Graphical display of path through three-dimensional organization of information

• US 6,556,225 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• 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): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/451,940
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 345/848, 345/419, 345/849, 345/852, 345/850, 345/836, 345/440, 345/851, 345/854, 345/810, 345/835
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• 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

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. The method may include 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, three axes are configured on a display screen, and selectable regions are configured in the vicinity of the 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 corresponding to x-axis, y-axis and z-axis continuum labels assigned to the information unit.

Claims

1. A method of displaying 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 only if the selectable regions are selected, otherwise the selectable regions are not visible to a viewer, 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;

displaying a first information unit accessible using the computer system on the display screen in response to selection of a corresponding first selectable region, wherein said configuring of the axes and selectable regions, when selected, is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying the first information unit;

detecting selection of a second selectable region corresponding to a second information unit accessible using the computer system;

removing the first information unit from the display screen and displaying the second information unit on the display screen, wherein said configuring of the axes and selectable regions, when selected, is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying of the second information unit; and

configuring on the display screen a path indication extending between only the first selectable region and the second selectable region, when selected, and exclusive of any other of said selectable regions that are not selected.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said configuring a path indication comprises configuring a line.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said configuring a line comprises configuring a broken line.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said configuring a set of three axes comprises configuring an x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the set of coordinates assigned to the corresponding information unit comprises values of an x-axis attribute, a y-axis attribute, and a z-axis attribute.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising displaying a visible indicator when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over the x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis without actuating a button on the pointer, wherein the visible indicator characterizes the x-axis attribute, y-axis attribute or z-axis attribute, respectively.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said configuring a set of three axes comprises configuring a rectangular coordinate system.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said selection of a first or second selectable region comprises:

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

actuation of a selection actuator associated with the pointing device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a current position icon at a position of the first or second selectable region, concurrently with display of the first or second information unit, respectively, to indicate a location, with respect to the axes, of the first or second information unit.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising, approximately concurrently with said removing the first information unit, removing the current position icon from the first selectable region and replacing it with a former position icon.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the first selectable region is selected prior to selection of any other selectable regions after presentation of the graphical user interface to a viewer, and the former position icon comprises a user starting point icon.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the first selectable region is selected subsequent to selection of at least one other selectable region after presentation of the graphical user interface to a viewer, and the former position icon comprises an interim point icon.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying on the display screen a visible indicator when a pointer configured on the display screen is aligned over a selectable region without actuating a button on the pointer, wherein said visible indicator characterizes the corresponding information unit.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the information units accessible using a computer system corresponds to a single selectable region.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising 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.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said configuring a path indication further comprises configuring a path indication extending from a selectable region corresponding to a user starting point to a selectable region corresponding to a currently-displayed information unit.

17. 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 a computer system for configuring multiple selectable regions for display on the display screen only when selected, otherwise the selected regions are not visible to a viewer, 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;

a third program instructions executable on the computer system for displaying a first information unit accessible using the computer system on the display screen in response to selection of a corresponding first selectable region, wherein said configuring of the axes and selectable regions is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying the first information unit;

fourth program instructions executable on the computer system for detecting selection of a second selectable region corresponding to a second information unit accessible using the computer system;

fifth program instructions executable on the computer system for removing the first information unit from the display screen and displaying the second information unit on the display screen; and

sixth program instructions executable on the computer system for configuring on the display screen a path indication extending between only the first selectable region and the second selectable region, when selected, and exclusive of any other of said selectable regions that are not selected.

18. The carrier medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising seventh program instructions executable on the computer system for displaying a current position icon at a position of the first or second selectable region, concurrently with display of the first or second information unit, respectively, to indicate a location, with respect to the axes, of the first or second information unit.

19. The carrier medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising eighth program instructions executable on the computer system for, approximately concurrently with said removing the first information unit, removing the current position icon from the first selectable region and replacing it with a former position icon.

20. The carrier medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the carrier medium comprises a storage medium.

21. 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 only when selected, otherwise the selected regions are not visible to a viewer, 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 displaying a first information unit accessible using the computer system on the display screen in response to selection of a corresponding first selectable region, wherein said configuring of the axes and selectable regions is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying the first information unit;

a means for detecting selection of a second selectable region corresponding to a second information unit accessible using the computer system;

a means for removing the first information unit from the display screen and displaying the second information unit on the display screen, wherein said configuring of the axes and selectable regions is maintained on a portion of the display screen during said displaying of the second information unit; and

a means for configuring on the display screen a path indication extending between only the first selectable region and the second selectable region, when selected, and exclusive of any other of said selectable regions that are not selected.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, 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.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, 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.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, 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.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, 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 without actuating a button on the pointer, wherein the visible indicator characterizes the corresponding information unit.