GUI for subject matter navigation using maps and search terms

• US 7,610,185 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Quintura Inc.
• Inventors: Ershov, Alexander V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Application Number:
  US11/957,281
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 706/12, 706/20, 709/221, 715/853, 715/854
• US Class Current: 703/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for navigating categorized information, including (a) a two-dimensional map displayed to a user on a screen, the map showing search terms relating to a subject matter, where the display of the search terms corresponds to relationship between the terms, and wherein a manner of display of the terms corresponds to their relative importance to the subject matter; and (b) a neural network underlying the map, wherein the manner of display and a selection of the search terms is derived from the neural network. The manner of display includes font color, font size, font transparency, distance between search terms and positioning of the search terms within the map. Positioning of a cursor over one of the search terms rearranges the search terms on the map to correspond to an increased relevance of the one of the search terms, while the cursor is over the one of the search terms. Clicking on the one of the search terms corresponds to navigating into a sub-subject matter of the one of the search terms.

Claims

1. A system for navigating categorized information, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled the processor;

computer code loaded into the memory for performing the functions of;

displaying a two-dimensional map to a user, the map showing search terms relating to a subject matter, where a position of each search term corresponds to relationships between all the search terms;

dynamically changing a display of the terms and a position of the search terms relative to each other based on user input into the map, the display corresponding to relative importance of the search terms to the subject matter;

changing a context of a search and selecting a different branch of a taxonomic tree in response to a user input to select one of the search terms to display different search results based on a combination of different branches;

displayed separately from the map, a plurality of hyperlinks corresponding to the different search results;

a neural network underlying the map, wherein the display, the position of the search terms on the map and a selection of the displayed search terms are derived from the neural network, and

displaying to the user additional search terms derived from the search results by the neural network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the neural network is a bidirectional neural network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein positioning of a cursor over one of the search terms rearranges the search terms on the map to correspond to an increased relevance of that search term, while the cursor is over that search term.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein clicking on that search term corresponds to navigating into a sub-subject matter of that search term.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein clicking on that search term rearranges the map to increase importance of the selected search term in the search query.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein clicking on an icon next to one of the search terms rearranges the map to decrease importance of the selected search term in the search query.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein clicking on an icon next to one of the search terms rearranges the map corresponding to adding a Boolean “

NOT”

operator for the selected displayed search term in the search query.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein, the display includes any of font color, font size, font transparency, distance between search terms and positioning of the search terms within the map relative to each other.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein at least some of the search terms correspond to different branches of the taxonomic tree.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein selecting a different branch of the taxonomic tree is performed without moving upwards in the taxonomic tree.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the display of the search terms and position of the search terms relative to each other is changed dynamically.

12. A computer-implemented method for navigating categorized information, the method being performed on a computer having a processor and a memory, the method comprising:

displaying a two-dimensional map to a user, the map showing search terms relating to a subject matter, where a position of each search term corresponds to relationships between all the search terms;

dynamically changing a display of the terms and a position of the search terms relative to each other based on user input into the map, the display corresponding to relative importance of the search terms to the subject matter;

in response to input from a user, changing a context of a search and selecting a different branch of a taxonomic tree when the user selects one of the search terms to select different search results based on a combination of different branches;

separately from the map, displaying a plurality of hyperlink results;

deriving the display of the search terms, the position of the search terms on the map and a selection of the displayed search terms from a neural network that underlies the map; and

displaying to the user additional search terms derived from the search results by the neural network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the neural network is a bidirectional neural network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein positioning of a cursor over one of the search terms rearranges the search terms on the map to correspond to an increased relevance of that search term, while the cursor is over that search term.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein clicking on that search term corresponds to navigating into a sub-subject matter of that search term.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein clicking on that search term rearranges the map to increase importance of the selected search term in the search query.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein clicking on an icon next to one of the search terms rearranges the map to decrease importance of the selected search term in the search query.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein clicking on an icon next to one of the search terms rearranges the map corresponding to adding a Boolean “

NOT”

operator for the selected displayed search term in the search query.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the map is pre-made for the particular search query.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein a projection of the neural network onto the map is rearranged in response to user input into the map.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for executing on at least one processor, the computer program logic comprising computer program code for implementing the following steps:

displaying a two-dimensional map to a user, the map showing search terms relating to a subject matter, where a position of each search term corresponds to relationships between all the search terms;

dynamically changing a display of the terms and a position of the search terms relative to each other based on user input into the map, the display corresponding to relative importance of the search terms to the subject matter;

changing a context of a search and selecting a different branch of a taxonomic tree in response to a user input to select one of the search terms to display different search results based on a combination of different branches;

displayed separately from the map, a plurality of hyperlinks corresponding to the different search results; and

a neural network underlying the map, wherein the display the position of the search terms on the map and a selection of the displayed search terms are derived from the neural network, and

displaying to the user additional search terms derived from the search results by the neural network.