Method and system for selection of hierarchically related information using a content-variable list
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a display device and hierarchical database that is indexed by dimensions, topics, and sub-topics, a method of displaying a query user interface on the display device for the hierarchical database, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- displaying a list of dimensions in a first element of the query user interface, said list of dimensions containing dimensions that are selectable by a user wherein a selected one of the dimensions in the list of dimensions is currently selected and each dimension corresponds to a set of topics in the hierarchical database;
displaying a list of higher-level topics in a second element of the query user interface, wherein said list of higher-level topics holds a list of higher-level topics that are contained in the topics of the selected dimension, wherein the higher-level topics are selectable by a user and wherein a selected one of the higher-level topics is currently selected; and
displaying a list of lower-level topics in a third element of the query user interface element, wherein said list of lower-level topics holds a list of lower-level topics that are sub-topics for the selected higher-level topic, wherein said sub-topics are selectable by the user to select a topic for a query of the hierarchical database;
wherein the first element, the second element and the third element are concurrently displayed as part of the query user interface;
wherein when a user selects a different dimension from the list of dimensions displayed in the first element, displaying in the second element a list of higher-level topics that are contained in the topics of the selected different dimension and displaying in the third element a list of lower-level topics that are contained in a selected higher-level topic that is displayed in the second element; and
wherein when a user selects a different higher-level topic from the list of higher-level topics displayed in the second element, displaying in the third element a list of lower-level topics that are contained in the selected higher-level topic that is displayed in the second element.
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Abstract
A method and system for selection of hierarchically related information. Initially, topics are displayed in the content variable list which encompass a first set of information. Upon receiving input from the user, new topics appropriate to the user input are displayed in the content variable list which encompass a second set of information hierarchically related to the first set of information. A selected topic is then obtained from the user from among the new topics displayed. Information is then obtained which is encompassed by the selected topic. In a preferred embodiment, this information is obtained by performing a database query using the selected topic as a query topic.
130 Citations
23 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a display device and hierarchical database that is indexed by dimensions, topics, and sub-topics, a method of displaying a query user interface on the display device for the hierarchical database, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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displaying a list of dimensions in a first element of the query user interface, said list of dimensions containing dimensions that are selectable by a user wherein a selected one of the dimensions in the list of dimensions is currently selected and each dimension corresponds to a set of topics in the hierarchical database; displaying a list of higher-level topics in a second element of the query user interface, wherein said list of higher-level topics holds a list of higher-level topics that are contained in the topics of the selected dimension, wherein the higher-level topics are selectable by a user and wherein a selected one of the higher-level topics is currently selected; and displaying a list of lower-level topics in a third element of the query user interface element, wherein said list of lower-level topics holds a list of lower-level topics that are sub-topics for the selected higher-level topic, wherein said sub-topics are selectable by the user to select a topic for a query of the hierarchical database; wherein the first element, the second element and the third element are concurrently displayed as part of the query user interface; wherein when a user selects a different dimension from the list of dimensions displayed in the first element, displaying in the second element a list of higher-level topics that are contained in the topics of the selected different dimension and displaying in the third element a list of lower-level topics that are contained in a selected higher-level topic that is displayed in the second element; and wherein when a user selects a different higher-level topic from the list of higher-level topics displayed in the second element, displaying in the third element a list of lower-level topics that are contained in the selected higher-level topic that is displayed in the second element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method in a computer system for browsing through topics within a hierarchy of topics, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of dimensions, each dimension representing a hierarchy of topics, each dimension having a root topic and having leaf topics, each topic other than the root topic having a higher-level topic and each topic other than the leaf topics having a lower-level topic; displaying in a dimension box an indication of the root topic of each of the provided dimensions; receiving from a user a selection of one of the displayed dimensions; in response to receiving the selection of one of the displayed dimensions, displaying in a navigation box the next lower-level topics of the root topic of the selected dimension; receiving from the user a selection of one of the topics displayed in the navigation box; in response to receiving the selection of one of the topics displayed in the navigation box, displaying in a selection box the next lower-level topics of the topic selected from the navigation box; receiving from the user a selection of one of the topics displayed in the selection box; and in response to receiving the selection of one of the topics displayed in the selection box, displaying in the navigation box the topics currently displayed in the selection box and displaying in the selection box the next lower-level topics of the topic selected from the selection box whereby the dimension, navigation, and selection boxes are displayed simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-readable medium containing instruction for controlling a computer system to browse through topics within a hierarchy of topics, by
receiving from a user a selection of one of a plurality of dimensions, each dimension representing a hierarchy of topics, each dimension having a root topic and having leaf topics, each topic other than the root topic having a higher-level topic and each topic other than the leaf topics having a lower-level topic; -
in response to receiving the selection of one of the plurality of dimensions, displaying in a navigation box the topics of the next lower-level topic of the root topic of the selected dimension; receiving from the user a selection of one of the topics displayed in the navigation box; in response to receiving the selection of one of the topics displayed in the navigation box, displaying in a selection box, simultaneously with the displaying of the navigation box, the next lower-level topics of the topic selected from the navigation box; receiving from the user a selection of one of the topics displayed in the selection box; and in response to receiving the selection of one of the topics displayed in the selection box, displaying in the navigation box the topics currently displayed in the selection box and displaying in the selection box, simultaneously with the displaying of the navigation box, the next lower-level topics of the topic selected from the selection box. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method in a computer system to browsing through topics within a plurality of hierarchy of topics, the method comprising:
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selecting one of the plurality of hierarchy of topics, each hierarchy of topics having a root topic; displaying in a first element lower-level topics of the root topic of the selected hierarchy of topics; selecting one of the topics displayed in the first element; displaying in a second element, simultaneously with the displaying of the first element, lower-level topics of the topic selected from the first element; selecting one of the topics displayed in the second element; and displaying in the first element the topics currently displayed in the second element and displaying in the second element, simultaneously with the displaying of the first element, lower-level topics of the topic selected from the second element. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification