User interface system and method for traversing a database

• US 5,781,904 A
• Filed: 05/01/1997
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Oren, Timothy R., Salomon, Gitta B., Kreitman, Kristee M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US08/845,988
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/159, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/100, 345/968
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A user interface system and method for traversing a database. In one aspect the present invention includes providing a plurality of command options, each of the command options represented by a set of descriptive option index terms characterizing that command option. The set of descriptive option index terms characterizing the command options selected by a user are compared with sets of document index terms. Each set of document index terms being compared characterizes an electronic document in a hypertext-type database which is selectively linked in that database with the user'"'"'s present position. The comparisons result in a ranked list of the selectively linked electronic documents. The electronic documents are ranked in accordance with the relevancy of each document with respect to the selected command option. In another aspect of the invention, a plurality of command options are generated and displayed on a computer controlled display system (CCDS), each command option being represented by a portrayed character or personality associable to the user as being biased toward a particular type of information. Each of the command options represent a set of option index terms which characterize that particular command option. The set of option index terms characterizing the command option presently selected are compared with sets of document index terms. Each set of document index terms characterize an electronic document located within the database. The comparisons result in a ranked list of electronic documents, the documents being ranked in accordance with the particular bias of the portrayed character or personality.

Claims

1. A method for a user of a computer system to use a database to retrieve an electronic document stored in said database, said method comprising:

a) providing a hypertext-type database, said hypertext-type database including a plurality of hypertext-type nodes, said plurality of hypertext-type nodes corresponding to a plurality of electronic documents, wherein each of said plurality of hypertext-type nodes may be selectively linked to others of said plurality of hypertext-type nodes, the user having a current position within said hypertext-type database;

b) providing a set of descriptive index terms;

c) indexing said hypertext-type database by assigning a first subset of said descriptive index terms to each electronic document of said plurality of electronic documents;

d) receiving user input that specifies a second subset of said descriptive index terms;

e) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said plurality of electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms;

f) presenting a representation of matching electronic documents based on said comparing step e);

g) receiving user input that selects a selected electronic document from said representation of matching electronic documents; and

h) changing said user'"'"'s position within the hypertext-type database to correspond with said selected electronic document.

2. A method for a user of a computer system to retrieve a document from a database, said method comprising:

a) providing a hypertext-type database, said hypertext type database comprised of a plurality of electronic documents, each of said plurality of electronic documents capable of being selectively linked with other of said electronic documents, the user having a current position within said hypertext-type database;

b) defining a set of descriptive index terms for said plurality of electronic documents;

c) indexing said database by assigning a first subset of descriptive index terms to each of said electronic documents;

d) receiving user input that indicates specification of a second subset of said descriptive index terms from a plurality of second subsets of said descriptive index terms;

e) comparing said first subset of descriptive index terms of said electronic documents with said second subset of said descriptive index terms;

f) presenting a representation of matching electronic documents based on said comparing step e);

g) receiving user input that selects a selected electronic document from said representation of matching electronic documents;

h) retrieving said desired electronic document, said desired electronic document becoming the present position document.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein presenting a representation of said matching electronic documents includes generating a first ranked list of said matching electronic documents.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a second ranked list of documents which contains only documents that are selectively linked with said desired electronic document.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein generating said first ranked list of said electronic documents includes assigning a plurality of match values to the electronic documents in said list of said electronic documents, where in a match value of said plurality of match values is assigned to each document in said list of said electronic documents, said match value being a numerical indication of the relevancy of each document of said list of said electronic documents to said second subset of said descriptive index terms.

6. A method for allowing a user of a computer to use a database, comprising:

a) providing an indexed hypertext-type database including a plurality of electronic documents forming selectively linked hypertext-type nodes of said hypertext-type database, said user being positionable at a first of said hypertext-type nodes, each of said hypertext-type nodes containing at least one electronic document index term for characterizing said node, said at least one electronic document index term being a first subset of a set of index terms utilized in said hypertext-type database;

b) specifying at least one option index term, said at least one option index term being contained within a second subset of said set of index terms utilized in said hypertext-type database, said at least one option index term being determined by comparing said first subset of index terms with said second subset of index terms; and

c) selecting a document index term, said document index term representing a second of said hypertext-type nodes selectively linked to said first hypertext-type node, said second node representing an electronic document, the selection of said document index term resulting in a user position change from said first hypertext-type node to said second hypertext-type node.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first subset of index terms are compared with said second set of index terms by an automatic, algorithmic process, and said step of specifying at least one option index term includes the step of selecting a first command option from a computer controlled display system (CCDS) linked to said hypertext-type database, said first command option being associated with said at least one option index term.