Computer system and method for controlling the same utilizing an abstraction stack with a sequence of predetermined display formats
First Claim
1. A method of presenting information from a body of knowledge to a user on a computer display, the body of knowledge stratified into a plurality of levels of abstraction and including a plurality of information elements associated with the plurality of levels of abstraction, the method comprising:
- (a) displaying an abstraction stack on the computer display in a three-dimensional workspace, the abstraction stack having associated therewith a predetermined sequence of steps, each step defining a predetermined display format for the abstraction stack, each predetermined display format specifying at least one of a position in the body of knowledge and a lens configuration for the abstraction stack, each lens configuration specifying at least one lens configured to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge;
(b) at a first predetermined step in the sequence of steps, configuring the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the first predetermined step; and
(c) in response to a transition to a second step in the sequence of steps that specifies a different lens configuration from that specified by the first step, reconfiguring the lens configuration for the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the second predetermined step.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system and method of controlling the same in which an abstraction stack is sequenced through a number of predetermined display formats to facilitate user comprehension of a body of knowledge. An abstraction stack is utilized to present information from a body of knowledge in a three-dimensional workspace to facilitate user comprehension and management of both the specific information in the body of knowledge, as well as the contextual relationships of the information within the body of knowledge as a whole. Moreover, a number of predetermined display formats are defined for the abstraction stack to permit the presentation of information to a user to be optimized throughout a sequence of predefined steps.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of presenting information from a body of knowledge to a user on a computer display, the body of knowledge stratified into a plurality of levels of abstraction and including a plurality of information elements associated with the plurality of levels of abstraction, the method comprising:
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(a) displaying an abstraction stack on the computer display in a three-dimensional workspace, the abstraction stack having associated therewith a predetermined sequence of steps, each step defining a predetermined display format for the abstraction stack, each predetermined display format specifying at least one of a position in the body of knowledge and a lens configuration for the abstraction stack, each lens configuration specifying at least one lens configured to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge;
(b) at a first predetermined step in the sequence of steps, configuring the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the first predetermined step; and
(c) in response to a transition to a second step in the sequence of steps that specifies a different lens configuration from that specified by the first step, reconfiguring the lens configuration for the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the second predetermined step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
(a) receiving user input from a second user interface component, the second user interface component configured to initiate the transition from the first predetermined step to the third predetermined step in response to user selection thereof; and
(b) prior to reconfiguring the lens configuration for the abstraction stack, displaying a previous guide band extending between the second user interface component and a primary lens specified by the third predetermined step.
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15. The method of claim 3, wherein the arrangement of lenses includes at least first and second lenses, the method further comprising respectively orienting the first and second lenses at first and second positions along an abstraction axis defined in the three-dimensional workspace.
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16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying a connector element extending between the first and second lenses.
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17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one step in the sequence of steps specifies guide information associated with the step, and wherein reconfiguring the lens configuration for the abstraction stack includes, if the second predetermined step specifies guide information, displaying in a guide lens the guide information for the second predetermined step.
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18. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined step immediately precedes the first predetermined step in the sequence of steps.
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19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined step immediately succeeds the first predetermined step in the sequence of steps.
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20. A computer system configured to present information from a body of knowledge to a user, the body of knowledge stratified into a plurality of levels of abstraction and including a plurality of information elements associated with the plurality of levels of abstraction, the computer system comprising:
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(a) a computer display; and
(b) a processor, coupled to the computer display, the processor configured to (1) display an abstraction stack on the computer display in a three-dimensional workspace, the abstraction stack having associated therewith a predetermined sequence of steps, each step defining a predetermined display format for the abstraction stack, each predetermined display format specifying at least one of a position in the body of knowledge and a lens configuration for the abstraction stack, each lens configuration specifying at least one lens configured to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge;
(2) at a first predetermined step in the sequence of steps, to configure the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the first predetermined step; and
(3) in response to a transition to a second step in the sequence of steps that specifies a different lens configuration from that specified by the first step, to reconfigure the lens configuration for the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the second predetermined step.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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21. A program product, comprising:
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(a) a program configured to perform a method of presenting information from a body of knowledge to a user on a computer display, the body of knowledge stratified into a plurality of levels of abstraction and including a plurality of information elements associated with the plurality of levels of abstraction, the method comprising;
(1) displaying an abstraction stack on the computer display in a three-dimensional workspace, the abstraction stack having associated therewith a predetermined sequence of steps, each step defining a predetermined display format for the abstraction stack, each predetermined display format specifying at least one of a position in the body of knowledge and a lens configuration for the abstraction stack, each lens configuration specifying at least one lens configured to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge;
(2) at a first predetermined step in the sequence of steps, configuring the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the first predetermined step; and
(3) in response to a transition to a second step in the sequence of steps that specifies a different lens configuration from that specified by the first step, reconfiguring the lens configuration for the abstraction stack to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge in the predetermined display format defined by the second predetermined step; and
(b) a signal bearing media bearing the program. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of creating a presentation of information from a body of knowledge, the body of knowledge stratified into a plurality of levels of abstraction and including a plurality of information elements associated with the plurality of levels of abstraction, the method comprising:
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(a) defining a sequence of steps; and
(b) for each step in the sequence of steps, defining a predetermined display format for an abstraction stack to be displayed to an end user, each predetermined display format specifying at least one of a position in the body of knowledge and a lens configuration for the abstraction stack, the lens configuration specifying at least one lens configured to display at least a portion of the body of knowledge, wherein the sequence of steps includes at least first and second steps that specify different lens configurations such that a transition between the first and second steps results in reconfiguration of the lens configuration for the abstraction stack.
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Specification