Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for displaying content in a multi-dimensional topic space

• US 6,326,988 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Gould, Eric J., Strickland, Rachel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/328,051
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 345/334, 345/335, 345/339, 345/340, 345/355, 345/356, 345/357, 345/968, 345/419, 345/440, 345/700, 345/744, 345/746-747, 345/762, 345/764-765, 345/781-782, 345/836, 345/848-854, 707/1-5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 715/850
• 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 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A computer system utilizing software to map content by determining a field of relevance and at least one topic in the field of relevance is presented. The system determines at least one content pertaining to the topic, retrieves a representation of the content and maps the representation of the content onto the field of relevance. Then, it provides an extremely flexible presentation mechanism where the content is organized by multi-dimensional mappings to present the information effectively. One of the features allows a vector to be assigned to each entity, queries a user or software agent for a particular focal element and displays the multiplicity of distinguishable entities based upon the assigned vectors utilizing the focal vector as a reference point to view the information. The system facilitates the organization of results of database interrogations, web searches and other large data situations, creating a multi-dimensional topic space of content. The invention represents a novel, unique approach that matches nicely with the requirements of the Internet to efficiently examine the results from search engines in an efficient manner.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display, comprising:

determining at least one topic;

retrieving at least one content associated with the topic;

mapping the content representative of the topic on the display as a multi-dimensional topic space;

assigning a vector to one or more of the topics;

determining a focal point based on one or more of the topics; and

displaying content pertaining to the topics based upon the vectors as the vector correlates with the focal point.

2. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 8, wherein a user action results in a dynamic mapping of a view of the content.

3. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 2, wherein a topic influences the display of the information.

4. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, wherein content influences the view to expose additional detail pertaining to the display of information.

5. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, wherein a field of relevance includes detecting a change of the field of relevance to provide display of information pertaining to the field of relevance based on the change.

6. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, wherein mapping the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance, includes the steps of:

determining relative salience of the content;

calculating a spatial location for the content based upon the relative salience of the content; and

displaying the content at the spatial location of the content.

7. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, wherein the user indicia is supplied by positioning a cursor.

8. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, including the step of utilizing a user position to map the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on the display.

9. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, including the step of mapping the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner and navigating to a topic in the field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner.

10. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 1, including the step of mapping the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces on the display.

11. A method for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 10, including the step of mapping the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces of a polyhedron on a display.

12. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display, comprising:

code that determines at least one topic;

code that retrieves at least one content associated with the topic;

code that maps the content representative of the topic on the display as a

multi-dimensional topic space;

code that assigns a vector to one or more of the topics;

code that selects a focal vector based on one or more of the topics; and

code that displays content pertaining to the topics based upon the vectors as the vector correlates with the focal vector.

13. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one topic results in a dynamic mapping of a view of the content.

14. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 13, wherein a topic influences display of the information.

15. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, wherein content influences a view exposing additional detail pertaining to the content on the display.

16. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, wherein a field of relevance includes detecting a change of the field of relevance and displaying information pertaining to the field of relevance based on the change.

17. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, wherein mapping the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on the display in a manner centering attention on the content, includes:

code that determines relative salience of the content;

code that calculates a spatial location for the content based upon the relative salience of the content; and

code that displays the content at the spatial location of the content.

18. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, wherein the user indicia is supplied by positioning a cursor and selecting the area on the display.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, including code that utilizes a position to map the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on the display and code that displays a field of relevance on the display.

20. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, including code that maps the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner and displays the topic in the field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner.

21. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, including code that maps the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces on the display, displays the topic in the field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces and presents the information in the field of relevance utilizing multimedia presentation techniques.

22. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display as recited in claim 12, including code that maps the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces of a polyhedron on the display and code that traverses the polyhedron to display the topic in the field of relevance.

23. An apparatus for displaying information in a multi-dimensional topic space on a display, comprising:

a processor with an attached memory;

a display coupled to the processor that displays information;

logic that determines at least one topic in the relevant field;

logic that retrieves content representative of the topic;

logic that maps the content representative of the topic in the field of relevance on the display to form a multi-dimensional topic space;

logic that assigns a vector to one or more of the topics;

logic that selects a focal vector based on one or more of the topics; and

logic that displays content pertaining to the topics based upon the vectors as the vector correlates with the focal vector.