Computer graphic display visualization system and method

• US 7,530,020 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Relativity Display, LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Double Agent, Inc.
• Inventors: Szabo, Andrew J
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US11/467,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20060288023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/733, 715/738, 715/740, 715/741, 715/744, 715/745, 715/747, 715/764, 715/765, 715/853, 715/854, 715/866, 715/962, 705/14, 707/3, 707/6, 707/9, 707/10, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• 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 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

An improved human user computer interface system, providing a graphic representation of a hierarchy populated with naturally classified objects, having included therein at least one associated object having a distinct classification. Preferably, a collaborative filter is employed to define the appropriate associated object. The associated object preferably comprises a sponsored object, generating a subsidy or revenue.

Claims

1. A method of visualization of a set of objects in a computer graphic interface, comprising:

defining a hierarchy of objects, the hierarchy of objects having hierarchal relationships between a plurality of objects each having associated content, a hierarchal organization of the hierarchy of objects being related to a respective content of an object and being included within the hierarchy based on satisfaction of a set of inclusion criteria; and

supplementing the hierarchy with at least one additional object which does not satisfy the set of inclusion criteria, the at least one additional object being selectively placed within the hierarchy of objects based on an associated content of objects within the hierarchy of objects near the placement position of the at least the additional object and an associated content of the respective additional object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional object is associated with an object based on a collaborative filter.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional object comprises an advertisement.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of objects is defined based on a search query.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of objects is produced by an Internet search engine.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of objects is produced dependent on a user profile.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional object is placed in the hierarchy in a contextually appropriate position.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and subsequently a set of objects similar thereto is identified.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and the hierarchy is then transformed to place the selected object or additional object at a root node of the hierarchy.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hierarchy is represented as a set of hierarchal nodes and selective interconnections therebetween, wherein hierarchal nodes above a node containing the selected object are hidden.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and a set of objects similar to the selected object or additional object is returned based on a similarity of one or more of a nature of a product, price, quality, warranty features, and service.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of objects is defined based on a Boolean search.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one object within the hierarchy is selected based on a Boolean criteria.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchy comprises a zoomable nested nodal hierarchy.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchy comprises a predetermined taxonomy.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchy comprises an ad hoc taxonomy.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchy comprises a semantic taxonomy.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein a subset of the set of objects of the hierarchy are presented to a user.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first portion of the set of objects is populated into the hierarchy for presentation to a user, and a second portion is hidden from the user.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a user context and selecting a hierarchy for organization of the objects in dependence on the context.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional object is a commercial promotion object, subject to pay per click compensation.

22. A computer readable medium accessible by a programmable processor adapted to perform the method according to claim 1, storing at least the defined hierarchy of objects and the at least one additional object.

23. A system for visualization of a set of objects in a computer graphic interface, comprising:

a hierarchy comprising a plurality of objects which satisfy a set of inclusion criteria and a respective hierarchal organization of the plurality of objects, the plurality of objects each having associated content, a placement position of an object within the hierarchal organization being related to a content of the respective object;

at least one additional object, supplemental to the hierarchy, a placement position of the additional object within the hierarchal organization being selectively based on a relationship of content associated with respective nearby objects and a content associated with the additional object; and

an output, adapted to present the hierarchy and the at least one additional object to the user.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one additional object is associated with an object based on a collaborative filter.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one additional object comprises an advertisement.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein the set of objects is defined based on a search query.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein the set of objects is produced by an Internet search engine.

28. The system according to claim 23, wherein the set of objects is produced dependent on a user profile.

29. The system according to claim 23, wherein the additional object is associated with a contextually appropriate object within the hierarchal organization.

30. The system according to claim 23, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and subsequently a set of objects similar thereto is identified.

31. The system according to claim 23, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and the hierarchy is then transformed to place the selected object or additional object at a root node of the hierarchy.

32. The system according to claim 31, the hierarchy is represented as a set of hierarchal nodes and selective interconnections therebetween, wherein hierarchal nodes above a node containing the selected object are hidden.

33. The system according to claim 23, wherein an object or additional object is selected, and a set of objects similar to the selected object or additional object is returned based on a similarity of one or more of a nature of a product, price, quality, warranty features, and service.

34. The system according to claim 23, wherein the set of objects is defined based on a Boolean search.

35. The system according to claim 23, wherein at least one object within the hierarchy is selected based on a Boolean criteria.

36. The system according to claim 23, wherein the hierarchy comprises a zoomable nested nodal hierarchy.

37. The system according to claim 23, wherein the hierarchy comprises a predetermined taxonomy.

38. The system according to claim 23, wherein the hierarchy comprises an ad hoc taxonomy.

39. The system according to claim 23, wherein the hierarchy comprises a semantic taxonomy.

40. The system according to claim 23, wherein a subset of the set of objects of the hierarchy are presented to a user.

41. The system according to claim 23, wherein a first portion of the set of objects is populated into the hierarchy for presentation to a user, and a second portion is hidden from the user.

42. The system according to claim 23, further comprising the step of defining a user context and selecting a hierarchy for organization of the objects in dependence on the context.

43. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one additional object is a commercial promotion object, subject to pay per click compensation.