Graphical user interface with circumferentially displayed search results

• US 7,992,102 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IICR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Incandescent, Inc.
• Inventors: De Angelo, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/833,861
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 715/804, 715/834, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method and system for processing user information are described. A graphical user interface is provided to include a display region, a first bounded region circumferentially surrounding the display region, and a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region. The first bounded region may include one or more first-type graphical user interface elements with each of the first-type graphical user interface elements selectively mapped to one or more first-type display data. The second bounded region may include one or more second-type graphical user interface elements with each of the second-type graphical user interface elements selectively mapped to one or more second-type display data. A user input is received using the graphical user interface, and a result is generated based at least on a user activation of at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including

a display region operable to display a generated result;

a first bounded region circumferentially surrounding the display region, the first bounded region including one or more first-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more first-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more first-type display data; and

a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region, the second bounded region including one or more second-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more second-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more second-type display data; and

receiving a user input through the graphical user interface, wherein the generated result is based at least on the user input corresponding to a user activation of at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements;

wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises

configuring the first bounded region to include a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second bounded region comprises a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

configuring the first bounded region to provide a granularity of categories associated with the first bounded region that is one of greater than or less than the second bounded region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises configuring the one or more first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements to selectively map to the first-type display data and the second-type display data so that the first-type display data are related to the second-type display data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein configuring the one or more first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements further comprises selectively mapping the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements to the first-type and second-type display data so that the second-type display data include subcategories of the first-type display data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein configuring the one or more first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements further comprises selectively mapping the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements to the first-type and second-type display data so that the first-type display data includes subcategories of the second-type display data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises providing a plurality of bounded regions, including a third bounded region circumferentially surrounding the second bounded region, the third bounded region including one or more third-type graphical user interface elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the plurality of bounded regions further comprises providing a visual label characterizing the selectively mapped first-type and second-type display data with the first-type, second-type, and third-type graphical user interface elements.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the plurality of bounded regions further comprises altering an appearance of each of the first-type, second-type, and third-type graphical user interface elements in response to a user activation of one or more of the first-type, second-type, and third-type graphical user interface elements.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the plurality of bounded regions further comprises selecting the first-type, second-type and third-type graphical user interface elements based on a selected input data selected from a list consisting of a time, a date, a duration, a scale, a location, a scale of space, a span, and subject topologies of websites or databases.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises configuring the first bounded region to rotate around a central axis in response to an activation of one of the first-type graphical user interface elements in the first bounded region, and configuring the second bounded region to rotate around the central axis in response to an activation of one of the second-type graphical user interface elements in the second bounded region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises providing one or more external graphical user interface elements located external to the first and second bounded regions, wherein the generated result is further based on an activation of the one or more external graphical user interface elements.

11. The method of claim 1, further providing a password controlled security system to control user access to the one or more first-type, second type, third-type and external graphical user interface elements.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

providing a plurality of user selectable subset selectors operably connected to at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements, the subset selectors including a first subset selector and a second subset selector;

wherein the first and second subset selectors are operable to cycle through at least one of the first-type and second-type display data to allow a user selection of at least one desired first-type or second-type display data; and

wherein the user selection of the at least one desired first-type or second-type display data causes at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements to display a new label based on the selected first-type or second-type display data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the plurality of user selectable subset selectors further comprises

configuring the first subset selector to cycle through the first-type and second-type display data in a first predetermined increment, and the second subset selector to cycle through the first-type and second-type display data in a second predetermined increment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

configuring a third subset selector to cycle through the first-type and second-type display data in a third predetermined increment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein configuring the first, second and third subset selectors further comprises

configuring two or more of the first, second, and third subset selectors to operate in combination to select a desired set of display data.

16. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including

a first bounded region including a plurality of first-type user interface elements,

a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region, the second bounded region including a plurality of second-type user interface elements,

a first set of labels displayed on the plurality of first-type user interface elements, and

a second set of labels displayed on the plurality of second-type user interface elements, wherein the first and second sets of labels are related in a hierarchy; and

receiving a user input through the graphical user interface;

wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises

configuring the first bounded region to include a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second bounded region comprises a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

configuring the first bounded region to provide a granularity of categories associated with the first bounded region that is one of greater than or less than the second bounded region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises configuring the first and second bounded regions to include cascaded concentric rings of a geometric shape.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

providing a plurality or user selectable subset selectors including a first subset selector and a second subset selector, the first and second subset selectors operable to cycle through a plurality of sets of display data,

wherein a user selection of a set of display data from the plurality of sets of display data causes at least one of the first and second sets of labels to change based on the selected set of display data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of subset selectors further comprises

configuring the first subset selector to cycle through the plurality of sets of display data in a first predetermined increment, and

configuring the second subset selector to cycle through the plurality of sets of display data in a second predetermined increment.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the plurality of subset selectors further comprises

configuring the first subset selector the plurality of sets of display data to selectively map to data selected from a pool of available display data based on instructions for assigning a relevance ranking to the pool of display data.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

providing a third subset selector to cycle through the plurality of sets of display data in a third predetermined increment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

determining the relevance ranking based on a feedback mechanism to determine a frequency of each of the plurality of data files being selected.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

determining the relevance ranking based on an expert or a celebrity.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

determining the relevance ranking based on a reference to a locale, a time, a time period, or an external condition.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

configuring two or more of the first, second, and third subset selectors to operate in combination to select a desired set of display data.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

determining the relevance ranking based on a chronological order of entry of the first-type and second-type data files into the pool of available data files.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

determining the relevance ranking based on a random selection from the pool of available data files.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the graphical user interface further comprises

configuring the first and second sets of labels to include information to identify data files associated with the first-type and second-type user interface elements.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein configuring the first and second sets of labels further comprises

including an advertisement with the first and second sets of labels.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein configuring the first and second sets of labels further comprises

including an email address with the first and second sets of labels.

31. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including

a display region operable to display a plurality of target data including first target data and second target data,

a first bounded region circumferentially surrounding the display region, the first bounded region including one or more first-type graphical user interface elements selectively mapped to first position data,

a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region, the second bounded region including one or more second-type graphical user interface elements selectively mapped to second position data,

a first target indicator representing a visual representation of the first target data,

a second target indicator representing a visual representation of the second target data, and

wherein the first and second position data represent a scale of logical or physical position information;

wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises

configuring the first bounded region to include a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second bounded region comprises a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

configuring the first bounded region to provide a granularity of categories associated with the first bounded region that is one of greater than or less than the second bounded region.

32. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including

a center display,

a first display region circumferentially surrounding the center display, the first display region including a plurality of first-type graphical user interface elements,

a second display region circumferentially surrounding the first display region, the second display region including a plurality of second- type graphical user interface elements, and

a plurality of labels, wherein each label represents one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements;

wherein the first display region includes a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second display region includes a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

wherein the first display region is configured to provide a granularity of categories associated with the first display region that is one of greater than or less than the second display region;

receiving a user input via a user selection of one of the first-type graphical user interface elements;

based on the received user input, selectively mapping the second-type graphical user interface elements to a plurality of second-type data files, wherein the second-type data files represent a subset of a first-type data file mapped to the selected first-type graphical user interface element; and

based on the mapped second-type data files, populating each of the labels representing the second-type graphical user interface elements.

33. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instruction, the instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to:

provide a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including

a display region operable to display a generated result;

a first bounded region circumferentially surrounding the display region, the first bounded region including or more first-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more first-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more first-type display data; and

a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region, the second bounded region including one or more second-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more second-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more second-type display data; and

receive a user input through the graphical user interface, wherein the generated result is based at least on the user input corresponding to a user activation of at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements;

wherein to provide the graphical user interface further causes the processor to

configure the first bounded region to include a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second bounded region comprises a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

configure the first bounded region to provide granularity of categories associated with the first bounded region that is one of greater than or less than the second bounded region.

34. A system, comprising:

a user interface device; and

a computer operable to interact with the user interface device and provide a graphical user interface to the user interface device,

the graphical user interface includes

a display region operable to display a generated result;

a first bounded region circumferentially surrounding the display region, the first bounded region including one or more first-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more first-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more first-type display data; and

a second bounded region circumferentially surrounding the first bounded region, the second bounded region including one or more second-type graphical user interface elements, wherein the one or more second-type graphical user interface elements are selectively mapped to one or more second-type display data; and

wherein the computer receives a user input at the user interface device through the graphical user interface,

wherein the generated result is based at least on the user input corresponding to a user activation of at least one of the first-type and second-type graphical user interface elements;

wherein when the computer provides the graphical user interface to the user interface device, the computer further

configures the first bounded region to include a first concentric ring of one or more first shapes, and the second bounded region comprises a second concentric ring of one or more second shapes; and

configures the first bounded region to provide a granularity of categories associated with the first bounded region that is one of greater than or less than the second bounded region.