Poly vectoral reverse navigation

• US 8,577,932 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Blue Dolphin Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Gould, Eric Justin, Buckmaster, Janna, Wilkens, Todd, Trisnadi, Paulus W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US13/111,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/716, 707/726, 707/782, 707/786, 707/793, 707/796, 707/797, 707/798, 707/800, 707/802, 707/805, 707/821, 707/956, 707/999.1, 707/999.101, 707/999.107, 707/803, 707/815, 707/829, 715/205, 715/273, 715/700, 715/713, 715/853, 715/854
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

This invention includes a method of navigating a collection of nodes by selecting a first node, generating a context list and displaying first node and context list. Each context of the context collection includes a second node essentially referencing the first node. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of generating an address from a collection of contexts containing steps of receiving a selected attribute collection and generating the address. Each context includes a resolution address and an attribute collection. Each of the attribute collections contains at least one attribute. Whenever the attribute collection of a first context of the context collection is essentially the same as the selected attribute collection, the resolution address of the first context is selected as the generated address. Another aspect of the invention includes a method of navigating a hypergraph. The hypergraph includes at least one context list. Each context list contains at least one context. Each context includes a node. The method includes steps of selecting a first context list of the context lists, selecting a first context of the first context list, and displaying the node of the first context of the first context list. Aspects of this invention include computer programs implemented on computer readable media, situated both local to a user and in client-server configurations.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a computer system receiving, via a computer-based interface, input selecting a first child node of a plurality of nodes in a computer-accessible information hierarchy, wherein the first child node is a child node to a plurality of parent nodes, and wherein the information hierarchy includes a data path that forms a cycle beginning and ending at the first child node;

responsive to the input selecting the first child node, the computer system causing a first visual representation to be presented on a display, wherein the first visual representation identifies all references in the information hierarchy that are references between the plurality of parent nodes and the first child node, including at least two references to the first child node;

the computer system receiving, via the computer-based interface, input selecting a first reference of the at least two references to the first child node, wherein the selected first reference corresponds to a particular parent node in the information hierarchy that is one of the plurality of parent nodes of the first child node; and

responsive to the input selecting the first reference, the computer system causing the display to directly navigate from the first visual representation to a second visual representation corresponding to the particular parent node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first visual representation identifies all nodes within the information hierarchy that reference the first child node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein nodes are a basic unit of data within the information hierarchy, and wherein the computer-based interface is web-based.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information hierarchy includes the selected first reference, and wherein the selected first reference is a link to the first child node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first child node is a parent to one or more other nodes in the plurality of nodes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data path that forms the cycle beginning and ending at the first child node includes only the first child node and the particular parent node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second visual representation includes a visual representation of the first reference that is selectable to directly navigate back from the second visual representation to the first visual representation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first child node and particular parent node are files, and wherein the particular parent node is a different version of the first child node.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information hierarchy includes a plurality of contexts, wherein each of the plurality of contexts includes one or more of the plurality of nodes, and wherein the first visual representation identifies all contexts within the information hierarchy that include nodes referencing the first child node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input selecting the first child node comprises a navigation action received via a web interface, and wherein the navigation action specifies a particular web page.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer system including at least a memory and a processor, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving input selecting a first child node of a plurality of nodes in a computer-accessible information hierarchy, wherein the first child node is a child node to a plurality of parent nodes, and wherein the information hierarchy includes a data path that forms a cycle beginning and ending at the first child node;

responsive to the input selecting the first child node, causing a first visual representation to be presented on a display, wherein the first visual representation identifies all references in the information hierarchy that are references between the plurality of parent nodes and the first child node, including at least two references to the first child node;

receiving input selecting a first reference of the at least two references to the first child node, wherein the selected first reference corresponds to a particular parent node in the information hierarchy that is one of the plurality of parent nodes of the first child node; and

responsive to the input selecting the first reference, the computer system causing the display to directly navigate from the first visual representation to a second visual representation corresponding to the particular parent node.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the input selecting the first child node is received via a web interface.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the second visual representation corresponding to the particular parent node identifies all references in the information hierarchy to the particular parent node, including a second reference corresponding to the selected first reference, and wherein the second reference is selectable to directly navigate to the first visual representation.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the second visual representation corresponding to the particular parent node identifies all references in the information hierarchy to the particular parent node, including at least two additional references, wherein each of the at least two additional references is selectable to directly navigate to at least two other visual representations, wherein each of the at least two other visual representations respectively includes a representation of another node that references the particular parent node.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the particular parent node is a child node to at least one other node in the information hierarchy.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the information hierarchy is distributed across a wide-area network.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the particular parent node includes content that is essentially the same content as that of the first child node.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first child node is also a parent node of the particular parent node.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the system to perform operations comprising;

receiving input selecting a first child node that is a child node to a plurality of parent nodes in a computer-accessible information hierarchy, wherein the information hierarchy includes a data path that forms a cycle beginning and ending at the first child node;

responsive to the input selecting the first child node, causing a first visual representation to be presented on a display, wherein the first visual representation includes two or more references that identify all references in the information hierarchy that are references between the plurality of parent nodes and the first child node;

receiving input selecting a first reference of the two or more references, wherein the selected first reference corresponds to a particular parent node in the information hierarchy that is one of plurality of parent nodes of the first child node; and

responsive to the input selecting the first reference, the computer system causing the display to directly navigate from the first visual representation to a second visual representation corresponding to the particular parent node.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the input selecting the first child node comprises a navigation action received via a web interface, and wherein the navigation action specifies a particular web page.