an expected outcome of the event.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein said icon is a weather icon that provides a visual indication of said expected outcome.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein said generated HTML code is cached if the view corresponding to the code is of a type expected by a grid display provider to be requested frequently.

18. A method of electronically displaying data, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving data through HTML forms;

(b) storing said entered data in a database system;

(c) generating from said stored data HTML code for presentation to users;

(d) in response to a request from a user, assembling appropriate HTML fragments to form a complete document; and

(e) transmitting the complete document to the requesting user.

20. A system for electronically displaying information, comprising:

means for providing a grid display, wherein each column and each row of the grid represents a category of data, wherein each column-row element of the grid corresponds to column-row data, defined as data that is both in the corresponding column category of data and in the corresponding row category of data, and wherein each column-row element of the grid comprises a visual indicator relating to said column-row data;

means for receiving a request from a user to have selected column-row data displayed; and

means for displaying said column-row data to said user.

21. A system as in claim 20, wherein the color of said visual indicator relates to a quality of said column-row data.

22. A system as in claim 21, wherein said quality of said column-row data is the relative importance of the data.

23. A system as in claim 20, wherein the size of said visual indicator relates to the quantity of said column-row data.

24. A system as in claim 20, wherein at least one column of said grid corresponds to a day of the week.

25. A system as in claim 20, wherein at least one row of said grid corresponds to a country or area of the world.

26. A system as in claim 20, wherein at least one column of said grid corresponds to a day of the week, and wherein at least one row of said grid corresponds to a country or area of the world.

27. A system as in claim 20, further comprising means for displaying tabs along a first side and an adjacent second side of a rectangular viewing area, wherein at least one tab along said first side corresponds to a column of said grid and at least one tab along said adjacent second side corresponds to a row of said grid.

28. A system as in claim 20, wherein the means for receiving a request from said user to have selected column-row data displayed comprises means for receiving data indicating that a mouse cursor was placed over a displayed area corresponding to the column-row element corresponding to said column-row data and that a mouse button was clicked while the mouse cursor was over said area.

30. A system as in claim 29, wherein said generated HTML code is cached if the view corresponding to the code is of a type expected by a grid display provider to be requested frequently.

29. A system for electronically displaying data, comprising:

(a) means for receiving data through HTML forms;

(b) means for storing said entered data in a database system;

(c) means for generating from said stored data HTML code for presentation to users;

(d) means for, in response to a request from a user, assembling appropriate HTML fragments to form a complete document; and

(e) means for transmitting the complete document to the requesting user.

31. A system for providing a grid display to a user, comprising:

a computer-readable data storage device storing one or more databases; and

a server connected to said data storage device and connected to a computer network, said server configured to;

provide a grid display over said computer network to a user, wherein each column and each row of the grid represents a category of data, wherein each column-row element of the grid corresponds to column-row data, defined as data that is both in the corresponding column category of data and in the corresponding row category of data, and wherein each column-row element of the grid comprises a visual indicator relating to said column-row data;

receive a request over said computer network from the user to have selected column-row data displayed; and

display, over said computer network, said column-row data to said user.