Data navigation system

• US 20100058238A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avigdor Ben Moshe
• Original Assignee: Avigdor Ben Moshe
• Inventors: Ben Moshe, Avigdor
• Application Number:
  US12/231,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/818
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The present invention is a navigating system for navigating a data structure having a plurality of data fields arranged into a plurality of data arrays. The navigation system includes a display representing the contents of a subset constituted by data fields of currently selected data array. The display is also arranged to display the contents of a particular data field from the currently selected data array. The system further includes a field selector for navigating to and selecting specific data arrays and data fields within selected arrays.

Claims

1. A navigation system for navigating a data structure, said data structure comprising a plurality of data-fields arranged into a plurality of data-arrays, said navigation system comprising:

a. a display panel for representing the contents of a subset of the data-fields of a currently-selected data-array;

b. a data-display for displaying the contents of a currently-selected data-field from said currently-selected data-array;

c. a field-selector comprising;

a data-array selector for navigating to and selecting data-arrays, and a data-field selector for navigating to and selecting data-fields within said currently-selected data-array.

2. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein each data-array has a unique ordinal within said data structure and said data-array selector comprises:

a. a FORWARD data-array selector for navigating to and selecting a data-array with an ordinal higher than the ordinal of said currently-selected data-array; and

b. a BACK data-array selector for navigating to and selecting a data-array with an ordinal lower than the ordinal of said currently-selected data-array;

4. The navigation system of claim 1, said display panel comprising a plurality of cells, each said cell containing a representation of the contents of one data-field, said data-fields being assigned to cells such that adjacent cells are assigned to data-fields having consecutive ordinals.

5. The navigation system of claim 4 wherein said representation of the contents of said data-field is selected from at least one of the group comprising:

metadata, text, a label, a content summary, an image, a number, an icon and an ordinal.

6. The navigation system of claim 4 being cyclical wherein the data-field with the highest ordinal and the data-field with the lowest ordinal are assigned to adjacent cells.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, said data-display panel comprising a highlighted cell containing a representation of the contents of said currently-selected data-field.

8. The navigation system of claim 7 wherein said highlighted cell being contrasted from others by at least one emphasis selected from the group comprising:

contrasting font color, font type, font size, font style, cell size, outline color, outline thickness, background color and animation.

9. The navigation system of claim 1 said field-selector comprising at least one of the group comprising:

scroll bars, roller balls, keys, computer mice, active screens, active regions of a touch screen and eye tracking systems.

10. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein said field-selector is lockable.

11. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein said field-selector is switchable between ON and OFF modes.

12. The navigation system of claim 1 additionally comprising a data viewer for reviewing the contents of the currently-selected data-field.

13. The navigation system of claim 12 wherein said data viewer is selected from the group comprising:

media players, word processors, web browsers, image displays, text displays, photo editors and calendars.

14. The navigation system of claim 1 wherein the contents of said currently-selected data-field are accessible by standard programs.

15. The navigation system of claim 1 additionally comprising a data editor for editing the contents of the currently-selected data-field.

16. The navigation system of claim 1 additionally compromising at least one further navigation means selected from the group comprising:

a. a search line for inputting a search string such that a data-field with contents most similar to said search string is selected;

b. a history bar for displaying historical shortcut links to data-fields most recently selected, such that a user may be able to select previously selected data-fields by clicking upon said historical shortcut links;

c. a favorites bar for displaying favorite shortcut links to data-fields most frequently selected, such that a user may be able to select frequently selected data-fields by clicking upon said favorite shortcut links; and

d. an address bar for displaying a directory path indicating a location of said currently-selected data-field.

17. The navigation system of claim 1 adapted to navigate a hierarchical data structure wherein said data-array selector comprises:

a. a FORWARD data-array selector for navigating to a child data-array said child data-array being a descendent of said currently-selected data-field; and

b. a BACK data-array selector for navigating to a parent data-array, said parent being an ancestor of said currently-selected data-array.

3. The navigation system of claim I wherein each data-field has a unique ordinal within a data-array and said data-field selector comprises:

a. a NEXT data-field selector for navigating to and selecting a data-field in said currently-selected data-array having an ordinal higher than the ordinal of said currently-selected data-field; and

b. a PREVIOUS data-field selector for navigating to and selecting a data-field in said currently-selected data-array having an ordinal lower than the ordinal of said currently-selected data-field.