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

• US 6,556,226 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• 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:
  US09/952,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/744, 345/746, 345/747, 345/762, 345/764, 345/765, 345/781, 345/782, 345/836, 345/848-854, 345/968, 345/419, 345/440, 707/1-5, 707/10, 707/100, 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:

mapping content representative of at least one topic on the display as a multidimensional 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 vector 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 1, 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, including the step of utilizing a user position to map content representative of the topic in a field of relevance on the display.

7. 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 a field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner and navigating to a topic in the field of relevance in a multi-dimensional manner.

8. 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 a field of relevance on a plurality of projection surfaces on the display.

9. A method for displaying information on a display as recited in claim 8, 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.

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

code for mapping content representative of at least one topic on the display as a multidimensional topic space;

code for assigning a vector to one or more of the topics;

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

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

11. 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 10, wherein at least one topic results in a dynamic mapping of a view of the content associated with one or more of the topics.

12. 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 11, wherein a topic influences display of the information.

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 10, wherein content influences a view exposing additional detail pertaining to the content on the display.

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 10, 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.