Method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure

• US 7,120,646 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Original Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Inventors: Streepy, Larry V. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/829,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/3, 707/7, 707/10, 705/3, 705/2, 715/713
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• 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: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure by selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object, displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, and displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, one or more third images are displayed generally below the first image, and a second connector is displayed connecting each third image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, one or more fourth images are displayed generally on one or both sides of the first image, and a third connector is displayed connecting each fourth image to the first image.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure comprising:

a computer;

a display communicably connected to the computer;

a memory communicably connected to the computer for storing the multi-level data structure;

a computer program resident on the computer for;

selecting a health language concept object stored in the multi-level data structure;

displaying a first image in a first window comprising an alphanumeric string representing the selected health language concept object on the display;

displaying one or more second images on the display and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from a central region of the first image, each second image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a parent health language concept object of the selected health language concept object and displaying a first symbol on the display along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

if the selected health language concept object has one or more child health language concept objects, displaying one or more third images on the display and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from the central region of the first image, each third image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a child health language concept object of the selected health language concept object and displaying a second symbol on the display along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

if the selected health language concept object has one or more lateral health language concept objects, displaying one or more fourth images on the display and along one or more respective geometrical rays originating from a central region of the first image, each fourth image comprising an alphanumeric string representing a lateral health language concept object of the selected health language concept object and displaying a third symbol on the display along each respective geometrical ray originating from the central region of the first image;

positioning all second, third, and fourth images in locations around the first image such that the first image comprises a geometrical center in the first window relative to all symbols on the display;

displaying an editable text list in a second window in response to objects selected in the first window, the text list comprising information relating to at least one of a selected health language concept object, parent health language concept object, child health language concept object, and a lateral health language concept object; and

displaying one or more attributes of the selected health language concept object in a first viewing area on the display, wherein the attributes comprise at least one of a billing code and a medical code;

receiving input for one of modifying, removing, and creating relationships between health language concept objects.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer program:

selects a new health language concept object from one of the selected health language concept object, the one or more parent health language concept objects, one or more children health language concept objects, and one or more lateral health language concept objects;

displays a fifth image on the display comprising the selected new health language concept object;

displays one or more sixth images on the display, each sixth image comprising a parent health language concept object of the selected new health language concept object;

displays a fourth symbol on the display illustrating an association between each sixth image and the fifth image;

if the selected new health language concept object has one or more child health language concept objects, displays one or more seventh images on the display, each seventh image comprising a child health language concept object of the selected new health language concept object, and displays a fifth symbol on the display illustrating an association between each seventh image and the fifth image; and

if the selected health language new concept object has one or more lateral health language concept objects, displays one or more eighth image comprising a lateral health language concept object of the selected new health language concept object, and displays a sixth symbol on the display illustrating an association between each eighth image and the fifth image.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images comprise text strings and wherein the first image is highlighted.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer program displays the first, second, third and fourth images, and the first, second and third symbols within a second viewing area on the display.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein the computer program displays one or more terms associated with the selected health language concept object in a third viewing area on the display.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein the computer program displays a work area for temporarily storing terms in a fourth viewing area on the display.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the computer program:

selects either a microglossary panel, a term facet panel, a relations facet panel or a term phrase editor panel; and

displays the selected panel in a second viewing area on the display.