User interface navigational system & method for interactive representation of information contained within a database

• US 5,812,134 A
• Filed: 03/28/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cufer Asset Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Critical Thought, Inc.
• Inventors: Pooser, Jeoffrey, Pooser, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Application Number:
  US08/623,390
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 395/127, 395/601-622, 395/326-358
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system for interactive, dynamic, three-dimensional presentation of a database'"'"'s structure allows the user to efficiently navigate through the database to examine the desired information. The present system graphically depicts the organization of the information base as "molecules" consisting of structured parallel "threads" of connected nodes each encompassing a specific aspect of the overall database. Within a given thread, the component nodes, which share a commonality of subject, are arranged in a natural, linear progression which reflects the organizational structure of the information subject represented by the thread, thereby providing the user with a visual guide suggesting the appropriate sequence of nodes to be viewed. By providing a hierarchical representation of the organizational structure of the entire database, the present navigational system provides the user with both the "position" of the information unit being currently examined relative to the remainder of the database, as well as the information regarding the overall size and complexity of the database. The present system also provides the user with the capability to define one or more "customized" navigation "paths" over the database, as well as copy and modify existing units of information.

Claims

1. An interface system for presenting on a monitor of a computer system a dynamic, graphic representation of organization of one of a portion of information and entire information within an information base, said entire information within said information base being organized into at least first hierarchical level having at least a plurality of first-sublevel information units, a plurality of second-sublevel information units, and at least one third-sublevel information unit, each of said first-sublevel, second-sublevel and third-sublevel information units having an identifier, each of said second-sublevel information units comprising at least one first-sublevel information unit, said at least one third-sublevel information unit comprising a plurality of said second-sublevel information units, said dynamic, graphic representation implying a specific search path that a user may take in examining said available information, said interface system comprising:

means for generating a coded data map reflecting said organization of said entire information within said information base based at least on said identifiers for each of said first-sublevel, second-sublevel and third-sublevel information units; and

means for presenting on said monitor said dynamic, graphic representation of said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base, said graphic presentation means generating said dynamic graphic representation based on said data map, said dynamic graphic representation comprising at least one molecule for said first hierarchical level of organization, said at least one first-hierarchical-level molecule having at least one first-hierarchical-level thread of multiple first-hierarchical-level nodes connected in sequence, each of said multiple first-hierarchical-level nodes representing one of said plurality of second-sublevel information units, and said at least one first-hierarchical-level thread representing said at least one third-sublevel information unit;

wherein said sequence of first-hierarchical-level nodes in said at least one first-hierarchical-level thread corresponds to an organization of said at least one third-sublevel information unit.

2. The interface system according to claim 1, wherein said organization of said at least first hierarchical level further comprises at least one fourth-sublevel information unit corresponding to said at least one first-hierarchical-level molecule, and wherein each of said second-sublevel information units corresponds to a first information subject area, said at least one third-sublevel information unit corresponds to a second information subject area which encompasses said first information subject area, and said at least one fourth-sublevel information unit corresponds to a third information subject area which encompasses said second information subject area.

3. The interface system according to claim 2, wherein said at least one fourth-sublevel information unit has an identifier, and wherein said coded-data-map generating means generates said coded data map based on said identifiers for said first-sublevel, second-sublevel, third-sublevel and fourth-sublevel information units.

4. The interface system according to claim 3, wherein:

said computer system further comprises an input unit for enabling the user to interact with said graphic representation, said input unit enabling the user to select a desired first-hierarchical-level node to be examined;

wherein said graphic presentation means dynamically alters said graphic representation provided on said monitor in response to control command provided by said user via said input unit, whereby said graphic representation comprises a three-dimensional image;

and wherein said sequence of first-hierarchical-level nodes in said at least one first-hierarchical-level thread corresponds to an implied search path for the user of said interface system.

5. The interface system according to claim 4, wherein said input unit further enables said user to change said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map.

6. The interface system according to claim 5, wherein said interface system enables said user to copy, by means of said input unit, said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map by copying one of a corresponding portion of said graphical representation and said entire graphical representation, whereby said copy of said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base is incorporated as an addition to said organization of said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map.

7. The interface system according to claim 2, wherein said entire information within said information base is organized into a second hierarchical level and said first hierarchical level, said second hierarchical level having a plurality of fifth-sublevel information units, at least one sixth-sublevel information unit, and at least one seventh-sublevel information unit, wherein each of said fifth-sublevel information units comprises at least one unique fourth-sublevel information unit corresponding to one unique first-hierarchical-level molecule, and wherein said dynamic, graphic representation provided by said graphic presentation means further comprises at least one molecule for said second hierarchical level, said at least one second-hierarchical-level molecule having at least one second-hierarchical-level thread of multiple second-hierarchical-level nodes connected in sequence, said at least one second-hierarchical-level molecule corresponding to said at least one seventh-sublevel information unit, and said at least one second-hierarchical-level thread corresponding to said at least one sixth-sublevel information unit, and each of said second-hierarchical-level nodes corresponding to one of said plurality of fifth-sublevel information units.

8. The interface system according to claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of fifth-sublevel information units, said at least one sixth-sublevel information unit and said at least one seventh-sublevel information unit has an identifier, and wherein said coded-data-map generating means generates said coded data map based on said identifiers for said first-sublevel information units through said seventh-sublevel information unit.

9. The interface system according to claim 8, wherein:

said computer system further comprises an input unit for enabling the user to interact with said graphic representation, said input unit enabling the user to select one of said multiple first-hierarchical-level nodes and one of said multiple second-hierarchical-level nodes to be examined;

wherein said graphic presentation means dynamically alters said graphic representation provided on said monitor in response to control command provided by said user via said input unit, whereby said graphic representation comprises a three-dimensional image;

and wherein said sequence of nodes in said at least one second-hierarchical-level thread corresponds to an organization of said at least one sixth-sublevel information unit, and wherein said sequence of nodes in said at least one second-hierarchical-level thread corresponds to an implied search path for the user of said interface system.

10. The interface system according to claim 9, wherein said input unit further enables said user to change said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map.

11. The interface system according to claim 10, wherein said system enables said user to copy, by means of said input unit, said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map by copying one of a corresponding portion of said graphical representation and said entire graphical representation corresponding, whereby said copy of said organization of said one of said portion of information and said entire information within said information base is incorporated as an addition to said organization of said entire information within said information base as reflected in said data map.

12. The interface system according to claim 4 further comprising:

means for generating a graphical menu, said graphical menu enabling said user of said interface to assign said identifiers for said first-sublevel through fourth-sublevel information units.

13. The interface system according to claim 6, wherein said organization of said at least first hierarchical level further comprises a plurality of said third-sublevel information units, and wherein each identifier corresponding to one of a selected number of said plurality of first-sublevel information units comprises information regarding location of a related first-sublevel information unit contained in a different third-sublevel information unit, and wherein said graphic representation further comprises a plurality of threads corresponding to said plurality of said third-sublevel information units and icons indicating related first-hierarchical-level nodes which are contained in different threads.

14. The interface system according to claim 13, wherein said input unit enables said user to jump between related first-sublevel information units which are contained in different third-sublevel information units by selecting said icons indicating related first-hierarchical-level nodes which are contained in different threads.

15. The interface system according to claim 9, wherein said graphic presentation means provides on said monitor said dynamic, graphic representation comprising said at least one second-hierarchical-level molecule and said one unique first-hierarchical-level molecule corresponding to said one unique fourth-sublevel information unit contained in a fifth-sublevel information unit corresponding to a second-hierarchical-level node selected by said user.

16. The interface system according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for generating a graphical menu, said graphical menu enabling said user of said interface to assign said identifiers for said first-sublevel through seventh-sublevel information units.

17. A computer-readable memory device containing a program for presenting a dynamic, graphic representation, on a display device of a computer, of organization of information available within an information base, said available information being defined into at least one first-level information unit corresponding to a concept, said at least one first-level information unit comprising a plurality of second-level information units corresponding to different categories of said concept, each of said second-level information units comprising a plurality of third-level information units corresponding to subcategories of each of said different categories, each of said first-level, second-level and third-level information units having an identifying label, said dynamic, graphic representation implying a specific search path enabling a user to interact with, and navigate through, said available information, said computer further comprising a processor and an input device for accepting user commands, said memory device comprising:

means for reading said identifying label of each of said first-level, said second-level and said third-level information units;

means for generating a set of relationships describing organizational relationships among said first-level, said second-level and said third-level information units; and

a graphic presentation means for displaying a dynamic, graphic representation of said organizational relationships among said first-level, said second-level and said third-level information units, said dynamic graphic representation comprising, for each of said second-level information units, a substantially linear arrangement of icons representing said plurality of third-level information units contained in the corresponding second-level information unit;

wherein said arrangement of said third-level information unit icons reflects an organization of the corresponding second-level information unit.

18. The computer-readable memory device according to claim 17, wherein said dynamic graphic representation further comprises at least one molecule having a plurality of threads, said at least one molecule corresponding to said at least one first-level information unit, and said plurality of threads corresponding to said plurality of second-level information units.

19. A method of presenting a dynamic, graphic representation of organization of information contained in a database so as to enable a user of said database to interact with, and navigate through, said information contained in said database by interacting with said dynamic, graphic representation, said information contained in said database being organized into at least first hierarchical level having at least one first-sublevel information unit corresponding to a concept, said at least one first-sublevel information unit comprising a plurality of second-sublevel information units corresponding to different categories of said concept, each of said second-sublevel information units comprising a plurality of third-sublevel information units corresponding to subcategories of each of said different categories, each of said first-sublevel, second-sublevel and third-sublevel information units having associated therewith an identifying label, which method comprises:

reading said identifying labels of said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel and said third-sublevel information units;

generating, based on said identifying labels of said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel and said third-sublevel information units, a data map describing organizational relationships among said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel and said third-sublevel information units; and

generating a dynamic, graphic representation of said organizational relationships among said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel and said third-sublevel information units, said dynamic graphic representation comprising at least one molecule having a plurality of threads, each of said plurality of threads comprising a plurality of ordered nodes, said at least one molecule corresponding to said at least one first-sublevel information unit, said plurality of threads corresponding to said plurality of second-sublevel information units, and said plurality of nodes corresponding to said plurality of third-sublevel information units.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of generating said dynamic, graphic representation further comprises generating link-node icons indicating related nodes which are contained in different threads.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

dynamically altering said graphic representation in response to a new selection of one of said plurality of nodes by said user, whereby said graphic representation comprises a dynamically oriented, three-dimensional image of said at least one molecule.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

dynamically altering said graphic representation in response to a new selection of one of said plurality of nodes and said link-node icons by said user, whereby said graphic representation comprises a dynamically oriented, three-dimensional image of said at least one molecule.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein said information contained in said database is organized into said first hierarchical level and a second hierarchical level, said second hierarchical level having at least one fourth-sublevel information unit, said at least one fourth-sublevel information unit comprising a plurality of fifth-sublevel information units, each of said fifth-sublevel information units comprising a plurality of sixth-sublevel information units, each of said plurality of sixth-sublevel information units comprising said at least one first-sublevel information unit, each of said fourth-sublevel, fifth-sublevel and sixth-sublevel information units having associated therewith an identifying label, and wherein:

said step of reading said identifying labels further comprises reading said identifying labels of said fourth-sublevel, said fifth-sublevel and said sixth-sublevel information units;

said step of generating said data map comprises generating, based on said identifying labels of said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel, said third-sublevel, said fourth-sublevel, said fifth-sublevel and said sixth-sublevel information units, a data map describing organizational relationships among said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel, said third-sublevel, said fourth-sublevel, said fifth-sublevel and said sixth-sublevel information units; and

said step of generating said dynamic, graphic representation comprises generating a dynamic, graphic representation of said organizational relationships among said first-sublevel, said second-sublevel, said third-sublevel, said fourth-sublevel, said fifth-sublevel and said sixth-sublevel information units, said dynamic graphic representation further comprising at least one second-hierarchical-level molecule having a plurality of second-hierarchical-level threads, each of said plurality of second-hierarchical-level threads comprising a plurality of second-hierarchical-level nodes, said at least one second-hierarchical-level molecule corresponding to said at least one fourth-sublevel information unit, said plurality of second-hierarchical-level threads corresponding to said plurality of fifth-sublevel information units, and said plurality of second-hierarchical-level nodes corresponding to said plurality of sixth-sublevel information units.

24. A method of presenting on a monitor of a computer system a dynamic, graphic representation of organization of information contained in a database so as to enable a user of said database to interact with, and navigate through, said information contained in said database by interacting with said dynamic, graphic representation, said information contained in said database being organized into at least first hierarchical level having a plurality of sublevels, said plurality of sublevels being hierarchically imbedded, each of said sublevels having one of at least one and a plurality of information units, each of said information units in all sublevels having associated therewith an identifying label, which method comprises:

reading said identifying labels of said information units for all sublevels;

generating, based on said identifying labels of said information units for all sublevels, a data map describing organizational relationships among said information units for all sublevels; and

generating a dynamic, graphic representation of said organizational relationships among said information units for all sublevels, said dynamic graphic representation comprising at least one thread having a plurality of nodes arranged in sequence.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

presenting information contained in a first information unit corresponding to a first one of said plurality of nodes selected by means of a user'"'"'s selection input; and

in the absence of further selection input, sequentially presenting information units corresponding to a sequence of nodes beginning a second one of said plurality of nodes immediately following said first one of said plurality of nodes.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said graphic representation comprises a plurality of threads, said method further comprising the step of:

dynamically altering said graphic representation provided on said monitor in response to said user'"'"'s selection input, whereby said graphic representation comprises a dynamic, three-dimensional image of said plurality of threads.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said dynamic, three-dimensional image of said plurality of threads comprises at least one molecule having at least two of said plurality of threads.

28. An interface system for presenting on a monitor of a computer system a dynamic, graphic representation of organization of information contained in a database so as to enable a user of said database to interact with, and navigate through, said information contained in said database by interacting with said dynamic, graphic representation by selectively inputting a selection input via an input unit of said computer system, said information contained in said database being organized into at least first hierarchical level having a plurality of sublevels, said plurality of sublevels being hierarchically imbedded, each of said sublevels having one of at least one and a plurality of information units, each of said information units in all sublevels having associated therewith an identifying label, which interface system comprises:

means for reading said identifying labels of said information units for all sublevels;

means for generating, based on said identifying labels of said information units for all sublevels, a data map describing organizational relationships among said information units for all sublevels; and

means for generating a dynamic, graphic representation of said organizational relationships among said information units for all sublevels, said dynamic graphic representation comprising at least one thread having a plurality of nodes arranged in sequence.

29. The interface system according to claim 28, wherein information contained in a first information unit corresponding to a first one of said plurality of nodes selected by means of said user'"'"'s selection input is presented on said computer monitor, and wherein, in the absence of further selection input, information units corresponding to a sequence of nodes beginning with a second one of said plurality of nodes immediately following said first one of said plurality of nodes are sequentially presented on said computer monitor.

30. The interface system according to claim 29, wherein said graphic representation comprises a plurality of threads, and wherein said graphic-representation generating means dynamically alters said graphic representation provided on said monitor in response to said user'"'"'s selection input, whereby said graphic representation comprises a dynamic, three-dimensional image of said plurality of threads.

31. The interface system according to claim 30, wherein said dynamic, three-dimensional image of said plurality of threads comprises at least one molecule having at least two of said plurality of threads.

32. For use in a computer system having an information base organized into units of information, a graphical user interface generator executed by a processor comprising:

means for selecting from the information base a plurality of units of information;

means for creating a hierarchical data map representing the selected units of information;

a presentation module for reading the data map and displaying the data map in a three dimensional representation as one or more molecules, each molecule comprising a plurality of threads, each thread comprising a plurality of ordered nodes, each ordered node representing a unit of information in the information base;

first user controlled means for rotating the one or more molecules so that the one or more molecules are displayed from different perspectives; and

second user controlled means for selecting one of the plurality of ordered nodes to cause to be output the unit of information represented by said selected node.

33. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the means for selecting further comprises means for automatically selecting a plurality of units of information as a user traverses the information base.

34. The graphical user interface generator of claim 33 wherein the hierarchical data map represents a path taken by the user as the user traverses the information base.

35. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the information base is a multimedia encyclopedia.

36. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the information base is a plurality of interrelated web pages.

37. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the information base is a relational database.

38. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the hierarchical data map is stored in a memory device of the computer system.

39. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the one or more molecules are displayed on a first portion of a screen of the computer system and the unit of information represented by said selected node is simultaneously displayed on a second portion of the screen.

40. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 wherein the one or more molecules are displayed on a portion of a screen of the computer system and the unit of information represented by said selected node is simultaneously output by the computer system.

41. The graphical user interface generator of claim 32 further comprising means for visually identifying the plurality of ordered nodes selected according to the second user controlled means.

42. For use in a computer system having a processor, a memory and an information base organized into a plurality of information units, a computer-implemented graphical user interface system comprising:

a hierarchical data map stored in memory representing preselected information units of the information base;

a presentation module for reading the data map and displaying the data map in a three dimensional representation as one or more molecules, each molecule comprising a plurality of threads, each thread comprising a plurality of ordered nodes, each ordered node representing an information unit in the information base;

first user controlled means for selecting and rotating one of the one or more molecules so that the selected molecule is displayed from a different perspective; and

second user controlled means for selecting one of the plurality of ordered nodes to cause to be output the information unit represented by said selected node.

43. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the presentation modules displays a complete three-dimensional view of one of the one or more molecules.

44. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein there is a hierarchical relationship between each of the one or more molecules.

45. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the information base is a multimedia encyclopedia.

46. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the information base is a plurality of interrelated web pages.

47. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the information base is a relational database.

48. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the one or more molecules are displayed on a first portion of a screen of the computer system and the information unit represented by said selected node is simultaneously displayed on a second portion of the screen.

49. The graphical user interface system of claim 42 wherein the one or more molecules are displayed on a portion of a screen of the computer system and the information unit represented by said selected node is simultaneously output by the computer system.

50. A computer controlled method for organizing and controlling the display of information units stored in an information base, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a hierarchical data map representing preselected information units of the information base;

reading the data map;

displaying the data map to a user in a three dimensional representation as one or more molecules, each molecule comprising a plurality of threads, each thread comprising a plurality of ordered nodes, each ordered node representing an information unit in the information base;

enabling the user to select and rotate one of the one or more molecules so that the selected molecule is displayed from a different perspective; and

enabling the user to select one of the plurality of ordered nodes to cause to be output the information unit represented by said selected node.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising the initial step of creating a hierarchical data map representing preselected information units of the information base.

52. The method of claim 50 further comprising the initial steps of:

selecting from the information base a plurality of information units; and

creating a hierarchical data map representing the selected information units.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein the information base is a multimedia encyclopedia.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the information base is a plurality of web pages on the Internet.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein the information base is a relational database.