GRAPHICAL RADIALLY-EXTENDING FAMILY HEDGE

• US 20080108027A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gigantocorp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gigantocorp, Inc.
• Inventors: SALLIN, MATTHEW D.
• Application Number:
  US11/551,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20080108027A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/154
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0046 History

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment provides for a graphical radially-extending family hedge. The family hedge displays a user'"'"'s ancestors, contemporaneous generation and next generation. Additionally, the family hedge displays the user'"'"'s spousal and in-law information. Both blood and in-law relations expand out from the user to N degrees of separation. When a member of the family hedge other than the user is selected, the family hedge re-arranges itself such that it expands out to N degrees of separation from the selected member.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge comprising:

collecting familial information from a user;

producing the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge based on the collected familial information such that the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge radially extends from the user out to N degrees of separation;

wherein links extending from the user to immediate family members represent a first degree of separation away from the user; and

wherein each successive link extending beyond individuals of the immediate family members represents an additional degree of separation away from the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the collected familial information from the user is from an electronic file.

3. The method as recited as recited in claim 2 wherein the format of the electronic file is a GEDCOM file format.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein N is 2.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein the familial information includes both blood and in-law relationships.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5 wherein collecting familial information further comprises:

determining if sibling information is available;

collecting the sibling information from the user, if the sibling information is available;

determining if parent information is available;

collecting the parent information from the user, if the parent information is available;

determining if grandparent information is available;

collecting the grandparent information from the user, if the grandparent information is available;

determining if aunt information is available;

collecting the aunt information if the aunt information is available;

determining if uncle information is available;

collecting the uncle information if the aunt information is available;

determining if child information is available;

collecting the child information from the user, if the child information is available;

determining if niece/nephew information is available;

collecting the niece/nephew information from the user, if the niece/nephew information is available;

determining if grandchild information is available;

collecting the grandchild information from the user, if the grandchild information is available;

determining if in-law information is available; and

collecting the in-law information from the user, if the in-law information is available.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 wherein collecting in-law information further comprises:

determining if in-law sibling information is available;

collecting the in-law sibling information, if the in-law sibling information is available;

determining if in-law parent information is available; and

collecting the in-law parent information, if the in-law parent information is available.

8. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a member of the graphical radially-extending family hedge other than the user; and

re-arranging the graphical radially-extending family hedge to extend from the selected member out to N degrees of separation.

9. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a member of the radially-extending family hedge other than the user; and

re-arranging the graphical radially-extending family hedge to extend from the selected member out to N degrees of separation.

10. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein deceased relatives of the user are distinguished from living relatives.

11. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein individual members of the collected familial information are graphically represented as nodes and wherein the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge further includes at least one mini-node adjacent to an individual member of the collected familial information wherein the at least one mini-node represents N+1 degrees of separation from the user.

12. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 wherein the graphical radially-extending family hedge further includes a drop-down menu that allows for selection of a current spouse of a user and one or more previous spouses of the user.

13. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 11 wherein additional familial information can be added via other users, related to the user, via a Wiki-model.

14. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein collecting familial information further comprises:

choosing a family relationship-type for a particular member of the user'"'"'s family;

collecting a name of the particular member;

collecting hometown information of the particular member;

collecting current residency information of the particular member;

collecting occupation information of the particular member; and

collecting hobby/interest information of the particular member.

15. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

collecting email information of the particular member; and

sending an email invitation to the particular member to add additional familial information.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the email contains a representation of the graphical radially-extending family hedge.

17. A computer-implemented method for generating a graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge comprising:

collecting familial information from a user;

matching individual members of the collected familial information with individual members of previously collected familial information from other users;

producing the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge based on the collected familial information and any matching individual members of the previously collected familial information such that the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge radially extends from the user out to N degrees of separation;

wherein the radially-extending genealogy hedge includes family members of the matched individual members not specified by the user;

wherein links extending from the user to immediate family members represent a first degree of separation away from the user; and

wherein each successive link extending beyond individuals of the immediate family members represents an additional degree of separation away from the user.

18. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 17 wherein N is 2.

19. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 18 wherein the familial information includes both blood and in-law relationships.

20. A system operable to generate a graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge comprising:

a network interface;

one or more processors;

a memory; and

an application, stored in the memory, including instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the network interface to;

collect familial information from a user;

match individual members of the collected familial information with individual members of previously collected familial information from other users;

produce the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge based on the collected familial information and any matching individual members of the previously collected familial information such that the graphical radially-extending genealogy hedge radially extends from the user out to N degrees of separation;

wherein links extending from the user to immediate family members represent a first degree of separation away from the user; and

wherein each successive link extending beyond individuals of the immediate family members represents an additional degree of separation away from the user.