DECISION ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND METHODS OF USING SAME

• US 20080184149A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adapx Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Adapx Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Philip R., McGee, David, Lind, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• 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

Abstract

A decision assistance device provides a user the ability to access and obtain actionable intelligence or other information to make tactical and strategic decisions. The decision assistance device allows the user to obtain information for future, near-future, and/or real time scenarios. The device advantageously provides the information to the user in a manner that minimizes an amount of attention and interaction required by the user while still permitting the user to rapidly manipulate the device while moving down a desired decision path. The decision assistance device may take a physical or virtual form.

Claims

1. A method for presenting information to a user for making a decision, the method comprising:

providing a graphical image of a decision assistance device onto the viewable display, the decision assistance device having a plurality of panels operable as expandable menus for presenting the information in a hierarchal context; and

displaying an amount information on at least two of the plurality of panels, each panel being viewable by a user, the amount information relating to a desired environment encounterable by a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein overlaying the decision support interface includes placing the decision support interface at a user selectable position on the image depiction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting information content includes at least one of status, communication, logistics, location, course of action, map imagery, mission feasibility, and aerial visuals associated with the space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein interacting with the at least one section maintains a region-of-interest of the image depiction within the field of view of the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein presenting the image depiction of the space on the display includes the display being mountable to a headset worn by the user in view of the space.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the space and the display are contemporaneously in the field of view of the user.

7. A computerized readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method to present a view of a space to a user comprising:

presenting an image depiction of the space on a display capable of being viewed by the user;

overlaying a decision support interface onto the image depiction, the decision support interface having a plurality of sections, each section presenting information content different from other sections; and

interacting with at least one section to receive information associated with the image depiction.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein overlaying the decision support interface includes placing the decision support interface at a user selectable position on the image depiction.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein presenting information content includes at least one of status, communication, logistics, location, course of action, map imagery, mission feasibility, and aerial visuals associated with the space.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein interacting with the at least one section maintains a region-of-interest of the image depiction within the field of view of the user.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein presenting the image depiction of the space on the display includes the display being mountable to a headset worn by the user in view of the space.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the space and the display are contemporaneously in the field of view of the user.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein each section has a face configured to rotate and present differing informational content.

14. A device for receiving information of a region of interest comprising:

a first plurality of panels;

a second plurality of panels related to the first plurality of panels;

a third plurality of panels related to the second plurality of panels;

a fourth plurality of panels related to the third plurality of panels;

wherein intelligence data associated with the region of interest is determined by the hierarchal relationships between the first, second, third, and fourth plurality of panels.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of panels include task categories.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the second plurality of panels include status categories;

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the third plurality of panels includes group categories.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the group categories include a military echelon.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the fourth plurality of panels includes surveillance information of the region of interest.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the surveillance information includes at least one of audio and video information.

21. A decisional assistance system for assisting a user in making a decision, the system comprising:

a first set of information carrying panels arranged on a first housing unit;

a second set of information carrying panels arranged on a second housing unit, the second unit telescopically and rotationally coupled to the first housing unit, wherein at least two of the second set of information carrying panels and at least two of the first set of information carrying panels are visible to the user when the second housing unit is telescopically extended from the first housing unit, and wherein the second set of information carrying panels are rotatable relative to the first set of information carrying panels; and

an amount of information presentable on at least the first set of information carrying panels, the information including data to assist the user in making the decision.