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Interactive, cross-referenced knowledge system

  • US 5,257,185 A
  • Filed: 05/21/1990
  • Issued: 10/26/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a knowledge system for making available to each of a plurality of end users in an organization, a shared digital database of content information concerning a plurality of subjects relevant to the organization, the knowledge system having a computer and related hardware including means for storing a plurality of programs including an operating program for carrying out digital processing functions of the knowledge system and a plurality of application programs interacting with user interface means for selectively accessing and presenting information in the data base to the end users, the knowledge systems having a plurality of program modules including a combination of stored program instructions and computer hardware for performing a specified application function in the knowledge system, the improvement wherein the plurality of program modules comprises:

  • a subject outline module for,defining a plurality of said subjects,defining a plurality of topics, each topic being associated with one of the subjects,defining a plurality of subtopics, each subtopic being associated with one of the topics,wherein each topic and subtopic is digitally stored and associated as a node in a hierarchical outline of a subject;

    an information content module having predetermined information content associated with each node, said information content being digitally stored as a plurality of information units, each information unit being a predetermined, associated subset of a category of information, and each category of information being a predetermined subset of one of at least to two types of information, the types of information including,a cross reference type which includes a plurality of cross-referenced categories in which each information unit is associated with only one node and with all other cross reference category information units that are associated with said one node, anda general type which includes at least one general category in which each of the information units which is not in the cross reference categories, is associated with all nodes of a subject;

    a navigation module responsive to the user interface means and interacting with the subject outline module and the information content module for the end user to,select a subject and node for which the associated information units are to be presented,select a particular information category associated with the selected node to be presented, such that the knowledge system presents to the end user a particular information unit in the selected category that is associated with the selected node,select one of a plurality of options while said particular information unit is presented to the end user, includingaccessing and being presented with at least one of the information units in a cross-referenced type category, which is associated only with the selected node, and then returning to said particular information unit, andaccessing and being presented with at least one of the information units in a general type of category and then returning to said particular information unit.

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