Arrangement of information to allow three-dimensional navigation through information displays with indication of intended starting point

• US 6,501,469 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: MacPhail, Margaret Gardner
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US09/451,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/348, 345/349, 345/339, 345/340, 345/581, 345/764, 345/810, 345/836, 345/846, 345/440, 707/517
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method of configuring information for display includes assigning continuum labels to pieces of information, or information units, accessible by a computer system. The continuum labels may be used in arranging the information units into ordered sequences, or continuum arrangements. Criteria for ordering of the information units within the continuum arrangement may include, for example, the level of detail of the subject matter of the information units or the degree to which the subject matter of an information unit is related to that of a reference information unit. Formation of continuum arrangements may be done by entering data into a data structure or rules database, or by a method of using a graphical user interface to establish sequences of icons representing information units.

Forming continuum arrangements to configure information may allow display of the information in a form allowing rapid, convenient viewer access to desired pieces of information. In a method of displaying information, a set of three axes is configured on a display screen, and selectable regions are configured in the vicinity of the set of axes, where each selectable region corresponds to an information unit. The position of the selectable region corresponding to an information unit is determined by a set of coordinates proportional to values of x-axis, y-axis and z-axis attributes corresponding to x-axis, y-axis and z-axis continuum labels assigned to the information unit. Selection of one of the selectable regions by a viewer of the display screen causes the corresponding information unit to be displayed on the display screen.

Claims

1. A method of configuring information, comprising:

assigning labels including an x-axis continuum label, a y-axis continuum label and a z-axis continuum label to each of multiple information units accessible using a computer system;

assigning a starting point label to at least one of the multiple information units, wherein a value of an attribute corresponding to the starting point label indicates whether the corresponding information unit is intended as a starting point for viewing the information; and

wherein a value of an attribute corresponding to the z-axis continuum label indicates a level of relatedness of a corresponding information unit to a reference information unit.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a value of an attribute corresponding to the x-axis continuum label indicates a position of a corresponding information unit within a sequence of closely-related information units.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a value of an attribute corresponding to the y-axis continuum label indicates a level of detail of a subject matter of a corresponding information unit.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference unit is within a sequence of closely-related information units, and wherein the sequence is established to be of particular importance within the information.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the sequence is established to be of particular importance by an organizer of the information.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the sequence is established to be of particular importance using input from a viewer of the information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assigning labels comprises setting a policy for assignment of a label to each of the multiple information units, wherein the policy is adapted for at least one of the multiple information units to be created after said setting a policy.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said setting a policy comprises entering rules into a rules database, wherein said rules characterize collection of the at least one of the multiple information units in response to an instruction for display of the at least one information unit, and wherein said rules are adapted for the instruction for display to occur after said entering rules.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assigning labels comprises describing an attribute of an information unit and a value of the attribute.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the x-axis continuum label describes a sequence attribute and a value of the sequence attribute for the corresponding information unit;

the y-axis continuum label describes a specificity attribute and a value of the specificity attribute for the corresponding information unit; and

the z-axis label describes a relatedness attribute and a value of the relatedness attribute for the corresponding information unit with respect to a reference information unit.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the reference unit is within a sequence of closely-related information units;

the sequence is established to be of particular importance within the information; and

the reference information unit is associated with values of the sequence attribute and specificity attribute which are identical to those associated with the corresponding information unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the multiple information units is associated with a unique combination of values of the sequence attribute, specificity attribute, and relatedness attribute.

13. A method of displaying computer-based information using a graphical user interface, comprising:

configuring a set of three axes on a display screen associated with a computer system;

configuring multiple selectable regions on the display screen in the vicinity of the axes, wherein each of the selectable regions corresponds to an information unit accessible by the computer system, wherein the graphical user interface is adapted for selection of one of the selectable regions to cause a corresponding information unit to be displayed on the display screen, and wherein a position of each of the selectable regions with respect to the three axes is determined by a set of coordinates assigned to the corresponding information unit; and

configuring an intended starting point icon at the position of a selectable region corresponding to an information unit designated as an intended starting point as indicated by a value of an attribute corresponding to a starting point label associated with the information unit.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said configuring a set of three axes comprises configuring an x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the set of coordinates assigned to the corresponding information unit comprises numbers proportional to values of an x-axis attribute, a y-axis attribute, and a z-axis attribute.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising displaying a visual indicator when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over the x-axis, y-axis or z-axis, wherein the visual indicator characterizes the x-axis attribute, y-axis attribute or z-axis attribute, respectively.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said configuring a set of three axes comprises configuring a rectangular coordinate system.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said selection of a selectable region comprises:

manipulation of a pointing device to align a pointer configured on the display screen over the selectable region; and

actuation of a selection actuator associated with the pointing device.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising displaying one of the information units accessible by the computer system on the display screen in response to selection of a corresponding selectable region, wherein said configuring of the axes, selectable regions and intended starting point icon is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying one of the information units.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising displaying a current position icon at the position of the corresponding selectable region to indicate a location, with respect to the axes, of the displayed information unit.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising displaying a visual indicator when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over a selectable region, wherein said visual indicator characterizes the corresponding information unit.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the information units accessible by a computer system corresponds to a single selectable region.

23. A computer-usable carrier medium, comprising:

first program instructions drawn from the carrier medium comprising a storage medium and executable on a computer system for receiving entry of an x-axis continuum label, a y-axis continuum label and a z-axis continuum label for assignment to each of multiple information units accessible by the computer system; and

second program instructions drawn from the carrier medium comprising a storage medium and executable on the computer system for receiving entry of a starting point label for assignment to at least one of the multiple information units, wherein a value of an attribute corresponding to the starting point label indicates whether the corresponding information unit is intended as a starting point for viewing the computer-based information.

24. A computer-usable carrier medium, comprising:

first program instructions executable on a computer system for configuring a set of three axes on a display screen associated with the computer system;

second program instructions executable on the computer system for configuring multiple selectable regions on the display screen in the vicinity of the axes, wherein each of the selectable regions corresponds to an information unit accessible by the computer system, wherein the second program instructions are adapted for selection of one of the selectable regions to cause a corresponding information unit to be displayed on the display screen, and wherein a position of each of the selectable regions with respect to the three axes is determined by a set of coordinates assigned to the corresponding information unit; and

third program instructions executable on the computer system for configuring an intended starting point icon at the position of a selectable region corresponding to an information unit designated as an intended starting point as indicated by a value of an attribute corresponding to a starting point label associated with the information unit.

25. The carrier medium as recited in claim 24, further comprising fourth program instructions executable on the computer system for displaying one of the information units accessible by the computer system on the display screen in response to selection of a corresponding selectable region, wherein said configuring of the axes, selectable regions and intended starting point icon is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying one of the information units.

26. The carrier medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising fifth program instructions executable on the computer system for displaying a current position icon at the position of the corresponding selectable region to indicate a location, with respect to the axes, of the displayed information unit.

27. The carrier medium as recited in claim 24, further comprising fourth program instructions executable on the computer system for displaying a visual indicator when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over a selectable region, wherein said visual indicator characterizes the corresponding information unit.

28. A computer-usable carrier medium, comprising a data structure which relates information units accessible by a computer system to an x-axis continuum label, a y-axis continuum label, a z-axis continuum label and a starting point label.

29. An information-handling system, comprising:

a display screen adapted for communication with a computer system;

a means for configuring a set of three axes on the display screen;

a means for configuring multiple selectable regions on the display screen in the vicinity of the axes, wherein each of the selectable regions corresponds to an information unit accessible by the computer system, and wherein a position of each of the selectable regions with respect to the three axes is determined by a set of coordinates assigned to the corresponding information unit;

a means for causing the corresponding information unit to be displayed on the display screen in response to selection of one of the selectable regions; and

a means for configuring an intended starting point icon at the position of a selectable region corresponding to an information unit designated as an intended starting point, as indicated by a value of an attribute corresponding to a starting point label associated with the designated information unit.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said means for configuring multiple selectable regions comprises a display controller within the computer system, and wherein the display controller is adapted to receive the set of coordinates assigned to an information unit.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, further comprising a storage medium operably coupled to the display controller, wherein the storage medium is adapted for storage of values of an x-axis attribute, a y-axis attribute and a z-axis attribute for each of the multiple information units, and wherein the set of coordinates comprises numbers proportional to the values of the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis attributes.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein said storage medium is further adapted for storage of a value of a starting point attribute for at least one of the multiple information units.

33. The system as recited in claim 29, further comprising a means for displaying a current position icon at the position of a selectable region corresponding to a displayed information unit, to indicate a location with respect to the axes of the displayed information unit.

34. The system as recited in claim 29, further comprising a means for displaying a visible indicator on the display screen when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over a selectable region, wherein the visible indicator characterizes the corresponding information unit.