Interactive multi-level mapping in a multiple browser environment

• US 20030043200A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Urbanpixel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Urbanpixel Incorporated
• Inventors: Wong, Yin Yin, Balchandani, Lalit, Faieta, Baldo, Chung, Derek, Lokuge, Ishantha
• Application Number:
  US10/216,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043200A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

A web browsing environment that provides for visual and interactive mapping techniques to enable users to organize, visualize and navigate complex information spaces. The Urbanpixel system supports atomic units of information organized into a tiled browser environment. The system'"'"'s mapping technology allows the information environment to be surfaced into a global, active map view. Because the system supports a process of data abstraction and the use of stylesheets to create multiple views, users can drill down on areas of interest to get views at multiple levels of detail and abstraction. The navigation model keeps a one-to-one spatial correspondence between the levels, making it easier for users to find their way around by providing spatial context at every level.

Claims

1. A method for effecting multiple related views of data sets and interactive navigation of those multiple views to enable visual, interactive, data-centric, information browsing, searching, and filtering via a data network, the data network including a server system configured to host a web site associated with a first content provider, the data network further including a client system configured or designed to implement a browser application, the browser application being configured or designed to facilitate access to the web site by a first user, the method comprising:

a graphical spatial environment for simultaneous display of structured and unstructured data records from multiple sources;

wherein, said data records can be spatially arranged in manner so as to promote discrimination and comparison

wherein, a plurality of views, at various levels of detail and abstraction, of the spatial environment are dynamically generated using stylesheets to facilitate easier navigation of data sets;

whereby the plurality of views and ease of navigation of data sets enables faster recognition and discrimination of the salient characteristics of particular data at various level of detail and abstraction.