METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
First Claim
1. Apparatus for displaying information from at least one information source, the information being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one display for displaying information from the information source;
a user input device for receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection; and
a controller for implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, the controller being configured to switch from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated, wherein said controller is configured to be switchable to a first navigation strategy to begin navigation of the hierarchical structure at a starting node corresponding to information displayed at a start time, wherein a current node is a node corresponding to currently displayed information, and an undisplayed subnode is a subnode corresponding to information which is not yet displayed since the start time, the first navigation strategy comprising at least the following rules for navigation within at least the part of the hierarchical structure descending from the starting node;
selecting an undisplayed subnode of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode;
if no undisplayed subnode of the current node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of a parent node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode of the parent node exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the parent node;
if no undisplayed subnode of the current node or said parent node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of an ancestor node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such a subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the ancestor node, wherein said ancestor node is selected as a lowest of said ancestor nodes having an undisplayed subnode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for displaying information from an information source, the information being indexed by nodes in a hierarchical structure, the apparatus comprising: at least one display for displaying information from the information source; a user input device for receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection; and a controller for implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the hierarchical structure using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, the controller being configured to switch from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the hierarchical structure is navigated.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. Apparatus for displaying information from at least one information source, the information being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one display for displaying information from the information source; a user input device for receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection; and a controller for implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, the controller being configured to switch from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated, wherein said controller is configured to be switchable to a first navigation strategy to begin navigation of the hierarchical structure at a starting node corresponding to information displayed at a start time, wherein a current node is a node corresponding to currently displayed information, and an undisplayed subnode is a subnode corresponding to information which is not yet displayed since the start time, the first navigation strategy comprising at least the following rules for navigation within at least the part of the hierarchical structure descending from the starting node; selecting an undisplayed subnode of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode; if no undisplayed subnode of the current node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of a parent node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode of the parent node exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the parent node;
if no undisplayed subnode of the current node or said parent node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of an ancestor node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such a subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the ancestor node, wherein said ancestor node is selected as a lowest of said ancestor nodes having an undisplayed subnode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 49)
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9. Apparatus for displaying information from at least one information source, the information being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one display for displaying information from the information source; a user input device for receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection; and a controller for implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, the controller being configured to switch from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated, wherein said controller is configured to be switchable to one navigation strategy to begin navigation of the hierarchical structure at a starting node corresponding to information displayed at a start time, wherein a current node is a node corresponding to currently displayed information and an undisplayed subnode is a subnode corresponding to information which is not yet displayed since the start time, said one navigation strategy comprising at least the following rules for navigation within at least the part of the hierarchical structure descending from the starting node;
navigating to an undisplayed subnode of a parent node of a current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode exists, and displaying information corresponding to said undisplayed subnode. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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25. A method of displaying information from at least one information source, the information being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the method comprising:
displaying information from the information source on at least one display;
receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection from a user input device; and
implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, by switching from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated, wherein said controller is configured to be switchable to a first navigation strategy to begin navigation of the hierarchical structure at a starting node corresponding to information displayed at a start time, wherein a current node is a node corresponding to currently displayed information, and an undisplayed subnode is a subnode corresponding to information which is not yet displayed since the start time, the first navigation strategy comprising at least the following rules for navigation within at least the part of the hierarchical structure descending from the starting node;
selecting an undisplayed subnode of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode;
if no undisplayed subnode of the current node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of a parent node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode of the parent node exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the parent node;
if no undisplayed subnode of the current node or said parent node exists, then selecting an undisplayed subnode of an ancestor node of the current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such a subnode exists in the hierarchical structure, and displaying information corresponding to the subnode of the ancestor node, wherein said ancestor node is selected as a lowest of said ancestor nodes having an undisplayed subnode.- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48)
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33. A method for displaying information from at least one information source, the displayable information in the information source being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the method comprising:
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displaying information from the information source on at least one display; receiving a user-selectable forward navigation selection, a user-selectable back navigation selection and a user-selectable mode switch selection on a user input device; and implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using said forward navigation selection and said back navigation selection in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, by switching from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated, wherein said controller is configured to be switchable to one navigation strategy to begin navigation of the hierarchical structure at a starting node corresponding to information displayed at a start time, wherein a current node is a node corresponding to currently displayed information and an undisplayed subnode is a subnode corresponding to information which is not yet displayed since the start time, said one navigation strategy comprising at least the following rules for navigation within at least the part of the hierarchical structure descending from the starting node; navigating to an undisplayed subnode of a parent node of a current node in response to a forward navigation selection, if such an undisplayed subnode exists, and displaying information corresponding to said undisplayed subnode. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 45)
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50. A display controller for use with an input device and a display for displaying information from an information source, the information being indexed or arranged by an indexing scheme or arrangement that defines an information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy can be represented by a plurality of hierarchically arranged nodes, a plurality of said nodes each being associated with independently displayable information from the information source, the display controller comprising:
- means for implementing a plurality of alternative navigation strategies to allow a user to navigate through at least part of the information hierarchy using a user-selectable forward navigation selection and a user-selectable back navigation selection received from the user input device in order to display user-selected information from the information source on said at least one display, the controller being configured to switch from a currently selected navigation strategy to another of said alternative navigation strategies in response to reception of said user-selectable mode switch selection from the user input device, wherein each navigation strategy comprises one or more rules defining an order in which the information hierarchy is navigated.
Specification