Methods and devices for mapping data files

• US 6,775,659 B2
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fractal Edge Limited
• Original Assignee: Symtec Incorporated
• Inventors: Clifton-Bligh, Gervase
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US09/473,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20030050906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 345/733-739, 345/853-855, 707/1, 707/10, 707/100-104, 707/200, 709/216-219, 709/227-229, 709/238-245
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• 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 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method of mapping interconnections between a plurality of data files, such as files of the world wide web. The method comprises a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying a first region. Then, according to a first distance scale, displaying one or more second regions, which respectively represent one or more second files logically related to the first file, for example by hyperlinks. The second regions are spatially related in a display to the first region. In (n−1) further steps, i=2, . . . , n, the method displays according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−1)-th distance scale one or more (i+1)-th regions. Each of these (i+1)-th regions respectively represent one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and they are spatially related on a display to the i-th region representing that i-th file. The method may be implemented in software, for example in a web browser.

Claims

1. A method of mapping logical relations between a plurality of data files comprising:

(i) a step of, for a first file, defining a selectable first region in a display area and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file and being spatially related to the first region, said second regions being defined according to a first scale; and

(ii) for each i-th file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n−

1) further steps of defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th scale smaller than the (i−

1)-th scale;

(iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the files; and

(iv) in response to the received user selection of the selectable region, performing steps (i) and (ii), again using the file corresponding to said selected region as said first file.

2. The method according to claim 1 which the value of n is at least 3.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein n depends

upon any one or more of: (i) the resolution of a user'"'"'s screen, (ii) the computer resources available for creating the display, (iii) the number of files a certain number of clicks away from the first file, or (iv) an earlier selection by a user.

4. The method according to claim 1 in which, a user is able to select any file.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the shape of at least one of the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to a given i-th file is determined by a rule;

said rule being independent of i and/or the number of said (i+1)-th files.

6. The-method of claim 1 further including, defining a rule which determines whether any one of said data files is logically related to any other one of said data files.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein for a selected j-th file (where 1≦

j≦

n) represented by one of said regions, files that has a predetermined logical connection to the (j)-th file, each additional region including data indicating a significance of said respective connected file.

8. The method according to claim 7 in which the selection of one of the additional regions is equivalent to the selection of the region corresponding to the said said additional region.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined logical connection is that the data files for which additional regions are displayed are the j-th data files logically related to the same (j-1)-th data file as the selected j-th data file.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined logical connection is that the data files for which additional regions are displayed are the (j+1)-th data files logically related to the selected j-th data file.

11. The method accroding to claim 1 wherein said second regions have a size according to said first scale and said (i+l)-th regions have a size according to said i-th scale.

12. The method according to claim 1, in which the respective scales of the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to a given i-th file are the i-th scale multiplied by a value which is a function of a variable characterizing the respective (i+1)-th file.

13. The method according to claim 1, in which said scales are chosen to decrease with i according to a predetermined relation such that irrespective of n, the total area of the regions defined in the display area never exceeds a predetermined value.

14. The method according to claim 1 in which the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to an i-th file are spatially arranged relative to each other with an angular relationship determined by a rule, said rule being independent of i.

15. The method according to according to claim 1 in which the first file is a data file which corresponds to a present browser location of a user.

16. The method according to claim 15, which is performed upon the present browser location of the user changing.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one criterion is used to identify a subset of (i+1)-th regions logically related to the i-th file, the method not displaying regions for said subset of identified (i−

1)-th files.

18. The method according to claim 17 in which said at least one said criterion is that an identified file is already represented on the map, or that an identified file'"'"'s logical relationship to another data file to which it is logically related is already represented on the map.

19. The method according to claim 17 in which said at least one criterion is such that if there are more than a predetermined number M of (i+1)-th data files logically related to a given i-th file, the method displays M (i+1)-th regions, respectively representing only M of those (i+1)-th files.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein the graphical characteristics of at least one said region are in accordance with characteristics of the respective file represented by that region.

21. The method according to claim 1 in which for i=1, . . . n the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to an i-th file are spatially arranged in a two dimensional formation in relation to the i-th region for the said i-th file.

22. The method according to claim 1 wherein a constraint is imposed by a predetermined size and arrangement rule, and the (i+1)-th regions are as large as possible within a the said constraint.

23. A The method according to claim 1 wherein a user has an option of redefining the rules determining graphical characteristics of the regions and/or their size and/or their arrangement within the display area.

24. The method according to claim 1 further comprising a generating a second map, including areas respectively representing (i+1)-th regions of a a selected i-th region, said areas having relative positions corresponding to the relative positions of the (i+1)-th regions.

25. The method of claim 1 in which the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to an i-th file are arranged within the i-th region for the said i-th file.

26. The method of claim 1 in which the i-th region corresponding to an i-th file has a periphery, and in which the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to the said i-th file are arranged near the periphery of the i-th region for the said i-th file.

27. The method of claim 1 in which the i-th region corresponding to an i-th file has a centre, and in which the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to the said i-th file are arranged around the centre of the i-th region.

28. The method of claim 1 in which a number of (i+1)-th files logically are related to an i-th file, and in which the (i+1)-th regions for the (i+1)-th files logically related to the said i-th file are arranged relative to said i-th region in positions dependent upon the number of said (i+1)-th files.

29. The method of claim 1 including displaying the regions in the display area.

30. The method of claim 1 in which an overlapping display configuration exists for at least some of the (i+1)-th regions representing some of the (i+1)-th files associated with an i-th file.

31. The method according to claim 1 further comprising generating a second map in which the logical relations between the i-th files and the (i+1)-th files of the second map are different from the logical relations between the i-th files and the (i+1)-th files of the first map.

32. The method of claim 31 in which the logical relations between the files of the second map represent an inverse of the logical relations between the files of the first map.

33. The method of claim 1 in which the selection of a region causes the file represented by the region to be opened.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein said (i+1)-th regions respectively represent one or more (i+1)-th files that are heirarchically dominant or subordinate to the i-th file, such that regions corresponding to dominant and subordinate files are concurrently selectable.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing a scale associated with the selected region when performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to the selected region as the first file.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein changing the scale comprises increasing the scale associated with the selected region.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising sizing the selected region as the largest of the regions when performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to the selected region as the first file.

38. A method of mapping logical relations between a plurality of segments of one or more data files, comprising:

(i) a step of, for a first segment, defining a first selectable region in a display area and one or more second regions, which respectively represent one or more second segments logically related to the first segment, and which are spatially related to the first region, the said second regions being defined according to a first scale;

(ii) for each i-th portion of the file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n+1) further steps of defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, which respectively represent one or more (i+1)-th segments which are logically related to the i-th segment, and which are spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th segment, said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th scale smaller that the (i−

1)-th scale

(iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the segments; and

(iv) in response to the user selection of the selectable display region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using said selected segment as said first segment.

39. A device comprising a display means having a display area on which a map of logical relations between a plurality of data files is displayed, the map being generated by:

(i) a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying defining a selectable first region in a display area and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file and being spatially related to the first region, sizes of said second regions being defined according to a first distance scale; and

(ii) for each i-th file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n-1) further steps of displaying defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the sizes of said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−

1)-th distance scale;

(iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the files; and

(iv) in response to the received user selection of the selectable region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to said selected region as said first file.

40. A device according to claim 39 in which the display area is on a portable device.

41. A device according to claim 39 in which the display area is on a mobile telephone.

42. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for displaying logical relations between a plurality of data files, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

(i) a step of, for a first file, in a display area displaying defining a selectable first region in a display area and one or more second regions, said second regions respectively representing one or more second files logically related to the first file and being spatially related to the first region, sizes of said second regions being defined according to a first distance scale; and

(ii) for each i-th file, where i=2, . . . , n, (n−

1) further steps of displaying defining one or more selectable (i+1)-th regions, said (i+1)-th regions respectively representing one or more (i+1)-th files which are logically related to the i-th file, and being spatially related to the i-th region representing that i-th file, the sizes of said (i+1)-th regions being defined according to an i-th distance scale smaller than the (i−

1)-th distance scale;

(iii) enabling and receiving user selection of one of the selectable regions- defined in the display area and corresponding to one of the files; and

(iv) in response to the received user selection of the selectable region, performing steps (i) and (ii) again using the file corresponding to said selected region as said first file.