Genealogical analysis tool

• US 6,416,325 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey J. Gross
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey J. Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rovnak, John Edmund
• Application Number:
  US09/832,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 434/154, 434/211, 434/219, 434/276, 434/365, 434/367, 434/428, 434/430
• US Class Current: 434/154
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26

Abstract

A computer program and method for displaying a family tree in 3 dimensions. A family space contains person objects representing members of a family. Data can be entered on family members by hand or read in from a database. Person objects are connected to other person objects to represent family relationships. Different axes in the family space can represent different relationships. One axis can represent siblingship, another can represent parent/child, and another can represent marriage or father/mother relationships. The space, or parts of it, can be displayed on an output device. A set of commands allows rotations, translations, zooming, etc. Selecting a particular person object can bring up historical information concerning that person and possibly a visual representation of that person.

Claims

1. A three dimensional computerized genealogical chart comprising:

a family space containing an X axis, a Y axis, a Z axis defining respectively coordinate directions consisting of an X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in said space, said family space containing a set of person objects representing members of a family, said family space and person objects stored in a computer memory;

said person objects connected as siblings in said X direction;

said person objects connected as parents/children in said Y direction;

said person objects connected by marriage in said Z direction;

a view of said family space displayed on a computer output device, said view showing said person objects and said connections between said person objects;

a set of computer commands for controlling said view on said output device according geometrical and family relationships.

2. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 wherein said set of commands includes translation along any of said coordinate directions.

3. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 wherein said set of commands includes rotation about any of said axes.

4. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 wherein said set of commands includes zooming on any of said person objects.

5. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 wherein said person objects display historical information about a person.

6. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 further comprising specific means for identification of a person object, causing said computer output device to display detailed information about a person.

7. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 6 wherein said means for specific identification of a person object contains a visual likeness of a person.

8. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 6 wherein said means for specific identification of a person object contains an aural representation or description of a person.

9. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 1 wherein said computer output device is a computer monitor.

10. A three dimensional computerized genealogical chart comprising:

means for storing a family space in a computer memory, said family space containing an X axis, a Y axis, a Z axis defining respectively coordinate directions consisting of an X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in said space, said family space also containing a set of person objects representing members of a family;

means for connecting said person objects as siblings in said X direction;

means for connecting said person objects as parents/children in said Y direction;

means for connecting said person objects by marriage in said Z direction;

means for providing a view of said family space on a computer output device, said view showing said person objects and said connections between said person objects;

means for controlling said view on said output device according geometrical and family relationships.

11. A three dimensional computerized genealogical chart comprising:

a family space containing an X axis, a Y axis, a Z axis defining respectively coordinate directions consisting of an X direction, Y direction, and Z direction in said space, said family space containing a set of person objects representing members of a family, said family space and person objects stored in a computer memory;

said person objects displaying specific identification and historical information about a person;

said person objects connected as siblings in said X direction;

said person objects connected as parents/children in said Y direction;

said person objects connected by marriage in said Z direction;

a view of said family space displayed on a computer output device, said view showing said person objects and said connections between said person objects;

a set of computer commands for controlling said view on said output device according geometrical and family relationships, said set of computer commands including commands for translation, rotation, and zooming.

12. The computerized genealogical chart as in claim 11 wherein said specific identification displayed by a person object contains a visual likeness of a person.

13. A method for displaying a family tree comprising the steps of:

entering family relation data into a computer, said computer containing a output device;

displaying on said output device geometrical shapes representing persons in said family, said geometrical shapes displaying identification information concerning a person represented;

connecting said geometrical shapes in a virtual 3-dimensional display on said computer screen where different virtual dimensions represent different family relationships;

manipulating said virtual 3-dimensional display with a predetermined set of commands to display different aspects of said family tree.

14. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein said predetermined set of commands includes rotation about any axis.

15. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein said predetermined set of commands includes translation along any axis.

16. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein said predetermined set of commands includes zooming on any of said geometrical shapes.

17. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein connections are made along an X axis between geometrical shapes representing siblings.

18. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein connections are made along a Y axis between geometrical shapes representing parents/children.

19. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 wherein connections are made along a Z axis between geometrical shapes representing marriage.

20. The method for displaying a family tree of claim 13 further comprising causing predetermined subsets of connections between geometrical objects to not be displayed.