×

Method and apparatus for graphically representing portions of the world wide web

  • US 6,070,176 A
  • Filed: 01/30/1997
  • Issued: 05/30/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A computer-implemented method of representing data, the method comprising the steps of:

  • receiving results of a first search of data distributed among a plurality of computers on a network, the results corresponding to user-provided search criteria, the results including a plurality of sets of data;

    automatically refining said results of the first search based on relevance of each of the sets of data to the user-provided search criteria by performing a content examination of said results;

    generating a ranking of the plurality of sets of data based on results of said refining;

    generating a map of the sets of data, the map for visually indicating the ranking, wherein the map includes a plurality of objects, each of the objects representing one of the data sets; and

    causing the map to be displayed on a display device, the map having a three-dimensional appearance, such that the ranking is indicated by the apparent relative positioning of the objects in three dimensions.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×